“Walker’s is [what] changed my life.”
Counseling Center
The Counseling Center, located in the Bell Library, has two primary roles:
- to provide support and counseling to Walker's students, and
- to serve as a resource for parents, faculty and staff.
The school counselor is available to meet with students on an individual and private basis. Although students are encouraged to speak with their parents about receiving services, parental permission or notification is not required by the School for a student to meet with the counselor. Confidentiality is maintained except in cases where the health and safety of the student, or another person, are in jeopardy.
Adolescence is a time of great physical, intellectual and emotional challenge. In addition, Walker's students are in a demanding academic environment. Students may want to speak with a counselor for a variety of concerns, ranging from adjustment issues associated with boarding schools, to more serious ones that we know are experienced by a growing number of adolescents. Students who visit the Counseling Center at Walker's have the opportunity to develop a "tool box" of skills for coping with challenges, while working with the school counselor to identify their own strengths and resources.
Students may contact the Director of Counseling for an appointment or can simply stop by the Counseling Center. In cases where long-term weekly support for a student may be necessary, the Counseling Center provides referrals to off-campus counselors or psychologists. A Consulting Psychiatrist is available to Walker's to see students as well.
All counseling records are confidential and do not become a part of the student's permanent record. All counselors are bound ethically and legally to maintain the confidentiality of students seen. In instances where a student's advisor, house faculty and/or teachers might need information in order to effectively support the student, the counselor will discuss with the student what information might be passed on and receive her permission before speaking with anyone. However, from both an ethical and legal standpoint, confidentiality must be waived in those rare instances when a student's health and safety, or the health and safety of another person, is endangered.
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– Tisha, '55
