Members of the Peer Counseling Team (PCT) are available to students who may benefit from extra support while navigating the high school years. Selected applicants meet with the school counselor one hour each week for training and guidance in helping the general student population deal with normal issues that arise during adolescence. The program is part experiential—group support for the peer counselors--and part didactic—learning basic counseling skills and theories of psychology. Peer Counselors must complete an eight-hour training course with the Director of Counseling prior to the start of school.

 

Students can seek out peer counselors on campus (usually identified by awareness bands), email one of them to make an appointment, or drop by the peer counseling office which is staffed by trained students during their free blocks. Students seeking support from peers can also contact the school counselor who will place them with a peer counselor. Peer counseling is confidential except when harm to self/others or child abuse is suspected. The peer counselors are trained to seek help from the school counselor in such cases.

 

The Branson Peer Counseling Program is supervised by the Director of Counseling. Students may apply to become a member of the Peer Counseling Team each spring.