Halley is a school counselor at Columbus Preparatory Academy, a K-11 charter school in Columbus, Ohio. She completed her B.A. Psychology degree in 2015 and her M.A. Counselor Education degree in 2017, both from The Ohio State University. As a school counselor, Halley provides counseling support for students through classroom lessons, small group counseling, and individual counseling. She also provides parent and teacher consultations and crisis intervention. Every day is different and Halley has the freedom to decide how to offer each component of a comprehensive school counseling program.

Halley loves working creatively with kids to help them develop important life skills. She says, “It’s so enjoyable to connect with students in meaningful ways to help them develop personally, socially, and academically, to help them navigate life’s challenges, and prepare for their futures.” If you’re considering a career in school counseling, Halley says “empathy, listening skills, the ability to suspend judgement, question-asking, creativity, a sense of humor, flexibility, and being self-directed” are valuable qualities to develop.

She recommends finding work or volunteer positions to explore different career paths and to learn how to “tell your story” about the qualities and abilities you have developed through your work experiences. These are great thoughts to share during interviews, too!