An Emphasis on Emotional Growth

Philosophy and Objectives

Auldern provides regular support in the form of individual, group and family therapy, specialty groups and workshops that serve as the framework for achieving emotional, social, and character development goals.  The goal of this department is to coordinate efforts with all other departments, both Academic and Student Life, to assure that student goals are achieved and challenges are effectively addressed.  The departmental philosophy is built upon gender specific and evidence-based research that is shown to be effective with young women. To further ensure successful outcomes, a major emphasis is placed on the therapeutic alliance established between the therapists and the girls they work with.

Our Director of Counseling services directly supervises a team of master’s level clinicians. The department is also supported by a PHD level psychologist who assesses and advises on the treatment of the students. The clinicians have a variety of backgrounds. It is their job to deliver individual, group and family therapy, specialty groups and workshops as well as provide parent support, and to communicate student information to all necessary parties. As with all aspects of the Auldern Academy program, the efforts of the Counseling Services Department are aimed at fostering the skills and character required for success in future schools, at home and in college. The clinicians unify the efforts of the student, staff, family members, and referring professionals so that all parties can support the student’s personal growth goals.

The Counseling Services Department fosters accountability and encourages the student to remain focused on critical life goals.  Students learn to balance the demands of personal integrity and conviction with those of cooperation, relationship building, and community.  This balance is essential to their future success in school, college and beyond.

 

Individual Counseling

Prior to enrollment, each student’s needs are reviewed by the treatment team to determine which clinician will best serve the student. The clinician provides individual counseling sessions that, in general, are held weekly. The student, family, referring professionals and Auldern Academy treatment team will help to identify target areas for individual work. The clinician will use their discretion to determine what information will be shared with Auldern Academy treatment team members, which may include Student Life Counselors, Academic staff, Administrative staff, School Nurse, Ancillary Providers, as well as parents and parent-approved professionals in order to assist in the student’s therapeutic growth. Clinicians are under the direct supervision of the Director of Counseling Services and may seek advice in order to better serve the student and her family. The clinician may also coordinate services between outside ancillary providers such as a licensed psychologist, sobriety counselor, consulting LCSW or psychiatrist, providing them with information critical to their expertise.

 

Furthermore, Auldern is bound by North Carolina law (and the laws of all states) to report suspicions of abuse or neglect that may have occurred prior to or during a student’s enrollment at Auldern.  In such cases, parents or family members will be informed of the report as soon as it is legally allowable for us to do so.

Individual therapy work is primarily focused on the student’s relationship to herself and her family, identifying and working through personal issues that may be in the way of healthy relationships.  It is an interactive process in which therapist and student explore personal growth themes, identify personal growth goals, develop strategies and skills for reaching those goals, and assess personal-growth progress.  This process requires the full engagement of the student in these sessions and the student’s full investment in her own personal development. 

 

Group Therapy

Auldern offers twice weekly group therapy sessions facilitated by therapists and supported by Student Life staff members.  Monday groups alternate between caseload groups and community groups.  In caseload groups, students meet with their individual therapist and the rest of the girls that the therapist sees.  Community groups are determined by the needs expressed by students on their group request forms.  Girls can confront others in the community, ask for feedback, share current struggles or explore community wide issues.  On Wednesdays “Voices” groups meet.  “Voices” is a gender specific curriculum focusing on personal development of young women.   A new “Voices” group starts every 3 months and the members of the group stay together throughout the approximately 38 weeks of the curriculum. Prior to beginning a “Voices” group, the girls participate in an orientation group to become better acclimated to Auldern and to explore the issues related to transitioning. Groups continue to meet after the completion of the curriculum,

 

Family Therapy

Family therapy is offered on an as-needed basis as determined by the student’s therapist. Family phone counseling sessions may be scheduled in lieu of the student’s weekly session. Face-to-face family sessions may be scheduled either prior to or following on-campus, area or home visits.  Other face-to-face family sessions may be scheduled at the request of the Clinician.

 

Workshops

In addition to working with the individual, Auldern Academy works to develop and nurture a positive peer culture. Clinicians have developed all day intensive workshops to supplement the “Voices” group work. 

 

Parent Contact

The Clinicians provide parents with an ongoing perspective of their daughter’s progress at Auldern Academy by scheduling weekly phone calls for the first three months of enrollment, and bimonthly calls thereafter. Clinicians work to develop the fine line between a student’s need for confidentiality and the parents’ need to understand the progress that is being made resolving issues that brought them to enroll their daughter at Auldern.

Student phone calls to parents are initially monitored by the Clinician. When students move to the Humanitarian Phase, the calls may start out being monitored by a student life staff if necessary. Eventually students earn the privilege to make the calls in a less monitored situation from the bank of phones in the Activity Building. The purpose of the call is to provide a time for the student and her parents to fill each other in on the recent events and begin to make positive connections. Disrespectful conversations will be interrupted.

 

School Showcase Weekends

Auldern provides three School Showcase Weekends per year, in the fall, summer and spring. These weekends should be considered “mandatory” and only missed on the rarest of occasions.  The first day is a Parent Education Day. Auldern staff and parents will hold discussions pertinent to the school as a whole and dealing with teenage girls. The second day features a School Showcase. Students demonstrate their learning in the Academic and Student Life Departments through specially prepared presentations. Family sessions are scheduled the day prior to the Parent Education Day and on the School Showcase day as arranged by the therapist.  All visits occur in the local area. Local families may be offered home visits on the advice of the therapist.

Visit Coordination and Contracting

Prior to on-campus, area or home visits, the therapist will work with the student and her parents to set goals and boundaries for the visit.  These contracts will evolve and change as the family dynamics deem necessary.  Students are expected to live within Auldern’s Honor Code while on visits with the family.  Parents are expected to provide the necessary support.  Both student and parents will be asked to evaluate the success of the visit after the student returns to campus.

The Clinician is key in determining the location and length of the visit. The Clinician will determine if the visit is to remain on campus or if the family may go to the surrounding area.  They will determine if the student may stay overnight with the parents or must return to campus.  They will also determine the readiness of the student to visit home and for how long.  The therapist and the parents will work together to develop a contract for the visit detailing expectations.

 

The Clinician will follow the guidelines in the Parent Handbook for determining the appropriate length and location of the visit. These issues are discussed with the treatment team prior to the scheduling of the visit. 

 

Consulting Psychiatrist

Students who are on medication meet with Auldern’s Medical Director who comes on campus twice a month.  Students and therapists can schedule appointments through the school nurse in order to ask questions about their medications and/or request changes.  The school nurse will contact the parents with recommendations.  Changes in medication are made only when the student and the parents approve of the suggested changes. The Medical Director must approve all medications, either prescribed or over-the-counter that are to be taken by any student.

Ancillary Services

The Counseling Services Department works to ensure that students with specific needs, outside of the direct services, have access to appropriate services.  These services include additional psychotherapy, psycho-educational testing and sobriety group. These services incur an additional expense paid by parents.