Counseling and Wellness

Guidance Lessons

Guidance lessons are taught by the school counselor every other week from PreK to 8th grade. The lessons are focused on four skill areas:

• Emotion awareness and regulation
• Distress tolerance
• Mindfulness
• Relationship building

Individual Counseling and Check-ins

When students are in need of additional support, individual counseling sessions or check-ins can be set up with the school counselor. The focus may be on developing coping strategies, building friendship skills, grieving a loss, or creating a safety plan. Check-ins can also be arranged to provide encouragement and coaching through social-emotional challenges. If a student’s needs are greater than what a school counselor can support, referrals can be given.

Small Groups

Sometimes a group of students can benefit from instruction that teaches one of the four skill areas in more depth. Other times, a group of students can be in need of community building and problem solving. In these cases a small group is formed. Generally they will meet once a week for a 20-30 minute lesson with the school counselor. Parents are notified to give their student consent to participate in the small group.

Catholic Charities - School Mental Health Program

This program is a partnership between Catholic Charities of Omaha and St. Philip Neri Catholic School. Individual counseling sessions with a licensed mental health practitioner are offered to our students at no cost to families. The therapist provides updates on student progress and maintains communication with parents and guardians. The counseling sessions do occur during school hours. Students who may benefit from this program include those experiencing anxiety, depression, and social, relational, or family dynamic challenges. Please contact Ms. Knipp if you would like more information.