School Counselling in Canada

School Counselling in Canada: A Comprehensive Guide is a collaborative text that explores the evolving and multi-faceted role of school counsellors at the intersection of education, mental health, and advocacy. Unlike general counselling resources, this book focuses on the specific challenges and responsibilities of school counsellors within Canadian contexts. School counsellors are not only advocates, confidants, and guides—they are also clinicians, educators, collaborators, and leaders who are instrumental in creating supportive and inclusive educational and counselling environments that promote student wellbeing and success.
This book blends scholarly research, lived experience, and practitioner wisdom to examine the evolving profession, ethical considerations, and the diverse and complex realities of school counselling across Canada. Using a collaborative co-author model, featuring school counsellors, practitioners, educators, and members of the Indigenous community, from various provinces, the chapters unpack specialized school counselling knowledge that will serve both future practitioners and their students in reaching their full potential. Designed for current and future school counsellors, as well as educators, administrators, and the education community as a whole, this guide offers the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the complexities of school counselling and better support student wellbeing, equity, and meaningful change.
It's comprehensive, collaborative approach to school counselling makes this resource suitable for Education and School Counselling programs at Canadian Universities.

Kristina Berynets is the Associate Program Director for the Masters of Education in School Counselling program at City University in Canada. She has been an educator teaching in various contexts for the past 15 years, supporting students as scholar-practitioner-advocates, and building a strong community of practice. Leaning on her multicultural background and a lived experience of colonization and coloniality, she is passionate about decolonizing pedagogical practice as well as approaches to inquiry and writing. She is currently a PhD Candidate at Simon Fraser University.
Lisa Porter is an Associate Program Director and instructor for the Masters of Education in School Counselling program at City University in Canada, and a doctoral candidate in Counselling and Psychotherapy. With nearly 30 years in BC and Alberta's public schools, she brings a strong commitment to practical, student-centred counselling and has mentored many future school counsellors. She believes deeply in the transformative power of counselling and the essential role school counsellors play as advocates and leaders in our schools and communities. Lisa continues to support the public school system through her work as a conflict mediator and remediation facilitator, applying a decolonial lens to conflict resolution and restoration, as well as school counselling.
Deanna C. C. Peluso is a Principal Faculty Member, and Graduate Supervisor for the Masters of Education in School Counselling program and Masters of Arts in Counselling program at City University in Canada. With over two decades of experience in psychology, education, and research, her work centres on lifelong learning, reflective practice, and multimodal, culturally responsive approaches to teaching and inquiry. She is passionate about supporting students in developing diverse and transformative ways of engaging with research and school counselling practices.
Maria Stella is a Program Director for the Masters of Education in School Counselling program at City University in Canada. A registered clinical counsellor specializing in somatic trauma-informed practices, she brings a relational, holistic approach to counselling education. Her work bridges academic and relational practice, with a focus on emotional regulation, self-care, and embodied leadership in the service of meaningful student and faculty growth.