School Counselors' Use of Movement in Small Group and Individual Counseling Sessions

Abstract

Although there is a research base for incorporating movement into teaching and classroom lessons, there currently is a lack of research on incorporating movement into school counseling practices. The present mixed methods exploratory study aimed to identify school counselor attitudes, beliefs, and practices regarding the use of movement in individual and small group counseling sessions. A concurrent embedded strategy was utilized to survey practicing school counselors in the United States. By sharing requests through the ASCA Member Community and state school counselor association communications, study participants were invited to complete an anonymous survey online. Study participants indicated they find incorporating movement useful in individual and small group sessions. Although participants self-report higher levels of knowledge on incorporating movement into counseling sessions at schools, most participants had not received any training on the topic. Recommendations include providing training for practicing school counselors and school counselors-in-training regarding how to incorporate movement into sessions and its benefits. Focus of training should also include advocacy efforts and how to address identified barriers.