Why We Gather – The Power of Connection at the ASCA National Conference

As the 2025 ASCA National Conference unfolded in Long Island, California, July 12–15, thousands of school counselors, counselor educators, administrators, and mental health leaders came together not just for learning, but for a shared renewal of purpose.

This isn’t just an annual conference. It’s a movement. And for those of us on the frontlines of student support, it’s the encouragement and motivation we didn’t realize we needed.

A Shared Mission: Supporting the Whole Child

The heart of school counseling services has always been about more than schedules and scholarships. It’s about students as whole people—supporting their social, emotional, academic, and behavioral well-being.

Across sessions, the conference elevated the conversations that matter most:

• How do we embed Social Emotional Learning into the fabric of school culture?
• What does trauma-informed school training look like in real-time, with real students?
• How do we train and equip educators to be partners in SEL training for teachers?

These are not just questions. They are catalysts for change, and ASCA provides a space to wrestle with them together.

Mental Health Education in Schools: More Than a Buzzword

In a time when student needs are more complex than ever, the role of the school counselor continues to expand. At this year’s conference as with every other, there was an unmistakable focus on mental health education in schools—not as an add-on, but as essential curriculum for life.

Sessions on mental health workshops for schools empowered counselors to take the lead—training staff, creating schoolwide initiatives, and partnering with families to build safer, more responsive learning environments.

Because we know: academic growth in children is inseparable from emotional wellness.

For Counselor Educators: A Ripple Effect

As a counselor educator, I see this conference as more than professional development.  It’s a glimpse into the future we are preparing our students to enter.

The energy in the halls of the conference, the innovations shared, and the stories of impact reminded me that the work we do in classrooms today equips the leaders of tomorrow. Every workshop we attended and every connection we made ripples outward, reaching the next generation of school counselors who will one day change lives.

Reigniting Passion and Purpose

It’s easy, in the thick of a school year, to feel isolated or overwhelmed by the demands of the job. But ASCA reminds us that we are not alone. We are part of a national community with a shared calling—to nurture academic growth in children, to foster emotional safety, and to advocate for systems that recognize the humanity in every student.

As I listened to and participated in sessions on equity, innovation, grief-informed practices, and leadership, I was reminded that this is more than a profession. It’s a mission.

Walking Away Recharged

As the conference wrapped up, I remembered yet again that attendees won’t just leave with resources. They’ll leave with renewed resolve. We’ll take these ideas back to our schools, our universities, our districts, and our state legislatures.

We’ll advocate louder, listen deeper, and lead bolder.

Because when school counselors gather, transformation follows.

With renewed gratitude for this work,

Dr. Susan Rardon Rose