The SAFE Fishbowl Model: Psychological Safety by Design in Counseling Skills Training

Authors

• Mike Mariska, Plymouth State UniversityFollow

Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3393-5523

Author Biography

Mike Mariska is a Professor of Counselor Education at Plymouth State University. He is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) in the state of New Hampshire, and a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC). He has been a faculty member at Plymouth since 2014, having previously worked as an Assistant Professor at Long Island University in Brookville, NY. He teaches core coursework in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling, School Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, and School Psychology programs.  

Mike Mariska served as the president of the North Atlantic Region Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (NARACES) for the 2017-2018 academic year, currently serves as the Technology Chair, and has held multiple positions on the NARACES board. In 2020, NARACES recognized him with the Marijane Fall Counselor Educator of the Year award. Dr. Mariska also serves as an accreditation site team leader for the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), visiting and reviewing programs seeking accreditation or re-accreditation under CACREP standards. His clinical experiences also include work in other college counseling centers, career counseling, and community counseling with a variety of populations in multiple areas of the country. Prior to entering the counseling field, he worked as a program coordinator for multiple nonprofit organizations.

Document Type

Article

Keywords

counselor education, skills training, role-play, fishbowl, performance anxiety

Subject Area

Counselor Education

Abstract

Skills training in counselor education can be constrained by performance anxiety, which may reduce participation, limit deliberate practice repetitions, and shift demonstrations to the instructor. This applied-practice manuscript introduces the SAFE (Structured Avatar and Feedback Experience) Fishbowl model, a simulation architecture designed to address performance anxiety while scaling participation. SAFE Fishbowl integrates rotating counselor roles, a real-time coaching loop, structured observation grounded in experiential learning theory, and purposeful debriefing. An implementation example for group counseling leadership skills is provided, along with adaptation guidance across multiple skill domains and delivery modalities. Descriptive course-evaluation feedback illustrates feasibility and perceived usefulness. Implications include psychological safety as a deliberate instructional feature, increased equity in practice opportunities, and normalization of skill acquisition as coached performance.

Public Significance Statement

Many counseling students experience significant anxiety during skills training, which can limit participation and reduce the quality of practice opportunities. The SAFE Fishbowl Model offers counselor educators a structured, adaptable simulation format that treats psychological safety as a deliberate design feature rather than a byproduct of classroom climate. By normalizing in-the-moment coaching and distributing practice opportunities across all students, this model can increase the volume and quality of skills rehearsal in counselor training programs of any size or resource level.

Recommended Citation

Mariska, M. (2026). The SAFE fishbowl model: Psychological safety by design in counseling skills training. Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision, 20(3), 1-15.