The soft hum of white noise fills the silent and peaceful room as you immerse yourself in the counselor’s office’s calming environment. The faint scent of lavender lingers through the room, contrasting against the muted chatter from the Math and Science building hallways. Ready to listen to your problems, they ask, “What’s on your mind?” Inviting you to open up to them.
A counselor is a trained professional who acknowledges their patient’s complications and advises them regarding their issues. The need for school counselors is vital to the overall well-being of students across the nation, as it’s estimated that the signs of mental health depletion manifest around the age of 14 in many teenagers. More specifically, more than 1.2 million Texas teens report having mental, behavioral, or developmental problems (MEDBP); this startling number represents over 20% of Texan youth.
Our resident counselors, Shauna McClain and Trina Johnson go above and beyond for our student population.
Understanding her passion for teenage mental health, Johnson began her career in the business in 2005 and has been working in it since.
“I wanted to do something more of helping adolescents reach their full potential and I thought high school would be perfect for that,” Johnson said. “The most challenging part is that sometimes the kids’ parents aren’t very supportive of them to develop as they should.”
Due to Johnson’s lengthy time in the mental health business, she’s had the privilege of experiencing her patients’ growth over the years.
“My favorite part of counseling is seeing the process that the kids make throughout the years,” Johnson said. “[I love] helping adolescents through their struggles.”
Like Johnson, McClain wanted purpose and found fulfillment in something that could help better others. Upon recognizing this passion, she’s been working in the business for four years.
“You can chase a dollar all day long. I wanted purpose,” McClain said. “The most challenging part about being a counselor is just being able to balance things out.”
McClain works hard to provide students with the resources they need. Self-care plays a big part in mental health, and sometimes all a student needs is someone who will listen to them; specifically in a school setting.
“We hear and see so much that sometimes it can be kind of heavy, but just make sure that you’re taking care of yourself and prioritizing self-care,” McClain said. “[The most important part] is the balance and making sure that you’re looking out for your mental health.”
Both McClain and Johnson are located in the Math and Science building and are available to Texas High students.
