After four dedicated years at Belmont Hill, middle school counselor Ms. Ginsberg is departing to pursue her own practice. Working out of her room Howe house, she has provided the Belmont Hill community with valuable insight, guidance, and support. She has come to be an integral part of campus and in her time here has enjoyed her experience connecting with the boys. Although we will miss her in her departure, we congratulate her on her decision and wish her luck in her new practice.
Ms. Ginsberg first learned of Belmont Hill through a friend she knew who worked at Nobles. She thought that Ms. Ginsberg would be a good fit for the school and suggested that she apply for a position. Ms. Ginsberg mentioned that she was at first apprehensive about entering the community, having “never worked in an all boy environment.” She recognized that she would be one of the few female faculty members on campus. Nevertheless, she was gladly taken in by the community and long-term faculty. She was also surprised by the brotherhood between the boys, and with their arms around each other, she related them to puppies.
After overcoming the initial nervousness, she quickly dove into what she enjoyed doing most: working with boys one-on-one. Previously, she had done so in New York. As a guidance counselor, she offered a time and space for kids to talk and share about their experiences and emotions and how they reacted to them. She highlighted that she believes there needs to be “more emphasis on boy’s emotional lives,” as while they may not express their feelings as much, the emotions are still there and should be thought over.
Ms. Ginsberg especially wants to give them space for development, both at Belmont Hill and in general. She voiced that “emotions are normal but complex,” as, for many, it can take time to identify how they feel and how they are affected. She wants to encourage boys to learn the language of their emotions to feel comfortable talking about them in order that they can then identify them and move on. At Belmont Hill, she has particularly appreciated the advisory groups and the affinity groups, like the Family group, in addition to the personal conversations that she sees as being so valuable.
While at Belmont Hill, Ms. Ginsberg counseled in school but also practiced after hours through an outside business. Due to this stress on her schedule, along with a long commute and a busy home life, she has decided to fully transition to that area. She is looking forward to meeting with a wider range of kids, from school children up to young adults, with more flexibility in her schedule and the opportunity to talk virtually. On her own, she said that she “can do what she loves in a more concentrated way,” and focus more on the one-on-one aspect in particular.
Even though she is leaving, she remarked that she “still loves the community and watching the boys grow,” and is looking to continue to be a part of campus as much as she can after she leaves. The Panel thanks Ms. Ginsberg for her dedicated time at Belmont Hill and wishes her luck in her future counseling endeavors!
