Inside the Counselor Brain: 10 Things We Think but Rarely Say Out Loud

By Noelle Rizzio, PEL, LCPC

If you’ve ever wondered whether other counselors think the same things you do during the day… the answer is yes—and maybe even more than you expect.
Because let’s be honest: the counselor brain is a wild, brilliant, compassionate, tired, over-caffeinated place.

We hold space for heartbreak, drama, crisis, confusion, and hope… all before lunch.
We juggle paperwork, clients, students, angry emails, missing data, and the impossible expectation to “stay calm and grounded” at every moment.
And through it all, our internal monologue? Surprisingly… relatable.

Here are 10 things counselors think but rarely say out loud—and why it’s time to normalize them.

1. “This paperwork is slowly stealing my soul.”

We love our work, but the forms, the documentation, the data notebooks…
It’s like the universe saw counseling and said, Let’s add some administrative spice.

2. “I cannot be the only one who doesn’t have time to pee.”

We teach self-care.
We advocate for regulation and balance.
We write self-care plans for OTHER PEOPLE.
But us? We’re hydrating strategically so we don’t create a bathroom crisis between sessions.

3. “I care deeply… but yes, I am absolutely tired.”

Compassion fatigue isn’t a flaw.
It’s a natural result of being the person everyone turns to.
Acknowledging it isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom.

4. “I’m out here being Google, Siri, and an emotional support animal.”

Need a schedule? A parent contact? A last-minute crisis intervention?
A pep talk? A bandaid? A career path? A tissue?

Counselors are the human version of “multi-tab mode.”

5. “Am I doing enough? Am I making a difference?”

The question that haunts even the best of us.
The truth: Yes, you are.
You’re just too close to see it.

6. “Did I really go to grad school for this conversation right now?”

We have deep conversations every day…
And then every now and then—
We’re breaking up friendship drama or explaining why a client shouldn’t DM their ex at 2 a.m.

Counseling is nothing if not… eclectic.

7. “I would love to help you, but also—I am one human.”

Schools, clinics, districts, and agencies love to say:
“You’re essential!”
Then they give us the workload of 3.5 people.

8. “If you could see my to-do list, you’d understand why I laugh-cry.”

It’s color-coded.
It’s digital.
It’s on sticky notes.
It’s also a loose suggestion because crisis walks in whenever it wants.

9. “I wish people knew how much I actually care.”

We don’t always say it.
We can’t always show it.
But we feel it—in a way that keeps us in this profession even when it’s exhausting.

10. “I need community too.”

We talk about support all day long.
But counselors often work alone—offices tucked away, schedules packed, emotions held tight.

We need shared space.
Shared stories.
Shared resources.
Shared humanity.

And that’s exactly why spaces like Counselor HQ exist—to remind you that you’re not alone in this work, and you never have to be.

Final Thoughts

If you read this list and thought, “Oh good, it’s not just me,” that’s the point.

We do meaningful, heart-heavy, transformative work.
But we’re still people—whole, imperfect, hilarious, compassionate people with overactive brains and enormous hearts.

And the more we say the quiet parts out loud, the stronger we become… together.