The importance of School Psychologists, Counsellors, and Student Welfare workers
Starfish
Most of the inspiration for this blog will come from my work as an educational psychologist in a school and in private practice. I will reflect on my daily experiences and provide tips, resources and useful information for counsellors and psychologists working within a school environment.
I will also provide general tips and advice for teachers, parents and students on various psychological and welfare issues.
The work of school psychologists, student counsellors, and welfare officers is vitally important within school communities. We educate, guide, counsel, encourage and — perhaps most importantly — inspire students to strive to reach their own potential.
Each day, I wonder about the clients who will need help. What interesting and complex issues will be presented at my door? What skills will I need to develop to help my clients? What challenges will I face as an educational psychologist working in a school and in private practice?
I need only serve as a brief ‘sounding board’ for some. Many will need a little guidance, but will be able to resolve most of their issues independently. And a few will demand a great deal of time and attention.
I provide students with skills and strategies to solve problems they encounter on a daily basis. I don’t rescue them. I don’t try to ‘fix’ them. But I do try to empower them with strategies and skills that give them greater control over their own lives.
There are many highs and lows, but at the end of each day I leave my office with the knowledge that I have played a small role in the development of another person.
The following story by Loren Eiseley illustrates this idea beautifully.
Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, and so, he walked faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them into the ocean.
He came closer still and called out “Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?”
The young man paused, looked up, and replied “Throwing starfish into the ocean.”
“I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?”
To this, the young man replied, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”
Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, “But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can’t possibly make a difference!”
At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he said, “It made a difference for that one.”