Have you ever wondered what a school counselor does? Or what their role might be in a school? Well I am here to provide you with information on what the school counselor does in a school setting. This information will help you understand who to reach out to for assistance whether you are a parent, teacher, student, or even someone who is interested in the career of school counseling. According to the American School Counselor Association a professional school counselor is a certified/licensed educator in school counseling that provides distinctive capability and skills to address all students needs. Some of those needs include their academics, social/emotional and career development. School counselors assist students at all levels, from elementary, middle, and high school. There are students who attend school every day trying to learn material that is being taught by teachers but are unable to focus or be academically be successful. They struggle to regulate their emotions, or do not know how to cope when they are experiencing a difficult situation in their environment. Students benefit by having a counselor at their school because they can be helped with learning how to manage their emotions and apply interpersonal skills.  A school counselor encourages a trust, respectful, and safe climate.

The school counselors have the role of maintaining confidentiality of the students and their families unless someone is hurting the student, want to hurt someone, want to hurt themselves, or if the student gives permission to share with another trusted adults. School counselors do not let their own values or beliefs interfere when supporting a student. When students are experiencing some difficulties in in their environment, school counselors can help students by facilitating counseling groups. In these counseling groups, students can relate to others and have a support system at school. School counselors also meet with students individually to do brief, solution-focused counseling. Individually, students can also be taught how to identify their emotions, how to learn coping strategies or learn to develop communication skills, or if they simply need support with their career options. School counselors also conduct classroom lessons that align to ASCA standards, and these classroom lessons help support more students than just seeing them individually or in a group. The school counselors collaborate with parents/guardians, teachers, administrators, and support staff in order to help support students at school. They have meetings with stakeholders and come up with accommodations or strategies that can help the students perform better at school. School counselors also help students prepare for postsecondary options such as higher education, military, or work force. Majority of the students need support when it comes to making a choice about what they might do after they graduate high school. School counselors are there to provide students with resources, referrals, tips, and even bring in guest speakers. They can also advocate for career fairs for students to be exposed to the varieties of career options. The school counselors have many responsibilities and they see students from a holistic point of view. It is important when necessary to collaborate with those who are around the students, so as a team be able to help the students achieve their goals.