Her Story
About Tami
Tami Larsen is a school counselor with 27 years of experience serving students throughout Utah, currently working with sixth- and seventh-grade students at Adele C Young Intermediate School. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Sociology from Weber State University before pursuing a Master's Degree in Education with a focus on Counselor Education, School Counseling, and Guidance Services from the University of Phoenix. Early in her career, she chose the path of school counseling over law school, a decision rooted in her desire to build a fulfilling career while remaining present for her family, and one shaped by her own experience as a student with a school counselor who was not particularly helpful to her.
Throughout nearly three decades in education, Tami has supported students at multiple stages of development, beginning her career working with high schoolers before transitioning to younger students in sixth and seventh grade. Her work centers on equipping young people with lifelong tools for emotional regulation, identity development, healthy friendships, and effective communication, always with an emphasis on building trust and offering guidance without judgment. She is a proud member of both the American School Counselor Association and the Utah School Counselor Association, and she has also given back to her community as a Domestic Violence Advocate in Weber County.
Beyond the classroom, Tami finds fulfillment in spending time outdoors with her family and pursuing her lifelong passion for horses. Looking toward the future, she hopes to launch an equine therapy business after retiring from school counseling, blending her decades of counseling expertise with her love of horses to continue supporting young people who could benefit from structure, encouragement, and a positive environment for growth. For Tami, true success has never been about titles or awards, but about the quiet, meaningful moments when a student overcomes an obstacle, builds confidence, or learns that a difficult chapter doesn't have to define their story.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Tami
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my genuine desire to help students, my ability to truly listen to them, and the perseverance and compassion I bring to my work every day. My own experience as a student with an unhelpful school counselor shaped the counselor I wanted to become—someone present, approachable, and willing to help young people find practical tools to overcome their challenges.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
One of the most influential people in my career has been Jeannie Matheson, a professor and school counselor who offered me valuable advice and guidance throughout the years. Having a mentor who understood both the profession and the realities of working directly with students gave me a trusted perspective as I grew in this field, and it taught me how important it is to seek guidance from experienced professionals when navigating difficult situations.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
It gets really hard to take my work home with me all the time, so I'd tell them to be ready for the moments when they can't solve the problem. You have to know that you won't be able to solve every problem, and you need to figure out how you're going to deal with that. Find a way to be okay with it—find your own process, whether that means working through it before you leave or finding a way not to bring it home if it's going to weigh on you.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge right now is all the changes happening across our field. I hear from counselors across many different states that it's becoming taboo to talk about social and emotional learning, which is exactly what we do. So many kids need help with these things, and with anxiety, but legislatures are changing policies so that we're discouraged from addressing them, and some parents don't want us to talk about it either. That's the biggest need I see in our profession today.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Family, compassion, communication, service, and perseverance are the values that matter most to me. Family played a central role in my career decision—I chose school counseling over law school so I could build a meaningful career while still being present for my family. I believe young people deserve adults who will listen and help them develop healthy ways of working through life's challenges, and I also believe counselors need to establish their own boundaries and coping strategies so they can sustain this work without carrying every problem home with them.
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