Top Counseling Blog Author, School Counselor, Author of The School Counselor Kind
Interview with The School Counselor Kind and Author Kayla Marston
About Kayla: Kayla Marston is an Elementary School Counselor in Maine. She graduated with her Masters in Counseling Education in 2010 and has been growing as a counseling professional ever since. Kayla’s professional experience includes building safe and connected school communities by implementing Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and Restorative School Practices. She was married on Halloween (her favorite holiday!) and together, she and her partner take care of their two dogs and one amazing 10 month old baby girl. She loves writing, sunshine, autumn leaves, staying organized, yoga, and animals.
[OnlineCounselingPrograms.com] When and why did you originally start a blog about school counseling?
[Kayla Marston] I began my blog, The School Counselor Kind, in July of 2013, almost four years ago, because I love to write and because I wanted to contribute to the profession. After reading several other school counseling blogs, I felt I had a strong voice to add to the mix.
[OnlineCounselingPrograms.com] What do you hope to achieve by maintaining The School Counselor Kind?
[Kayla Marston] Throughout the almost four years that my tiny blog has been going, I have been inspired by, humbled by, and connected to more school counselors and educators than I ever thought possible. I love that by sharing my voice and honest feelings about the challenging work that school counselors do, I am offering ideas, respite, and validation for others in this field.
[OnlineCounselingPrograms.com] The post we highlighted, “Responding to 13 Reasons Why,” has sparked many impassioned and varied responses on your blog. What do you think is a teaching moment for your students that resulted from this series?
[Kayla Marston] I work with elementary aged students, so most of my conversations about this series have been with colleagues and parents/guardians who needed support in how to approach the sensitive topics with their students and children. The most important teaching moment for adults and children alike has been about open communication. We need our children to know that they can come to us about anything, and that we will listen.
[OnlineCounselingPrograms.com] How do you come up with new ideas to blog about?
[Kayla Marston] When I first began my blog, I started a list of topics that I wanted to blog about. I still have that list. It includes everything from classroom lessons I have done to my unfiltered thoughts about the somewhat tricky parts of our daily tasks. I like to add my voice to existing topics already blogged about (like advocacy for our profession) and I like to write about things that others aren’t (like things you should never, ever say to a school counselor).
[OnlineCounselingPrograms.com] You mention that you’re currently working at two elementary schools. How do you guard against burnout in juggling the many different needs of these distinct student populations?
[Kayla Marston] Burnout is a serious concern for me. I currently have a student-to-counselor ratio that is much higher than the ASCA recommended amount. I also spend exactly half of each week in each of my schools, which means I miss exactly half of each week in each of my schools. Basically, I am always late to the party, and I hate being late. To guard against burnout, I try really hard to focus on the school I am in at the time, and nothing else. I stay organized, and I reserve small amounts of energy for advocating for more school counseling services, which gives me the hope I need to keep going.
[OnlineCounselingPrograms.com] Have you found any useful ways to spread awareness about the school counselor’s role through your blog?
[Kayla Marston] Yes! By sharing documents that I create for my own school(s), I hear from other school counselors who are able to tweak the documents for their own use, which means awareness of our role is spreading. I also share the newsletters I create every year, which I hear from readers they love to look at to help spark their own ideas. The more I can inspire other school counselors to advocate for the important work we do, the better! I have also heard from administrators, teachers, and parents who have visited my blog, so I know the content is being absorbed from multiple sources, which can only help our cause.
[OnlineCounselingPrograms.com] What do you mean when you say, “We are one of few” as your blog’s slogan?
[Kayla Marston] I chose the name “The School Counselor Kind” with the line “We are one of few” because I truly believe we are. As school counselors, we are irreplaceable links that connect the students, staff, and communities we serve. It takes a very special kind of person to do the job that we do!
Thank you, Kayla! Learn more about The School Counselor Kind on our Top Counseling Blogs list.
