Look around your classroom. Although it can be difficult to tell what’s going on in another student’s life, chances are some are going through a rough time. A study in 2016 showed that nearly 1 in 5 students had at least one depressive episode. “In 2016, an estimated 3.1 million adolescents aged [between] 12 to 17 in the United States had at least one major depressive episode,” according to the National Institute of Mental Health. The frustrations and drama of school, family life, friends, and bad habits have done their damage to students. Teens everywhere are suffering from depression and anxiety, and feel they have nowhere to turn. However, they couldn’t be more wrong. Tahoma students have access to their school counselor who is there to support the students in school, home, and stress-related situations.

A school counselor has a wide range of responsibilities when it comes to the students and the school environment. Sharon Wright, a counselor at Tahoma, explained that her job requires helping students with a wide range of problems from academics, to being ready for life after high school, to anxiety and bullying. However, mental health has been the main concern lately. Wright stated, “[Tahoma counselors] have spent a lot more time in recent months relating to anxiety and depression for students… whether it’s academics or whether it’s family life or whether it’s relationships.” Although students are opening up to the idea of talking with counselors, there is definitely a fear of being judged that comes along with it.

Many students in Tahoma struggle to deal with the stress of their school and personal life. This poses a question: why are some students afraid to reach out for help? Ninth grade student, Alex Lanphear explains what she believes students fear when going to counselors, “I think there are many students who are scared of their own emotions and they are scared they will be punished for feeling those emotions.” Lanphear added that she doesn’t feel as though counselors offer enough coping mechanisms, instead opting to let the students vent out their emotions, which in some situations can be positive, however other students require a different kind of help.

School counselors are here to support the Tahoma student body and whatever problems they might be facing from stress to becoming future ready. Students should take advantage of this opportunity and seek help from their school counselors when needed. To contact the counselors, go to the reception desk and talk to the counseling secretary. The counselors are located in the room that is diagonal to the attendance office. Tahoma counselors are here to provide the help needed for Tahoma Student.