Supporting Young People: Practical Tools for School Counsellors

Description

Some young people aged 16 to 21 withdraw quietly, masking anxiety, frustration, or low self-worth.

School counsellors and teachers often notice that something isn’t right, but opening conversations and knowing exactly how to help isn’t always straightforward.

This course provides practical strategies from the best of CBT, ACT, Narrative Therapy, and DBT, simplified for immediate use in schools.

Participants will practice concrete techniques such as identifying common thinking traps (CBT), helping students step back from difficult emotions without becoming overwhelmed (ACT), externalising problems to reduce feelings of shame (Narrative Therapy), and using clear, effective ways to handle emotional crises or distressing situations (DBT).

Furthermore, participants will work actively in pairs and small groups on realistic case studies based on actual school scenarios.

They will try out practical tools like thought-tracking sheets, guided conversations to clarify personal values, step-by-step methods for emotional regulation, and student-friendly visual resources to break down anxiety or avoidance patterns.

Also, a special focus will be placed on exploring how different expectations and pressures affect students’ mental health and communication patterns depending on their gender. Participants will gain insight into how to support both young men and young women effectively, while recognizing diverse expressions of stress and resilience.

A key strength of this course is the opportunity to collaborate with other school counsellors and teachers from across Europe. Participants will exchange experiences, share effective approaches, and refine these tools to ensure they’re practical and usable in your own school context.

By the end of the course, participants will have a concise toolkit including worksheets, templates, and straightforward interventions you can immediately apply when supporting students.

They will also leave with a clear sense of how to confidently approach situations involving young people who struggle to express what’s really going on.

Concept by Patrick O'Hare

Learning outcomes

The course will help the participants to:

• Recognise warning signs of anxiety, shutdown, or emotional strain in young people;
• Open conversations in a way that builds trust and doesn’t overwhelm;
• Use short, practical tools drawn from CBT, ACT, and Narrative approaches;
• Help students set small, meaningful goals that make a difference;
• Work with parents while respecting the student’s boundaries;
• Create short-term support plans that fit within a school schedule;
• Address themes of identity, gender expectations, and social media influence with sensitivity and confidence.

Tentative schedule

Day 1 – Course introduction

• Common signs of distress in adolescents and young adults (16–21);
• Behavior patterns, school refusal, and internalized anxiety;
• Case study work and signs checklist.

Day 2 – Narrative tools for support

• How to open a conversation without pressure;
• Language that works (and what to avoid);
• Opening conversations without pressure;
• Narrative Therapy: externalizing problems, reframing identity;
• ACT: hooks, values, and small shifts toward action.

Day 3 – Cognitive strategies to support students

CBT tools

• Spotting thinking traps;
• Using simplified thought records;
• Behavioral activation in school settings.

ACT tools

• Diffusion techniques (naming thoughts, stepping back);
• Practice: apply these to case examples and design 1-page student tools.

Day 4 – Young men’s and young women’s challenges

• Exploring gender-specific patterns in emotional expression and coping;
• Pressures linked to masculinity, femininity, and social media influence and pressure on personal identity;
• Inclusive approaches and strategies for supporting self-esteem, communication, and belonging in young people.

Day 5 – Support plans and collaboration

• School refusal, exam panic, low confidence: working across CBT, ACT, and Narrative Therapy;
• Managing confidentiality and working with parents and external services;
• Setting short-term goals and reviewing progress: how to write 4-weeks support plans;
• Case simulation and Group Task: apply the full approach and build a short support plan for a sample student;
• Course reflection and wrap-up.

Day 6 – Course closure and cultural activities

• Course evaluation: round up of acquired competences, feedback, and discussion;
• Awarding of the course Certificate of Attendance;
• Excursion and other external cultural activities.

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