What do School Counselors Do?

School Counselors

Sometimes it's just not possible to sort through tough times alone. Problems can build up and you may lose sleep, find you can't concentrate on homework, or even become depressed. When you need to talk to someone, your school counselor can be a great place to start. 

Student-Counselor Meetings

Counselors meet with students individually or in small groups. The most common setting for most students is a private meeting just between the student and the counselor. We can set up zoom meetings and have private offices where you can sit down and talk when on campus.

You don't need to know exactly what's bothering you when you talk with the school counselor. It's perfectly OK just to make an appointment because you're feeling bad or not doing as well in school as you'd like. It's the school counselor's job to help people figure out what's going on. In fact, it's often better to see your counselor as soon as you know something's up, even if you don't know what the trouble is. Chances are you'll be able to solve a problem faster when you have the skill and resources of the counselor behind you.

How often you meet with your counselor depends on the issue. Some concerns are dealt with in a one-time meeting. Others require regular meetings for a while. It all depends on the topic at hand and the plan that you and your counselor decide on.

Counselors also sometimes meet students in groups. Group meetings can really help people who are dealing with similar issues, such as a divorce. In these group settings, people can share their feelings and learn coping skills. Not only do you get great ideas in a group setting, but it can also help to know that other students are going through the same thing and that they understand.

Counselors often come into the classroom, too, to teach a class on a subject that affects everyone, such as good study skills.

Sometimes the counselor might meet with you and a teacher or you and a parent — especially if the teacher or your parent has asked for the meeting.


Topics

Confidentiality

When you meet privately with a school counselor, your conversation will most likely be confidential. The counselor isn't going to go blabbing your business around school. In very rare cases, a counselor is unable to keep information confidential. A counselor who thinks that someone is at risk of being harmed is required by law to share that information. Even in these rare cases, the counselor will share that information only with the people who need to know.

People sometimes worry that other students will think they're seeing the counselor because they have major problems or they're in trouble. But in most schools the counselor deals with lots of school issues — as well as personal ones. So you could be meeting to get career counseling or advice on a specific class. Your friends and classmates don't need to know why you're seeing the counselor unless you choose to tell them.

Your school counselor is someone who is separate from your life — a neutral adult who isn't a parent, relative, or teacher. Your school counselor isn't a therapist. (So if you see your counselor, it's not the same as getting therapy.) If you need help in some way that the school counselor can't provide, he or she can give you information about other resources, such as the name of a therapist.

No matter what your problem, try to think of the counselor as someone who's on your side. Even if you've had a bad experience in the past with another counselor or a private therapist, don't hesitate to contact your school counselor — or talk to the counseling office about seeing someone else if you don't click with your current counselor. Every counselor is different, and most understand that it's natural for people to be more comfortable with some individuals than others.

Don't be surprised if your parents know your school counselor. They may even be in touch with each other. Sometimes counselors offer workshops for parents, with or without their kids, about topics such as study skills or preventing drug abuse. It's good for the counselor and your parents to know each other when everything is going OK. That way, if any problems come up — like if you're being bullied or there's a death in the family and you have to be out of school — they'll be able to work together comfortably.

If you're seeing your counselor and your parents don't know about it, don't worry that the counselor will talk to them about your meetings. Unless you've given the counselor the feeling that you may harm yourself or others, what's said in your meetings will stay just between you and the counselor.

School counselors are all about helping to make your school experience the best it can be. The role of the school counselor today is very different from what it was like when your parents were in school. Instead of just focusing on schoolwork and careers, today's counselors are there for students in a broader way. They help students handle almost any problem that might get in the way of learning, guide students to productive futures, and try to create a positive environment for everyone at school. So if you need a counselor's advice, just ask!