Karishma Barot

I attribute a lot of my success to my family, my resilience, and the values I grew up with as a South Asian woman raised by immigrant parents. My dad grew up in London and my mom in India, and from a young age I saw how much they sacrificed and how hard they worked to create opportunities for our family. That shaped my work ethic and gave me a strong sense of gratitude, responsibility, and determination.

After losing my dad at a young age, that motivation became even more personal. It made me think deeply about the kind of life I wanted to build and the kind of work that would feel meaningful to me. Over time, I found that purpose in supporting students, especially those who may be navigating difficult or uncertain moments in their lives.

What continues to drive me today is the idea that I can be one positive person in a student’s day. If I can help someone feel seen, heard, supported, or even just a little more hopeful, that means a lot to me. I think my success comes from a combination of the strength and values my family instilled in me, the resilience I have developed through my own experiences, and the sense of purpose I have found in helping others.

The best career advice I’ve ever received is to stay open to where your path takes you, because your career doesn’t always have to be a straight line. Every role teaches you something, even if it isn’t where you ultimately see yourself long-term.

That advice has really stuck with me because my own career has evolved across college and career counseling, elementary counseling, middle school counseling, and even event planning. Each experience has helped me build different skills and understand more about what I enjoy, what I’m good at, and the kind of impact I want to make.

I’ve learned that success is less about having everything figured out and more about continuing to grow, being willing to try new things, and choosing work that feels meaningful to you.

My advice to young women entering this field would be to trust yourself, stay open to learning, and never underestimate the impact you can have on someone’s life. School counseling can be incredibly rewarding, but it also comes with challenging days, so it is important to remember your purpose and give yourself grace as you grow into the role.

I would also say not to be afraid to use your voice. Advocate for your students, advocate for yourself, ask questions, and take up space when you know something matters. You do not have to have everything figured out right away.

Most importantly, find the part of the work that fills your cup. Whether it is helping a student through a difficult moment, creating a program that brings a school community together, or simply being the person a student knows they can come to, hold onto those moments. They are what make the work meaningful and remind you why you chose this path in the first place.

One of the biggest challenges in school counseling right now is funding. When districts face budget cuts, counseling and other student support services can unfortunately be some of the areas impacted, even as the need for those services continues to grow.

Limited funding can mean fewer counselors, larger caseloads, and fewer resources available to support students academically, socially, and emotionally. It can be difficult because you see firsthand how valuable it is for students to have someone on campus who has the time and capacity to really get to know them and support them.

At the same time, I think this creates an opportunity to continue advocating for the importance of school counselors and the role we play within a school community. The more we can demonstrate our impact, collaborate with families and staff, and show how counseling supports the whole student, the stronger the case becomes for continuing to invest in these services.

The values that are most important to me are kindness, integrity, connection, and being someone others can rely on. In my work, I think it is so important to lead with empathy and make people feel seen, heard, and supported. Especially in school counseling, sometimes the smallest interaction can make a big difference in someone’s day.

In my personal life, family is also incredibly important to me. I value showing up for the people I care about, staying grounded, and treating others with genuine respect and compassion.

Overall, I try to approach both my work and my personal life with the mindset of leaving people feeling a little better than they did before. Whether that means offering support, bringing positivity into a difficult moment, or simply being present for someone, that is something I really value.