Janet M. Bender, M.Ed. is a retired elementary school teacher and counselor with 30 years’ experience in public education. She received her bachelor’s degree from Winthrop University and her graduate degree from The Citadel in Charleston, SC. As one of the “pioneer” elementary counselors in her SC school district, she assisted in writing the job description and evaluation system for counselors, as well as launching a developmental guidance and counseling program for grades K-6. Mrs. Bender’s contributions to the counseling profession include mentoring new counselors, consulting in multiple school districts, presenting Developmental Guidance and School to Work programs to educational organizations across the United States, and authoring eight other educational resources for working with children and parents.