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Where do you fell you role as a school counselor ends and
the need for a mental health therapist begins? I know
different states have different qualifications for school
counselors. I have 25 years of teaching experience and
have now been a school counselor for two years. Even
thought I have a master's degree in school counseling that
required me to take many of the same courses required for
mental health counselors, I do not feel comfortable working
with a student with a DSM diagnosis. For example, right
now I am working with a student referred to me by the
principal because the mother thinks the child is
depressed. The principal talked with the child first and
agrees. I began working with the child this week and also
agree. But, I am not qualified to officially make that
diagnosis. After talking to the child one day this week
and having her tell me some pretty disturbing things, I
called the mother and told her I felt like the child should
be under the care of her PCP and/or mental health
therapist. How do some of you others feel about this?

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