Professional school counselors are employed by schools and provide ___________ counseling services at the school sites.

• A. Direct and indirect
• B. Direct only
• C. Indirect only
• D. Administrative

Answer: (A)

Professional school counselors provide a range of services that directly help students while also supporting the learning environment through collaboration and systems work. They work directly with students through individual counseling, small-group sessions, crisis intervention, and prevention or guidance programs. At the same time, they engage in indirect services that enhance learning by consulting with teachers and parents, linking students with appropriate supports, coordinating referrals, and developing or coordinating school-wide programs and initiatives. This combination reflects the full scope of their role at school sites.

Direct-only would miss the essential collaborative and systemic work; indirect-only would omit the direct student support that counselors provide. Administrative tasks fall outside the core counseling services, so they don’t capture what counselors primarily do.