School Counselors: Enough Love To Go Around

School counselors play a crucial role in student well-being that goes far beyond academics. Amber Thompson, a high school counselor in Southern California, says her goal is to make every student feel like “the one” when they walk into her office. Many students don’t feel seen, heard, or validated at home, and these basic needs are often more important than any academic issue.

Research shows that students who feel supported and connected at school are more likely to succeed, both academically and emotionally. Counseling programs that focus on relationships, social-emotional skills, and genuine care lead to better attendance, higher graduation rates, and improved mental health. Simple acts—a smile, a hug, honest feedback—can make all the difference for a student who feels invisible.

Amber’s approach is to meet students where they are, offer validation, and hold them to high standards, regardless of their background. In a time when many young people feel overlooked, school counselors are often the steady presence students need most.

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Transcript:

School Counselors: Enough Love To Go Around

"Any student who makes contact with me feels like they’re the one in that moment. A lot of times, maybe they don’t get it at home, or they don’t ever feel validated, seen, or heard. Those are simple needs.

Often, it’s nothing to do with academics. They need to be seen. They need to be heard. They need to be validated. Some just need to be hugged. I have students who come to my office every day after school just to give me a hug goodbye, or in the morning just to say good morning and see me receive them with a smile.

For me, building those relationships is about seeing and validating them—all their concerns, whatever it is—but also being honest, realistic, sometimes hard on them if I need to be, holding them to a high standard of excellence in everything they do, regardless of their background. It’s just really seeing, hearing, valuing, validating. Kids need that these days and they don’t get a lot of it."

-Amber Thompson, School Counselor