School Counseling
Hello Tigers!
My name is Tom Doggett, and I am the school counselor here at St. Catherine’s. I was born and raised in Seattle. I attended college in Texas and lived abroad in Peru before returning here fifteen years ago, for good. I have two young children who currently occupy most of my time, but otherwise I enjoy hiking, biking, basketball, reading, and cooking, among other things. Before joining St. Catherine’s for the 2023-24 school year, I was the school counselor for seven years at Lake Forest Park Elementary in the Shoreline School district.
What is the role of a school counselor?
School counseling typically focuses on three domains: social/emotional, academic, and college/career. In my practice, social/emotional takes the lead, though questions of academic and vocational nature can very much affect a student's social-emotional health. I pride myself on being able to build a relationship with anyone, simply by seeing them for who they are and valuing their values and truths.
I visit every classroom on a weekly basis, using the Character Strong curriculum for middle school and its elementary component, Purposefull People, for K-5. I also will work with students in small groups and individually as needed. I have an open-door policy for any student who needs a quiet space to vent, work out conflict, reflect, or simply take some time for themselves.
Mental health is something we all need to care for. Even when we feel our best, it is important to exercise our brains and care for our well-being. Teaching students the value of this at a young age is highly beneficial. Please feel free to contact me with anything regarding your students’ mental and emotional health within the context of their academic success and social/emotional development.
Confidentiality
Students are invited to speak openly and honestly in my office space. I tell each student that I will only break confidentiality if they disclose one or more of three things to me:
1) Someone is hurting them. 2) They want to hurt themselves. 3) They want to hurt someone else.
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