School Counselors

A school counselor is a licensed professional educator trained to address the needs of students by implementing a standards-based school counseling program. School counselors are employed in elementary, middle/junior high, and senior high schools, and in postsecondary settings. Their work requires attention to developmental stages of student growth, as well as to the needs, tasks, and student interests related to those stages. School counselors work with all students, including those who are considered at risk and those who have special needs. Although best known for their role in counseling students with mental health concerns, school counselors also are responsible for prevention and health promotion programs. They are specialists in human behavior and education, and they provide assistance to students through four primary interventions:

• 1.
  Counseling (individual and group)
• 2.
  Large-group guidance
• 3.
  Consultation
• 4.
  Coordination

Their school psychologist colleagues also work to optimize students' health and learning, but they typically provide assistance through consultation and assessment.