As new counselors Whitney Leach and Katie Doppelheuer started their counseling journey as a Phoenix, they received encouragement from students and fellow staff members. “I had been working with one student for a couple weeks, and they weren’t too sure if they were going to do well in their class or not,” Doppelheuer said. “And at the end of the semester…they came to me and said ‘I got the grade I wanted to get’ and they thanked me for just being an ear who listened and helped them work through their stress.”
These New Phoenix Counselors Are Already Making a Difference
Two new counselors, Whitney Leach and Katie Doppelheuer, joined the Phoenix faculty at the start of the 2021-2022 school year. In honor of counselor appreciation week, they share their stories and path to their careers.
February 16, 2022
In honor of counselor appreciation week, the counseling department organized a bulletin board admiring each counselor for the week of Feb. 6 to 12. Students were able to write positive messages thanking counselors for their support on heart-shaped colored paper.
Included on the board are two first-year Phoenix counselors — Katie Doppelheuer and Whitney Leach. Both new to the counseling field, they are eager to engage with the school community.
Katie Doppelheuer
Down the hall in the counseling office, Doppelheuer can be found at her desk, legs crossed, clicking away at her computer. In her office, she softly speaks with a student, who is overwhelmed with recent mental and academic challenges they have been facing. Offering a box of tissues and a snack, Doppelheuer shares her advice with a gentle smile on her face.
Before pursuing counseling, Doppelheuer studied art history in college, but that all suddenly changed due to a sudden accident. “I had a really bad car accident and ended up having to take a year off of school to recover,” Doppelheuer said. “Through that process, I worked with my own counselor who helped me overcome a lot of the issues I was having and [I thought], ‘Wow, this is amazing, I want to do that for other people,’ so I switched my major.”
So far, Doppelheuer is still adjusting to working in a school environment, but she enjoys the diverse culture. “On my very first week, the other counselors, Mr. Terry, the social worker, and school psychologist were so supportive,” Doppelheur said. “[They] threw a welcoming breakfast for me and went out of their way to make me feel comfortable.”
Doppelheuer is excited to immerse herself into every aspect of Phoenix culture. “I’m excited to see the sports in the spring; I can’t wait to attend the amazing theater productions; I can’t wait to participate in graduation; I can’t wait to help out with prom, and I’m looking forward to next year to see what clubs and activities I can sponsor,” Doppelheuer said.
Whitney Leach
At the front of the school, greeting students while they walk in, Leach stands with her colleagues. Chatting away about recent news or personal achievements, Leach shares a funny memory with counselors Kevin Terry and Amrita Khatta. Meanwhile, she gathers her essentials — her laptop, pens, and coffee — in preparation for discussing course scheduling with underclassmen.
Leach wasn’t always interested in becoming a counselor, but working as an admissions officer at Christopher Newport University completely changed her perspective. “I worked a lot with high school counselors, which led to me to realize I actually enjoyed working with high school students,” Leach said. “I decided to go back to school to get my masters [to become a counselor]. I just graduated last May, and this is my first official counseling job.”
Leach has enjoyed her brief time at Rock Ridge. “Everyone is super supportive — from the top administration down to the students,” Leach said. “Everyone is willing to do what needs to be done to care for each other and support each other through school and work.”
Leach especially appreciates her mentor in the counseling office, fellow counselor Amrita Khatta. “[Khatta] has been awesome, we met weekly to help me transition into the full time job and she’s an amazing counselor and getting to see her work with students is awesome,” Leach said.
Leach’s day to day as a counselor not only involves having phone calls with parents and meetings with students and teachers, but also dealing with unexpected situations that require her attention. “We loosely plan out our day, but we also have random stuff come up, such as a student having a tough day and wanting to talk,” Leach said. “Everyday looks a little different.”