An Introduction
Hello, everyone!
Thank you for visiting my site and I hope you find helpful information in my blog! I decided I would choose a topic to cover each week. I have ideas in mind based off years of doing this work, but please let me know what you would be interested in reading! I figured for my first entry; I would do an introduction. So, welcome! Sit back, grab your coffee, tea, soda, or water, and hopefully you can take this time to get to know about school psychology, about the work we do, and about me (the least interesting of the trio)!
What is school psychology?
Well, thanks to Google and our many AI resources, that is probably easy to research in a jiffy. Let me describe it in my terms. Essentially, school psychology is the practice of psychology with a focus on the school setting. The scope includes academics, but the practice of school psychology expands beyond that. Imagine a person sitting in a classroom. My guess is you are picturing a child. That person is like each of us in that they are uniquely designed to have strengths, developing areas, interests, skills, worries, and a personality. They are situated in a physical environment that represents a system. If we zoom out, we see the other systems in which the person exists. There are myriad factors that influence that person’s functioning, such as social and economic status, family dynamics, trauma, cognition, neurological functions, biology, exposure, experiences, culture, language, and on and on. For me, that is the study of school psychology. It involves understanding each person and finding ways to best support them. But it also expands beyond the person and forces us to consider systems.
Who are school psychologists?
When we think of school and psychology, we often automatically think of *guidance counselors. * That is more than okay! Certified school counselors, as they are typically now called, are unsung heroes in the schools, much like the teachers and other support personnel they serve alongside. School psychologists, however, have different training and responsibilities. We usually are not school based, but instead serve multiple schools within the district. This is usually termed “itinerant,” and is good and bad. If you know a school psychologist here in Florida, or are familiar with our work, you likely automatically think, the people who test, or the people who help get IEPs. You may appreciate what we do, or not understand what we do, or think what we do is not the best. 🙃 Yes, we evaluate students. We are usually part of teams that decide whether students need additional support in school. We tend to be seen as gatekeepers to those supports, which most of us do not like being thought of as (it is a t e a m decision!). School psychologists are trained in assessments, yes, but also in counseling, consultation, program evaluation, learning, behavioral, emotional, and social functioning, disabilities and disorders, and so much more! We strive to be culturally responsive, empathetic, authentic, collaborative, and supportive in our practice. Most of us are child-centered and push back against systems that may not keep that as their focus. We want to do what is best for children.
Who is Dr. Lawson?
Please, call me Sarah! I am a lifelong learner dedicated to improving my knowledge and skills to better serve children and families. From the time I was a child, I remember caring deeply for others and being outraged by injustices I saw in the world. (Just ask mama Bonita, she will tell you! 😂) I have worked as a school psychologist since graduating from UCF (Go Knights!) in 2013. Five years into my career, I decided it was time to go back to school. I chose to study educational leadership and policy because despite believing in the system I worked in and for, I saw its problems. I could not be complacent and thought obtaining my doctorate could expand my reach. I graduated in 2021 and began teaching in higher education a few months later. I was sad to leave the field, so I stayed active in it by working as a contracted school psychologist and a field examiner. In the Fall of 2023, I decided to finally put my license to greater use and open a private practice. Here I am today, deciding to give it my all! I have had the absolute honor and pleasure of working with people in this capacity and have found it to be very fulfilling. I feel like I can give the time I need to give to each child and their family and can advocate and make connections that were more limited before. I am humbled by clients’ trust in me and strive to go above and beyond. A value that I uphold is to do all things “heartily.” If we work together, I can promise you that!
See you again next time!
Sarah
