Guidance Counselors: Focused on vocational guidance, worked in isolation in schools, had no set standards for their work, worked mostly at the high school level with some students.
School Counselors (hey, it's me!): Focus on social/emotional/academic and career development by working with students in lessons, small groups and 1:1 counseling, we do not bill insurance. School counselors work in in collaboration with teachers, administrators, parents, and more to help students succeed. We have set standards and a framework we follow called the ASCA (American School Counselor Association) Model. School counselors work with students k-12.
School Based Therapists: School based therapists can meet with students once a week for 40-45 minutes for ongoing support. They are similar to mental health counselors but they work in a school setting. They do not teach lessons, but they can run small groups. They bill insurance. School based therapists are available to work with students who need additional support above a brief check-in every couple weeks.
*If you would like information on setting your child up with school based therapy or an outside counselor please contact me. You can also see a list of local therapy referrals by clicking here*