Feelings of empowerment among students are crucial prerequisites to their participation in change agency in both educational and non-educational settings. Educators notice a compelling correlation between student empowerment and academic achievement and other positive outcomes in K-12 educational environments. School counselors are optimally…

The practice of using microaffirmations enables positive outcomes through small acts of active listening that encourage feelings of inclusion and shared cultural intimacy. Microaffirmations can be intersectional and are beneficial to a wide range of populations, including people of color, LGBTQIA + individuals, and people with disabilities. School…

School counselors and principals are in natural leadership positions that provide opportunities to influence systemic change. Given these educators' great responsibility of supporting the academic, social/emotional, and college and career development of all students, aligning their efforts toward impacting student outcomes is wise. Current…

Principals and school counselors, as advocates and leaders, have a moral and ethical imperative to interrogate and disrupt the educational inequities pervading P-12 schools. Trained in data collection, disaggregation, and analyses, principals and school counselors must utilize their knowledge and skills in program evaluation to challenge systemic…

School counselors are well positioned to support students who have experienced trauma, and the need to do so has increased during the past few years. In this article, we provide school counselors with relevant evidence-based practices that are focused on addressing trauma and supporting students who have experienced a traumatic event(s). We also…

Photovoice is an innovative approach that uses photography to promote empowerment and social action. Although photovoice has been recognized as a valuable intervention for youth, projects involving this approach primarily have been facilitated by university-school partnerships or community organizations. Aligned with the American School Counselor…

This conceptual article explains how school counselors can increase awareness of size discrimination and address sizeist attitudes and biases in U.S. schools. Sizeism can begin in early childhood and continue into young adulthood, with damaging effects on student wellness. Sizeist biases in society are reflected in school systems. We suggest…

School counselors have a variety of opportunities to serve as advocates and leaders for students identified as twice exceptional (2E). We explore these opportunities and discuss the academic and social/emotional challenges 2E students face and current operational definitions for this population. We also discuss strategies school counselors can use…

School counselors are called to advocate for social justice in education and use evidence-based practice (EBP) to meet the diverse needs of students in schools today. This conceptual article describes the approach of one Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)-accredited counselor education program to…

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) encourages school counselors to promote equity experiences for all students through leadership, advocacy, and collaboration. School counselors and school administrators (e.g., principals, assistant principals) are uniquely positioned to combine their social capital in an effort to create a positive…

Throughout the past decade, scholars have argued that the persistent achievement gap between Black male students and their White peers is a result of unequal and inadequate educational opportunities instead of inherent differences in their capability or character. School counselors can help support Black males by using equity-focused…

Legal rules establish basic duties akin to the floor for acceptable behavior, whereas ethical codes represent aspirational standards for best practice. For school counselors, fulfilling both legal requirements and ethical principles may pose challenges that warrant careful consideration. This article outlines a legal/ethical conflict in the case…

In this article, four vignettes are presented and deconstructed in order to demonstrate that school counselors are advocates, collaborators, and leaders when engaged as consultants. School counselor consultation appears to be a complex process based on a student advocacy disposition shared by consultees, and the process is a collaborative one…

While today's girls are learning that they can achieve at the highest educational and professional levels, they also receive strong cultural messages that portray girls and women according to limiting sexual stereotypes. The trend toward the sexualization of girls is increasing in contemporary culture and can negatively impact girls' academic,…

Although advocacy has a long tradition in the counseling profession (Kiselica & Robinson, 2001), school counselors' roles as advocates have only recently received widespread attention (Baker & Gerler, 2004). The American School Counselor Association National Model describes advocacy as a key role for professional school counselors, and numerous…