This School Counselor Says Her Job Is Heavy, But It’s Also ‘Soul Building’

School counselor LeeAnn Mainguy never knows what to expect from each day.

One day, she arrives at an elementary school to find that a student is in crisis and needs her full support, and clears her schedule. Sometimes, tragedies occur in the community, leaving students and faculty shaken, and Mainegui jumps into action to help.

The work is hard and demanding. With many young people suffering from mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and stress, the demand for school counselors is high. But capacity is limited. The average caseload of a school counselor in the United States is 385 studentsBased on the most recent data available, that figure is . (Mainguy’s caseload is slightly higher, and the American School Counselor Association recommends a ratio of one counselor to 250 students.)

But the job is regularly accompanied by moments of levity, joy and laughter, which Mainguy describes as “soul-building” moments.

Every week, students may interact with dozens of adults at school, from counselors to janitors, bus drivers to teacher aides, lunch attendants to school nurses. These people are essential to the school community, but they are rarely as visible as teachers and principals.

In our new series, “Role Call,” EdSurge is elevating the experiences of the many school staff members who help shape kids’ days. This month, we feature school counselor Leighanne Mainguy as she shares how she got into the job, what people misunderstand, and what she’d like to change.

The following interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

EdSurge: How did you get here? What led you to this role?

Leanne Mainguy: So I started counseling when I was 38. I was born to help people. I took great joy in that as a child. I went to college right out of high school and got a degree in psychology and wanted to do something in that field, but I was on that path for a long time before circumstances allowed it.

For years I helped my husband through college and had children. We lived in Michigan and I had a good job in corporate America. Then I moved to Nevada and with my husband’s support I started my master’s degree. Most states require a master’s degree to work as a school counselor.

I could have been a mental health professional. I could have pursued that kind of career. But honestly, I love the school environment. I love working with kids. And it gave me the opportunity to spend a lot of time with my husband and our four children, because they were in the same school district (my husband is a teacher).

I feel like it’s something I should do, but it’s been a very long process to get to this point.

If someone from outside the school asked you about your job, perhaps at a social event, how would you describe it?

In my profession, especially for people my age and older, the term “guidance counselor” used to be used, and I now prefer to be called school counselor, because in the past, a “counselor” was thought of as someone who helped you get credits, someone you only met in high school, and someone who helped you decide what to do after high school.

Now, a lot of school counselors do Tier 1 counseling, which is for the entire student body, Tier 2 counseling, which is like small group support, and Tier 3 counseling, which is short-term individual counseling. I don’t think we had that when I was a kid. I think I saw a guidance counselor maybe in my senior year of high school once or twice. Now they’re in elementary school, middle school, high school. So it’s a much more multifaceted job.

Most of the time, when I tell people I’m a school counselor, I get a pretty good response. They’re like, “Wow, that’s amazing. You’re an educator.” But if someone allows me to dig that deep, I’ll say, “Well, I’m a school counselor.”

What does a tough day look like in your role?

The tough days can be very emotional, and while I think most counsellors do a good job of compartmentalising the bigger issues so they don’t take them home at night, we have to deal with some of the toughest issues for children and staff.

“We’ve had kids come in the day after one of their parents died. We’ve had to talk to kids about some pretty horrific events that happened in their home. On top of that, the day we have to implement suicide prevention measures (after a student expresses a desire to harm themselves) is probably the most emotionally draining day. We take that very seriously.”

Some days are just crazy because things get so busy. You never know what the day is going to be like. You might come in one morning to teach three classes and speak to five students, and then first thing in the morning you find out a student is having suicidal thoughts, and you have to support that student, connect with their family, and work through the aftermath with the teacher.

Big events are also really hard. We had a big, shocking event in our area. Route 91 shooting On October 1, 2017, a mass shooting occurred in Las Vegas. Many families in our community were affected. Over 500 people were shot and 59 were killed.

Those are the big days where you’re like, “Okay, I’m going to stop,” and you have to switch gears and take control of everything. You have to take a step back. [and ask yourself]”How do we as a school support our students? How do we support our faculty and staff?”

What does a truly good day look like?

Field Day is always a really great day. We’ve had professional athletes from the Golden Knights and Raiders come and have events where about 50 kids practice with the Raiders on our field. Parents come and have a picnic and we all go out on the field and eat with the students.

“When we feel like we are a community, when we do something big with the kids, and I see them smiling and having fun, that’s the best day for me. There’s nothing better than seeing a kid beaming and giggling. It makes the soul grow when you see them having fun.”

What are some unexpected ways your role shapes a child’s day?

School counselors are always there at our school. We’re in the hallways with our kids when the day starts. I think it’s unexpected for some kids, and unexpected for some parents, to know that there are other people at school besides their teachers who know their kids’ names, who know their families, who ask them how last night’s football game went, who know when a big test is coming up. And I think that makes kids feel valued, watched, and listened to.

What would you like to change about our current schools and education system?

I wish more people would do what you do, ask questions about what we do and listen to the answers.

There is a lot of speculation going on in the education sector right now, not just about teachers but about my role.

If I could change anything, it would be that people would listen more, because a lot of people [making decisions about] Public schools aren’t taking the time to do this and aren’t asking the right questions about what they need to help their students.

Your role gives you unique access and insight into today’s young people – what have you learned about young people through your work?

As an adult, my kids just give me hope. We can get so caught up in the day-to-day stuff. Paying bills and being an adult is hard. I’m not going to get into politics or the really scary stuff that could happen. But my kids give me joy and they give me hope.

I know that’s not necessarily insightful, but they remind me of all the good things in life. Sometimes I hear some of the worst things that have happened to them, but they remind me of all the good things in this world. So I guess maybe my insight is that we adults need to be a little more mindful in our daily lives and learn to be a little more like children.