Pouring a great deal of time, effort, and heart into the school community, counselors play a pivotal role in students’ lives, guiding and mentoring them through their academic and personal journeys. While their efforts are often centered on their students, balancing work and life outside of school can often become a challenge.

Counselors must maintain their mental well-being to help students, including setting boundaries and healthy habits to their own life to avoid burnout. School counselor Danielle Benefiel highlighted the necessity of self-care before helping others.

“It is really important for anyone in the mental health field to make sure they are in a good place when working with students or clients,” Benefiel said. “If we aren’t taking care of ourselves, then we can’t possibly expect to take care of others.”

The level of commitment required of counselors is frequently overlooked by people outside of the field. Their dedication to support others is not just a professional obligation, but a personal investment in well-being, both their own and that of their students.

Most professionals in the field are driven every day by knowing that a single, consistent, supportive adult can be the turning point in a student’s life. This concept drives many professionals to persevre through struggles they may face in their career. School Counselor Stephanie Dorton reinforces the idea that the most important thing anyone can do is be present.

“Knowing that showing up matters.” Dorton said. “Even on difficult days, being a consistent, steady, and supportive presence can make a big impact.”

A recurring element in counseling revolves around listening to the struggles students or clients go through. The emotional load of therapy doesn’t always end when the clock stops. Leading many practitioners to struggle with the ‘invisible load’ of their clients’ lives.

The counselors at YHS showed up and model ed resilience and dedication, while they offered a listening ear to help students feel heard. Benefiel believed that the hardest part about being a counselor was seeing and hearing what some students experience.

“We got into this profession because we love helping people and it can be really heartbreaking when we watch you guys go through difficult situations,” Benefiel said.