Oakland Counseling Association

The Oakland Counseling Association is a not-for-profit, professional and educational organization that is dedicated to the growth and enhancement of the counseling profession.

Mission

The mission of the Oakland Counseling Association is to enhance the quality of life in

Oakland County by promoting the development of professional counselors, advancing the

counseling profession and using the profession and practice of counseling to promote respect for human dignity and diversity.

Article: Slow Down to Show Up
Article and Resources: Career Readiness and College Preparation
OCA Upcoming Events and Updates

✅ Register: December 5th College Counseling Virtual Event

❌ Update: Selfridge Event Cancelation

📅 Upcoming OCA Learning Events in 2025-2026

OCA Mini-Grants Awarded!
Counselor of the Year and Terry Hood Lifetime Achievement Award Nominations
Nominate a Counselor of the Month
Join OCA! 2025-2026 OCA Membership
New OCA Board Members

Courtesy of OCA Board Member: Elizabeth Germaine

“One of the greatest gifts you can give to anyone is the gift of attention.” - Jim Rohn

In schools, the holiday season often turns up the volume on everything. Students feel it, families feel it, and counselors certainly feel it. The mix of excitement, disruption to routine, and heightened emotions can make this time of year both meaningful and intensely demanding. As you are juggling student needs, family responsibilities, and the invisible load of emotional caregiving, it may seem nearly impossible to slow down. Yet that pause can make the difference between simply getting through the season and truly engaging with it.

For many in our school communities, this season also brings a powerful emotional charge. Students coping with grief or family change may show heightened behaviors or quieter moods. Families may be carrying financial stress, uncertainty, or big transitions. Even for us as professionals, the mix of joy, fatigue, and pressure can stretch our emotional bandwidth thin.

Slowing down is not about abandoning responsibilities. It is about choosing presence over autopilot. And while that can feel unrealistic during peak stress, it often starts with a gentle moment of reflection. Before the season accelerates, consider grounding yourself with a few intentional questions:

What matters most to the students, families, and staff I support at this time of year?
How do I want to feel throughout this season, both personally and professionally? What helps cultivate that feeling?
Which school traditions or expectations truly foster connection and which ones drain my energy?
If I slowed down, what signals from students or colleagues might I notice that I have been rushing past?
How can I offer myself the same compassion I routinely give to others?

Reflection creates the mental space to respond thoughtfully rather than reactively. It allows us to show up with intention, despite the busyness around us.

Your presence, the genuine gift of attention, is what makes the biggest difference. A student lingering in your doorway, a quick check-in during hallway duty, a moment of humor in a stressful day… these ordinary interactions become meaningful when we are truly there for them.

Each time you slow your pace, even slightly, you create space to show up where it matters most. As this season unfolds, may you find the courage to pause so you can offer your presence to your students, your loved ones, and yourself.

Written By:

Elizabeth Germaine, MA LPC NCC SCL CCTP

Doctoral Candidate - Counseling

Department of Counseling and Educational Development

Oakland University

Courtesy of OCA Board Member: Nicole Bell

Career Readiness and College Preparation: Supporting Students in Making Post-Graduation Decisions

"As students approach the end of their high school years, the transition from school to the “real world” can feel overwhelming. The multitude of choice can be overwhelming. Whether to attend college, pursue technical training, enter the workforce, or explore other paths can leave many students feeling unsure of what to do next. This is where school counselors play a pivotal role in helping students navigate the maze of post-graduation options and make informed decisions about their futures." (read the full article)

Includes sections on:

Job Shadowing and Internships: Gaining Real-World Experience
Skills for Career Exploration: Identifying Strengths and Interests
Helping Students Set Goals: Mapping a Path Forward
Helpful Resources

Free OCA Member Registration!

Event Flyer

Title: 5th Annual College Counseling for School Counselors Virtual Event

Date: December 5, 2025

Time: 8:00am-3:00pm

Location: Online (Zoom)

Cost:

FREE for current 2025-2026 OCA members (renew your membership so you can benefit from the free registration and SCECHs for this event and others during the year!)
$10 for non-members (includes SCECH processing)

SCECHs: 6 College

Description:

The Oakland Counseling Association (OCA) is excited to spend this day with you and 12 different colleges, universities, and postsecondary programs! We'll learn about some great opportunities for students and hear the latest admissions updates from HBCUs, out-of-state colleges, and private colleges in Michigan!

Registration:

Further event details and online payment link for non-OCA members can be found on the OCA website: https://www.oaklandcounselors.org/events

Register for 12/5 College Counseling Virtual Event

If you were not registered for the Exploring Military Careers at Selfridge Air National Guard Base event, you may not have heard that OCA ended up needing to cancel this in-person event that was scheduled for November 12th.

I addition to a much more restrictive registration process required by Selfridge this year, they informed us a just few days before the event that they would no longer be able to accommdate us due to the federal government shutdown.

While we are very disappointed we weren't able to make this event happen for our members, we recognize that there are several factors beyond our control with how many government-run agencies are operating currently. With that in mind, OCA will be looking to schedule a Selfridge event at the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year.

OCA has several other professional learning events in the works for the 2025-2026 school year. Here are a few that are currently being planned:

3/6/2026 - K-8 Focus (in-person, location TBD)
4/30/2026 - End of Year Event & Counselor Awards (in-person, Walled Lake)

If you have suggestions for future learning topics, make sure to complete the professional learning needs assessment further down in the newsletter.

OCA members enjoy free or minimal registration costs for all events and SCECH processing is included. You can find additional details and registration info as it becomes available on the OCA Events page.

We had six OCA members apply for mini-grants this year and we're excited to announce that all applications were approved!

Congratulations to those who received the awards:

Michael Betman - Royal Oak Middle School
Catherine Dietiker - Oxford Bridges High School
Christopher Green - Rochester High School
Samantha Marr - Rochester Alternative Center for Education
Melissa Ng - Anderson Middle School (Berkley)
Amy Robinson - Pinckney Community High School

Grant funds will be spent during the 2025-2026 school year and all recipients will submit a final mini-grant outcome report by June 1, 2026. We're excited to see the impact these mini-grants will have on your counseling programs!

You can find out more about the mini-grant program on the OCA mini-grant website. Applications are available for the start of each school year and must be submitted by a mid-October deadline to be considered. If you didn't apply for one this year, consider what $250 might do for you counseling program next year and consider applying!

The 2025-2026 Oakland Counseling Association End of Year Award Nominations are now open! Each year we like to honor counselors for all of their hard work. If you work with or have worked with a counselor that you think goes above and beyond and deserves to be recognized for their hard work, we encourage you to take the time to nominate them.

The deadline for nominations is March 4, 2026. Decisions will be made mid-March and we will reach out to the nominator with our decision.

The nominee DOES have to be an OCA Member. It’s never too late to join, membership is still open on our website. If you're not sure if your nominee is a member, please email all three of the following people and one of us will respond as soon as possible:

You don't have to complete the nomination alone! If you’re thinking of nominating someone, talk to your other colleagues to get input from multiple people. The more information you're able to give, the better. We recommend typing your responses in a word/google doc to copy and paste in the Google form when you are ready. Check out this Awards Criteria document to see what information will be requested. This is helpful to do before going into the nomination forms.

Thank you so much for all that you do!

Counselor of the Year Nomination Form

Terry Hood Lifetime Achievement Nomination Form

In an effort to highlight the remarkable work of OCA counselors, we will be requesting Counselor of the Month nominations each month. This recognition effort will highlight one outstanding counselor each month. Nominees must be a current OCA member to receive the recognition (and potentially a small prize 😊).

Thank you for your nominations!

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Nominate a Counselor of the Month for November

Membership for the Oakland Counseling Association (OCA) for the 2025-2026 year remains open to those who would like to join. Encourage your colleagues who have not yet joined to do so!

By joining our vibrant community, you will find valuable resources, a supportive network, and professional enrichment opportunities designed to help you thrive in your career. As a member, you'll gain access to free or reduced-price professional learning events, including all online training offered at no cost, and free SCECH processing for all events. In addition to fostering a sense of solidarity with fellow professional counselors, membership provides unparalleled networking opportunities, robust advocacy for the counseling profession, eligibility for mini-grant funding, and the chance to win awards and prizes throughout the year. We invite you to become part of a dedicated group that empowers counselors and advances our profession in Oakland County and beyond.

2025-2026 OCA membership information is available on the OCA Membership page.

Cost

Individual counselor - $25
Graduate school student - $10
Retired counselor - $10

Other Notes

Membership is valid from September 1 through August 31 each school year
Membership is open to all school and private practice counselors
Membership is welcome for counselors outside of Oakland County

25-26 OCA Membership Info

The Oakland Counseling Association is only able to function and offer great benefits to our members as a result of our volunteer board members. We've been fortunate to welcome several new board members this year and are excited for the perspectives they will bring to the leadership of our organization.

Please welcome:

Meredith Cairo, Thrive Integrative Counseling: Member at Large
Angela Gouda, Oakland Schools Technical Campus (Southeast): Member at Large
Julianna Juskevics, Jefferson Elementary (Warren Consolidated Schools): Elementary School Representative
Carrie Laurence, Royal Oak Middle School; Middle School Representative