School Counselling
School counselors play an integral role in supporting students socially, emotionally, and
academically within the K-12 school environment. These counselors are trained to assist
students when facing challenges preventing them from fully thriving at school. School
counselors provide individual counseling, small-group counseling, guidance lessons, and
additional services to support students, faculty, and staff.
A school counselor is trained to support youth academically, socially, and emotionally within
a K-12 setting. School counselors provide individual short-term counseling services to
students experiencing problems impacting them within the academic setting. A teacher,
administrator, or parent may refer students to a counselor, or students can refer themselves.
School counselors can provide small-group counseling services for students. These services
may focus on social skills, coping with losing a loved one, career planning, and building
rapport with peers.
School counselors normally conduct a needs assessment to determine the types of groups and
services required for students to thrive within the academic setting. School counselors are
trained to provide counseling services and social and emotional learning. However, they are
not clinical counselors and cannot provide mental health diagnoses. Due to this, many school
counselors refer students to another mental health provider outside of the academic setting if
additional mental health services are needed.
School counselors consult and collaborate with teachers, staff, administrators, and
parents/guardians. Through collaboration, they can help other adults brainstorm and find
solutions to meet students’ needs.
School counselors are master's level practitioners who help students in the following ways:
Removing barriers to academic achievement. Supporting social/emotional development.
Guiding college and career readiness.
