What is School Counseling?

School counseling is the professional practice of building a comprehensive school counseling program in an educational setting to improve success for ALL students. For many, “School Counselor” is as much an identity as it is a profession. School counselors work at elementary, middle, and high school levels to promote access and equity, support social emotional development, and encourage well-being across the whole school environment.

School counselors use their lens as mental health professionals in schools to promote academic, career, and social-emotional development. School counseling direct services include individual counseling, group counseling, classroom guidance, and crisis response. They also actively engage as leaders, advocates, and resources to the whole school community by connecting with families and caregivers, consulting and collaborating with school staff, and being a bridge to resources in the community.