Is it only me or do Counselors ever feel invisible?

I've been a Middle School Counselor for three years. Prior to that, I was a Counselor at a foster care agency for four years. Before that, I was a Counselor/Activity specialist at Homeless Shelters in NYC. Needless to say, I've loved each of my Counseling jobs in all settings. Comparing Counseling in all three settings would be pointless because they all vary so differently, however, one thing in particular that all three jobs have had in common is that the Counselor is often invisible. 

Now, we all know I didn't choose Counseling because of the money because in all honesty, all educators are underpaid. I chose Counseling because it's a passion. I believe that ALL students need counseling and teaching the importance of mental health to your students will benefit them academically, professionally, socially, and obviously, mentally.  You have to LOVE children and have to have a love for helping in order to really succeed in this field. 

Now back to the real focus of this post. 

As a Counselor, I personally feel like we do so much background and confidential work that our role goes unnoticed. And before any assumptions are made, I'm not out for approval nor praise about how well I'm doing my job but it's more of an eye opener when you hear how much teachers are patted on the back for the great job they're doing with the students and we're simply overlooked or unappreciated. Or even better, when you have to hear, "the Counselor doesn't even do anything".

School Counselors make up a very tiny population in schools. This is across all schools. We have several grade levels, we're working on every arising situation, crisis intervention, at risk students, classroom counseling lessons, creating special projects for specific groups of kids, and more, all while trying to follow our mandated individual and group sessions.  I look up to teachers and their teams because they have that supportive group they can go to. They have over 7 teachers throughout the grade levels where they can compare notes with, develop several action plans and/or have a simple teacher conversation. It's different for Counselors. There's about two to three Counselors in a school, if lucky. And with that small number, you just get overlooked. You're always so busy trying to put out fires and trying to keep up with that unrealistic schedule you make for yourself that most of the times you don't even have time to see your fellow Counselor to discuss a collaboration or a Dual Counseling lesson.

In my third year, I think I've been handling the running around and craziness a little bit better. Being invisible doesn't bother me because my job is all about my students and they never make me feel invisible. On the contrary, they notice you too much and that forever holds a special place in my heart. 

There was a time when I would hear comments and statements about me such as "All the Counselor does is play games with kids or I wish I can be the Counselor because they're always relaxing". I'm not going to lie, those comments would bother me and I often found myself trying to see how I can do better but in all reality, they were wrong. Teachers nor Administrators get to see Counselors in action because it's CONFIDENTIAL. Our setting is different from a teacher's classroom and when kids get asked about Counseling, they more than likely say "we played games and talked". And you know what, that's 100% true. I no longer get mad. Honestly, I feel like those comments have made me better counselor. I became resilient and even stronger as a professional and as an individual. 

Counselors are often alone and I learned that the hard way my first year as a Middle School Counselor. Second year, I felt like I found my voice and now in my third year, I'm embracing the hell out of this invisibleness. I think having a blog, having a School Counselor Instagram and being able to connect with Counselors all over the U.S has benefited me. I've had so many great conversations with many counselors throughout my social media and the best thing honestly is the support each Counselor gives to one another. I think it's because they understand the feeling of being alone, being invisible, having way too much on their plate all while still feeling unappreciated. 

I love being a School Counselor and I may complain every now and then as we all do but in all reality, those kids are the ones who make me love my job each and everyday and I wouldn't change one second of it. 

"You may be invisible to many but to the little hearts that matter, you are the whole world".

Jenna