Chapter 5: Adlerian Play Therapy in a School Setting for Children Whose Caregivers are Mentally Ill

Professional school counselors (PSCs) are specifically trained to provide responsive services to students within the school environment. These responsive services include individual counseling, group counseling, consultation, peer facilitation, and referrals (American School Counselor Association [ASCA], 2012). While school counselors do not provide therapy, they do play an integral role in facilitating the academic, social, and emotional well-being of students. PSCs have the opportunity to provide much needed support to students who have a family member struggling with a mental illness, some examples of which are depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance abuse or even a personality disorder.

For the scope of this chapter, the term “children” refers to both children and adolescents within the school setting. PSCs generally perceive individuals from a wellness perspective rather than a medical perspective. That being the case, the term “mental illness” may cause discomfort. However, the term “mental illness” is used throughout the chapter for the sake of simplicity and is not intended to be derogatory in any manner. This term refers to those individuals who have been diagnosed with psychiatric symptoms that are chronic and potentially disabling (Reupert & Maybery, 2010).