Personal Counseling

Our Personal Counseling Office supports student well-being and healthy adolescent development through a comprehensive program that focuses on each grade level's specific needs. This program, which works in tandem with our College Counseling Program, includes group and individual meetings with students, as well as events and guest speakers.

Whether counseling a student one-on-one or working with freshman and sophomore counseling groups, our three counselors operate from a wellness model that addresses intellectual, spiritual, creative, physical, and social components of the whole person, using reflection, discussion, and activities. They work to involve all parts of the school community in fostering healthy development and emphasize a collaborative approach with families. Visitation parents may contact the office at any time, whether regarding day-to-day matters or more serious concerns. Our counselors provide confidential and continuing support for students and families exploring personal issues, challenges, and dilemmas.

Our Approach

We take a student-centered, strengths-based approach with each student. Students are assigned a personal counselor at the beginning of their Visitation journey and they will maintain this counseling relationship for the duration of their time at Visitation. Embracing student identities, we work with students in group and individual settings to empower them as students, friends, teammates, and leaders.

The personal counselors work in tandem with our college counseling team, meeting with students individually and in small groups, as well as hosting events and guest speakers. The personal counselors also work with the GVPA to provide parent programming on pertinent topics related to student mental health.

Visitation's personal counselors involve our whole school community in fostering healthy development and emphasize a collaborative approach with families. Visitation parents may contact the office at any time, whether regarding day-to-day matters or more serious concerns. Our personal counselors provide confidential and continuing support for students and families exploring personal issues, challenges, and dilemmas.

Each freshman and sophomore participates in a weekly counseling group that is organized around three pillars: social development, emotional development, and academic development. A sampling of topics covered are: transition to high school, healthy relationships, decision-making skills, identity formation, self-awareness, body image, and mindfulness among other relevant adolescent topics. We emphasize advocacy skills and gaining a better understanding of self and relationships to others. The two-year culminating project is a self-reflection portfolio that can be utilized during the college counseling process. The portfolio brings a deeper understanding of self, not only as a student, but as a friend, daughter, and woman in the 21st century.

In the junior and senior year, students remain connected to their personal counselor on an individual basis as they continue to receive guidance and support as they navigate the final two years of high school.