Counseling Resources

The Canisius High School Counseling staff is here to offer support and guidance to students in a safe environment. Together, we have more than 60 years of experience working with Canisius students. We are in a unique position to appreciate the high school journey of our students and the many challenges that arise during this phase of adolescent development.

In addition to the four school counselors who work with students throughout the year, Dr. Brigid Vilardo-Lyons is the school psychologist who is in the office two days per week to see students on a rotating basis. Referrals to Dr. Vilardo-Lyons are made by counselors through consultation with students and parents.

WHAT WE DO

Work with students to select courses each year that best suit their interests and abilities and prepare them for success in college
Address concerns regarding academic performance and recommend appropriate interventions
Facilitate communication between students, parents, teachers and administrators
Provide individual counseling on a variety of personal issues
Support students and their families with crisis intervention as needed
Provide referrals to the school psychologist, Dr. Brigid Vilardo-Lyons, or other outside therapists as needed.

WHEN TO SEE US

You need help or want to talk to someone
You are worried about friends or family
You are having difficulty at school
You want to discuss your future
You have an important decision to make
You are feeling sad, angry or lonely
You want to share good news
You are having problems at home

The best way to see your counselor is to send a Schoology message making the request; please be sure to let us know if you need to see us urgently. You may also stop in to the guidance office; counselors have an open-door policy when we are not in meetings.

In order to create an atmosphere of trust, we respect and honor the privacy rights of our students and recognize that our primary obligation for confidentiality is to the student. Students are informed that exceptions to confidentiality exist under certain circumstances in order to protect students and others. More specifically, there can be no expectation of privacy if: 1) a student poses a danger to self or others, 2) there is a suspicion of abuse or neglect, or 3) there is a court-ordered disclosure.