5 Online Resources for School Counselors

Top Resources That Every School Counselor Should Utilize

- The Journal of Professional School Counseling

Stop Bullying
The American Counseling Association
The Counseling Geek
SCOPE

Finding the best resources for school counselors can be quite challenging when one looks at hundreds of available options in the market. In order to only select a few, it is important to consider content, frequency of updates, and responsiveness. So, what would be some great examples?

The Journal of Professional School Counseling

The Journal of Professional School Counseling is a sub-resource offered by the American School Counselor Association. It operates through a subscription-based plan that lets counselors purchase full access for $115 per year. The resources are all hosted online and members can access them at any time or location. Some of the most popular items included in the offering are tips for parents, administrators, directors, counselor development strategies, professional publications, and ethical guidelines. Those who prefer to obtain a hard copy can also sign up for the print version of the journal that will be sent to them on a regular basis.

Stop Bullying

According to StopBullying.gov, approximately one in three students experience bullying. This website was created by the United States Federal Government to advocate for strategies preventing and resolving such issues. Since it is one of the most common problems that most counselors have to deal with, having a go-to platform is certainly an excellent starting point. The website offers training, advice, as well as a simplified overview of various state laws that are applicable to school bullying. It also has a direct line of communication that counselors can explore when they are facing complex scenarios that may reach beyond their expertise.

The American Counseling Association

As one of the most successful non-profit organizations tied to school counseling, the American Counseling Association (ACA) is a member-based community where professionals from the industry can get help. They are also one of the very few groups where counselors can enjoy perks such as free continuing education through a total of 12 online courses per year. The value of that package is over $260 and it further comes with various grants that can support the members. ACA additionally provides regular newsletters that showcase any established or speculated changes that could materially affect counselors across the nation.

The Counseling Geek

The Counseling Geek was developed by Jeff Ream who works as a school counselor in Lake Tahoe, California. He also chairs the California Association of School Counselors and utilizes his knowledge to update those who visit the website on new strategies. The key purpose of the platform is to provide guidance to any professional who finds themselves in a situation that they are not able to resolve. This is an outstanding alternative for individuals who may not be in a position to seek further assistance from their school districts or federal workers.

SCOPE

The final online resource that every school counselor should be familiar with is the SCOPE. The full name of the platform is “School Counseling’s Online Professional Exchange” where members become a part of a large community. The goal is to provide everyone with safe space for sharing ideas, answering inquiries, and getting educated on technological upgrades related to the counseling field. It was founded in 2011 and has slowly grown to be one of the most well-known websites for counselors across the U.S. Presently, it is identified as an op-ed space that bridges the gap between random social media posts and academic sources.

Some honorable mentions that counselors should look into are the International School Counselor Association, individual websites for each state, and Teachers Pay Teachers. The final option is a fee-for-service platform where advice from other counselors can be purchased. Nonetheless, going through the top five options listed above is a great start for any school counselor seeking quick assistance.