Who does the school counselor talk to?
My counselor can talk to my family.
True.
Although your counselor won’t tell your family the details of what you’ve shared, your counselor might touch base with your family. This might be to talk about how to best support you, or even to share about the great things you have been doing!
My counselor only works with kids one on one.
False.
Your counselor has many different roles. Working individually with students is one of their roles, but they also work with kids in other ways as well, like small groups or classroom lessons.
If I am getting bad grades, there is nothing my counselor can do to help me.
False.
Your counselor can work with you on skills that might be helpful to you such as organization, study skills, etc. Also, if there are things that are keeping you from doing well academically, like struggling to pay attention, etc., your counselor may work with your teacher to come up with a plan to help you succeed!
I should feel embarrassed if I want to talk to the counselor.
False.
If there is something that you want to talk to the counselor about, you don’t need to feel embarrassed! It can be really helpful to talk to someone about how you’re feeling or what is going on in your life. Your counselor is there to help you!
The school counselor tells your teachers and friends what you talk about in her office?
False.
Your counselor won’t tell anyone what you say unless you share that you want to hurt yourself or someone else, or that someone is hurting you. However, with your permission, the counselor may share some information with the teacher to make sure you get the help and support you need.
My counselor can help me reach my goals.
True.
Your school counselor would love to help you reach your goals! Whether they are academic goals, or not related to school, your counselor would love to talk to you about your goals and help your figure out how to reach them!
If I am having a hard time at home, I can talk to my counselor about it.
True.
You can talk to your counselor about anything - even if it isn’t related to school. Your counselor cares about you and wants to hear about your life! If something comes up at home, during sports practice, etc. that you want to talk about, don’t be afraid to bring it up!
I can go to the school counselor’s office without telling anyone or asking my teacher.
False.
Letting someone know where you are going, and/or asking your teacher is important! An adult needs to know where you are at all times so we can make sure you stay safe.
My problems are too big. My counselor doesn’t want to hear about them.
False.
Your school counselor cares about all of your problems! Don’t ever feel like your problems are too much to handle. If your counselor feels that you might need more support than what they are trained for, they can always reach out for more support!
My school counselor won't give up on me.
True.
Through your ups and downs, your counselor will never give up on you! Even when your counselor is disappointed with choices you might make, they will never give up on you. Your counselor will always be here to support you!
The school counselor can fix all your problems right away.
False.
Unfortunately, your counselor can’t make all of your problems go away. However, your counselor can help you work on your problem solving skills and can help you learn coping skills to deal with the problems you can’t control.
If I get called down to see the counselor, it means I’m in trouble.
False.
There are many reasons why the counselor may want to talk to you. Even if you have made poor choices, it’s not the counselor’s job to discipline you. Instead, your counselor may just want to talk about what happened and help you to work through it.
If I say I want to hurt myself, my counselor won’t tell anyone.
False.
Although your counselor will keep most of the things you say confidential, this is one of the things that they will tell someone about. Your counselor cares about you and wants to make sure that you stay safe and healthy. If you ever feel like you want to hurt yourself, it’s important that you get the help you need so that you can feel better!
The school counselor is like a therapist.
False.
The school counselor’s appropriate role in addressing student mental health concerns is through our school counseling program’s preventative and early intervention efforts and through referring students who need long-term counseling to outside resources.
My counselor wants me to be honest about how I'm feeling.
True.
It can sometimes be hard to be honest about how we feel, especially if we are experiencing difficult feelings. Remember that it can be helpful to talk about how you feel and that your counselor will never judge you for how you’re feeling!
Teachers and parents may request that the counselor invite a student in for an individual counseling session.
True.
Many times school staff and parents ask me to meet with students.
If a friend tells you that he/she is being hurt or abused but does not want you to tell anyone, you should keep that a secret.
False.
If you truly care about your friend, you should let a trusted adult know so we can help your friend. Some problems are too big and require adult intervention.
My counselor can get my schedule changed all the time.
False.
Changes are done if you are in the wrong class or level. Also, when you are missing a required class or have 2 of the same classes. All other changes are not guaranteed!
My counselor can help me and my friends get along better.
True.
Your counselor is a great person to talk to if you are having issues with a friend. Your counselor can also teach you great skills like conflict resolution, knowing what a good friend is, etc. that can help you with your friendships!
As soon as you leave a note, the school counselor will come and get you immediately.
False.
Your counselor has many roles at the school. Although this does mean that your counselor is busy, remember that your counselor will make time for you, it just might not be right away. IN EMERGENCIES, I SEE YOU RIGHT AWAY.