A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR
February 2018
A day in a counselor’s life is varied. They meet with students, whether it be by appointment or drop-ins, help students with college and scholarship applications, write recommendation letters, answer emails, and more.
But perhaps the defining part about being a counselor, as said by Counselors Connie Dominguez and Kristin Vernon: “We have to be ready for whatever walks in the door."
COUNSELOR PERSPECTIVE:
Q&A: We asked, they answered. Here's what they had to say.
Q: What does a typical day look like for you?
Counselor Connie Dominguez: The biggest part about being in a counseling position in a high school is that you definitely have to be ready for whatever walks through the door each day. Even if I had five appointments scheduled today, I'd reschedule all of them if a student dropped in and needed to talk with someone because they're depressed and need a person to talk to. Because that is what we all got into [this job] for.
Q: How did you get into counseling?
Counselor Connie Dominguez: After I graduated from UC Davis, my goal was to become a clinical therapist, and back then--this was in the '80s--high schools needed counselors. So I was working on my therapy hours, and my supervisor told me: "Hey, you should try [counseling] at a high school." You know what? I barely even graduated from high school. And I even told her, I got pregnant in my senior year of high school, and I was not supposed to go to college. And she looked at me and said, "That's what would make you an even better counselor."
Q: What advice would you give to students and parents?
Counselor Kim Miller: Students should be able to relax and enjoy high school a little bit more. I think so many students that are caught up in grades, test scores, and how much student thinks each grade and test matters. It’s important that they know that it’s not life-changing. I think parents can help students learn that lesson too, by helping them to study but letting them know that as long as you try hard, you don’t have to be perfect.
Q: What impact have your students had on you?
Counselor Kim Miller: I like to sit back and let kids share their own stories or their own perspectives on things, rather than going in with my own perspective. Each student may interpret the same situation differently, that you can’t assume that a student will feel a certain way as something happens. I think nothing surprises me anymore with my experience, so I think over time I’ve become more tolerant and less judgmental.
STUDENT PERSPECTIVE:
Q: How has your counselor impacted you?
Jenna Williamson, a senior: Mrs. Miller helped me when I was really overwhelmed with balancing homework with extracurricular activities during a particularly mentally taxing period of time. She’s always very comforting and assured me that my mental obstacles are valid, even when I get caught up in thinking otherwise. Counselors definitely have a different role than teacher/student dynamics.
Q: Has has your counselor impacted you?
Sarah Greenbaum, a senior: Mrs. De Paoli is the AVID mother figure who is always there for us. I'm always able to come to her for help with school and life outside of school. She'll drop anything for us, which has made the most stressful time in senior year better. She helped me with all my college applications and portals. I am very grateful to have her as my counselor.
What do counselors do in their free time?
Connie Dominguez worked with a nonprofit to bring foster kids into STEM camps
Up until this year, I was involved in a nonprofit during the summers. My nonprofit, Learning Tech, focused on helping foster kids go to science camps. First-graders to fourth-graders, here in San Carlos. We had to buy them backpacks, provide transportation, and more. We also had a social worker outside the door, since a lot of kids have been traumatized and the bureaucracy around the foster care system. I loved doing it, but the reason why we’re not doing it anymore is because the nonprofit was successful. Another nonprofit had a lot of funding and wanted to help, so we gave them the program. The point of this program is to give the kids a normal experience. Every child deserves to thrive.
But perhaps the defining part about being a counselor, as said by Counselors Connie Dominguez and Kristin Vernon: “We have to be ready for whatever walks in the door."
COUNSELOR PERSPECTIVE:
Q&A: We asked, they answered. Here's what they had to say.
Q: What does a typical day look like for you?
Counselor Connie Dominguez: The biggest part about being in a counseling position in a high school is that you definitely have to be ready for whatever walks through the door each day. Even if I had five appointments scheduled today, I'd reschedule all of them if a student dropped in and needed to talk with someone because they're depressed and need a person to talk to. Because that is what we all got into [this job] for.
Q: How did you get into counseling?
Counselor Connie Dominguez: After I graduated from UC Davis, my goal was to become a clinical therapist, and back then--this was in the '80s--high schools needed counselors. So I was working on my therapy hours, and my supervisor told me: "Hey, you should try [counseling] at a high school." You know what? I barely even graduated from high school. And I even told her, I got pregnant in my senior year of high school, and I was not supposed to go to college. And she looked at me and said, "That's what would make you an even better counselor."
Q: What advice would you give to students and parents?
Counselor Kim Miller: Students should be able to relax and enjoy high school a little bit more. I think so many students that are caught up in grades, test scores, and how much student thinks each grade and test matters. It’s important that they know that it’s not life-changing. I think parents can help students learn that lesson too, by helping them to study but letting them know that as long as you try hard, you don’t have to be perfect.
Q: What impact have your students had on you?
Counselor Kim Miller: I like to sit back and let kids share their own stories or their own perspectives on things, rather than going in with my own perspective. Each student may interpret the same situation differently, that you can’t assume that a student will feel a certain way as something happens. I think nothing surprises me anymore with my experience, so I think over time I’ve become more tolerant and less judgmental.
STUDENT PERSPECTIVE:
Q: How has your counselor impacted you?
Jenna Williamson, a senior: Mrs. Miller helped me when I was really overwhelmed with balancing homework with extracurricular activities during a particularly mentally taxing period of time. She’s always very comforting and assured me that my mental obstacles are valid, even when I get caught up in thinking otherwise. Counselors definitely have a different role than teacher/student dynamics.
Q: Has has your counselor impacted you?
Sarah Greenbaum, a senior: Mrs. De Paoli is the AVID mother figure who is always there for us. I'm always able to come to her for help with school and life outside of school. She'll drop anything for us, which has made the most stressful time in senior year better. She helped me with all my college applications and portals. I am very grateful to have her as my counselor.
What do counselors do in their free time?
Connie Dominguez worked with a nonprofit to bring foster kids into STEM camps
Up until this year, I was involved in a nonprofit during the summers. My nonprofit, Learning Tech, focused on helping foster kids go to science camps. First-graders to fourth-graders, here in San Carlos. We had to buy them backpacks, provide transportation, and more. We also had a social worker outside the door, since a lot of kids have been traumatized and the bureaucracy around the foster care system. I loved doing it, but the reason why we’re not doing it anymore is because the nonprofit was successful. Another nonprofit had a lot of funding and wanted to help, so we gave them the program. The point of this program is to give the kids a normal experience. Every child deserves to thrive.