Note: This is a personal journal entry on how to be there for students’ mental health.

Well, as someone who is pursingon the path to bebecoming a Guidance Counsellor myself, the Self-Reflective Framework has been an enlightening experience. Throughout my educational journey, I have always knewknown that mental health contributed significantly to students’ overall well-being, but this reflection challenged me to think about facets of student support I had not yet fully engaged.

New Considerations and Questions Left Unanswered

I have long thought that mental health and mental illness are critical topics in education, but I hadn’thad not given a great deal of thought to the language I use to talk aboutdiscuss them. Using the The question, “Do"Do I use language that is respect and non-stigmatizing?," made me pause. I discovered that even well-intentionalwell-intentioned words could instill stigma, and that I needed to be more conscious of using positive, supportive language.

Another pertinent question of the day was: “Do I know what professional development I need to support student mental health and where to find it?” As someone who knows that professional development opportunities exist but havinghad not looked at what training programs Guidance Counsellors have to offer, I was excited to dig deeper. SomethingIt is something I need to delve deepermore deeply into.

I also found myself wondering: What can I grow in my own school environment such that students feel safe opening up about their mental health struggles? I know about confidentiality, but I also know that sometimes I may have to break that confidentiality in order to keep thea student safe. In my future role, it will be key to strike that balance.
When we complete a self reflectiveself-reflective assessment like this, we identify areas for growth that might otherwise go undetected. These questions encourage educators to move beyond general awareness and consider the structures of support currently in place for students. For example, the framework doesn’t simply sayask, “Do I care about students’ mental healthhealth?" (and I do!) — it challenges me to consider how I manifest that care in action.

Such reflection also helps Guidance Counsellors identify their own knowledge gaps. If I am not familiar with the school’s mental health lead, or if I am unsure of whom to turnI should turn to for help in an emergency, that is something I need to cultivate before a crisis hits. The questions put forwardhelpfully indicate a direction in whichfor future possibly helpfullypossibilities.

What This Means for School Guidance Counsellors

For Guidance Counsellors, something like this brings not only personal reflection, but also knowledge and awareness that can affect student well-being. If we understand what our biases are, know what resources we have, and actively create a safe space, we will have an impact on students’ lives.

That reflection also reinforces the message that supporting students is not a one-person job. It calls for working alongside teachers, parents, administrators and outside organizations. Recognizing that it is a support, coping is as important as being able to havehaving the ability to support someone else.

Overall, this Self-Reflective Framework has enabled me to explore and make sense of the roles and demands a Guidance Counsellor entailsmust fulfill. It has also shown that whilealthough I am passionate about this role, there is always room to learn and grow. So, what do I do from here:here? I want to learn more about mental health resources, practice using supportive language, and make sure that I am prepared to create a safe and inclusive space for kids.