Grossman Family Counseling Center
St. Benedict’s began a formal counseling program in 1997 with the understanding that students can’t progress or excel in school if they are struggling emotionally or suffering trauma. The Grossman Family Counseling Center combines positive peer influence with clinical services to address students’ social-emotional health.
The Grossman Family Counseling Center is located on the Property, staffed by school psychologists and counselors, and equipped to be responsive to issues kids experience, such as depression, anger management, absent parents, self-harming behaviors and substance abuse. The Grossman Family Counseling Center provides individual and/or group therapy to 40% of students in the Middle and Prep Divisions.
At St. Benedict’s in Newark, mental health is taken
as seriously as math, science and reading.”— Jersey’s Best
We screen for mental wellness
Schools screen for reading and math proficiency all the time. We assess student-athletes to ensure they are physically able to play and compete. Why not mental health? At St. Benedict’s we use the Problem Experiences Checklist, a set of adverse circumstances that helps us identify kids who may be at risk, set up intervention or services, and prevent bigger problems down the road.
We provide individual & family counseling
Students are referred to the Grossman Family Counseling Center not only through the mental wellness screening. When counseling is a prevalent part of a school, referrals come from Freshman counselors and Group leaders in our Group System, faculty members, and other members of the St. Benedict’s community. School psychologists and counselors gauge whether or not a student requires formal counseling, which may include individual or family sessions, as well as group therapy.
During individual sessions, students meet with a counselor, or another counseling staff member, on a regular basis.
During family sessions, communication issues that persist between parents and students are addressed. During those sessions, the counselor’s main role is to foster a safe environment where either the student or his parent(s) can discuss salient issues with one another.
We employ group therapy
Many students take part in group counseling meetings, which facilitates positive peer influence and provides the means for students to support one another. These meetings take place during periods not designated as “class-time.” In those groups, a St. Benedict’s clinician oversees students as they discuss various topics and personal struggles among themselves. These topics and struggles vary by group. A sampling includes:
Unknown Sons: For students with relationships with their fathers that are either
broken or nonexistent. This group is the most popular one at St. Benedict’s.
Alateen: For students affected by someone abusing drugs and/or alcohol in their family.
Blue Man Group: For students suffering from depression.
Anger Management: For students who exhibit explosive or implosive behavior.
Dreamers Without Borders: For students whose social-emotional distress stems from
the fact that they’re undocumented.
Velvet Rope: Behavior modification program, housed in our residence hall, Leahy House, for kids who exhibit behavioral problems, or who have suffered from varying kinds of substance abuse.
Watch the Impact of the Grossman Family Counseling Center
To learn more about the Grossman Counseling Center, please email
Dean of Counseling Dr. Sinclair Davis at sdavis@sbp.org