Dear Principals, Administrators, and District Leaders... We Need to Talk!

An Open Letter: Here's what School Counselors wish you knew

April 17, 2025

My name is Dr. Linda Metcalf.

For over 30 years, I’ve walked the halls of schools.

I’ve trained thousands of counselors across the United States and around the world.

I’ve sat across from children in crisis, educators on the edge, and counselors who are doing their absolute best with far too little.

This letter isn’t about blame. It’s not a lecture.

It’s a lifeline.

Because right now, school counselors are raising their hands... and too few are listening to what they really need.

In recent weeks, we asked thousands of school counselors some simple questions about their work.

Hundreds responded - openly, urgently, and from the heart.

Their message is clear...

"I’m doing everything I can. But I need help that actually helps. Give me real tools. Back me up. Let me be a counselor again."

They are the heroes of this story.

They are trained mental health professionals, educators, advocates, and crisis responders.

They help students build resilience, navigate trauma, de-escalate conflict, and reconnect with purpose so they can learn.

They are the emotional first responders of your schools.

But far too often, they are asked to do everything except that.

They are monitoring lunch. Coordinating tests. Chasing attendance. Writing reports. Juggling caseloads of 500, 700, even 1,000 students.

All while trying to prevent the next tragedy, and get students to succeed.

The problem isn’t them.

The problem is a system that is under-resourced, misunderstood, and misaligned.

It’s not your fault.

I know you face impossible pressures, too. Budget constraints. Testing mandates. Political crosswinds. I know you want to make a difference.

But here’s what you may not know: you are not alone.

Counselors are fighting for the same cause you are, to make every student successful. But many of them feel like they’re fighting it alone.

They need you to hear them.

And they need you to trust someone who has walked beside them for decades.

I’m here to help.

As the founder of Solution Focused Schools Unlimited, and the best-selling author of Counseling Toward Solutions, I’ve worked with thousands of school counselors to provide solution focused training that is:

  • Research-based

  • Trauma-informed

  • Time-efficient

  • Practical & Applicable

  • Affordable

This is not a one-size-fits-all approach. It’s not a motivational keynote.

It’s a proven system that helps counselors do more with less – without burning out.

But to make it work, I need you.

I need you to listen to your counselors. To give them time. To fund their training. To back them up when they use it.

Because when you do, everything changes.

The plan is simple:

  1. Give your counselors permission to counsel

  2. Provide them with access to tools and training that actually work

  3. Support them with the time and trust to use what they learn

What happens when you do?

  • Students begin to solve problems, not just report them.

  • Crises are de-escalated before they explode.

  • Behavior improves. Absenteeism drops. Morale lifts.

  • Test scores go up. Students succeed.

  • Teachers feel supported. Families feel seen. Counselors feel hope again.

And when we don’t?

  • Burnout increases. Turnover climbs.

  • Students fall through the cracks. They get suspended. They fail.

  • Schools lose the very people trained to prevent these outcomes.

This is not theoretical. It’s happening now.

You have the power to stop it.

Listen to your counselors. Fund what works. Create a school where mental wellness is not a line item - but a foundation that helps students achieve and excel.

We are ready to help you. Are you ready to help them?

May the solution force be with you,

Dr Linda Metcalf

Founder, Solution Focused Schools Unlimited

Author, Educator, and Advocate for School Counselors

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