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Five Star Educational set about conducting a national search for the right author to give direction to the counselor's guide, which culminated quite happily in a collaboration with author and counselor, Lisa B. D'Acierno (MSW, LSW, SSW).
Lisa received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Skidmore College and then went on to earn a Master's Degree in Social Work from New York University. In order to gain a better understanding of the children and teens with whom she works, she continued her education receiving an additional 30 graduate credits in Bilingual and Special Education. She currently serves as a member of the Support Services Task Force and
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provides individual, group, and family counseling at the Thomas A. Edison Elementary School, where she is a Whole School Reform Social Worker.
"I was looking for someone who could lend the project an emotional spark" says Dan, "a counselor with real passion for young people. I liked the fact that Lisa had run a group for pregnant and parenting teens early in her career, and that she helped start a program that allowed single parents to get career training, day care and counseling. I also liked the fact that Lisa had 10 years experience as a school social worker. When it comes to helping young people, she just never seems to do anything halfway." Today, Lisa D'Acierno continues to counsel students of all ages at the largest grammar school in New Jersey, in an urban district with about 1,900 students in grades Pre-K through 8.
Ms. D'Acierno says, "I was initially drawn to Teen Challenges because I see the challenges that my teens face every day of their lives. They come from single parent families; they struggle with so many difficult personal problems, including school and home related issues, peer-relations, and more serious life crises such as suicidal ideation, abuse and dealing with the death of loved ones. The chance to share my experience as a counselor and to help an even greater number of struggling teens, who are having difficulties in adolescence, is extremely rewarding for me."
When asked why fellow counselors will appreciate using the Teen Challenges Counselor's Guide Lisa replies, "The Ten Counselor Lesson Plans form an educationally sound, easy-to-follow, cohesive program. The video interviews provide a natural springboard for discussion and model a candid and open attitude, which makes it very easy to get communication started. Teens are immediately turned on to the material. The counselor's guide provides the catalyst through which the video materials become immediately relevant to the group and highly interactive. It ties it all together. The lesson plans help teachers to provide students with activities that complement, explore, develop and personalize the vignettes on video. Each lesson plan has age-appropriate activities for different levels of students, a suggested reading list and a related list of topics for further exploration."
Learn more about the teen depression counselor's guide.
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