Women High School Counselors in Georgia and Their Experiences as They Relate to Work Life Balance

High school counselors have an opportunity to positively impact the lives of students and support their personal, academic, and career goals. With the increased attention on student's social and emotional learning, it is important not to overlook the wellbeing of school counselors who work with these students daily. Many studies have focused on student mental health and teacher's wellbeing, but there was very limited research regarding the welfare of school counselors. In this study, I interviewed women in Georgia who are employed as a high school counselor with the purpose to gain insight into their experiences with work-life balance. The objective was to develop a better understanding of how they navigate this balance. Through these interviews, several themes emerged: work-life balance, managing caseloads and professional responsibilities, boundaries and administration, student mental health, overwhelmed in the counseling role, and personal well-being. This study was significant because it highlighted the importance of maintaining a healthy balance of work and engaging in activities outside of work, which may decrease stress levels and combat burnout among high school counselors. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]