40 Under 40: Melissa Monaghan Hook

When she was in middle school, Melissa Monaghan Hook was inspired by her school's amazing counselors and educators. The influence they gave her inspired her to chart her own career as a school counselor. 

She attended the University of Montana where she graduated with honors and a bachelor of arts in psychology and human and family development. After graduation, she worked for four years in the mental health field, working one-on-one with children and adults as a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist and as a behavioral specialist for the Coeur d’ Alene School District. During this time, she earned her master of arts degree in school counseling from Gonzaga University.

After working for three years in the Tacoma area as an elementary school counselor, she made her way back to her hometown of Coeur d'Alene. Since moving home, she has worked in her "dream job" for the past 10 years as a school counselor at Canfield Middle School. 

"The students I work with inspire me to be the best person I can be each and every day," she added.

It was her graduate education through Gonzaga University that has been pivotal in shaping who she is a school counselor, Monaghan Hook said.

"I had the privilege of working as the graduate assistant to the school counseling program director, Mary Brown, who served as an advisor, instructor, and most importantly, a mentor. 

"She modeled what it means to be kindly curious, authentic, and empathetic," Monaghan Hook said. "Additionally, my counseling cohort and the counseling faculty at Gonzaga helped shape who I am as a person and a counselor with a practice grounded in the Jesuit tradition, focusing on compassion, service to others, and being an agent of change in my school and community."

Monaghan Hook continues to develop what she can offer as a school counselor through her training and experience as a Trust-Based Relational Intervention practitioner and Making Sense of Your Worth facilitator in the Coeur d’ Alene School District. 

"The knowledge I’ve gained through both of these experiences has taught me the incredible importance of relationship and development of self-worth for children and adults, and that we can all know our true selves and realize our inherent and infinite worth," she said.

Monaghan Hook credits her parents in helping shape who she is as a person, raising her with unconditional love and support.

"They still, to this day, are my biggest champions and have modeled what it means to be genuine and selfless. I cannot imagine life without their continued guidance, wisdom, and love," she added.

Her husband Tony has been my greatest companion and friend, inspiring her with his patience, dedication, compassion, and humor through his roles as a teacher, coach, and father. That unwavering strength and support gives her the confidence to fully embrace life and all of its joys and challenges.

Her role as a mother to "two sweet, silly, and energetic boys" has been humbling and rewarding beyond what I could have ever imagined. 

"It has been the most influential experience in all aspects of my life and has provided a lens to my professional work that has magnified the meaning and importance of what I do each day as a school counselor," she added. "The patience, gratitude, and overwhelming love I have developed as a mother has made me a better person in ways I didn’t even know were possible."

While she's wondered about pursuing work as a private counselor, Monaghan Hook said she's always come back to her commitment to her students and profession. 

"To stay grounded in my purpose, I often remind myself of the TBRI mantra written by Dr. David Cross, 'Don't quit. If not you, then who?'," she said. " I believe every child has the right to feel safe and valued, and I am humbled to work in a profession where I get to help children every day. It is an honor and a privilege for which I am incredibly grateful, and I honestly can't imagine doing anything else. "

Advice to her younger self: "Be kind to yourself and know your worth. Have confidence in your true self and the knowledge that what you have to offer the world is enough."