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Social Emotional Support
To support our students' thriving, OCS offers on-campus support by qualified mental health clinicians. Students can refer themselves and ‘drop-in’ to see the counselor or they can be referred by faculty, staff, parents, and/or friends. Individual on-campus counseling support offered through the school is a short-term, episodic service aimed at providing immediate relief of acute distress, psychoeducation, coping skills, as well as socialization of the student within the school community. All communications between your student and the school counselor will be held in strict confidence unless you or your student provide written permission to release information about the student’s meetings; however, there are a few exceptions to this. Please see the risk related tab for more detailed information.
It is important to note that the counselors can provide crisis intervention and regular consultation during normal school hours; however, these services cannot take the place of long-term, comprehensive psychological counseling. Furthermore, we maintain a list of excellent community mental health providers and regularly provide referrals for students and families in need.
How to Contact the SEL Counselor
Gaia Altshuler Social Emotional Learning & Wellness Counselor
Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #123331
Phone: 818.824.9413
Email: galtshuler@oakschristian.org
Students can also access support by sending an AXIS message to (Gaia Altshuler) or dropping by the Wellness Center at any time.
There is no such thing as something too small, please reach out with any concern, or desire for support.
Risk and Safety
As mentioned, confidentiality is of utmost importance, however, there are exceptions to this. Please be aware that the following would require us to break confidentiality to ensure the student and/or our communities’ safety.
- Counselors (and all mandated reporters) are required to report instances of suspected child or elder abuse.
- Counselors (and all mandated reporters) are required or permitted to break confidentiality when they have determined that your student presents a danger of physical violence to another person or when your student is a risk to him or herself.
- If the counselor (or any mandated reporter) believes that your student truly intends to harm themselves, he/she will make every effort to ensure their safety, including notifying a caregiver/parent and consulting with supervisors or support staff.
If your student reports thoughts of harm to self or others or if, with their clinical judgement, our counselors are concerned about the safety of your student, another student, or the student body, regardless of the above consent, the counselor will act in the best interest of the student and the student body which may include brief risk assessment, notifying supervisors and/or the local Mental Health Evaluation Team, and calling a parent/caregiver. In some cases, the counselor may determine that per school policy an assessment by an outside mental health provider will be required before a student is permitted to return to school.