Presented by Dr. Aubrey Uresti is an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education at San José State University. She serves on the CASC Bylaws and Policy, Advocacy, and Legislation Committees. Dr. Uresti’s background as a K-12 educator, school counselor, and therapist informs her research on parental incarceration, grief and loss, and urban education.

As school-based mental health professionals, K-12 school counselors are increasingly called upon to support students and families within a trauma-informed framework. One specific area of trauma involves Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), which include child abuse and maltreatment, community violence, parental incarceration, deportation of family members, mental illness or chemical dependency in the family, or death of parents/caregivers or siblings, to name just a few. While it may be impossible to prevent adversity in the lives of students, school counselors are positioned to respond with effective, evidence-based interventions that assist students effectively. Addressing ACEs in individual, group, classroom, and school-wide levels can prevent long-term effects and reduce the risk of substance abuse, depression, and suicide. This session will offer an overview of the effects of various types of ACEs on K-12 students and present creative strategies that school counselors can employ to cultivate resilience in students, increase their understanding of both internal and external resources, enhance their capacity for academic success and social/emotional well-being, and promote a healthy and adaptive school culture.

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https://www.schoolcounselor-ca.org/ev_calendar_day.asp?date=5/11/2021&eventid=75