Counseling

“One of the greatest joys in counseling is to have a front row seat in what God’s doing in our students’ lives and I feel so privileged to be here.”

In our commitment to not only train up minds but also disciple the hearts of our students, The City School offers Biblical counseling at all of our campuses. We firmly believe in nurturing the whole student to ensure success one child at a time.

“The Gospel offers a sense of belonging and sharing that has always been huge for me,” said Heidi Jang., who directs the counseling team. It is through this lens of empathy that she and all of our counselors walk alongside the lives of our students, in their sufferings and in their joys. At The City School we embrace the beautiful array of students who come from all groups of socioeconomic, cultural and family backgrounds. “We want every student to feel valued, heard and listened to,” said Heidi.

Currently our six graders take a course in biblical counseling in which they study: conflict resolution, healthy relationships, body image and managing emotions – all from a biblical point of view. The counseling team has seen that those students who have gone through this course seem to be more socially and emotionally mature. Consequently, we hope soon to expand our curriculum and offer this campus-wide, through every developmental stage, as we are always looking to expand our support around our students.

It is through a Biblical world view that our students are guided to become counselors to their peers and classmates. The Bible grows our hearts in empathy toward one another as we are commanded to love God and our neighbor. At The City School, our goal is that every student will embrace this command in all areas of their learning.

Rosie, a sophomore at The City School appreciates having counselors on site. “I love that I can vent and dump, but also Ms. Jang helps me find answers for myself. She is a sound and healthy middle ground between voices of my parents, teachers and my friends.”

Resources

Body Safety:

PDF–10 Ways to Talk to Your Kids About Sexual Abuse
PDF–10 Tips for Teaching Kids About Good Touch Bad Touch
PDF–Raise Kids Who Can Speak Up
PDF–8 Essential ‘Body Safety’ Rules to Keep Your Kids Safe
Video (For Parents)–How to Talk with Kids About Sexual Abuse
Video (To Show Children)–My Body Safety Rules Animation
Book–God Made All of Me
Book–Protecting the Gift
Book–My Body Is Special

Articles on 13 Reasons Why:

JED Foundation
Common Sense Media
American Psychiatric Association
Philly.com

Child/Teen Depression:

HelpGuide.org
Self Injury Outreach
Talking to your child about Suicide
Helping Teens Who Cut

If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States.

Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (24/7, free and confidential)
Suicide Prevention Text: TEXT “HOME” TO 741741

ONE CHILD AT A TIME — The City School is a Pre-K to Grade 12 Christian school in the heart of Philadelphia. We believe an excellent education should be accessible for families in the city.