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Life and Times 1
Life and Times of a Counseling Intern: The Roles and Importance of Guidance Counseling
Shondel Younger
Berea College

Life and Times 2
Being an Intern
The internship experience that I have gained throughout my time at Berea Community
has been quite interesting at times. Sitting in on mediation sessions and seeing how Eef goes
about handling each case has allowed me see what tactics are useful within the counseling field,
particularly with students. Part of what equips Eef to give counsel so effortlessly at times is the
time that he has spent around these teens and children in the education system as well as years as
a counselor. Experience is invaluable in all disciplines in order to become better at what one
does as well as learning from previous mistakes. When considering doing this internship my
first concern was to what age group I would be working with as Berea Community has a high
school and a middle/elementary school. While younger children are interesting in their own
rights I am glad that I chose to work with high school students instead. Being an intern I have
gotten to add my two cents in on certain sessions as Eef saw fit, and in one case being able to
have a mediation of my own with a student. I have also done all the secretarial and footwork
work that is among the usual intern duties. Running around doing errands can be quite the task
when you are still learning your way around a high school or do not know which teacher’s room
is which.
Berea Community in of itself seems more lenient than my high school ever was. For
some reasons I do admire that facet of the school. The school’s ties to Berea College allow them
a great opportunity to take college classes as well as very briefly have a college experience; in a
nation where we stress the importance of higher and higher education this can set them up for
better success for the students who take advantage of it. I also applaud the amount of
commitment that some of the teachers have to seeing students succeed. However, on the other
hand though at times I feel that a more heavy handed approach is more appropriate, because
some people can only learn certain lessons the hard way.

Life and Times 3
Roles of A Counselor
There is more than one central role that a guidance counselor can play. For a number of
students this can be a well trusted adult that they feel they can come to in a time of utter distress.
For certain mediations I did leave the room due to the fact that a student felt more comfortable
talking to Eef whereas I was seen as more of a stranger. Again that is where the amount of
experience factor comes into play. The major role of a counselor is to serve the students while
being that bridge to the faculty as well. It is particularly important in disciplinary matters. It is
important to convey what the student has done wrong so that they can see it from a more
empathetic viewpoint of a teacher or faculty member. Bridging the gap between students can be
extremely conducive for how the student body functions as a whole. Eef’s emphasis on “I feel”
statements gives more of a voice to the emotional consequences of an action and how it affected
the individual. These statements also create a more sympathetic tone as opposed a more
accusatory one that solves little to none of the problem. Counselors must also have a certain
amount of tact when informing parents about their child’s performance. So they play a role in
bridging a gap between parents and the school as well. A counselor can provide an alternate
route for answers that can provide results other than going in a roundabout circle of teachers.
In a study done by Price and Iverson (1969) a survey of students showed that they better
understood how counselors should not behave rather than what they should do. In a sense people
come to have certain expectations of what a guidance counselor should and should not do. No
doubt there is a stigma attached to going to a counselor being that one may be labeled crazy or
has problems. There were a small number of some students who would regularly come in the
office for actual guidance instead of just to shoot the breeze. Often times mediations were driven
by external forces rather than a teen’s intrinsic want to come in and talk i.e. acting out and
coming in due to a disciplinary issue. For teens it does seem somewhat more difficult to get
them to outright say what the real problem is. Part of being a guidance counselor is assuring that

Life and Times 4
the space where problems are discussed is a safe one. Confidentiality and anonymity are
prominent throughout many parts of psychology. In fact before being able to be an intern I had
to take and pass online confidentiality training. When a person decides to enter into therapy they
are typically experiencing vulnerability in their life. As they are vulnerable, protecting their
welfare becomes one of the highest priorities of a counselor (Brodie 2012). Confidentiality
certainly has its limits. A student who would harm themselves or others, parents would most
definitely be notified as well as the principal for the ultimate safety of the student and the school.
A guidance counselor does far more than provide just counseling. A considerable
amount of time is devoted to making sure students are advancing in through education and what
can be done to help students. Monitoring of grades is crucial not just for students also for
parents and teachers benefits to see what areas a student struggles with the most; then coming up
with a solution to those struggles. Helping create class schedules that the student is happy with,
yet are also viable for eventual graduation. For some students schedules can be changed not for
some of the reasons that a college student may change their schedule, for instance keeping the
peace between students in some instance. A guidance counselor plays a key role for seniors
planning on going on to higher education; providing information about colleges as well as
helping to administer the various tests that colleges look for such as the SAT and ACT. As I
learned very quickly this is a rather arduous task of constantly making sure that all ACT packets
were alphabetized, not a task that was particularly exciting. Scholarship searching is also an
aspect, not only providing the proper scholarships but making sure they are sent to all the right
places. A counselor's role may go unnoticed, but this key member of a high school staff works
with students, teachers, administrators and parents to improve the overall education process. A
school guidance counselor works with students on immediate issues and future planning.
Understanding the counselor's role allows you and your high school student to reap the benefits
(Frost 2014).

Life and Times 5
Importance of Counseling to Teens
High school serves as transition into adulthood as students begin asserting their
independence even more and moving away from their parents. The ASCA explains that
secondary counselors guide students through the college planning and admissions process and
assist with career-planning goals. They may also provide substance abuse counseling and
education, one-on-one or group counseling and guidance for students in understanding their
strengths and weaknesses as they become young adults. Counselors also help students navigate
sensitive issues such as sex, suicide, alcohol, drugs and romantic relationships (Anderson 2014).
These issues are excruciatingly pervasive within high schools all across the country in some way
or another. Part of these issues could be due to mass media or teens are only partially understood
within psychology. Either way counselors should be prepared to handle these problems to the
best of their ability.
James Arnett (2000) has a developmental theory on teens, dubbing them instead to be
emerging adults that are distinct from teens and adults even thinking themselves to be
somewhere in between; this is also a crucial point of time for identity exploration in love, work,
and worldviews in order to solidify more of personal foundation. Arnett theorizes that this
period lasts into twenty five years old. Puberty is a time when there are a number of biological
changes that occur. Adolescence is a more socially constructed period that we often put teens in
that ends around eighteen or nineteen. We characterize this stage by poor decision making,
mischief of varying types, and coming of age or more so learning to act one’s age. Counseling
through this period can help emerging adults to better understand what is going on with them and
their peers; more importantly understanding more long term gain and consequences of actions
instead of taking action before thinking.
There were certain mediations either due to a significant other or a couple. There are a
fair amount of approaches that emerging adults could take to relationships. What should be

Life and Times 6
stressed is that while having a special someone can be fulfilling to a teen it should not interfere
with their education or goals. Navigating relationships for teens can be a romantic minefield.
Relationships are not easy for anyone of any age but for emerging adults high school is the first
place where they experience serious romantic endeavors; along with this can be consequences as
well. Teen pregnancy can be one of these consequences which can have a tremendous impact on
the high school career of any teen, this being much more of an issue for the mother than fathers.
Another negative aspect that counselors may deal with is abuse within a relationship. Before it
does get to such a serious consequence as that it should be the role of the student, parents, or
counselor to understand how to foster healthy relationships.
Drugs and alcohol are not far from the reach of teens. Popularized by news and other
media substance use or abuse can be problematic for adolescents. During this time the brain is
still undergoing a large amount of development and suffers tremendously from introducing these
substances into the body. Drug use in teens can be seen as two fold. For some teens seeing
friends or family smoke or drink can make it seem that this is an acceptable behavior, especially
if it is the parents. The second aspect is that it is often times seen as trendy or cool to use drugs
as a way of being accepted as popular. Popularity is a highly sought after prize for teens because
peer groups become the source of attention during this time period. An early onset drug
addiction can compromise even the most seemingly successful teen. A large amount of money
has been poured into programs that warn against or practice drug prevention. Not saying these
programs are not successful, but a better solution is telling teens the hard truth about what can
happen when drugs become an issue. This goes not just for drugs but sex as well. Action is more
effective than words in times of conflict. Children tend to become "parent-deaf" and act only
when raised voices imply some impending action, and then respond only momentarily. Usually
children know very well what is expected of them. Talking should be restricted to friendly
conversations and not used as a means of discipline. Action is often more effective than talking,

Life and Times 7
scolding, or threatening (Jones 2014). A continuous issue for high school counselors is showing
the long term consequences of actions; in other words a serious lack of forethought.
Counselor-Parent Relationship
While interning at a high school one realizes that parents are still are the major parts of
life. As much as an emerging adult would like to cut the cord, so to speak, the parent still holds
the vast amount of authority. Counselors can be a great link between the parent, student, and
school; able to give advice and answers that a teacher may not be able to as readily to provide.
By focusing on parents’ concerns and respecting why these concerns matter to you, school
counselors offer options, including better ways to communicate with your child. Both parents
and counselors share information, an important part of establishing a helping relationship. School
counselors are excellent resources; however, they do not provide therapy or long-term
counseling. Referrals to outside agencies may be initiated at school. School counselors are also
advocates for children and provide information on parents’ rights, such as the right to request
information (Melton 2014). Giving more in depth information about class schedules and grades
as wells as what will be most beneficial for the student. There can be bit of a disconnect when
parents wish for their child to take more challenging courses in preparation of college, yet the
student does not always wish to take those courses. Disciplinary action, help with plans after
high school, and sometimes serious problems can all fall under the counselor-parent relationship.
Counselors may also be responsible for cases of parental abuse of a student if and when these
cases are grounded in truth.
The most numerous occasions that a parent comes into the guidance office is under the
conditions of disciplinary actions. Either the child has had enough incidents to be notified or the
parent themselves thinks that an action is warranted. Sometimes this can be purely a
misunderstanding, while in other cases there can be a solemn impact. It can be a rather difficult
thing to tell a parent that a child can be in the wrong. Omission bias can work to the detriment of

Life and Times 8
a child; being that in the eyes of a parent their child can do little to no wrong. No parent wants to
hear that they have a bad apple, but this can be the harsh reality that their child is the source of a
problem. For a few this is just a behavioral issue, the child understands that they need a break or
have a process to relieve stress in the classroom. In those terms it is the simple matter of
paperwork such as a behavior plan notifying teachers that this child needs to take some time to
calm themselves. A student’s behavior plan can also be modified or done away with after a
certain amount of time, a behavior plan can also follow a student into college if necessary.
Studies have shown that children have greater academic achievement when their parents are
involved in their education. Motivation, positive attitudes about self and sense of control over
their environment improve with parental involvement in the schools. Children from minority and
low-income families benefit the most from parental involvement (Melton 2014).
Teacher Counselor Relationship
As previously stated counselors help bridge a gap between students and teachers.
Teachers also have a relationship with Counselors since they both wish for the same goal of
seeing students achieve a diploma. Teachers sometimes come to the counselor to resolve issues
that they see in the classroom that may impair the dynamics of the class. This may include
bullying, couples that cannot get enough of each other (or can no longer stand one another), and
especially if the student is directly having problems with the teacher themselves. In a way
teachers may play interim counselor to a student if that student feels that the teacher cares
enough to give them the advice they need. . Teachers may not always have the answers or ability
to deal with a student’s particular predicament then they are sent to the counselor. Teachers are
often times uncertain of the abilities of a school counselor. In a study done by Jory, Hesson, and
Harris (2011) found that educators that knew the role of a counselor gained that knowledge
through personal or professional experience while having little no self reported knowledge.

Life and Times 9
Counseling versus Clinical Psychology
Since its beginnings as a recognized field of study psychology has grown into a multitude
of sub fields of study. While counseling and clinical psychology are very closely related they do
have their own salient differences that set them apart from one another. Counseling
psychologists work with more rational individuals who wish to work through the emotional
turmoil that they may not be able to deal with on their own. Clinical psychologists lean more
toward the abnormal, dealing with patients who suffer more from psychosis or severe mental
issues. Clinicians often approach mental illness from a medical perspective, while counseling
psychologists often take a more general approach that encompasses a range of psychotherapeutic
techniques. Of course, the individual approach a therapist takes depends on a wide range of
factors including his or her educational background, training and theoretical perspective (Cherry
2014).
Counseling and clinical psychologists also differ as to what job fields they go into.
Counseling psychologists become guidance counselors, therapists, and corporate settings.
Clinical psychologists work in more hospital and private practice settings. Each of these fields
begins the same way that all psychologists do with the basic knowledge and history of the field.
Clinical and counseling psychologies differ in administrative roles as well. Counseling
psychologists conduct more career assessments, while clinical psychologists will conduct
projective assessments. When patients go to see a clinical psychologist, they will most likely take
tests to determine their mental state in the interest of diagnosing any potential mental illnesses in
line with their symptoms. Counseling psychologists, on the other hand, will administer career
tests or other exams of this nature to help their clients and give advice for the future (Steele
2014). Their roles are both vital for the well-being of an individual taking care of the deeper
mental or the regular emotional interaction and emotional state of a person.

Life and Times 10
Concluding Thoughts on Internship Experience
I had my reservations about doing this internship while undergoing the application
process. More so about what types of situations I would be running into as an intern at a high
school. Now at the end of my tenure as a counseling intern I must say that some of the students
and faculty at Berea Community have come to grow on me a little. It was a nice change of pace
from the day to day goings on of the college. This internship gave me a very good look as to
what goes on in the other side of the glass within a high school, which is vastly different from
being just a high school student. I have realized just how much work does go into guidance
counseling, it is not just all the previously explained roles and duties. A guidance counselor has
to be able to use resources outside of the school and work with other psychology professionals.
One cannot just approach the job of a guidance counselor from just the perspective of going to
work every day, they have to actually be able to connect and emote to the people that come into
your office. At the same time being able to not let others problems completely overwhelm
yourself or your own personal life.
I cannot say with certainty that counseling would be the field of psychology that I would
prefer to pursue. I was able to doll out some bits of advice here and there to a few students;
however, I do not think I could do that every single day. It is more some of the scenarios where
there is a simple solution yet the refusal to see the solution. On a lighter note – or not so light – I
did not always feel that could deal with a student who burst into the office in tears myself. That
uncertainty of not knowing what to say sometimes is the difficulty. I have learned firsthand
when it comes to internships they will show you either that you become more passionate about
what you want to do or it shows one what they absolutely do not wish to do. For the individuals
within either the counseling or clinical fields they do have my respect for some of the situations
they face daily.

Life and Times 11
Resources
Arnett, J.J. (2000). Emerging adulthood a theory of development from the late teens
through the twenties. American Psychologist Vol. 55(5)
Anderson, M. (2014). Why are school counselors needed at the elementary, middle & high
school levels? Everyday Life - Global Post. Retrieved April 3, 2014, from
http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/school-counselors-needed-elementary-middle-high-
school-levels-12276.html
Brodie, P. (2012). Importance of confidentiality in counseling. Living Healthy 360.
Livinghealthy360.com 2014.
Cherry, K. (2014, April 15). What is counseling psychology. Retrieved from About.com:
http://psychology.about.com/od/psychologycareerprofiles/p/counseling-psychology.htm
Frost, S. (2014). The Importance of High School Counselors. (n.d.). Everyday Life - Global
Post. Retrieved April 3, 2014, from http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/importance-high-
school-counselors-5373.html
Jones, L. (2014). Principles for Improving Parent-Child Relationships. Retrieved April 14, 2014,
from http://www.lanecc.edu/ccfc/principles-improving-parent-child-relationships.
Joy, R. M., Hesson, J. B., & Harris, G. E. (2011). Preservice Teacher Perceptions of School
Counsellor
Responsibilities. Canadian Journal Of Counselling & Psychotherapy / Revue
Canadienne De
Counseling Et De Psychothérapie, 45(4), 386-405.
Melton, B. (2014, April 14). ASCA. Retrieved from schoolcounselor.org:
http://schoolcounselor.org/magazine/blogs/january-february-2007/understanding-the-
school-

Life and Times 12
counselor-parent-connecti
Price, L.Z. Iverson, M.A. (1969). Student’s perception of counselors with vary statuses
and role behaviors in the initial interview. Journal of Counseling Psychology.
Vol. 16(6)
Steele, A. (2014, April 15). 5 Core differences between clinical psychology and counseling
psychology . Retrieved from Mastersinpsychologyguide.com:
http://mastersinpsychologyguide.com/articles/5-core-differences-between-clinical-
psychology-and-counseling-psychology

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