Think Outside the Box: Essential, Creative Techniques for School Counselors Ed Jacobs, Ph.D. West Virginia University

The Brain Likes Novelty What did you learn? What did you learn? Talk / Listen Counseling Talk / Listen Counseling Focus on Feelings Focus on Feelings How Creative Are You? 1—10 Scale How Creative Are You? 1—10 Scale What Advertisers Know What Advertisers Know Talk to the Student’s Eyes Talk to the Student’s Eyes

Common Mistakes of School Counselors— Your BOX Reflect more than necessary Listen to too many stories Rarely interrupt student Take too long to focus the session Is not theory driven Is not creative THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

The Four M’s of Impact Therapy Multisensory Motivational Marketing Maps

What Kind of Player Are You? Friday Night Player Saturday Player Sunday Player - has courage and thinks outside the box

Essential Creative Techniques: Props Cups Cups Rubber Band Rubber Band $1 $1 Shield Shield Eyore and Tigger Eyore and Tigger Fuses Fuses

Essential Creative Techniques: Using Chairs Creatively To represent goals To represent goals Holding on to chair Holding on to chair To represent choices To represent choices To represent people To represent people To represent parts of personality To represent parts of personality

Essential Creative Techniques: Using Small Chair The small chair is the prop that I use the most. Sunday players will get a small chair (elementary counselors already have them).

Using Chairs for Gestalt Technique There is tremendous power in presentizing a discussion about someone. There is tremendous power in presentizing a discussion about someone. Clients benefit from dialoging with themselves (changing seats). Clients benefit from dialoging with themselves (changing seats).

Essential Creative Techniques: Creative Use of Writing Ratings—1-10 Parents, Effort in School, etc Ratings—1-10 Parents, Effort in School, etc The power of the sentence: The power of the sentence:. Thoughts cause feelings..

Not True True Grid Not True ______ True_______ I am a failureI made a B which I am never going towhich means I have amount to anything. to study more. One B does not determine the rest of my life _______________________________________ Bad Better Bad Better

WDEP W—What do you want? D—What are you currently doing? E—Evaluate –How is what you’re doing getting you what you want? (This is always it is not.) P—Plan—Let’s work on a plan to get you what you want.

WDEP W—I hope to be a doctor. W—I hope to be a doctor. D—I’m smoking dope, skipping, school, not studying, and I don’t turn in assignments. I hang out with people who have no college aspirations. D—I’m smoking dope, skipping, school, not studying, and I don’t turn in assignments. I hang out with people who have no college aspirations. E—It’s not working for me. I’m failing. E—It’s not working for me. I’m failing. P—Plan—Go to school; hang out with positive people; do homework right after school. P—Plan—Go to school; hang out with positive people; do homework right after school.

Creative Use of Drawings Small box—Big Box Small box—Big Box

Enmeshed Circles

Timelines x x x x x x 2yrs1yr6 mo3monow 1 10

Essential Creative Techniques: Creative Movement Techniques There is value in getting students to move out of their seat. Being held back Being held back Moving to other (better) seat Moving to other (better) seat Going in circles Going in circles Counselor stand in chair Counselor stand in chair

A KEY FOR EFFECTIVE LIVING Get your expectations in line with reality

Questions Regarding Thinking Outside the Box Are you a Sunday Player? Do you want to be? It takes Deliberate Practice Are you a Sunday Player? Do you want to be? It takes Deliberate Practice What are you going to do differently next week? What are you going to do differently next week? What keeps you from being more creative? What keeps you from being more creative? What will be the hardest thing for you to overcome regarding using some of the ideas presented. What will be the hardest thing for you to overcome regarding using some of the ideas presented.

More Information To contact me for workshops, information, etc: Ed Jacobs, 457 Broadway Avenue, Star City, WV 26505; Ed Jacobs, 457 Broadway Avenue, Star City, WV 26505; Book/CD’s orders— Book/CD’s orders— Summer workshop— Summer workshop—

What You Need to Know Grief Counseling Grief Counseling Stages of Change Stages of Change Parenting models Parenting models Drugs and Alcohol Drugs and Alcohol Counseling theories Counseling theories Panic Attacks Panic Attacks OCD OCD

Which Kid Are You?