“I think everybody should have someone to talk to,” said Mrs. Beth Abler, a Notre Dame Academy counselor. 

Abler has had a profound impact on the NDA community, at the school where she has sung, acted, graduated, counseled and advocated for the student body.

“I know that students are super resilient,” Abler stated. “They can handle [their problems,] but I wish they didn’t have to.”

She has a lot of passion for her job, and it shows.

Abler has helped a multitude of students navigate through their high school years and admits that to see them grow is “such a joy.”

She is a proponent for thoughtful treatment and believes that every student at NDA is fully capable of success.

 Reflecting on the beginnings of her career path, Abler shared that she had always felt a pull towards counseling.

In high school, she seized the opportunity to answer phones for student services and solidified her career choice while gaining valuable experience and knowledge about this important field.

“People always told me I was a good listener,” Abler shared, saying that this is what prompted her to volunteer her time.

After earning her undergraduate degree in psychology at St. Norbert College, Abler went on to become a college counselor at NDA, helping to shape the lives and futures of many students. 

“I got to feel the excitement of them moving on,” she reflected.

Now, Abler acts as the chief counselor for students with last names from L through Z, roughly half of the student body.

Despite the more somber aspects of her job, Abler says that she loves to share in the triumphs and joys of her students’ everyday lives. 

“We do talk about some sad things in counseling,” she admitted. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate the little things.”

Abler shared that one of the highlights of her job is to see the people that her students become and watch them grow over their high school years.

“You impart this wisdom onto them, and hope that they get it,” Abler said. “Sometimes it doesn’t happen in a moment’s notice.”

Abler is aware of the importance of words, and is careful to use the right ones when she speaks with students; they have the power of changing lives.

“I find myself praying for the right words,” she said, “words that will resonate with the students and stay with them. Words are important.”