School Counseling Is A Profession With Diverse Perceptions About The Identity Of A School Counselor

Counselors have a responsibility to monitor their effectiveness, in order to do this they need someone who is trained to assist them in understanding what is effective. Counselors have to seek supervision when appropriate and in order to do so a program needs to be in place that has supervisors readily available. The absence of clinical supervision may lead to counselors-in-training to lack the necessary skills to be a successful and productive counselor. Counselors need to develop a comprehensive understanding of the setting, population, needs, contexts and tasks of a counselor. As explained by Milne and Oliver (2000), Clinical supervision is central to initial professional training and to continuing professional development. It is necessary for counselors-in-training to refine their skills and get assistance in applying theories to any issues they may encounter with their clients. In addition to the everyday assistance necessary, a supervisor needs to present/model ethical behavior and counseling practices. In any profession the need for improvement is prominent and therefore any assistance and feedback given is appreciated and necessary. Expectations are increasing and therefore supervision is expected. Evidence shows that supervision results in school counselors’ increased effectiveness and accountability, improved professional development, and improved job performance, confidence, and comfort

From this twenty year counseling veteran I learned about a functioning guidance program, the role of the counselor, the amount of time she spends in various components of the program, how to foster a positive relationship with the teachers and faculty, ways to continue to develop professionally, and insight for a future career in school counseling. As I drove away from the school, I felt a mix of emotions such as, intimidation, excitement, and hopefulness to name a few. When I began to try to take in just how much is required and how many people rely on a school counselor it was intimidating. In my mind I began to wonder if it is possible for one person to be that much to that many people and still keep some kind of balance. As soon as the thought passed through my mind, I immediately heard the words of wisdom that had been shared with me, "don 't beat yourself up for not being able to be everything to everybody." I also reflected on how upbeat the counselor sounded when she talked about her role in helping students become "the best people

The role of a school counselor is an intriguing one because they do not work with a specific type of client. While they will always be working with young children or teenagers, the problems their clients come to them with can be so different from client to client. One session might be dealing with questions about career choices. Another might be about dealing with bullying. Some days a school counselor may even have to be there for a child who was a victim of sexual or physical abuse. It is because of this wide range of demands that a school counselor should be well-versed in many types of counseling theories.

School counselors have a key role in advocating for academic success for each student in the school. The advocacy makes the counselors have a leadership role in encouraging and promoting school reforms. The advocacy efforts of school counselors aim to eliminate obstacles preventing the development of students and to create chances for all students to learn. It also aims to ensure students have access to the school curriculum that fits their needs. School counselors collaborate with other people within and outside the school to assist students meet their learning needs. In addition, advocacy promotes positive and systematic change in schools (Trusty & Brown, 2005).

My philosophy of school counseling includes building relationships with students all of backgrounds, having enthusiasm to help students, advocating for students' success, and collaborating with parents and other school professionals.

Although the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) (2104) outlines suitable roles, school counselors often still spend a lot of their time balancing various job roles. Some of the responsibilities school counselors have consists of assisting students, working with parents, and doing administrative tasks. The many roles tackled bring speculation surrounding the stress levels experienced by school counselors.

The purpose of this paper is to determine my preferred style of counseling, the factors which went into making this determination, and how I will implement them into a comprehensive school counseling program. My journey in becoming a school counselor also includes; my own personal characteristics, my position on ethical, legal, and social responsibilities, as well as, my perception of the relationships of importance working within a school and community.

The purpose of the School Counseling profession has evolved over time in order to promote student success, at all grade levels, depending on current trends. Presently, the American School Counselor Association, also referred to as the ASCA, describes the role of a School Counselor as a certified/licensed educator who:

I once walked the halls of Highland High School as a very timid student. My lack of confidence had landed me many appointments with my school counselor, Tiffany Strauss. It was in Mrs. Strauss’ office that I gained confidence in myself and overcame many obstacles. It was also where recognized my passion for school counseling. I am a graduate of Rowan University, a CACREP accredited institution. I received my Masters in Counseling in Educational Settings (K-12) and hold a current New Jersey certification. Prior to graduation, I completed my school counseling internship at Highland.

School Counselors are professional individuals that help students understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral problems affecting the students educational or vocational situations. Also, Counselors provide crisis interventions to students when difficult situations occur at schools or the community. To become a School Counselor, the individual must earn a graduate degree in counseling on the specific field. A few of the skills that a counselor should have, are active listening, good communication skills, reading comprehension and critical thinking. Also, a counselor as to be well knowledgeable on human behaviors and performance, and have the ability to provide and conduct assessments and treatment of behavioral disorders in order

Adrienne, I enjoyed reading your post and agree with your quote, "the study noted that were some administrators that were unfamiliar with any of the counseling profession's guiding standards. To me, this emphasizes the need for the counselor to grounded in their purpose. As quoted in Erford, 2015, Transforming the School Counseling Profession, "The role of the professional school counselor is frequently determined by others, rather than by the counselors' developing their own purposeful, comprehensive programs." As the role of the PSC advances, it is imperative that the school counselor is able to define its role. In the late 1990's the ASCA published the National Standards for School Counseling programs (C. Campbell & Dahir, 1997) and these standard gave direction to a profession searching for ways to solidify identity and role in standards-based school reform.

Every since I entered the workforce as a high school graduate, my experience has allowed me the opportunity to work with young people in underserved communities, while making positive contributions in the fields of non-profit and education. When I began my career as an educator in a Title I school, my passion for creating and ensuring a safe learning environment for all students, while promoting their success through academic, career, and social/personal development, has lead me to pursue a career as a professional school counselor. As a teacher, I know that our students are facing challenges both at school and home that hinder them from meeting rigorous academic standards. I believe that pursuing a career in school counseling is critical

This paper explores the main characteristics of the school counseling career. To understand school counseling its history must be visited when it began in the 1800’s. This paper goes through the steps of licensure, education requirements, and typical therapy techniques adopted by today’s school counselors. To fully understand how to be the best at one’s career it is important to collaborate with other’s in one’s career field by joining professional associations. It is noted in this paper what those associations are and the benefits of each of those associations.

Shifting our ways and opinions or even thoughts is not something that we do easily when it comes to our beliefs, morals, or every day task. We often want to keep doing things the same way even if we are not maximizing on our full potential. Sometimes, all it takes is the blink of an eye to notice that it is time for a change. Suddenly, but not fast enough we embraced this concept in our school systems with regard to counselors. Our minds flowed from treating them as an extension of help to the person who possessed more qualities than we once cared to acknowledge. This paper will define the paradigm shift as it relates to the role of the school counselor, present the necessary steps to ensure change in the educational environment and confirm the role of the counselor after the shift took place.

As I read my first assignment for new students in the School Counseling Program, my reasoning to be a school counselor was simple; to help others. I noted that I wanted to help others in two manners. One, I wanted to help students toward an achievable goal, including graduation. Two, I wanted to help with discipline. This included helping teachers with classroom management as well as helping students to understand the reasoning behind rules and procedures. Because I am so comfortable and familiar with the high school age group, I gave the school counseling