Counseling Services

Kathy Bitner is a force for good at Draper Park Middle on two fronts. As head counselor, she knows how to help students, teachers and families overcome problems and find solutions to succeed, and as a member of the community, she hears and knows what issues they are facing. “She has the ear of the community,” Principal Mary Anderson says. She also has the trust of Draper Park’s students and finds ways to support them in finding and pursuing their purpose and passion. For these reasons and more, she represents the best of her profession and was named Utah Counselor

Canyons District is bracing for the possible emotional impacts of the second season of the teen drama “13 Reasons Why.”   The first season of “13 Reasons Why,” released last spring, caused some concern among CSD educators and teachers, who were caught by surprise at the uptick in students asking for counseling help after the teens binge-watched the Netflix series that traded heavily in such mature themes as sexual assault, drug use, and suicide. To the end of being prepared for the show’s launch date, school counselors and school psychologists in Canyons District have been sent guidance from the National

Has your child watched the trending Netflix show “13 Reasons Why?” If so, it may be an important time to start a discussion about any challenging emotions he or she may be feeling, according to counselors and psychologists who provide supports to school-age children. Based on a 2007 young adult novel of the same name, the series is raising concerns of student-support and mental-health specialists, says Tori Gillett, Canyons District’s Comprehensive Counseling and Guidance Program Coordinator. Gillett says school counseling centers have seen an uptick in students seeking support after watching the popular show, which premiered on March 31 and,

Advocate, example, amazing – these are just a few of the words parents, coworkers and students use to describe the abilities of Eric Murdock, a counselor at Hillcrest High and Entrada. Murdock has made such a difference in the lives of his students that the Utah Association of Career and Technical Educators’ Guidance Division has chosen him as the School Counseling Educator of the Year. Murdock works tirelessly with all students and their families to forge individualized paths to graduation and help his students achieve their dreams. “I’ve never met a Counselor who cares more or gives more than Eric