However, as counselors, if we aren’t there for ourselves, we won’t be there for our students. Moreover, in a cultural and political climate that’s proving exhausting to many educators, the impact of SEL on students is only as good as the quality of our engagement.
There’s the brilliant coffee mug that says, “If at first you don’t succeed, just do what your school counselor told you to do the first time.” I laugh every time I see it, and it’s funny because it’s true. Success starts with counselors. And as Social and Emotional Learning teaches us, the more successful counselors feel in their own lives, the more successful they feel in their work.
Oh, and if you ever read this, Ms. Pezley, you were right. Wearing my shirt inside-out to Algebra after gym class didn’t end up ruining my life. Thank you—and all school counselors out there—for always listening.