School Counselor Self-Care: A Journey of Gratitude
By Jenny L. Morgan | April 2020
“It’s not happiness that brings us gratitude, it’s gratitude that brings us happiness. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. – Melody Beattie
One of the many jobs as WSCA president is writing for Insights. Although this message is published in May, I wrote it in April. During that time, we had just received the news that we were not returning to our brick and mortar schools for the year. The current stay-at-home order was rolling into week five. It’s ironic that I was asked this past August to write about school counselor self-care for this spring’s issue.
Because of COVID-19, the term “self-care” is extremely prevalent. It is on websites and TV advertisements and is a topic of the nightly news. I find it interesting that often we are told to practice self-care, yet at times you need to dig for how exactly we are supposed to go about it, especially during this unprecedented time. However, one key concept kept reappearing in volumes of advice that I reviewed: the practice of gratitude.The article The Ethics of Self-Care, by Jacqueline Zeller, backed up this theory. The author indicates that practicing gratitude helps to support school counselors’ emotional wellness and that we should journal or regularly list what we are grateful for.
This made me stop and think of what I am actually thankful for in my life. The journey took me back in time. I am forever grateful for the unconditional love of my parents, Bill and Annette, who gave me a solid foundation from which to grow. I am especially thankful for my Grandma Sylvia who helped to raise me, teaching me about faith and being an amazing role model of compassion and care for others. I am also very grateful for the love and unwavering support of my husband, Steve. And as some of you already know, I am over-the-moon thankful for my incredible granddaughter, Sylvia, and for her precious smile and hugs. I soon discovered that when pushed to write down what I was grateful for, the list grew. Family and friends have made such a positive impact in my life. They are my most wonderful gift.
Without a doubt, being a school counselor and my professional involvement through the years also brought forth enormous feelings of gratitude. How lucky are we to have such a wonderful way to make a living – making a positive difference in the lives of students? I began my career as a school counselor in 1990 and I also taught school counselor preparation classes at St. Martin’s University. My former students have all made such a profound impact on my life. I also had the good fortune of partnering with amazing school counselors over the years. I am so thankful for my past colleagues in Shelton and my current colleagues in Olympia. I found that I also am very grateful for the opportunity to work with the Washington Education Association and especially with the Washington School Counselor Association.
Although balancing family, work, and volunteering is at times tough, the connections you make and the experiences you have add such depth to your professional life. Not only do you grow, but you also build unique support systems and friendships that truly last. I hope that you will consider the rewarding opportunity of becoming more involved with associations that work to serve others, like WSCA. I thank you personally for allowing me to be your WSCA president this year.
Upon reflection, I found that I have much to be grateful for. I challenge you to write out your own personal and professional gratitude list as we practice self-care. I hope that you will find much to be thankful for in your past and present. My vision for the future is the hope that we all will return to our schools in the fall, with a renewed sense of what is truly important and living life with gratitude for each day.
Contact Jenny Morgan, WSCA president, at jennymorganwsca@gmail.com.
One of the many jobs as WSCA president is writing for Insights. Although this message is published in May, I wrote it in April. During that time, we had just received the news that we were not returning to our brick and mortar schools for the year. The current stay-at-home order was rolling into week five. It’s ironic that I was asked this past August to write about school counselor self-care for this spring’s issue.Because of COVID-19, the term “self-care” is extremely prevalent. It is on websites and TV advertisements and is a topic of the nightly news. I find it interesting that often we are told to practice self-care, yet at times you need to dig for how exactly we are supposed to go about it, especially during this unprecedented time. However, one key concept kept reappearing in volumes of advice that I reviewed: the practice of gratitude.The article The Ethics of Self-Care, by Jacqueline Zeller, backed up this theory. The author indicates that practicing gratitude helps to support school counselors’ emotional wellness and that we should journal or regularly list what we are grateful for.
This made me stop and think of what I am actually thankful for in my life. The journey took me back in time. I am forever grateful for the unconditional love of my parents, Bill and Annette, who gave me a solid foundation from which to grow. I am especially thankful for my Grandma Sylvia who helped to raise me, teaching me about faith and being an amazing role model of compassion and care for others. I am also very grateful for the love and unwavering support of my husband, Steve. And as some of you already know, I am over-the-moon thankful for my incredible granddaughter, Sylvia, and for her precious smile and hugs. I soon discovered that when pushed to write down what I was grateful for, the list grew. Family and friends have made such a positive impact in my life. They are my most wonderful gift.
Without a doubt, being a school counselor and my professional involvement through the years also brought forth enormous feelings of gratitude. How lucky are we to have such a wonderful way to make a living – making a positive difference in the lives of students? I began my career as a school counselor in 1990 and I also taught school counselor preparation classes at St. Martin’s University. My former students have all made such a profound impact on my life. I also had the good fortune of partnering with amazing school counselors over the years. I am so thankful for my past colleagues in Shelton and my current colleagues in Olympia. I found that I also am very grateful for the opportunity to work with the Washington Education Association and especially with the Washington School Counselor Association.
Although balancing family, work, and volunteering is at times tough, the connections you make and the experiences you have add such depth to your professional life. Not only do you grow, but you also build unique support systems and friendships that truly last. I hope that you will consider the rewarding opportunity of becoming more involved with associations that work to serve others, like WSCA. I thank you personally for allowing me to be your WSCA president this year.
Upon reflection, I found that I have much to be grateful for. I challenge you to write out your own personal and professional gratitude list as we practice self-care. I hope that you will find much to be thankful for in your past and present. My vision for the future is the hope that we all will return to our schools in the fall, with a renewed sense of what is truly important and living life with gratitude for each day.
Contact Jenny Morgan, WSCA president, at jennymorganwsca@gmail.com.