Introduction
The counselor interviewed is Mrs. Katrina H. Canady. We met in a local Starbucks. It was made clear the interviewer is a graduate student that attends Liberty University working on completing a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy course. Katrina completed her undergraduate coursework at North Carolina Central University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a minor in Psychology. She completed her graduate coursework at Chaminade University of Honolulu with a Master of Education degree in School Counseling.
In Hawaii, she completed the Praxis I Pre Professional Skills Test (PPST), Praxis II Principles of Learning and Teaching, and Praxis III School Counseling and Guidance. In North Carolina, in addition to her completed graduate coursework, she obtained a Standard Professional 2 Professional Educator’s License. She has been practicing for eight years. She decided to go into the field of counseling, because she enjoyed helping people overcome their challenges. She said she preferred children, because from her experience, they are more coachable and teachable versus adults who sometimes are not as open to change.
Interview Summary
As previously stated, Katrina desires to counsel children, because she feels that they are more flexible when it comes to learning. She also decided to become a school counselor, because she feels that often times childhood disorders are commonly misdiagnosed. Katrina provided an example such as: childhood anxiety may be mistaken for AD/HD due to their similarities. She stated that there are specific evaluations that can be conducted in order to differentiate the condition of the child. She also felt another large area of misdiagnosis is learning disabilities. She said she feels that these children are often labeled as lazy or not paying attention.
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Due to the unique make up of children, Katrina feels traditional talk therapeutic techniques should be combined with various expressive therapies such as play therapy, art therapy, and sand tray therapy in order to have maximum success. She feels this allows the child to play out his or her feelings regarding a particular situation. Katrina believes when you utilize expressive therapies, it encourages children to articulate their concerns through play; which is a natural outlet of communication for them. In addition, because of normal development linguistic restraints, children frequently have difficulty adequately expressing their feelings and thoughts to other people. Therefore, expressive therapies are essential.
In addition children thoroughly enjoy visiting and talking with her. Katrina stated she has not encountered any situations where she had to use counseling techniques that she did not enjoy. However, in addition to expressive therapies, she also utilizes the techniques of conditioning and systematic desensitization. She expressed that it is her goal to utilize whatever technique that will be most beneficial to the child. Therefore, she has never viewed any techniques as least favorite, but she feels that expressive therapies are most useful when working with children.
In Hawaii, she was challenged in the area of culture and family. She said she had to collaborate with other counselors, which are very limited in that area, in order to be able to meet the needs of the children. Additionally, she did not receive the parental support in Hawaii that she received here in North Carolina within the population of children she currently serves. She stated that in Hawaii, counseling and therapy is seen more as a stigma rather than a benefit due to cultural philosophies.
In Hawaii, it was also very common for her to counsel children who were initially noncompliant and against the treatment process. She said that she showed patience, and did a lot of praying in her private time, because she felt that she encountered spirits within that culture. She said usually during the initial visit to her office, she would listen to the child and also provide the child with reasoning as to why he or she was referred to the guidance office, and he or she would usually slowly begin to remove his or her guards. She also has had to encounter teachers that were not supportive in the child receiving counseling, because they had already formulated an opinion about the child as a result of their own frustration. She said that she was able to overcome this challenge by gaining the support of the school administration as well as the parents.
She said that she has found cognitive-behavioral therapy to be the one that she utilizes most often and enjoys. In Hawaii her main population was children with extreme behavioral problems as a result of schemas. The school that she currently works in is predominantly African American. As an African American woman, she said that she has found it to be extremely fulfilling and rewarding counseling so many African American children, and their parents usually want to be a part of the treatment process. Fortunately, she said that she has not had to refer a child to another counselor.
She said she deals with a lot of depressed and suicidal children here in North Carolina.
After a brief discussion of the case titled “Will He Choose Life” (Golden, 2002), she was asked if she could share any of her experiences dealing with suicide as well as her thoughts regarding the case. She said in most cases, parents feel like their children are depressed or suicidal as a result from generational curses or demonic influences and we discussed Dr. Neil T. Anderson’s book, The Bondage Breaker. She said that this is one of the most impactful and effective books in her library and she references it often. From her experience, she feels that children in Hawaii are more likely to say they want to kill themselves versus children in North Carolina. She feels this is due to culture differences. In Hawaii, family and the hierarchy of family are very important, and the desire to please your family begins at a very young age. She said that children as young as seven years old have attempted suicide, and it’s not until that time do most parents realize how serious the situation is and want to become involved in the treatment process. She stated that although Hawaii ranks very low on suicide rates as an overall population, it does not negate the fact regarding children who consider suicide in this region.
As a Christian woman, Katrina believes that secular psychology and scripture should be integrated. She feels that it is truly impossible to discuss anything regarding an individual’s thoughts (mind) and feelings (heart) without incorporating and acknowledging Christ Jesus. She said she always prays and asks the Holy Spirit to guide her. She said in the school she is currently in, African American parents usually are spiritual, and ask her if she is as well. However, due to school policy and restrictions, she is not able to discuss scriptures and openly pray with the children, but she does integrate them in story form to teach lessons and encourage good choices and decisions.
She feels the greatest ethical issue she has had to address was that of sexual advances by the father of one of her students she was counseling. She said that the father requested a conference to become involved in the treatment process since his son was doing so well, and began leaving voicemail messages as well as e-mails to her that included inappropriate dialogue. He commented on her appearance as well as her perfume several times. She preferred not to go into detail, but stated this situation was very uncomfortable, because she did not want to not continue counseling the student/son due to his father’s actions towards her. She said that it was resolved by having another legal guardian interact with her regarding the son.
Thoughts and Reactions
I feel that our interview went extremely well, and I undoubtedly gained a wealth of information from Katrina. She was very open and forthright in conversation. Her love and genuine compassion for children was very transparent. She shared that the time she has invested in counseling is well worth all the results that she has been blessed and fortunate enough to witness. She stated the importance of focusing on the positive aspects of the children that are in need of counseling is what ultimately builds their self-esteem. She said she does wish she can work in a Christian school, because she would have so much more freedom integrating scripture and prayer in counseling.
Interview Questions
- How long have you been counseling children?
- Why did you decide to counsel children?
- What are some of your favorite counseling techniques?
- What are your least favorite counseling techniques that you have had to utilize?
- What kind of situations do you find difficult in conducting counseling sessions?
- There are several notable theories that have been utilized for counseling children, what are some of your favorites and why?
- Is it common for you to apply multiple techniques and methods when counseling children?
- Do you find it difficult to gain parental/guardian support during the treatment process?
- Have you had to counsel a child who was noncompliant with counseling, and what was the outcome?
- What is your experience with counseling minority children?
- Have there been any cultural or language barrier that you have had to overcome during counseling?
- Has there ever been a time when you felt you needed to refer the individual to another counselor? If so, why?
- Have you ever had to deal with a suicidal child? If so, what was the outcome?
- What are your thoughts on integrating secular psychology and Christian counseling?
- Do you integrate scripture in counseling? If so, how?
- If you do integrate scripture in counseling, is the child receptive?
- What is the greatest ethical issue you have addressed?
- What about this issue makes you feel it was your greatest dilemma?
Reference
- Golden, L. B. (2002). Case studies in child and adolescent counseling (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall
