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School counsellors and school psychologists DO have some connection and significant variances.

First, we need to understand that careers catering to mental health in the education sector represent a vital part of the community and individual student success. Professionals belonging to this field offer direct service by helping students and their families along with providing a host of other valuable services. It is essential to understand the differences and similarities between a school counsellor and a school psychologist.

Whenever we describe a job role, many synonymous titles are associated with the same; for instance: teacher and instructor, aide and assistant, counsellor and psychologist etc., when in particular, a counsellor and psychologist are not the exact same roles, particularly in a school setting.

Oftentimes, a school counsellor and a school psychologist are mistaken and get confused for one another, but the truth is that they both serve unique purposes. In many school atmospheres, these two positions often work together thus adding to the confusion.

So, who is a school counsellor?

A school counsellor is the one, who works directly with the whole school population and can also work with learners in the early childhood education, secondary, and post-secondary institutional settings. Mentioned below are some of the roles and responsibilities pertaining to a school counsellor:

• Work together with teachers to simplify lessons to special needs learners
• Collaborate with educators to create and apply students’ Individualized Education Program (IEP)
• Assess students’ development and aid in determining alternative routes (if required)
• Help in settling conflicts among students
• Help learners with problem solving
• Guide during college admissions preparation
• Help learners with life transition post-graduation

School counsellors work as guides to help provide a fresh direction to the student’s future. They aren’t normally doctors, but many employers look for someone with a certificate in school counselling courses while recruiting for school counsellor positions.

Who is a school psychologist?

In contrast to school counsellors, school psychologists aren’t supposed to work with the whole school. Rather, they work directly with the learners with identifiable disorders, who are at risk of failing, and with the parents and caregivers of these students.

Work responsibilities entail performing a psychological evaluation of the distressed learner, identifying the precise cause and the problem, and providing recommendations for improvement.

Upon final assessment, they work in close connection with the student, his/her parent/s, and educators to discuss the issue and deliberate regarding the ways they can help nurture a stimulating environment that will better the student’s situation. School psychologists also play a vital role in observing the progress of SEN learners and coordinating academic and socio-emotional involvements. Because of the job’s clinical nature, most school psychologists possess doctorate degrees along with the ability to prescribe medications for behavioural and/or biological issues.

Job Outlook

The job growth and outlook of both the roles are strong, with an expected employment of school counsellors and school psychologists growing at a rate of 12%, which is faster than average – throughout the year. A new arena of growth for school counsellors can be seen in college and university settings. These counsellor jobs are quite comparable to the role played by a high school counsellor as they assist college students with future job searches and career guidance.

Whether you want to pursue a career as a school counsellor or a school psychologist actually depends on the respective career paths. Pursuing a career as a psychologist often requires a Doctorate degree, while being a school counsellor needs a PG Diploma in School Counselling degree. But, one thing is common in both the roles, i.e., you assist and work with young learners to make them aware of their potential and get them enthusiastic about learning and guide them towards their goal.