A Day in the Life of a School Counselor with Laurel Whitehead

Listen to the full episode below: 

Our days as school counselors are busy! Regardless of what grades we work with, how many students are on our caseload, or how perfectly planned our schedule is, school counselors have a lot on our plates. My guest today, Laurel Whitehead, is giving us a glimpse into what her days look like as a 6-8 school counselor.

Laurel is making a huge impact on her middle school students! She starts her days by greeting students at the door and is seeing them individually and in small groups as much as her schedule allows. In this episode, Laurel is sharing her journey to her current position, why she loves making connections with her students, the frustration that comes with lack of understanding of the school counselor role, and what her typical day looks like this school year. 

Laurel Whitehead lives in Hamilton, NJ and is currently the Middle School Counselor at a Charter School in Southwest Philadelphia. She is in her 2nd year at her school placement but has a background in working with students from K-12 for over 5 years. Laurel has been passionate about School Counseling since High School due to the amazing School Counselor she had and she has always wanted to give back. When she is not at school, she enjoys spending time with her adorable niece and nephew, going on adventures with her boyfriend, and working out on her peloton bike and treadmill!

Are you an intern, new grad, or recently hired school counselor? I have a training just for you! The New School Counselor Bootcamp is a five part training that covers making the most of your internship, mastering the interview process, how to prepare your office, setting up for a successful school year, and a 30, 60, and 90 day to-do list. I can’t wait to help you prepare for your new role as a school counselor!

Some topics covered in this episode are:

  • Sign up for The New School Counselor Bootcamp

  • Laurel’s journey to her current school counseling position

  • Why Laurel loves making connections with her students

  • What she finds frustrating in her role as a school counselor

  • A look at Laurel’s busy and impactful daily schedule 

  • Two pieces of advice Laurel would give to new school counselors

Resources Mentioned:

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More About School Counseling Simplified:

School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica.

You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

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