This summer, I had the privilege of attending a professional development training focused on short-term therapy for students, and I’d like to share why this training was crucial for our work here at Darlington School and how it will directly benefit our students.
One of the biggest challenges we face in the counseling department is the lack of specialized mental health resources in our area, particularly for our boarding students. Traditional long-term therapy isn’t always feasible for these students, who may only be with us for a few months or a year before moving on. This has often meant that we could only provide temporary support—enough to get students through difficult moments, but not enough to foster deep, lasting change.
At Darlington, we are fortunate to have a dedicated counseling team that’s committed to helping students navigate challenges, and we do a great job of supporting them through tough times. However, there have been instances where I felt we could do more to create lasting positive change, especially for students facing more complex mental health issues.
The training I attended was designed specifically to equip counselors with the tools needed to offer short-term therapy with lasting benefits. It focused on practical, research-based strategies for a wide range of mental health issues that our students may face, including:
The aim is to help students make real progress, even within the limited time they might have at Darlington. By using these approaches, I hope to bridge the gap between crisis intervention and effective, impactful support. For example, instead of just helping a student manage their anxiety in the moment, I now hope to help them build lasting skills and resilience that will benefit them far beyond their time here.
I’m excited about the positive changes this can bring to our students' lives. Whether it’s addressing performance anxiety, dealing with the grief of losing a loved one, or helping a student struggling with depression, these skills will allow us to offer more targeted, effective support.
Our goal at Darlington is to provide every student with the opportunity to thrive—not just academically, but also socially, emotionally and personally. With the knowledge and tools gained from this training, I believe we are now even better equipped to meet the needs of our students and help them grow into their best selves, no matter the challenges they face.
Professional growth and development are high priorities for Darlington. Each year, faculty and staff members participate in a professional growth cycle that includes professional learning communities, professional development days, and the ability to apply for professional development grants which fund conferences, travel, workshops, instructional supplies, outside speakers, and more. For the next few weeks, our blog series will highlight some of the opportunities that faculty and staff have participated in since they were awarded 2024-2025 Thatcher Grants last spring.
