As a counselor, it is our job to help every client that walks through our door. We must help all clients no matter who they are, irregardless of their race, gender, religion, age, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, etc. This is not just a job requirement for me, laid out by ACA, but a part [...]

One of the most common questions that I get when I tell people what I do is…..what do you do? It’s not a surprising question. Most of us had a “Guidance Counselor” when we were in middle and high school, but the elementary counselor is still somewhat a new concept. So people are often curious [...]

As a school counselor I have a lot of “friends” at school. Of course the word friend refers to those students who spend a lot of time with me. Throughout the past five years as a school counselor I have had a lot of friends. Some of them I have seen grow and develop and [...]

I have never been in a physical fight with someone (okay, except my older brothers growing up, but they started it!) It has always been my feeling and practice to avoid a physical fight. My parents growing up taught and showed me that getting into a fight with someone was not acceptable, except when defending [...]

Is the glass half full or half empty?  I would describe myself as a glass half full kind of person.  I am always looking for what is right, what is working, and what I feel good about.  Even in the most stressful or tough situations, I am trying to think of a positive outcome.   My [...]

I wear a walkie talkie at work. I’m not alone in this as a school counselor. From my understanding many of us school counselors are just moments away from being called from one thing to another. What typically awaits me on the other end of that radio call is usually an upset child who has [...]

We have all heard of him, that mythological creature… the school yard bully. He wanders across the playground stealing lunch money, beating kids up, and tossing anyone in his path into the trash can. Does this classic version of bullying still exist? I think the answer is yes and no. Which begs the question what [...]

As I read through the various blogs on the ACA website, I started to think about how school counselors are different from and alike with other mental health professionals. We both share the hope of being able to help people. We all work to help people with their personal and interpersonal needs. However, we work [...]