THROUGH SBI, COUNSELORS MEET STUDENTS WHERE THEY’RE AT AND ENGAGE THEM IN A WAY THAT MAKES THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE AND CARED FOR WITHOUT THE ONUS OF LABELS.

Children and adolescents are one of the largest underserved populations for mental health services. In addition to academic and emotional stressors, students face significant pressure to fit in, and the stigma of therapy and counseling often makes these students unreceptive to traditional therapy. SBI is implemented in non-traditional settings and in ways that make students more comfortable in seeking help.

Our counselors provide students with a positive and empathetic role model who helps them process feelings, explore solutions, define their strengths and passions, and set goals and strategies towards a future that embodies their potential.

P2L’s SBI training guides counselors to leave their offices and be where their clients are. The opportunity to interact with students in ways that supports therapeutic goals exists in lunchrooms, hallways, and after school clubs. School-based Interventionists actively find the students in need of support and work with them in the setting that is most beneficial to them, not the practitioner.

Dear Mentee,

You probably didn’t know this, but I was very nervous that first day I arrived at your school.

I moved across the country and had never been in a counseling role before. I hadn’t worked with middle school students, and especially not teenagers battling survival in the cold streets of New York City. So when I was met with your openness and willingness to become my mentee this school year, it really set the tone for our work together.

Life wasn’t always easy for you, and oftentimes, it still continues to be difficult. As the only man in your household, you’ve had to really grow up.

Probably too quickly.

Probably too much on your own.

But you did it with grace, nonetheless.

I always admired how steadfast you were for your mom and your sisters. How you continue to be a rock for so many people. I admired more, how adamant you were to always do the right thing and to really think things through and through when you weren’t sure what the right thing was.

Whether it was standing up to bullies, or accepting yourself and being proud of who you are and where you come from — so many wonderful things that will carry you through life.

It’s only been 8 months that we have worked together, but that time flew by and I am very grateful to have witnessed your growth, little by little, week by week.

I am looking forward for the day I see your name in the paper, for engineering a solution people have been trying to solve for decades.

For the day you RISE to the top.

(Hopefully, you would have gotten better at Connect4 by then.)

Your mentor,
Cece