Counseling Program and Services

What is Counseling?
Student Informed Consent

School Clinicians

All Hill School Clinicians have a professional license(s) or work towards licensure under supervision. Our School Clinicians are highly trained and experienced in the field and will do the best possible job to address your concerns and work together to address your needs. In counseling, you will work with a School Clinician to build skills and insight and find solutions to problems through conversation and practice. What happens in any given session will depend on your goals, presenting any issue(s), your comfort with communication, your current life circumstances, and the general approach you've agreed to with your School Clinician.

Appointment Check-in/out

Please check in with the administrative assistant before/after all counseling appointments. Once you finish your appointment, she will also give you a pass back to class if needed. All passes indicate you are at the Wellness Center and do not specify counseling.

Cost

The cost of all counseling sessions at The Hill School is fully covered by tuition and fees. If we refer you to an outside provider, or you prefer seeing an external provider, this will be at a will cost to you.

Electronic Health Record

The Counseling Center uses an electronic health record to record clinical notes. Only the school counseling team and Medical Director have access to the information in the EHR. The Medical Director has access to clinical areas of the chart only when providing a continuity of care through the medical leave process.

Clinical Services in the Summer

The Hill School does not provide clinical counseling services in the summer and will refer students to other providers. Once school resumes, clinical services can start with their school clinician.

Counseling Website and Contact

To reach the Director of Counseling, please email Lroethling@thehill.org or call 610-705-1162. 

Drop-in Services

The Counseling Center is available for drop-in counseling sessions from 830 a.m. to 430 p.m. Monday through Friday. Students will be seen in real-time to discuss a particular concern they may be having.

Benefits & Risks

Counseling can include discussing challenging or previously undisclosed aspects of life and maybe uncomfortable at times. On the other hand, counseling has demonstrable benefits in leading to better relationships, solving specific problems, and reducing feelings of distress. The goal of counseling is to impact the lives of students who take part positively. At the same time, anyone who believes that counseling is not working may discontinue or request a change in the School Clinician working with the individual. We will do our best to accommodate any requests for changes.

The Counseling Process

Typically, the first 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 evaluating your needs. Our assessment process screens for anxiety, depression, eating issues, substance-related issues, internet addiction concerns, trauma/abuse history, and school/academic challenges. By the end of this assessment, we will be able to offer you some first impressions of your situation and a rough outline of a plan to follow moving forward should you decide to continue with counseling.

Confidentiality

If a parent, Hill School faculty, or Wellness Center staff asks if a School Clinician is working with a student, we will acknowledge the student's status in services while ensuring that all specific health-related information will be kept confidential. Students need to share thoughts, feelings, and experiences without worrying that others will share such information to engage in counseling. For this reason, we do our absolute best to safeguard the privacy of the students we meet with.

Exceptions to Confidentiality

Confidentiality/privacy cannot be maintained in the following circumstances, and School Clinicians must make an immediate disclosure without discussion:

1.       If a student reveals a plan/intent to cause severe harm or death to the student themself, we believe that the student has the purpose and ability to carry out this threat within a proximate time frame. In this instance, we are required by law to take steps to inform a parent or guardian as well as individuals at The Hill School with a need to know of what the student has told us and how serious we believe this threat to be and to try to prevent the occurrence of such harm.

2.       If a student reveals a plan/intent to cause severe harm or death to someone else, we believe that the student has the intention and ability to carry out this threat very shortly. In this situation, we are required by law to inform a parent or guardian and individuals at The Hill School with a need to know. We must also notify the police and the targeted person of potential threatened harm.

3.       Suppose it is revealed or apparent that a child is/has been neglected or abused (physically, sexually, or emotionally). In that case, we are required by law to report the alleged abuse to the appropriate state child protective agency, the Pennsylvania ChildLine.

4.       If a student is under the age of 18 and reveals that they have been a victim of sexual assault, we must report that information to Pennsylvania ChildLine and the student's parent. If the assault includes another Hill School student, we must notify the Dean of Students.

5.       If a student reports sexual misconduct or assault from another student, faculty, or staff, we must report that information to the school administration; in some cases, that may also require a report to Pennsylvania ChildLine.

6.       If a student scores above the cutoff on an eating disorder screening tool or meets the Diagnostic Statistical Manual-V criteria for a substance use disorder. In that case, we are required to notify a parent.

7.       If a student has been deemed to need a medical leave of absence related to mental health. The Director of counseling will communicate that need to the Medical Leave Committee.  

If you have concerns about the limits of confidentiality, you can always ask your School Clinician about the types of information you need to disclose. You could ask in the form of a “hypothetical situation."

Disordered Eating Screening

Our policy is that a parent will be informed if a student presents in the counseling center with disordered eating concerns and scores above the cutoff on the EAT-26 screening tool. If there is a concern for further assessment or a need for a specialized care provider, it will be encouraged that students/parents follow this recommendation.

Identified Substance Use Disorders

The Counseling Center will provide confidential counseling support for students using substances. However, if a student’s substance use meets the DSM-V criteria for a substance use disorder, a parent will be notified. If there is a concern for further assessment or a need for a specialized care provider, it will be encouraged that students/parents follow this recommendation.

Students Suspected to be Under the Influence of Substances

If a student presents in the counseling center and is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. In that case, they will be taken to the Wellness Center for further evaluation.

I CARE Services & Confidentiality

Students receiving counseling services for I CARE must sign a release of information that allows the Counseling team to report to the Dean of Students if the student has completed the assessment and any, ICARE recommendations. No other information is given other than completion or non-completion of the counseling requirements.

Mental Health Medical Leave

In instances where a mental health medical leave is deemed necessary, the School Clinician will work with the Medical Leave Committee through the medical leave process. A release of information will be signed by the student for the duration of this process. The goal of a mental health medical leave is always the healthy return of a student.

Emergencies

If you are experiencing a mental health emergency (meaning you are not feeling safe), contact Hill Security at 610-327-3060 or walk directly to the Wellness Center and speak with a nurse. School Clinicians are on call 24/7 for emergencies when students are on campus.

View a PDF of our What is Counseling document

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.

Learn More 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).