Emily Burrus is the Guidance Counselor at Benzie Central for grades 10-12. She told us about the TRAILS Program and her Virtual Counseling Site.
TRAILS is an acronym for Transforming Research into Action to Improve the Lives of Students. Developed by the University of Michigan, TRAILS seeks to bring effective mental health care to students with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Nearly 50% of all adolescents are impacted by mental illness, yet only 20% of those ever receive effective treatment.
TRAILS is building a network of coaches and school professionals, training them in evidence-based practices such as cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness. Coaches are paired with their local TRAILS-trained school professionals to facilitate school groups focused on reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Before COVID-19 Emily held weekly sessions with 8-15 students, working on different strategies for dealing with life's challenges. Since then counseling has been virtual, but students have become "zoomed out"--tired of virtual meetings and yet more addicted to technology. From a counseling perspective the goal is always to get students to see that education is the pathway to something better.
As illustrated below, Emily has developed a Virtual Counseling Site providing access to all sorts of helpful links, including everything from a Wellness Survey to information on college scholarships.
