Meet YOUR Counsellor
What is my name?
Heather
What are 2 reasons a student might want to visit a counsellor?
Stress/anxiety/worry
Friendship issues
Conflicts at home
Feeling "off": "bad day"
Wanting to learn healthy coping skills
What is confidentiality?
The school counselling MUST keep in the information you share in the counselling private.
Exceptions are if you tell me you want to hurt yourself or someone else, or if someone is hurting you
All of my feelings are okay
True! We can learn to name them and work through them. There are no bad feelings.
You ate to many French fries at lunch
False
Where is my office located?
Across from the cafeteria, by the boys and girls washrooms
True or Fals:
When you are called to see the school counsellor, are you in trouble?
NO! A teacher or principal might suggest you see the counsellor, but you are not in trouble.
True or False:
All the information you share with the counsellor is shared with the principal and your teacher
False
All the information you share with me stays with me. I do not share it with anyone else.
If I need to talk, I can just leave my class.
False! Your teacher must know where you are going every time you leave the classroom. You will not be allowed to stay in my office if you leave class without permission.
You are have a hard to getting along with a friend
True! We can work together to problem solve friendship issues
What is my favorite color
Red
True of False:
Student counsellors only meet with kids who have
Big Problems
False
Counsellors meet kids with all sorts of issues, big or small. I can help you manage big changes or understand your feelings.
If a student tells the counsellor that they are really mad at someone, does the counsellor need to tell your teacher?
No. It is ok to feel mad. There is a big difference to feeling mad and actually hurting someone.
The counsellor tells my adults at home what I say in her office.
False! Unless I am concerned about your safety or the safety of others, what you say in my office stays in my office.
Your parents are fighting a lot and your scared
Yes! If you are scared, or your parents are arguing, we can talk through some of your feelings to help you cope at home.
Ask your teacher or parent
True or False:
School counselors will sometimes teach a lesson to a whole class like kindness or bullying that is important for all students.
True
The school counsellor helps students learn healthy coping skills. What are 2 examples of coping skills?
Coping skills are healthy ways people deal with the stressors that life throws at them.
Exercise
Laughing
Deep breathing
Colouring
Doing an activity that makes you feel good
Spending time with family or friends
I can talk to my counsellor about things that happen at school AND at home.
True!
Teacher, counsellor, auntie, uncle, mom etc.
True or False:
If you want to see me weekly, do you need parental permission?
True! You need your mom/dad to sign a consent form for ongoing counselling. I can send a consent form home with you in your backpack and it is your job to ask your mom/dad to sign it and bring the paper back to your teacher.
True or False:
If more than one student is having the same problem, the counsellor may invite them to group counselling.
True.
True of False:
A counsellor can solve all of your problems.
False. A counselor can help your work through problems, listen and support you. We offer a safe space to explore and share your thoughts and feels.
You can only see your counsellor if it's a BIG problem.
False! We can work through big and small things. What may seem small may be big to others and vice versa.
You don't know how to solve a math problem
No!