Ed Leadership Uses Children's Books in Counseling Program

"Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too?", and what does that have to do with children with problems?

Carol Parker, an associate professor at Sam Houston State University, said that books are great therapy. The College of Education's Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling is obtaining books at a discount from Scholastic Books, Inc., to assist in their free counseling services.

The books, which cost about $300, include such other titles as "Secret in the Garden" by James Mayhew and "Can It Rain Cats and Dogs?" by Gilda Berger. The program between SHSU and Scholastic Books was arranged by Beverly Irby, who chairs the Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling.

Eric Carle's "Does a Kangaroo..." can provide children with reassurance, said Parker. Other books help children dealing with the loss of a parent, adjusting to a step-family or foster home situation, dealing with anxiety generated by bullying at school, adjusting to cultural differences between parents, or recovering from physical or sexual abuse.

Some of the books are just for fun--like "Can it Rain Cats and Dogs?" It provides answers to questions all children wonder about, such as "What makes the weather?", "How big are hailstones?", and "What is El Niño?", and encourages their curiosity about the world they live in.

Others, like "Secret in the Garden" deal more specifically with older children's issues, such as ways of finding a new friend.

"These books given to the children by their counselors provide an additional way of exploring their concerns and personal issues," said Emily DeFrance, counseling program clinical coordinator.

"In addition, they serve as a transitional object which provides a concrete link between them and their counselor, and enables them to look forward to meeting with their counselor again."

Mary Nichter, coordinator of the master's counseling program, said that parents reading with children can also prevent problems.

"Parents are encouraged to read with their children, which is a shared activity that strengthens the parent-child relationship," said Nichter. "It's important for children and parents to have fun together and enjoying books is a way to provide that interaction,"

Judy DeTrude, director of the doctoral program in counselor education, encouraged parents to take advantage of the free counseling services offered Monday through Thursday from 5-8 p.m. Children aged four to pre-teen are eligible.

"This is good for the children and good training for our students who are studying in this area, who are closely supervised," said DeTrude.

Sessions are held in the state-of-the-art Jack S. Staggs Counseling Clinic in the Counselor Education Center. For more information or to schedule an appointment call 936.294.1121.

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SHSU Media Contact: Frank Krystyniak
March 31, 2005
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