School Counselor = Mental Health Professional for the School

The community accepts that:
  • The Marriage and Family Counselor is the Mental Health Professional that counsels troubled marriages and family
  • The Addictions Counselor is the Mental Health Professional that counsels individuals addicted to drugs and/or alcohol
  • The Pain Counselor is the Mental Health Professional that counsels individuals in pain.
  • The Child and Adolescent Counselor is the Mental Health Professional who counsels children and adolescents who need support.
School Counselors are specifically trained to work within the school setting and coordinate services with teachers and outside providers.
Yet, the school counselor seems to be seen as simply another administrator in the school. School Counselors receive unique preparation to prepare them to be a counselor, and they bring this unique set of skills to schools! Just as the above the groups, school counselors are the mental health professional who counsels individuals within the school.

Defining the School Counselor

The School Counselor’s Role and the Services provided:

  • Mental Health
  • Leadership
  • Advocacy
  • Collaboration
  • Systemic Change

We need to bring a Comprehensive School Counseling Program to fruition in every school so that school counselors are seen as the mental health professionals they are. As educational consultants for school counselors, we help guide implementation strategies that integrate counseling theory with school-based practice.

Continuing to advocate for the role takes perseverance, yet we persist because we know our students do better when they have advocates like us on their side. Until each member of our community can identify the school counselor as the mental health professional in schools, just as they identify the clinical counselor in the community, our job of educating the public continues. 

ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH IS CRUCIAL TO STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT!