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2Stage 2: Build
A simple session flow
In shortA simple 30-minute school counselling session has five steps: arrive (3 min), check in (5 min), focus (10 min), try something (8 min) and close (4 min). Adapt it to each student; some sessions will be all listening, and that is fine.
For reference only. Customise this flow to each student and the needs of each session. Some sessions will be all listening, and that is fine.
From practice A 30-minute school session. Shorten or lengthen the steps to fit your bell schedule.
- 3 min1. ArriveGreet by name. Remind them what is private and its limits.
- 5 min2. Check inAsk open questions: “What was that like?” Listen without fixing.
- 10 min3. FocusChoose one thing to work on together. Ask what they’d like to be different.
- 8 min4. Try somethingOne small skill or activity: a worksheet, a drawing, a role-play.
- 4 min5. CloseSummarise. Agree one small step. Book the next time. Write your note.
What does the evidence say about the tools you might reach for? Evidence check
| Tool or approach | Evidence snapshot (and its limits) | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Person-centred counselling | A UK trial in 18 schools (329 students aged 13–16) found less psychological distress than usual pastoral care alone. Effects were small to moderate. | Students who need space to talk things through. |
| Solution-focused brief counselling | Small overall effect across 50 school studies. Better than waitlist, not clearly better than usual support. | Short, goal-focused conversations. |
| SEL programmes | Strong overall (213 programmes). Results vary with quality of delivery. | Whole-class and group work. |
| Play-based counselling | Moderate effect across 52 controlled studies of child-centred play therapy. A later review of 100 studies found a similar effect but rated study quality as poor. | Younger children who find talking hard. |
| Art-based approaches | A review found only 13 outcome studies with children (2000–2017). Results look promising, but studies are few and small. Formal art therapy needs a trained art therapist. | Children who find words hard; expressing feelings. |
Full citations are on the references page. For writing the note afterwards, see how to write school counselling session notes.
Counseld Starter Toolkit · Not a substitute for supervision or school policy.
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