A week ago yesterday was Seaforth High School’s graduation. It’s a day I’ve looked forward to and yet dreaded all at once. It always gets me emotional, but this year was especially profound. I didn’t just watch another class cross the stage. I watched my own child receive a diploma. I also closed a deeply meaningful chapter as a school counselor at a place that has been so much more than just a job.
Seaforth opened its doors in 2021, and I was there from day one. I still remember walking the empty hallways that first summer, dreaming about what this school could become. Over the past four years, I’ve watched it come to life in the most beautiful ways. There has been shared laughter, hard lessons, unforgettable moments, and yes, even heartbreak. I’ve poured my heart into this building, these students, and this community. And while I’ve known this goodbye was coming, it hit harder than I expected.
There’s a lump in my throat as I type this. Honestly, I’m still working through all that I’m feeling. I often tell my students to step forward in faith, to trust the path even when they can’t fully see it. Today, I’m taking my own advice.
To my Seaforth families and students: thank you. Thank you for trusting me. For letting me walk beside you. For the laughter, the late-night emails, and the hallway pep talks. As I read names yesterday, I took an extra moment to pause and meet your eyes. I remembered your freshman-year selves and celebrated the incredible humans you’ve become. You’ve taught me more than I can put into words. It has been the greatest honor to be a part of your journey.
To my own children: I know being the school counselor and your mom hasn’t always been easy. But getting to watch you from the sidelines as you’ve found your way through high school has been one of the greatest joys of my life. I’m so proud of you, not just for what you’ve accomplished, but for who you are.
And to my Jacob: Tar Heel blue looks so good on you. You are ready for this next step, and I can’t wait to see what you do with it. You are destined for something truly special, and I will be cheering you on every step of the way.
As I step into a new season with The College Counseling Mom, I carry all of this with me. The memories, the relationships, and the stories have shaped the way I support families and students. They are the reason I believe so deeply in what I do.
What Graduation Taught Me as a Counselor ... and a Mom
Attending graduation this year as both a counselor and a parent gave me a whole new understanding of what this milestone really means. For years, I’ve reminded seniors that graduation isn’t just about them. It’s a celebration for all the people who helped them get to that stage. This year, I truly felt that in my bones.
As I sat on the football field and listened to the student speaker thank his parents and friends, my eyes drifted to the stands where my own husband, parents, and mother-in-law sat. I thought about the influence they’ve had on my son… the quiet strength, the encouragement, the values they’ve modeled. His story would look completely different without them. The same is true for every child out there.
But something else shifted in me, too. I experienced the intensity of this year as a parent, not just a professional. I now understand how hard it is to watch your child go through this process. How much we want to give them the world. How heartbreaking it is when we can’t. How powerless we feel when a college decision doesn’t go the way we hoped. And how complicated it can be to enjoy the “lasts” while tensions rise over what’s next.
This experience showed me just how essential it is for families to have a neutral, grounded presence in the college process. That’s a big part of what I now bring to my work with The College Counseling Mom. I support both teens and parents, helping bridge the emotional gap and guiding everyone through the process with empathy, clarity, and a deep respect for what each family is carrying.
Watching Him Step Into Adulthood
The hardest part of this year was realizing that my son was ready before I was. I could see it so clearly… he was grounded, confident, ready to go. And while that made me incredibly proud, it also cracked my heart open a bit. My head knew it was time, but my heart wasn’t quite there yet.
He surprised me with how resilient he was through the entire college process. He approached decisions with a level of calm and practicality I didn’t expect. He weighed his options, asked thoughtful questions, and took ownership of what he wanted. Somewhere along the way, I stopped seeing just my teenage son and started seeing a young adult standing in front of me. That shift happened slowly, and then all at once.
It’s a strange thing… to spend years preparing your child to grow up and then suddenly realize they’ve done it. And now it’s your turn to let go, not all at once, but little by little.
This year reminded me that part of our job as parents is to trust what we’ve built in them. To let them lead more than we think they can. And to love them with open hands, even when every instinct wants to hold tighter.
A Note to Moms of Rising Seniors
If I could sit across the table from a mom who’s about to start this journey, I’d tell her to take a deep breath. To soak it in. To not stress so much. I’d tell her to lean on her girlfriends, to ask for help, and to trust that she did a good job.
Because she did.
This next year will be full of big feelings, growing pains, and moments you’ll never get back. And it will also be okay. Everything has a way of working out, even when the path looks different than expected.
Also… if you find yourself crying in the car, snapping at your spouse, and wondering if you’re losing your mind, just know that navigating senior year and perimenopause is a cruel cosmic joke. Stock up on tissues, dark chocolate, and maybe keep a bottle of wine ready for emergencies.
At The College Counseling Mom, my goal is to help families enjoy this process. I take on the organizational stress… the constant reminders, the deadline tracking, the to-do lists… so you can focus on being the parent of a soon-to-be graduate. I act as a guide and neutral party, helping both teens and parents feel heard, supported, and prepared for what’s ahead.
You don’t have to do this alone. And you definitely don’t have to carry it all on two hours of sleep and hormone fluctuations.
