Counseling Program and Services

Student Informed Consent

The Counseling Process

Counseling services on campus are intended to be short-term solution-focused sessions provided by mental health counselors who are licensed providers, or providers working towards licensure under supervision. Typically, the first counseling session is a screening session that allows you to talk about what is going on and if you think counseling would be helpful. If you choose to move forward with counseling, the next session will include an evaluation of your needs through a biopsychosocial assessment. This assessment will determine your needs and whether you may benefit from longer-term therapy. Mental health counselors at Hill do not formally diagnose mental health conditions, and a referral to an outside provider will be made if deemed appropriate.

Counseling Website and Contact

To reach the Director of Counseling, please email Lroethling@thehill.org or call 610-705-1162. For more information on counseling services, please visit www.thehill.org/families/counseling-program.

Drop-in Services

In addition to offering scheduled appointments, the Counseling Center is available for drop-in counseling sessions from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Students will be seen in real-time to discuss a particular concern they may have. We ask that unless it is an emergency, you do not miss class to attend a drop-in session.

Scope of Counseling Services

The Hill School does not provide counseling services over breaks or in the summer. The cost of counseling sessions within The Hill School’s Counseling Center is fully covered by tuition and fees. Counseling services on campus are intended to be short-term solution-focused sessions. Students who require longer-term therapy during the school year may be steered towards additional off-campus support at the family’s expense and involvement. Students who are assessed as needing an outside provider will be expected to follow through with the appointments and any recommendations made by that provider. Failure to seek recommended mental health support may necessitate the student taking a medical leave or other measures at the School’s discretion.

Emergencies

If you are experiencing a mental health emergency (meaning you are not feeling safe), contact Hill Security at610-327-3060 or walk directly to the Wellness Center and speak with a nurse. Mental health counselors are on call 24/7 for mental health-related emergencies when students are on campus.

Student Support Team

The Student Support Team consists of a group of faculty that discuss students that have been identified to need support. The counseling representative who attends will confirm a student is in counseling, however, will not divulge details about counseling except the minimum amount of information on a “need-to-know” basis to allow the School to serve the best interests of the student and/or the community, including, without limitation, in cases of health and safety emergencies; when there is a concern about your ability to function academically, emotionally, physically, or mentally within the Hill environment; or when legal requirements demand that confidential information be revealed.

I Care Services & Confidentiality

The Dean’s office and the student’s parent or guardian will receive a letter from the Director of Counseling after the substance use evaluation is completed. It will identify what counseling recommendations the student is required to complete while in the I Care program. If a student needs a higher level of care while in the I Care Program, the School will notify the student’s parent or guardian about the School’sresponse. Please refer to the I Care section in the Student Handbook for a full description of the I Care Program, policies, and requirements.

Medical Leave of Absence

The Head of School, in consultation with the Medical Leave Committee and appropriate senior staff, will approve all medical leaves and will have access to the information discussed in the medical leave process. The Medical Leave Committee is comprised of the Director of Counseling, Medical Director, Dean of Students, Director of Residential Life, and Academic Dean. A general communication will be sent to the student’s teachers, dorm parents, coach, adviser, and college counselor, notifying them of the medical leave and the minimum details that are necessary for them to support the student on a “need-to-know” basis. It is required for any student on medical leave to acquire an outside mental health provider before returning to school. This is to ensure mental health support during breaks and establish continuity of care.

Privacy and Confidentiality

While mental health counselors endeavor to maintain privacy and confidentiality during counseling sessions, mental health counselors are required to acknowledge status in services if requested by a parent or guardian, Hill School faculty, or Wellness Center staff.

Mental health counselors generally maintain records electronically. Outside of the counseling team, other authorized individuals, including but not limited to, the Medical Director and Wellness Center Staff, are granted access to certain records containing the minimum amount of information necessary to best support the student’s needs.

Mental health counselors may also need to share the minimum amount of information necessary with other School employees, their agents, and/or parents or guardians on a “need-to-know” basis to allow the School to serve the best interests of the student and/or the community, including, without limitation, in cases of health and safety emergencies; when there is concern about your ability to function academically, emotionally, physically, or mentally within the Hill environment; or when legal requirements demand that confidential information be revealed.

Under certain circumstances, mental health counselors may make an immediate disclosure to your parents or guardians, other School employees, School attorneys, ChildLine, or appropriate law enforcement about the following:

1.  Suicidal or Homicidal Behaviors or Ideation

2.  Self-harming behaviors

3.  Reported child neglect or abuse (physical, sexual, or emotional)

4.  Reports of sexual assault and/or misconduct

5.  Disordered Eating Concerns

6.  Alcohol/Other Drug Concerns

7.  Pregnancy

Prevention Education at the Hill School

Mr. Jones is The Hill School’s Prevention Education Specialist. He has a Certification in Applied Positive Psychology (CAPP) and is a Certified Open Focus and NeuroSynchrony Coach. The Hill School's Counseling Program offers prevention education across several settings. Students in all forms will receive evidence-based, age-appropriate lessons that help them develop the skills that focus on drug/alcohol use prevention, overall well-being, mental health, and social responsibility.

Prevention Education Programming

Mindfulness Practice:

Mr. Jones works with performers at The Hill School in group setting to deliver mindfulness practice to improve performance and reduce anxiety. He teaches student focus and attention, body awareness, and ability to immerse themselves in the present moment. These are skills needed in both high level performance and mindfulness meditation.

Panaptic: Comprehensive Marijuana and Electronic Delivery Prevention Education:

During the fourth form year, students will participate in an online digital learning experience targeting marijuana and electronic delivery prevention education. Panaptic was created by two clinical psychologists with over 35 years of experience in research and addiction medicine.

Panaptic is an eight-session online course. The goal is to increasing students understanding of the short- and long-term risks on emotional/social health, physical health, as well as impacts on academic performance from marijuana and nicotine use. Panaptic programming includes parent education modules that explore the science of marijuana and vaping and how to have productive family conversations around marijuana/electronic delivery prevention. During the drug and alcohol prevention section of Eudemonia Health+, students will analyze the relationship between using alcohol and other drugs as it relates to other health risks, such as unintentional injuries, violence, suicide, and high-risk sexual behaviors. 

What is counseling?

A common misconception about counseling is that it is only appropriate for people who are experiencing severe mental health illness. Most people can benefit from receiving support from a counselor at some point in their lives, and last year one out of every nine students met with a Hill School Clinician at least once. Counseling is an opportunity for students to speak individually with a trained licensed professional about a wide range of concerns and develop successful strategies for coping with or working through them. 

How often will I meet with a counselor?

Some students meet with a counselor one or two times, while other may meet monthly, bi-weekly, or weekly with a counselor. The frequency and duration of counseling will be jointly determined by the student and his/her counselor and may vary according to the student’s needs.

What kinds of things do students talk with counselors?

The counselors recognize that being a student at The Hill School can be challenging at times. They are there to provide support to any student seeking help. Speaking with friends, family, and teachers can often be helpful for students, but sometimes students can benefit from speaking to a trained professional in a safe, confidential, and nonjudgmental environment. Any concern is appropriate to talk about with a counselor, including (but not limited to):

• Academic performance
• Anxiety
• Body image or eating concerns
• Depression
• Divorce or other family issues
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Gender identity
• Homesickness
• Loss of a friend of loved one
• Procrastination
• Race, ethnicity, nationality, or other cultural identity
• Relationship with family, friends or others
• Sexual orientation
• Sexual assault
• Sleep issues
• Stress management
• Substance use (alcohol, drugs, nicotine)

Who will know if I’m seeing a counselor?

In most cases, no one will be notified that you are meeting with a counselor. Counseling is most effective if students can share information in a confidential way, and the counselors are dedicated to honoring and protecting students’ privacy within the limits of safety and the law.

Parents/guardians are not contacted by counselors unless a counselor has significant concerns about a student’s well-being. Counselors are mandated reporters, and as such are required by law to contact the proper authorities if there are concerns about abuse and neglect. If a parent/guardian directly contacts the counseling office inquiring if their child is being seen by a counselor, the counselor will confirm that student is in contact with the office but will NOT provide details about what is being discussed in counseling without first discussing this with the student.

There are times when deans, teachers, or advisers’ express concerns about students to the counseling office. In such cases, the counseling office may acknowledge whether the student is in contact with the counseling office but will not divulge confidential information without the student’s permission.

The counselors do work closely with other members of the Wellness Center staff, including the Medical Director and nurses. Information that is shared within the Wellness Center is on a need-to-know basis in order to provide the best possible medical care.

 How do I make an appointment?

To make an appointment to see a counselor, you can email counseling@thehill.org. If you have a specific counselor, you would like to see please mention that in the email. Also, please provide information about which days/periods would work best for you to meet. A counselor will contact you within 48 hours to schedule an appointment.

In the case of an emergency, go to or call the Wellness Center at 610-705-1111 and ask to speak to the counselor on call. If it is after curfew, please contact Hill Security at 610-327-3060 to escort you to the Wellness Center. We have a counselor on call for emergencies 24/7.

What is a Mental Health Medical Leave?

If it is determined that a student needs a higher level of care than what the Counseling Center can provide, a student may be placed on Medical Leave. During this leave of absence, a student’s academics are not compromised and upon return from medical leave, a student will work the Director of Studies and Instruction to make up work overtime. The primary focus is for the student to regain mental health and stability to return to Hill School academics and functions. The Medical Leave process is a formal process that goes through the Medical Leave Committee which is comprised of the following:

1. The Medical Director
2. The Director of Counseling
3. The Dean of Academics
4. The Dean of Students
5. The Dean of Residence Life

Once the committee has made a recommendation, it is presented to The Head of School for approval. Medical leaves vary in time and reason and each case is considered in it’s own unique manner.

FAQs About Hill's I-Care Program 

Eudemonia:

Eudemonia (Greek word used by Aristotle to denote happiness, or ‘the worthwhile life') is a well-being program for third, fourth, and sixth form students designed to educate them on how they might capitalize upon their human resources to make the most of their potential. Students learn about topics including empathy, managing conflict, resilience, and judgment. 

Third and sixth form Eudemonia consists of 10 discussions that will cover a variety of topics. Lessons are grounded in the work of Dr. Martin Seligman (University of Pennsylvania) and based on his PERMA model (positive Emotion, Engagement, Positive Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishments/Achievement.)

Eudemonia Health+:

Fourth form students take Eudemonia Health+, an enhanced one term course consisting of thirty class sessions, offered in the winter and spring terms. This course will address aspects in three main areas: social/emotional health, sexual health, and drug and alcohol prevention.

Social and Emotional Health Education:

The HealthSmart curriculum meets National Health Education Standards (NHES) and gives students the functional knowledge and essential skills required to achieve social and emotional health literacy. This curriculum has lesson-based objectives and assessments that are based on the knowledge and skill expectations in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool. The content of social and emotional learning will focus on understanding healthy emotional regulation, conflict management skills, mindfulness practice, and suicide prevention education.

 Sexual Health Education:

The Rights, Respect, and Responsibility curriculum is a sexual health education curriculum that fully meets the National Sexuality Education Standards (NSES). The NSES outlines the foundational knowledge and skills students need to navigate sexual development and grow into sexually healthy adults. The content during these sessions will address both the functional knowledge related to sexuality and the specific skills necessary to adopt healthy behaviors. Topics will include information on the following:

• Describing the human sexual response cycle, including the role hormones play.
   
• Analyzing how brain development has an impact on cognitive, social and emotional changes of adolescence and early adulthood.
   
• Differentiating between biological sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity and expression.
   
• Comparing and contrasting the advantages and disadvantages of abstinence and other contraceptive methods, including condoms as well as educating on emergency contraception and describing its mechanism of action.
   
• Describing common symptoms of and treatments for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.
   
• Evaluating the potentially positive and negative roles of technology and social media in relationships.
   
• Describing characteristics of healthy and unhealthy romantic and/or sexual relationships as well as defining sexual consent and explaining its implications for sexual decision making.
   
• Explaining why a person who has been raped or sexually assaulted is not at fault.

Drug and Alcohol Prevention Education:

Fourth form students will be participating in a dynamic prevention program focused on marijuana and electronic delivery(vaping).