13 Ways "13 Reasons Why" Expands The Conversation On Teens And Mental Health: 10. When School Counselors Aren’t Enough
August 10, 2017
[caption id="attachment_4838" align="alignleft" width="300"] (Courtesy Netflix)[/caption]
We're on the tenth day of my countdown of the 13 ways I, as an NYC therapist who works with teens, think the Netflix drama series 13 Reasons Why expands the conversation on teens and mental health:
10. When School Counselors Aren’t Enough Or The Right Fit
Mr. Porter, the school counselor in 13 Reasons Why, was depicted as a good guy with too much on his plate so he can’t slow down to notice Hannah’s pain or the pain of the other students. A school counselor, in many ways, works for the school and not the kids, which is the difference between a counselor and a therapist. They can’t build a relationship or get close to a teen when they’re trying to serve an entire school. Oftentimes, students who are doing poorly or acting out become a bigger priority than those who are quiet, depressed or feeling isolated.
