Current research suggests that our society’s understanding of mental health in all its manifestations is changing rapidly. This has implications in many important areas for school counselors and other professionals who work with children and teenagers. The growing need to help students learn how to manage their emotions has led to an increase in demand for trained, qualified school counselors. One key factor contributing to the success of school counselors is their ability to help students learn how to identify emotional dysregulation.
In Avila University’s online Master of Arts in Education in K-12 School Counselor program, aspiring counselors learn how to teach children healthy coping mechanisms and strategies for better managing their emotions so they can focus on learning. The program’s convenient online format allows educators and non-educators to earn this degree on a flexible schedule while they continue to work. Graduates complete the program qualified for in-demand roles in a field that enables them to positively impact children and their community.
What Is Emotional Regulation and What Are the Challenges of Emotional Dysregulation?
It is important for prospective school counselors to understand the concept of emotional regulation (ER). The journal Frontiers in Psychiatry defines ER as “the ability to recognize, evaluate, modify, and manage emotions in a personal and socially acceptable way, in order to maintain mental control over strong feelings, and arrive at adaptive functioning.” In other words, ER refers to the use of strategies that require awareness and understanding of one’s emotions and the capacity to manage one’s emotions in response to different situations.
“Children express negative emotions in order to regulate their own emotions and to appropriately communicate with others,” states Frontiers in Psychiatry. As they grow, they learn how to regulate their emotions from their caregivers. However, emotional dysregulation (ED) occurs when typical strategies for promoting healthy ER are impaired in some way. This can lead to issues like hyperarousal, mood instability, irritability, aggression and temper tantrums. Such reactions can be influenced by other problems as well, including mental health conditions like anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The Importance of Emotional Regulation in Student Well-Being
In a setting that requires strict conformance to social norms, like a school or classroom, ED can lead to learning challenges. This has become an increasingly important issue in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic when children suffered an increase in other mental health issues. “For younger kids, educators report seeing more aggressive behavior, dysregulation, bullying, and disruption — a lack of emotional regulation that appears linked to isolation during the pandemic,” reported the American Psychological Association (APA). Fortunately, growing awareness has put a spotlight on the problem, which has helped identify more children who would benefit from mental health support.
Avila University’s online MAEd in K-12 School Counselor program prepares graduates to help students successfully manage their emotions using evidence-based self-regulation tools. As Mantra Health points out: “When students effectively manage their emotions, they’re better equipped to handle stress, adapt to challenges, and maintain a stable, positive mindset.”
Why Earn a Master‘s in School Counseling?
School counseling is an excellent career choice for professionals who are passionate about advocating for students facing unique challenges. Students in Avila University’s online program develop strategies for helping young people monitor and regulate their emotions, among other career-relevant skills. The course Counseling Methods & Techniques introduces students to therapy approaches appropriate for children in K-12 school settings, while the course Advanced Child & Youth Psychology provides an overview of common child and adolescent mental health challenges, including autism, ADHD, depression and others.
Student mental health affects individuals and families as well as school systems and society at large. A career in school counseling offers professionals a chance to qualify for advancement opportunities in a high growth field while positively impacting the lives of young people and their community.
Learn more about Avila University’s online MA in Education in K-12 School Counselor program.
