Hello! My name is Brenna, and I am the school counselor here at Franklin.
I have a Masters in Applied Psychology in Education. This will be my third-year counseling at the school. Prior to coming to Franklin, I worked as a clinical outpatient therapist with Arizona’s Children Association. I also have a background in drug and alcohol counseling, running parent support groups, and birth to five home visiting services.
My goal in this role is to help children have their emotional and behavioral needs met so that they can thrive as students. I hope to help students learn coping skills, practice safety and healthy boundary setting, be successful in their peer relationships, and communicate their needs and feelings.
My office is designed to be a safe space, a place for a mental break, or a place to communicate concerns and conflicts. I have toys, fidgets, workbooks and question cards to aid the students in this communication.
In addition to individual counseling and classroom lessons, I am available for family support, referrals to external services, individual and group counseling. If you would like your child to receive individual counseling services, please ask for a form. I will not be pulling your child out of classes without this documentation.
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School Counseling Services
IEP Social Behavior Groups:
The counseling program works with students in a small group to further develop regulation over behaviors and appropriate social skills as a part of students’ IEP goals.
Classroom Lessons:
The counselor developed a curriculum for classroom lessons from pre-k-6th grade. The topics of these lessons include: expressing feelings, coping skills, emotional regulation, personal safety, friendship, organization, diversity, empathy, anxiety, coping with COVID etc.
Individual or Small Group Sessions:
The counselor has an ‘open door policy’ for students who need a space to calm down or discuss difficulties in school or at home. If the student is having a conflict with a peer, the counselor can meet with both students to work through the problem. Information reported to the counselor remains confidential unless the student shares information that requires mandated reporting.
Ms. Brenna can regularly meet with students if requested by their guardian. Ms. Brenna will not pull students out of class to meet without parental consent and completed referral form. For students receiving individual counseling, the counselor will contact you for establishing goals, reporting, and observed behaviors.
Family Support
The counselor will happily make referrals to services on your behalf if there is a need for housing, food and essentials, external therapy services, or community support resources.
Later this Fall……
Parent Group
Ms. Brenna and Mrs. Kimball will be leading a parent support group with topics like discipline, organization, inclusion, nutrition, self-control etc. Please contact the school for more information- more details to come!
Therapy Dog
Franklin Phonetic receives regular visits from a volunteer with Gabriel’s Angels. The volunteer brings two poodles, both trained and certified therapy dogs. Permission slips will go home prior to the therapy dog attending the school. Please contact the school with any questions or concerns.
- Contact Miss Brenna:
- (602)-870-6674
- Brenna.thorslund@fppsphoenix.net
Counseling Referrals:
FAQ for Parents
Does my student need an individualized education plan to receive school counseling services?
No, an individualized education plan is not required to receive behavioral health services in their school. Each school has unique relationships with behavioral health providers in their area. Some schools allow services to be provided on campus; other schools refer students off campus. Speak with your school nurse or principal on how to connect your student with services.
How do I arrange for my child to receive a referral to external services or to receive behavioral health services in their school?
A parent or guardian must contact Ms. Brenna for their child to receive a referral for external or internal behavioral health service. Please contact Ms. Brenna for more information.
How do I get behavioral health services for my child?
Please ask Ms. Brenna for referrals to services!
- If your child is a current Medicaid member, call the number on the back of your insurance card.
- If your child is not currently a Medicaid member, call the phone number for the AHCCCS Complete Care-Regional Behavioral Health Agreements (ACC-RBHAs) in your area, OR request a referral for services from your child’s school.
Crisis Hotlines:
Phone
- 988 Crisis Lifeline:
988 (call or text) - National Substance Use and Disorder Issues Referral and Treatment Hotline:
1-800-662-HELP (4357)
- Text the word “HOME” to 741741