Twelve Traits of a Good School Counselor

School counselors—historically known as guidance counselors—play an important role in schools, helping students of all ages navigate a range of challenges and experiences. School counseling is not for everyone; it takes a person with training and education, as well as several key soft skills, to effectively guide students through the challenges they may face both at school and at home. Before you begin working toward your master’s in school counseling, you may want to first consider whether you have some or all of the 12 traits that make a good school counselor.

Counseling Skills: 12 Traits That Make a Good School Counselor

1. Empathy and Compassion. Empathy in counseling involves understanding what someone is experiencing through the lens of their unique experiences instead of through your own frame of reference. Compassion means taking caring action to alleviate someone’s suffering. School counselors help students dealing with bullying, disputes with friends, problems at home, and so much more. To do this effectively, you must be able to empathize with what your students are going through and channel this into a compassionate response.
2. Active Listening Skills. A big part of being a school counselor is listening to students, and then responding thoughtfully and effectively. Oftentimes when listening to others, we’re waiting to respond without even truly comprehending what the other person is saying. Active listening is an important skill that requires you to not just hear the other person and then speak, but to consider the emotions that accompany what the person is saying and to ensure you understand. To do so, you can make statements like, “What I hear you saying is this,” and then you can summarize your understanding of what they said. Then ask for confirmation by saying something like, “Is that accurate?”
3. Adaptability and Flexibility. No two people have the same circumstances or problems. And there isn’t a single solution to any issue. For those reasons, school counselors need flexibility in how they approach each student, and they need adaptability in finding the appropriate solution for each student’s problems.
4. Good Communication Skills. In addition to active listening skills, school counselors need strong communication skills. Good communication skills include everything from modulating your volume and emphasis to effectively convey information, using language that’s appropriate for each particular client, and being aware of body language, which sends nonverbal messages.
5. Problem-Solving Abilities. Effective school counselors don’t just listen—they problem-solve. In some cases, students may have difficulty articulating their struggles. In other cases, a good student’s grades may suddenly drop or a well-behaved student may start exhibiting behavioral issues, and the school counselor will need to determine the root issues. A good counselor can identify problems and find effective, long-term solutions.
6. Confidentiality and Trustworthiness. Trust is key in order for students to feel that it’s safe to open up about their issues. In addition to being trustworthy, school counselors must maintain confidentiality by ensuring that they do not share any student’s personal information without their consent.
7. Patience and Understanding. Change is a process, and even the best school counselors will encounter students who struggle to make progress. Even when students repeat negative patterns, fail to follow a plan, or challenge the counselor, counselors need to exhibit understanding and patience.
8. Resourcefulness and Knowledge. School counselors who are effective problem-solvers are resourceful. They come up with unique solutions based on knowledge of their school, their community, and the counseling profession. Lifelong learning, professional development, and community involvement are three ways that counselors can increase their knowledge and resourcefulness to benefit their student clients.
9. Respect for Diversity. Whether a student has problems at school or at home, a school counselor must consider how that student’s socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity may come into play. A school counselor must demonstrate respect for diversity by listening to, empathizing with, and helping students from all walks of life.
10. Advocacy and Support. Support and advocacy are crucial counseling skills. Counselors advocate for and support students by providing emotional, social, academic, and career guidance. They actively engage in understanding students’ individual needs and challenges, offering a supportive and empathetic environment. School counselors collaborate with teachers, parents, and administrators to address academic concerns, facilitate conflict resolution, and promote a positive school culture. Additionally, they advocate for students' well-being, ensuring access to resources and opportunities that foster personal and academic growth.
11. Boundaries and Self-Care. It’s important to establish healthy boundaries in any client–counselor relationship. School counselors must take care to maintain professional distance and not become too involved in their students’ lives. Counselors might also consider setting time limits for how long they spend with each student in order to be able to counsel more students. Additionally, school counselors must make self-care a priority. Everyone who works in a helping profession, like counseling, is susceptible to stress and burnout. In order to care for others, school counselors must first care for themselves.
12. Leadership and Collaboration. In order to be effective, school counselors must be leaders. Initially, this involves acquiring authorization from the school principal and administrators to handle specific responsibilities. Then, as a counselor takes meaningful action, students and parents will perceive the counselor as an impactful leader. Further, a school counselor should assume control of situations and tasks, establish clear expectations, and require accountability, all of which are key leadership skills. However, no leader should work alone. School counselors benefit from collaborating with administrators, community leaders, and teachers to create a more robust counseling program and to extend the support system available to students.

Get Started on Your Master’s Degree

The right education can prepare you for a thriving counseling career. If you’re thinking of pursuing your MS in School Counseling and want to find out how to become a counselor, consider an online counseling degree program. Walden University’s MS in School Counseling program may be a good choice to earn your advanced degree.

Walden’s school counseling program offers the flexibility of online learning, along with two virtual or in-person Pre-Practicum experiences, for a well-rounded master’s degree program tailored for today’s school counselors. Choose the General Program or one of five specializations designed to meet a range of educational and professional goals. There is also an accelerated option for students who want to complete their master’s degree sooner.

If you would like to broaden your career options further, you may wish to consider Walden’s MS Dual Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling. Upon successful completion, you will have earned two degrees from two accredited programs and be equipped to pursue licensure or certification as both a mental health counselor and a school counselor.

Walden University is an accredited institution offering a CACREP-accredited MS in School Counseling degree program online. Expand your career options and earn your master’s degree using a convenient, flexible learning platform that fits your busy life.

The MS in School Counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), which may also be a requirement to become licensed or certified as a school counselor in some states. In addition, some states require school counselors to have an existing teaching license or certification, and teaching experience, in order to be eligible for a school counseling certification/license. Learn more about professional licensure.

Further, many states require school counseling programs to be approved in at least one state, either their own or another state. The MS in School Counseling program is approved by the states of Minnesota and Ohio, and while this approval is accepted by the majority of states which require state approval, it may not be accepted by all states.

Walden University’s MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), which is a requirement for licensure in many states. The MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is designed to prepare graduates to qualify to sit for licensing exams and to meet the academic licensure requirements of many state counseling boards. Because no graduate program can guarantee licensure upon graduation, we encourage students to consult the appropriate agency to determine specific requirements. For more information about licensure, students should visit the National Board for Certified Counselors at www.nbcc.org/stateboard, the American Association of State Counseling Boards at www.aascb.org, and contact the appropriate licensing body. International students are encouraged to identify and contact their appropriate licensing body. Learn more about professional licensure.

Walden University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.