As school counselors, we often emphasize to our students that stepping out of our comfort zones are critical for personal growth. However, when it comes to taking our own advice, we sometimes falter. I will admit that I was super nervous about attending my very first national school counseling conference, but months ago I decided to take the plunge and boy was it worth it! Attending the American School Counselor Association’s (ASCA’s) National Conference far exceeded my expectations. It isn’t even over yet and I’ve decided that in order to capture the true spirit of my excitement, I have to blog. Like, NOW.
This conference turned out to be one of the most fulfilling and exciting experiences of my career.
My first emotion at the conference was a feeling of apprehension. As the only counselor from my district attending the conference, I felt like a small fish in a big pond. On the first day, I kept myself busy attending sessions and meeting new people. I followed the exact advice that I give my students who are looking for friends! I introduced myself, made eye contact, struck up conversations about common interests, and new friendships were quickly born. I did notice that pretty much everyone was doing the same thing! It only took a short while before the ice broke, and I started collecting new contacts and making friends. One of the most significant benefits of the conference was discovering a sense of community and realizing that other counselors share the same interests, professional challenges and celebrations. And that alone connects us on a level that other educators can not understand. So by the end of night 2, many of us were enjoying a night out together and enjoying one another’s company like old friends.
The most exciting part of the conference was the plethora of opportunities available to me. There were sessions focused on equity advocacy, small group counseling, and even career fairs (and a million more things that I can not list in one blog post). I packed my schedule with so many activities that I practically had to run between sessions to make it to everything. However, I would not recommend following my lead in that regard. My FOMO got the best of me, and I was exhausted by the end of the second day. If you ever attend a national school counseling conference, remember to take some time for self-care and avoid over-scheduling yourself like I did. Your feet will be screaming at you by the end of the day!
Despite the long days and jam-packed schedule, I learned a lot during the conference. From powerful keynote speeches to valuable tips and tricks from experienced school counselors, the conference covered everything a school counselor needs to know to be successful, and energized me for the new school year. I attended sessions focused on new tactics for career counseling, implemented mindfulness practices into my students’ small group counseling plans, and learned how to continue supporting various marginalized, underserved, and minoritized groups in my school. I left the conference with an impressive set of tools and techniques that will undoubtedly help me as a school counselor.
Attending a national school counseling conference was an exhilarating and fulfilling experience for me. I made valuable connections and gained so much knowledge that I can’t wait to share with my colleagues and students. As school counselors, we have a tremendous impact on the lives of our students, and attending a conference like this helps us stay current and informed of what our students need to succeed. So let me offer some advice to my fellow counselors: take a chance and attend the annual ASCA conference. Don’t be daunted by your fears of being alone or surrounded by strangers. You will be surprised by the sense of community and family you will find. Besides, if you decide to attend next year’s conference in Kansas City, you might just run into a familiar face!
If you couldn’t make it to the national conference, there are virtual conference opportunities through ASCA with their ASCA Ignite program that occurs on July 26th and July 27th of this year. Use this opportunity to get reenergized for the new school year, make sure your memberships to the organization and your state organization are up to date, and keep learning and growing in the profession.
With Love,
The Fancy Counselor