Tell Them The Truth In School Counseling
School counseling jobs are a really rewarding way to work as a therapist. When I was in school, I had some really serious trouble. I was definitely what you could call a troubled teenager. I didn’t feel like I fit in, I was trying drugs, I was falling in with the wrong crowd and I was getting poor grades. I had expected the school counselor to simply patronize me when I was called in, but instead he was very understanding and compassionate. He listened to my concerns and really gave me some good advice. The most important thing he did for me was to give me a sense of perspective. He reminded me that high school doesn’t go on forever. The reason I was there was to get prepared for my future and if I didn’t do that it would make the rest of my life a lot harder. He did not try to shock or scare me. He told it to me straight and I appreciated that.
The reason I got involved in school counseling was because I wanted to be like him. I have met too many school counselors who don’t tell it to you straight. Many of them will tell you what they are supposed to, try to scare you away from making the wrong choices. The thing is that shock doesn’t really work with teenagers. Teens have always been cynical, but they are becoming more cynical than ever before. They know when you are lying to them and they won’t listen to you. People in school counseling who tell the truth and give good, straightforward information can really help teenagers out. The world is a scary enough place without making exaggerations.
Before you go into a school of counseling, you should really think carefully about whether it is right for you. Getting involved in education is quite a commitment. A lot of education professionals, whether they are in school counseling, teaching or administrative work, get involved because they think it will be easy. When they realize just how much work it is, some of them burn out. Unless you really have a passion for school counseling, you should stay far away from it. There are so many opportunities in this world that there is no reason to not do what you love. You will do your job better and have a more rewarding and successful life.