Global Counsellor Award winner – Jenny Tassell

How does it feel to be named Counsellor of the Year – Latin America at the inaugural Global Counsellor Awards?

It feels incredibly validating and rewarding knowing that my peers felt that I was deserving of such an incredible award. I feel an abundance of gratitude towards this incredibly caring and generous community of counsellors in Latin America. Also, I am super-humbled by the feedback and love that I have received from this community.

What is the counselling profession like in your region?

I would say I am a bit biased, but I cannot think of a more collaborative and loving community to be a part of. Deserving special thanks are people like Emily Dobson, who created the Caribbean and LatAm chat group, which united counsellors from Argentina to Mexico in a shared space.

Specifically in Panama, we have a Panama Counsellor Association that collaborates regularly on projects. Even though our schools are technically competitors, that is never an issue between counsellors.

I feel very lucky to be part of these communities. Without my peers, I would never have been able to become the counsellor I am and continue to become.

How can counsellors boost the profile of the profession within their region?

Collaboration is key. Since counselling can be somewhat of a solitary profession, it is important to build community no matter where you are in the world. If there is not an established counsellor community, then you can be the one to create that community.

I also think it is important to be generous with your knowledge and resources. Since we are expected to wear so many hats in our day and to be knowledgeable about so many different regions, it is impossible to know it all.

There is no need to reinvent the wheel, if someone has a way of doing things that is better, ask them to share; if you have developed some tools that have helped you, share them with others. In the end, it is all about the students and doing whatever we can to help them along their journey.

What sorts of trends in counselling are you seeing within your region?

I am really excited about the idea of reverse admissions with programmes such as Concourse, which has helped create a shift in college admissions. Programmes like Meto have also given students a new way to approach college admissions.

I have also seen that my students are becoming more and more global. Not only do they want to study outside their home country, but they also want to study in multiple locations during their time at university. Many are starting in one place in their first year, and going to another country in their second year, and some even have a third location, depending on their programme.

Countries such as the Netherlands and Portugal have become more popular with my students, when previously applications to those countries were more of a rarity.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking about joining the profession?

Do it! The community of counsellors and admissions representatives are seriously the best people ever.

I cannot think of any professional group of humans that are more global, kind and generous with their time and knowledge.