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Maria Stokes - School Counselor

My name is Maria Stokes and I love my job as the Middle School Counselor at Blair Oaks!  I graduated from Truman State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with Psychology Honors.  I went on to receive my Masters of Education in Counseling from the University of Missouri-Saint Louis.  I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified School Counselor with many years of experience working with adolescents.  I moved to Jefferson City in 2007 with my husband who is a native of Jefferson City.  I have three wonderful children.  I love being a Falcon and supporting the students at Blair Oaks Middle School.

 Counseling Services include:

•  Implementing the Missouri Comprehensive School Guidance Program.

• Counseling individual students on topics such as:  friendships, careers, feelings, study skills, organization skills, grief and loss, academic problems, anger management, family changes, social skills and stress. I also have experience working with students experiencing depression, anxiety, self-harm, and anger issues.

• Consultation with teachers and parents regarding the student’s developmental and educational needs.       

Please click on my slide show to learn more.   The Role of a Middle School Counselor

The state of Missouri is working towards all schools being Trauma-Informed Schools.  This includes:    

1. A “Trauma-informed approach” - an approach that involves understanding and responding to the symptoms of chronic interpersonal trauma and traumatic stress across the lifespan

2. A “Trauma-informed school” is a school that:
   a. realizes the widespread impact of trauma and understands potential paths for recovery.
   b. recognizes the signs and symptoms of trauma in students, teachers, and staff.
   c. responds by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into its policies, procedures, and practices.
   d. seeks to actively resist re-traumatization.

To find out more, see DESE's resource on the Trauma-Informed Schools Initiative.