Counseling Services

The Hunterdon Preparatory School is an educational social system formed as a therapeutic community. We create a network of mutual support, encourage a sense of belonging, and require members to be responsible for themselves and to each other. Counseling at Hunterdon Prep is designed to help students focus on the present by emphasizing and teaching personal and group accountability and responsibility, the importance of self-care, and practicing how to set appropriate boundaries. 

Our counseling program provides support to our students in many ways. Every student has a scheduled Communications Lab Class (group counseling) three times per week. Group counseling is a required component for all enrolled students and is one of the most important aspects of our program.

Group counseling provides opportunities for students to learn and practice effective and respectful communication styles, resolve conflicts in a socially acceptable manner, learn and practice how to give and receive feedback and support, practice positive coping strategies, and identify emotions as a way to change negative social responses into positive ones. Students remain with the same counselor and group of students throughout the school year.

In addition to group counseling, students can request a brief and time-limited 1:1 session with a School Social Worker throughout the day while at school. These sessions provide students with the opportunity to share thoughts and feelings that are preventing the student from remaining in class, learn and practice coping strategies, develop strategies to resolve peer conflicts, and plan to reintegrate back into the classroom.

Please review our Counseling Services FAQs for more information.