Oakland Counseling Association

The Oakland Counseling Association is a not-for-profit, professional and educational organization that is dedicated to the growth and enhancement of the counseling profession.

Mission

The mission of the Oakland Counseling Association is to enhance the quality of life in Oakland County by promoting the development of professional counselors, advancing the counseling profession and

using the profession and practice of counseling to promote respect

for human dignity and diversity.

• OCA ROTC Course Experience for Counselors - February 27
• Nominate: Counselor of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Awards!
• Save the Dates: More Upcoming OCA Events
• Featured Article: Providing a Safe, Supportive, and Inclusive Environment
• Featured Article: Autism & ADHD
• Counselor of the Month Nominations
• Join OCA! 2024-2025 OCA Membership
• Join the OCA Board

OCA is hosting a very unique, space-limited opportunity for members to see first-hand what happens in an ROTC classroom. Working with the UofM Wolverine Battalion, we've been invited to bring approximately 12 school counselors to observe one of their 400-level leadership development classes. Here is a short description and details:

OCA members will have the opportunity to observe the UofM Wolverine Battalion ROTC program’s class on Developmental Counseling and Performance Reviews. This experience will allow participants to engage with the class content and cadets, providing insights into the leadership development, goal setting, and performance feedback that occurs within a military framework.

Date: February 27, 2025

Time: 8:00-10:00am

Location: UofM Ann Arbor Campus

Cost: Free!

This experience will carry 2 Military SCECHs and will be in-person on the UofM Ann Arbor campus.

Given the very limited space available, we will be soliciting interest through this form. You must be an active OCA member in good standing to participate. We will also be giving preference for:

• Any OCA members who were waitlisted for the November Selfridge Air Force Base event and not offered a spot to attend
• Individuals who are up for certificate or license renewal in 2025 and still need Military SCECHs.

Please indicate your interest and intention to attend via this interest form by February 12, 2025. At that time we will review the submissions and extend invitations to those selected to participate.

For any questions, please contact Sean Dougherty at sean.dougherty@oakland.k12.mi.us

The 2024-2025 Oakland Counseling Association End of Year Award Nominations are now open! Each year we like to honor counselors for all of their hard work. If you work with or have worked with a counselor that you think goes above and beyond and deserves to be recognized for their hard work, we encourage you to take the time to nominate them.

The deadline for nominations is March 7, 2025. Decisions will be made mid-March and we will reach out to the nominator with our decision.

The nominee DOES have to be an OCA Member. It’s never too late to join, membership is still open on our website. If you're not sure if your nominee is a member, please email all three of the following people and one of us will respond as soon as possible:

• agohl@birmingham.k12.mi.us (Amanda)
• PamelaWesley@wlcsd.org (Pam)
• sean.dougherty@oakland.k12.mi.us (Sean)

You don't have to complete the nomination alone! If you’re thinking of nominating someone, talk to your other colleagues to get input from multiple people. The more information you're able to give, the better. We recommend typing your responses in a word/google doc to copy and paste in the Google form when you are ready. Check out this Awards Criteria document to see what information will be requested. This is helpful to do before going into the nomination forms.

Thank you so much for all that you do!

These are the currently scheduled dates and topics for more OCA professional learning events happening during the 2024-2025 school year:

• 3/7/2025 - K-8 School Counselor Resources (in-person, Troy)
• 4/25/2025 - Student Career Supports & End of Year Awards (in-person, Walled Lake)

OCA members enjoy free or minimal registration costs for all events and SCECH processing is included. You can find additional details and registration info as it becomes available in the new year on the OCA Events page.

Date: March 7, 2025

Time: 11:30am-3:30pm

Location: Arise Counseling Center and Training Institute in Troy, MI

Cost: Free for OCA members, $25 for non-members

Description: Calling all K-8 School Counselors! Come join OCA on Friday, March 7th for a half-day professional development event aimed at growing your toolbox of interventions, expanding your knowledge of clinical interventions available in the community, and deepening your knowledge on special topics that impact your school.

We will host four presenters with diverse experiences and backgrounds. Topics will include:

• Mindfulness
• Play therapy
• Bullying
• Self-esteem

*Registration will open within the next week on the OCA events page. We will send a follow-up message with the event flyer and registration details once it is open. Space is limited, so register quickly once it's available!

Date: April 25, 2025

Time: 8:00am-2:00pm

Location: Walled Lake Board Office

Cost: Free for OCA members, TBD for non-members

*More details and registration coming soon!

There is a need to discuss how we, as school counselors, can support students in navigating the complexities of the current political climate. Whether you are on the left or the right side of political opinion, as counselors we must be on the human side. Everyone has a right to their opinion and views may differ, but all students deserve to be treated with respect. Please understand that the current political climate could impact others in different ways. Given the increasing discussions and tensions surrounding political issues, many students may be feeling stressed, confused or uncertain.

Your role as a counselor can be very impactful to your students’ well-being. According to the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), school counselors should prioritize creating a safe and inclusive school environment where students feel respected regardless of their political views. You can do this by facilitating open dialogue, teaching healthy coping strategies for dealing with political stress and advocating for policies that promote equity and social justice for all students. Make sure you continue to educate yourself on student rights, laws/case precedence and district policies that protect students such as Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). School Counselors play a vital role in helping students navigate political and social justice issues. Each of us can advocate for students, promote equity, listen and help students learn to have respectful conversations.

Thank you for all the work you do to support students. This is a brief overview of information to start or continue the dialogue in your building. Please review the resources below for more information and guidance. Share resources with other staff members in your buildings.

FERPA

https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/ferpa

Plyer vs Doe

https://www.colorincolorado.org/video/plyler-vs-doe-landmark-supreme-court-case

Michigan Department of Education Memo

Immigration Rights Michigan Schools Need to Know

bit.ly/MI_ImmigrantRights

This document/resource was designed by Oakland Schools staff to help district employees, by role, create safe, supportive environments for immigrant students and families by aligning policies with legal requirements and best practices. Grounded in the Supreme Court case Plyler v. Doe, FERPA, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, it provides guidance for reviewing enrollment practices, developing district policies, and building staff knowledge. Updates will be made as new information becomes available.

Anti-Defamation League: 11 Ways Schools Can Help Students Feel Safe In Challenging Times

https://www.adl.org/resources/tools-and-strategies/11-ways-schools-can-help-students-feel-safe-challenging-times-en

The National Association of School Psychologists: Guidance for Reinforcing Safe, Supportive and Positive School Environments for All Students

https://www.nasponline.org/about-school-psychology/media-room/press-releases/nasp-guidance-for-reinforcing-safe-supportive-and-positive-school-environments-for-all-students

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave. Although autism can be diagnosed at any age, it is described as a “developmental disorder” because symptoms generally appear in the first two years of life.

So what are the symptoms of autism?

Some common signs of autism in adults include:

• Finding it hard to understand what others are thinking or feeling

• Getting very anxious about social situations

• Finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on your own

• Seeming blunt, rude or not interested in others without meaning to

• Finding it hard to say how you feel

• Taking things very literally – for example, you may not understand sarcasm or phrases like "break a leg"

• Having the same routine every day and getting very anxious if it changes

Common signs of autism in young children include:

• Not responding to their name

• Avoiding eye contact

• Not smiling when you smile at them

• Getting very upset if they do not like a certain taste, smell or sound

• Repetitive movements, such as flapping their hands, flicking their fingers or rocking their body

• Not talking as much as other children

• Not doing as much pretend play

• Repeating the same phrases

Common signs of autism in older children include:

• Not understanding social "rules", such as not talking over people

• Avoiding eye contact

• Getting too close to other people, or getting very upset if someone touches or gets too close to you

• Noticing small details, patterns, smells or sounds that others do not

• Having a very keen interest in certain subjects or activities

• Liking to plan things carefully before doing them

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is marked by a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity that makes it hard to function in at least two areas of life, such as at home, school, or work.

What are the symptoms of ADHD?

Symptoms of ADHD can be categorized into two types of behavioral problems:

1. Inattentiveness (difficulty concentrating and focusing)

2. Hyperactivity and impulsiveness

In children, this may present as:

• Having a short attention span and being easily distracted

• Appearing forgetful or losing things

• Appearing to be unable to listen to or carry out instructions

• Being unable to sit still, especially in calm or quiet surroundings

• Being unable to concentrate on tasks

• Excessive physical movement or talking

• Acting without thinking

In adults, this may present as:

• Carelessness and lack of attention to detail

• Continually starting new tasks before finishing old ones

• Poor organizational skills

• Inability to focus or prioritize

• Continually losing or misplacing things

• Forgetfulness, restlessness and edginess

• Difficulty keeping quiet, and speaking out of turn

• Inability to deal with stress

• Taking risks in activities, often with little or no regard for personal safety or the safety of others – for example, driving dangerously

These are the symptoms that are documented and known. As each person is an individual, it might manifest in different ways. Most research needs to be done to know all the possible symptoms. We want to be there for our students and clients, but we need to exercise caution when discussing symptoms if we’re unsure of their connection to autism or ADHD. Just because it’s mentioned on the internet doesn’t mean it’s accurate.

Sources:

ADHD in Adults: 4 Things to Know

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/adhd-what-you-need-to-know

Autism Spectrum Disorder

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/autism-spectrum-disorder

In an effort to highlight the remarkable work of OCA counselors, we will be requesting Counselor of the Month nominations each month. This recognition effort will highlight one outstanding counselor each month. Nominees must be a current OCA member to receive the recognition (and potentially a small prize 😊).

Thank you for your nominations!

The Oakland Counseling Association is a membership-based, community organization. Memberships run from September 1st through August 31st each year. Now is still a great time to renew or activate OCA membership to take advantage of all the discounted event registrations, free SCECH processing, and mini-grants available to members only.

2024-2025 OCA membership information is available on the OCA Membership page.

COST

• Individual counselor - $25
• Graduate school student - $10
• Retired counselor - $10

BENEFITS OF OCA MEMBERSHIP

• FREE or reduced price professional learning opportunities
• All online professional learning events are FREE for members
• FREE SCECH processing for all events
• Identify as a professional counselor (solidarity)
• Opportunities to network and connect with other mental health professionals
• Advocacy and support for counselors
• Eligible for mini-grant opportunities
• Eligible for end of year awards
• Eligible for membership and prize drawings
  

OTHER NOTES

• Membership is valid from September 1 through August 31 each school year
• Membership is open to all school and private practice counselors
• Membership is welcome for counselors outside of Oakland County

The Oakland Counseling Association is only able to function and offer great benefits to our members as a result of our volunteer board members. We are always looking for new faces who would like to contribute to the leadership and continued service of this organization.

2024-2025 Open Board Positions Overview

• High School Counselor Representative
  
• Middle School Counselor Representative
• Member-at-Large

Please reach out to any of our current board members if you have questions.

Selina Abraham

Nicole Bell

Sean Dougherty

Elizabeth Germaine

Amanda Gohl

Albana Metaj

Kelly Messing-Mirabito

Ben Morin

Pamela Wesley

Kelley Yell

Email: oaklandcounselingassociation@gmail.com
Website: www.oaklandcounselors.org
Phone: ------------------------
Twitter: @OCACounseling