Solitude: A Long-Term Strategy
School counseling has never been short-term work. It is not seasonal. It is not transactional. It is heart work: steady, relational, and deeply human. Every day, we hold space for students navigating uncertainty, families carrying worry, and colleagues balancing competing demands. We listen. We problem-solve. We encourage. We advocate. We show up.
And many of us proudly say, “My door is always open.”
It’s a phrase rooted in care. In accessibility. In commitment. We want our students to know they belong. We want our staff to feel supported. We want families to trust that someone is there.
But if our door is always open for everyone else, what space is left for us?
School counselors are natural helpers. Many of us are also natural people pleasers. We say yes because we care. We respond quickly because we want to ease someone’s burden. We absorb emotions because we are trained to be present and attuned. Yet constant availability, without intentional boundaries, slowly drains the very energy we need to sustain this work.
Solitude is not selfish. It is not a rejection of others. It is not disengagement. Solitude is restoration.
When we intentionally close the door, even briefly, we give ourselves permission to breathe without responding. To think without solving. To sit without absorbing. In solitude, we process the stories we carry. We reflect on the impact we are making. We reconnect with our purpose. We remember that we are human before we are helpers.
Research consistently reminds us that helping professions face elevated risks of compassion fatigue and burnout. The antidote is not caring less, it is caring sustainably. Solitude is one of the most powerful and underutilized self-care strategies available to us. It strengthens emotional regulation. It enhances clarity and creativity. It replenishes patience. It protects our long-term commitment to students.
If we are truly in this for the long haul, we must think beyond surviving this week or even this school year. Sustainability requires intention. It requires rhythms of engagement and withdrawal.
Your door can still be open.
But it does not have to be open all the time.
In Service,
Michelle
Student Transcript Webinars
The Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) encourages counselors, registrars and other staff assisting with student transcripts to join one of the Kentucky specific Parchment End-of-Year Transcripts trainings.
There are two opportunities to attend, Thursday, March 19 at 10 a.m. ET and Tuesday, April 21 at 10 a.m. ET. Participants should register in advance.
Links to join the training will be shared after registration.
Kentucky universities continue to bring up issues caused by incomplete or untimely electronic transcripts. These issues are easily avoidable. Help make sure your students aren’t impacted! Parchment, Infinite Campus and KDE representatives will be available; training will include a review of the transcript process, appropriate settings and an opportunity to ask questions.
Live participation is encouraged but the training will be recorded and available in the KDE Media Portal. Effective Instructional Leadership Act (EILA) credit will be available. NOTE: Registration is required for EILA credit.
Exciting New Resource to Support Student Postsecondary Advising and Individual Learning Plan Completion
The Kentucky Advising Academy is hosting workshops at education cooperatives across the state. We encourage you to register and bring an administrator with you. If the registration link for your cooperative is not yet available, it will be soon. You may also contact your cooperative’s counselor representative for registration information or visit www.cpe.ky.gov/advisingky-toolkit, where registration links will be posted.
During this workshop, participants will learn about Kentucky’s Postsecondary Advising Scope and Sequence, designed to support educators in guiding students through their college and career journey while incorporating key statewide requirements, including the Individual Learning Plan (ILP), Postsecondary Advising Framework and the Kentucky Academic Standards for Career Studies.
The Postsecondary Advising Scope and Sequence includes lesson plans for grades 6–12 organized within the following categories:
- Career Exploration
- Postsecondary Opportunities
- Financial Aid and Literacy
- Essential Skills
Participants will also receive a student ILP collection template that accompanies the Advising Scope and Sequence.
Workshop Objectives
Participants will:
- Understand the purpose of the Advising Scope and Sequence for grades 6–12.
- Understand the structure of the Advising Scope and Sequence.
- Identify practical strategies for integrating lessons into existing counseling or advisory systems.
- Leave with clear next steps for implementing and supporting the scope and sequence.
If you would like more information about the Postsecondary Advising Scope and Sequence, please watch our Advising Scope and Sequence Overview or feel free to email mitzi.holland@ky.gov.
 Now Accepting Applications: Commissioner School Counselor Advisory
The Kentucky Department of Education is currently accepting applications for the School Counselor Advisory Council. This advisory group plays a critical role in informing statewide school counseling initiatives, policies and guidance by elevating the voices and expertise of practitioners from across the Commonwealth.
Selected members will serve a three-year term, with the inaugural term beginning in the 2026–2027 school year. Advisory members will collaborate with KDE staff and key stakeholders to provide feedback, identify emerging needs, and help shape resources and professional learning that directly impact students and school counselors statewide. The advisory council meets virtually three times per year, and consistent attendance and active participation are essential to ensuring the work is meaningful, representative and impactful.
Principal Support Requirement
To ensure alignment with school and district priorities, applicants must obtain the support of their building principal before applying. This support affirms the principal’s awareness of the time commitment associated with advisory council participation and their endorsement of the school counselor’s involvement in this statewide leadership opportunity.
Applications are due by April 15, 2026.
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