Natalie Grubbs
MS Guidance Counselor
Spelman College; B.A. in Psychology
Georgia State University; M.Ed. in School Counseling
Georgia Certified School Counselor, grades Pre-K through 12

• Large group guidance lessons
• Small group counseling sessions
• Individual counseling sessions
• Consultations with parents
• Consultations with faculty and/or staff members
• Referrals to outside organizations that may meet a student’s or family’s needs
• Professional development activities

The Guidance Curriculum
Several times throughout the year, the school counselor will meet with students to discuss topics that are relevant to students. The topics address students’ academic, social, emotional, and spiritual needs. Students will be engaged in conversation about the topic of discussion and be taught strategies and skills that will help them be successful overall. Examples of large group guidance topics include, but are not limited to:

• Bullying & Harassment
• Making & Keeping Friends
• Study Skills
• Self-Control & Anger Management
• Christian Conflict Resolution
• Diversity Appreciation
• Careers
• Setting Goals
• Drug and Alcohol Abuse prevention
• Test-Taking Skills

Small Group Discussions
During group sessions, the school counselor meets with a small number of students (typically 4-6 students) about one issue that all of the participants have in common. Groups meet for 30 minutes once a week for 4-6 weeks. Group participants will have opportunities to discuss the topic at hand, pray for one another, and encourage each other’s growth in the area of focus. All group discussions are confidential. To refer your child for participation in a small group, please contact Natalie Grubbs at 678-305-1436.

Small Group Topics:

• Friendship Skills This group is for students who have some problems making and keeping friends. We will discuss appropriate friendship skills and practice those skills through role-plays, stories, and games.
• Grief and Loss When children experience death; it can be a very difficult thing to understand. We will discuss the feelings we have and how to express them. It gives students a chance to talk about what happened and the feelings they may have.
• Positive Choices This is a group for the student who is often “in trouble” with the teacher. We discuss the reasons for class rules and practice following them. We set goals for improving behavior and work toward achieving those goals.
• Divorce & Separation This group is for children whose parents have separated or divorced. We will explore the changes that occur when parents separate or divorce. The primary focus is to help the children understand that this circumstance does not change how parents feel about them and is not due to anything the child did.
• Self-Esteem This group is for students who need a little help in recognizing their own personal strengths and worth. We will explore the many different skills, talents, and traits that each of us possess as well as learning to acknowledge that differences among us make us more interesting. In addition, we will try to see our weaknesses as opportunities for growth.
• Study Skills- This group is for students who are not achieving as well as we think they can. It may be especially helpful for the child who frequently loses or forgets to do assignments. We will work on improving study habits, test taking skills, and organization skills. I hope to provide some additional incentives for improvements.

Recommended Links

• American School Counselor Association
• Georgia School Counselor Association
• Anti-Drug Information
• Focus on the Family
• Focus on Your Child
• Character Crew by Focus on Your Child
• Georgia College 411
• Junior Achievement
• National PTA
• Discipline Help