The counsellor at elc International School is a part of the Student Welfare Team. The counsellor offers to assist students to develop appropriate skills and resolve problems in relation to personal, career and academic issues. The role is not only limited to providing direct services to students, but to offer a holistic approach which involves in the well-being of our students.

At elc, Secondary students will attend counselling sessions on a voluntary basis. There are also instances where teachers refer students with academic, social, behavioural and psychological concerns via the Counselling Referral Form.

Individual Counselling with students is a useful intervention as it helps to arrest psychological, emotional, social and behavioural issues. The counsellor uses a wide variety of therapeutic interventions and modalities which can be applied to suit each individual student’s needs. These interventions are utilised in an age-appropriate manner and must only take place once rapport with the student has been established.

Some common therapeutic methods may include:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Solution Focused Therapy
• Narrative Therapy 
• Relaxation Therapy 
• Mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy 
• Emotionally Focused Therapy

The duration of each consultation will generally be for 40 minutes and mostly during non-academic slots [Break, Registration, after school hours and during the ECAs]. The counsellor uses a Counselling Session Record template for every session with a student. The number of sessions required will differ depending on the needs of the child. Should the problem be severe, the counsellor may refer the family to an external agency for more intense intervention.

School counsellors are bound by law to maintain client confidentiality when collecting, recording, storing, disseminating, and disposing of information. The parents of the Primary students will be informed before counselling is carried out whereas; Secondary students’ sessions are kept confidential. However, not all information that a school counsellor collects may remain confidential. This is especially so when:

• There is a concern that the student will resort to self-inflicted harm.
• There is a concern that the student may cause harm to another.
• The student discloses criminal activity such that it may impact the welfare of the student or others or the reputation of the School.
• The student discloses that he/she has suffered harm or the counsellor reasonably suspects that the student has suffered harm, sexual abuse or neglect.