School Counselors (formerly called "guidance counselors") are advocates, professionally-trained counselors, and educators. School Counselors work with teachers, administrators, and others in a school to facilitate social, emotional, academic, and college/career development with students. A school counselor is trained to recognize the needs of groups and individual students within a school, and to develop targeted interventions to meet those needs. School counselors teach classroom lessons, lead small groups, and work with students one-on-one when needed. The key to an effective school counselor is building rapport and trust with students so that students feel comfortable reaching out in the midst of difficult situations that interrupt that students' ability to learn, focus, and/or get along with others.