School Counselor Use of Narrative Therapy to Support Students of Color Transitioning from an Alternative School Setting

Abstract

The authors propose a collaborative application of narrative therapy utilizing the school counselor, teachers, and parents to support students of color transitioning from an alternative school setting. Research indicates that students of color transitioning from alternative settings often face stigma and marginalization by teachers and peers. The authors contend that school counselors can use this collaborative narrative approach to support students to create new narratives within a supportive environment. Included is an illustration demonstrating the application of the collaborative narrative therapy process.

Keywords

• narrative therapy
• school and family collaboration
• alternative school settings
• school transitions