Dr Lora de la Cruz: Redefining the Guidance Counselor

Every year, around one in five kids in the U.S. experience mental, emotional or behavioral problems, from anxiety to depression to ADHD. But according to data from the CDC, only about 20% of those kids are getting the help they need.

And those stats? They’re from before the COVID-19 pandemic began. In May, a Gallup poll asked parents how social distancing and school closures had affected their child. 29% said their child was "already experiencing harm" to their emotional or mental health. Now, even as some schools are open for in-person classes, kids may be facing continued anxiety about the pandemic and the readjustment process.

When the pandemic closed Lake Oswego School District in Oregon, Dr. Lora de la Cruz knew she and her team had to rethink the role of the school counselor. In the face of COVID-19, kids didn’t need college recommendation letters and academic counseling as much as they needed mental and emotional support.

In this episode, we’ll talk to Dr. de la Cruz about how she’s transforming counseling at Lake Oswego—and how she makes sure students know about those changes. When we connected with Dr. de la Cruz, Lake Oswego was dealing not only with the COVID-19 pandemic but also the 2020 Oregon wildfires. 

Dr Lora de la Cruz (@DrLoradelaCruz1)

Lake Oswego School District Instagram (@LOSD_Proud)