Sometimes, there are things in life that we find challenging to handle all on our own. A counsellor is a special helper at school who listens and helps you with any big feelings or problems you might have. It's a safe place where you can talk about things that bother you, learn new ways to handle tough stuff, and hopefully feel better about yourself, your relationships, and your life in general.
A school counsellor also helps with things like goal setting, job searches, choosing courses for high school, creating a curriculum vitae (a resumé), talking about your identity, and much more!
There are many reasons why you might want to talk to a counsellor, and it would be impossible to list them all... here are a few reasons that students sometimes come to see me:
Maybe you are having a hard time with something or someone in your life, and you want some support in figuring out what to do
Maybe you are struggling in school, and you are stressed or need support
Maybe you are wondering what you should do in high school, or in your life after you graduate
Maybe you need help with emotions that feel difficult to handle
Maybe you are worried about yourself, a friend, or a family member's safety
Maybe there's something else on your mind that you don't feel like you can tell anyone about
What we talk about is confidential - that means that I don't share it with anyone without your permission. There are a few situations where that has to change, so I can do my best to keep people safe. Those situations are:
If there is imminent danger to yourself or someone else
If I am aware of or I suspect abuse or neglect of a child (you or someone else)
If a judge orders me to share some information
If you give me permission to share something with someone else (like a teacher, or an adult who takes care of you)
If you are involved in severely disruptive behaviour that is putting someone else at risk (like physical fights, or bullying for example)
If one of those situations comes up, and I have to bring someone else into conversation, I will try my best to do that with you (and not behind your back).
We will find a good time for you to come and see me, and we will let your teacher know that you might miss a bit of class time
I will talk a bit about how counselling works, and remind you of the limits to confidentiality
I will invite you to ask any questions you have
I will ask you what is on your mind, and listen closely to whatever you want to share with me
If you are in grade 6 or below, we will talk about how to get permission from your Big People for you to come and see me
If you are in grade 7 or 8, we will talk about how we might involve your Big People, if you want
Scroll down the page to see some ideas. We will work together to choose the activities that are helpful for you.
Talk about what is going on in your life, about things that are going well or not so well, and about things that are on your mind
Draw or paint or colour or do other forms of art
Play a game
Look at pictures and talk about them
Read a book
Listen to music
Invite someone else to talk with (like a friend, or a caring adult in your life)
Do mindfulness activities
Learn new strategies for dealing with tough things
Practice communication skills
Do other things that we decide on together
What can I do when the actions I take hurt other people?