Educator–Counselor: A Nondual Identity for School Counselors
Ian P. Levy, Matthew E. Lemberger-truelove
Professional School Counseling January 1, 2021 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1177/2156759x211007630
Summary
The combined identity of school counselors as both educators and counselors can significantly influence their roles and responsibilities. This perspective aims to reduce long-standing role ambiguity in the profession, potentially leading to improved practices and better outcomes for students and schools.
Study at a glance
| Key finding | Reshaping the narrative of school counselors as educators oriented by counseling may enhance practice and improve student and schoolwide outcomes. |
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Abstract
In this special issue, the editors and each team of contributing authors offer examples of how a combined identity as educator–counselor can affect the various roles and responsibilities associated with school counseling. The suggestion that school counselor identity is always both educator and counselor is neither trivial nor a semantic distinction. Reshaping the narrative to suggest that school counselors are situated as educators who are oriented by counseling has the potential to mitigate much of the role ambiguity that has persisted in the profession for decades and, more important, has the potential to sharpen practice and contribute to greater student and schoolwide outcomes.