Jessica Blair, LMHC - Counseling and Coaching Services

05/03/2021

This article hits close to home as I watch parents from my son’s elementary school debate what is the best model for delivering gifted student education.

As a former school counselor and current mental health counselor, I see way too many parents use “gifted” as a badge of honor or way to display eliteness/status in the education setting. What they don’t want to accept about their gift child are the deficits that are associated with the gifted identification. Additionally, they do not want to recognize the disparities and biases that can exist in the gifted identification process (more on that in future posts).

Let’s focus on why we might not be seeing higher achievement/gains out of students with a “gifted” classification. Poor communication skills, high anxiety, high rates of depression, inability to effectively task manage, issues with motivation, and interpersonal conflicts are all the deficits of the gifted student. However, many parents only want to focus on the parts that come ease to their child, the academics. Is focusing on the gifted child’s innate strength while ignoring the weaknesses the best way to assist and support the gifted child educationally, professionally, socially, or personally?

Reading this article and evaluating the current gifted model offered at my child’s school, makes we wonder if gifted programs are truly serving the best interest of the gift child or is it just further adding to the misnomer that to reach the gifted child you must provide a more academically stimulating environment with children at or above the child’s level. The things that inhibit the gifted child’s success in life are not the academic pieces. Supporting and mentoring to the areas were their deficits exist could be they key to providing better gifted educational services.

A new study raises big questions about whether gifted education benefits the kids who are lucky enough to be in it.

06/04/2018

Please see my update Psychology Today profile and share with those who may be in need of my help and guidance.

Some of things that you may not know that I have done for clients include extensive work in the areas of executive functioning, time and stress management, bullying and harassment, and self esteem issues. Adult clients often see me for help in righting their relationship with their kids. As a certified Guidance Counselor and ESE Instructor that has an extensive experience within the school system, I've provided specialized, intensive services to individuals with mental health concerns that impacted their educational pursuits. I've represented families at parent-teacher conferences, IEP/504 meetings, discipline meetings, advocacy/due process meetings and emergency situations.

Jessica Blair, Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern, Winter Park, FL, 32789, (407) 573-7341, Do you or a loved one struggle with mental health issues that pull you in the wrong direction, no matter how hard you fight them? Are you ready to make a positive change in your life? I will show you th...

06/03/2018

Jessica Blair, MA, has spent the last 14 years helping the local community with an emphasis on youth mental health.

She first began her career in mental health while pursuing her Masters in Counseling at University of Central Florida. For two years, she assisted in running a freshman dormitory at UCF, while also serving on the board of LINK (Learning and Interacting with New Knights), the UCF program responsible for freshman connection and retention. Through her work at UCF’s Counseling Center, she also firsthand experienced and counseled on the multitudes of reasons why college students struggle as they transition into the new chapter of their lives.

After graduation, while acting as the Associate Course Director of Psychology at Full Sail University, she further expanded her experience in this area by developing and teaching the College Adjustment seminar portion of the Freshman Orientation program. Furthermore, the Psychology classes she taught for 3 years focused on the application of Behavioral Science to resolve the real-world challenges that are faced by new college students like Stress Management, Time Management, Drug and Alcohol Addiction, Motivation, Conflict Resolution, and Executive Functioning.

Later, as the SAFE Coordinator for Orange County Public Schools, she took on various responsibilities in the mental health area. She dealt directly with students in urgent mental health distress. She helped families establish and consequently oversaw the ongoing mental health treatment plans for their children. She advocated for appropriate academic supports for students with mental health disabilities, such as Depression, Anxiety, ADD/ADHD, ODD, and Bipolar Disorder. She also instructed students on how to improve their executive functioning skills and individually-tailored academic plans as required. She assisted with the development of 504 and IEP plans for students with mental health disabilities. She also counseled students dealing with bullying and harassment and student conflict.

Jessica attended the University of Central Florida where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communicative Disorders (with emphasis on Speech Language Pathology) and a Master of Arts in Counselor Education (Mental Health and School Counseling). Jessica is certified by the Florida Department of Education as a Guidance Counselor and an Exceptional Education Instructor. She is also registered with the Department of Health as a certified Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern and is in the final steps of the process of being a State Board Licensed Mental Health Counselor.