Collaborative Relationships between Principals and School Counselors: Facilitating a Model for Developing a Working Alliance

The working relationship between principals and school counselors have received some attention in the literature, however, little empirical research exists that examines specifically the components that facilitate a collaborative working relationship between the principal and school counselor. This qualitative case study examined the unique perspective for building a leader-member relationship between the principal and school counselor. Specifically, the case study examined the experiences of the working relationship of a principal and school counselor in a rural Midwestern elementary school. Data analysis revealed that the following three shared themes emerged: "student-centered focus," "role differentiation," and "trust." From these themes and their descriptions a collaborative working relationship resulted. As a result, the principal school counselor model evolved. Implications for principals and school counselors as well as future research are presented.