4th Grade School Counselor
Qualifications: M.Ed School Counseling
Mrs. Amy Dorsey
Hello!
My name is Amy Dorsey and I am the 4th grade school counselor here at East Woods Intermediate. As a school counselor it is my duty to help promote the academic, personal, social, and emotional development of students. The primary focus of the school counselor is prevention. I work with ALL students to help them develop life skills and help them have a successful school year.
Individual Counseling
Individual counseling is a one-on-one meeting with a student to discuss a problem, concern, or issue in a confidential setting. Students/parents may request a check in via the "Hey, Hey" form linked on the EWIS Media page under "school counselors" on the left hand side. Individual counseling sessions are short-term and each session may last between 5-30 minutes. The focus is on the development of coping and strategy building. Psychotherapy is not a service provided by school counselors. Please feel free to contact me if you would like a list of outside counseling centers.
Small Group Counseling
Small groups provide a wonderful way for students to meet new friends and develop positive coping skills in a safe and fun environment. Groups are offered on a needs basis and meet weekly for about 4-8 forty minute sessions. Some topics include: managing big feelings, changing families, grief/loss, building friendships, organization/study skills, increasing self-esteem, conflict management and managing anxiety. If you feel your student would be a good fit for one of these groups or have an idea of a group you would like your child to be a part of please let myself or your child's classroom teacher know.
Classroom Guidance
Throughout the year the counselor visits all classrooms and teaches lessons that are developmentally appropriate and preventative in nature. These lessons often focus on helping students build good character. This year lessons will have a strong focus on Social Thinking. Social Thinking focuses on helping students develop their social self-awareness, perspective taking, and social self-management skills to meet their personal goals. Social goals can include helping children learn to relate to others, to work effectively as part of a team, and to learn effectively as part of a group. To learn more about Social Thinking visit the website at https://www.socialthinking.com/
A little about me:
I earned my Bachelor of Science Degree from Kent State University where I studied psychology, conflict management, and justice studies. Shortly after graduating I moved to Columbus where I worked with youth in a residential treatment facility focusing on coping skills and behavior management.
I returned to the Cleveland area in 2009 and was employed with a non-profit agency. I worked with students in a middle school to help those with emotional difficulties be successful in a traditional classroom setting. That is when I found my passion for working in the school setting and helping children be successful, lifelong learners.
I continued my education at Kent State where I earned my Master’s Degree in School Counseling in December of 2012. I have been working as a school counselor ever since and have loved every moment of it!
I am available to work with students at East Woods on a daily basis. You can reach me by phone at (330)653-1251 and anytime via e-mail also, follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/EWcounselor . I am looking forward to making this a wonderful school year for you and your student(s). Please do not hesitate to contact me if you feel your student would benefit from any of the services provided.
