This case study examines counselor advocacy as applied to Monique, a 16-year-old Haitian-American student experiencing a sudden academic and social decline. The paper identifies institutional and social barriers — including school suspension threats, parental resistance rooted in cultural attitudes toward counseling, and a potentially inappropriate relationship — and selects an appropriate advocacy process for their reduction. It then describes how a counselor would operationalize that process at the individual, family, and organizational level, enlisting the client's art teacher and parents as co-advocates. Supporting content drawn from a class presentation outlines core advocacy concepts, developmental phases, multisystems perspectives, and a parallel case study involving a student named Joseph.
Advocacy is defined as speaking on behalf of someone and helping him or her navigate systems when they cannot speak for themselves. Changes are driven by an awareness of inequities with the intent to move humanity toward an "enlightened world society." It is important to try to help those in need who cannot help themselves. Counselors function as advocates when they use their skills to help clients challenge institutional barriers that impede their personal, social, academic, or career goals (Corey, G., p. 471).
In this case, Monique is a 16-year-old girl who has recently lost her way and is in need of guidance. Before, Monique was bright and driven, excelling in school. This changed four months ago. Over the past four months she has regressed significantly, both academically and socially. Several institutional and social barriers impede Monique's ability to achieve continuous equity and success.
To begin, Monique has been dating a 21-year-old; the timing of her regression and meeting her boyfriend is not a coincidence. Monique's cultural background is Haitian, making her a first-generation American. She also has a sister whom she believes is seen as perfect in the eyes of her parents.
Monique's parents are against her receiving counseling because they do not want anyone filling her head with false ideas; they say Monique simply needs to start acting like her sister. The reasoning behind their decision may be influenced by their cultural beliefs, as counseling is not widely welcomed in Haitian culture (Coleman & Yeh, 2011). The parents' insistence that Monique model herself after her sister is also a matter of serious concern.
Barriers within the school manifest in the administration's desire to transfer Monique to a special education school for children with emotional disturbances (ED) and to keep her suspended until the transfer is completed. Acute poor academic performance alone does not warrant such a response, especially for a student who was previously high-achieving. Removing Monique from her current environment when she is in desperate need of support is not an appropriate solution — she has always been a good student and simply needs guidance to find her way back.
The advocacy process is a dynamic one, involving identification of the issue, development of solutions, building of support, and bringing problems and solutions together to guarantee a desirable change and outcome (Eriksen, 2013). The process begins with Monique: listening to her side of the story, clarifying any miscommunication, and outlining options that will help guide her toward a favorable outcome. The next step is allowing Monique, once presented with viable options, to choose which will best suit her needs.
Should Monique want support from the counselor to resolve the issues, the process continues through identification of key concerns and goals for resolution. This includes aiding Monique in focusing on her own strengths and supports for dealing with the situation, as well as recognizing any barriers standing in the way. Recognition of barriers is part of the action steps needed to move toward resolution. During a face-to-face resolution meeting, issues will be outlined and a follow-up date set, along with identification of any potential support persons who should attend.
Monique has proven she is intelligent and capable of meeting expectations — her previous academic performance and attendance record demonstrate this. While she may not have the support of her parents, she does have support from her teacher. Her teacher can advocate for her alongside the counselor to help remove the potential suspension barrier that the school wishes to impose should Monique decide not to transfer. The solution lies in providing Monique with counseling and art therapy to help her process her anger and emotions. Although her parents represent a potential barrier to her receiving this therapy, her teacher can advocate for her and demonstrate that art therapy can be a constructive way for Monique to channel her anger and develop healthy means of expression (Kerr, 2014).
The advocacy process would operate at the individual level. The counselor serves as the first advocate, empowering Monique by educating her on her options for help through potential therapy and specifically the use of art therapy. The counselor would also speak with the art teacher who referred Monique for counseling and discuss ways the art teacher can serve as a second advocate — educating the parents about the need for intervention on Monique's behalf. The parents, the counselor, and the art teacher need to work together to convince the school that Monique requires assistance in the form of therapy.
The counselor must first set up a meeting with Monique, then with the art teacher, then with her parents, and finally with the principal, to provide the structure needed to remove each barrier in turn. The first barrier to address is lack of parental involvement. Monique's parents must be brought on board with the idea of therapy. They need to understand their options and recognize that, while therapy may be culturally stigmatized, it can help Monique manage the stresses she has endured. If Monique is educated first on the positive effects of therapy, she may be able to make a persuasive argument — alongside the counselor and art teacher — in favor of her participation.
"Counselor operationalizes advocacy with key stakeholders"
"Definitions, phases, multisystems perspective, required skills"
"Ethical and advocacy issues in a parallel student case"
Advocacy is a dynamic, multi-level process that requires the counselor to identify barriers, build coalitions of support, and empower the client toward self-sufficiency. In Monique's case, this means working across individual, family, and institutional levels — enlisting the art teacher and parents as co-advocates — to ensure she receives the therapeutic support she needs and is not unjustly removed from her school environment. The parallel case of Joseph reinforces that effective advocacy must also account for cultural competence, language access, and the complex ethical obligations counselors hold toward minors and their families.
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