School Counseling Simplified Podcast

In today's episode I am chatting with Executive Function and ADHD coach Sarah Lovell about practical strategies school counselors can use to improve their own executive functioning skills and help students. Sarah Lovell (she/her) is an executive function & ADHD coach for ambitious professionals, college students, creatives, and perfectionists. With a background as a Master's level social worker, Sarah believes self-care & self-talk are the foundation of everything we do (including executive functioning!). She's spent 10 years helping clients overcome procrastination, burnout, time blindness, and overwhelm. She loves helping clients notice their self-talk, shift their mindset, and build a toolbox of realistic strategies through 1:1 coaching and her membership, The Stuck to Started Society. When Sarah isn't working, she's taking her rescue pitbull Georgia on a trail hike, paddle boarding, or snuggling up with a good book. Some highlights from this episode are: The importance of addressing negative self-talk around executive functioning challenges. Using an organized external system to manage tasks and thoughts to avoid mental overload. Distinguishing between procrastination and being "stuck" when facing tasks. Separating planning from taking action to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Time management strategies that will be covered in Sarah's Summer Summit session, including intuitive scheduling and prioritizing questions. Tune in and let me know what you think! Resources mentioned: IMPACT Summer Summit Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here! If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! Connect with Rachel: TpT Store Blog Instagram Facebook Page Facebook Group Pinterest Youtube Connect with Sarah: Instagram Website More About School Counseling Simplified: School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica. You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

In Today's episode I am welcoming back Joyce Harduvel, (who will also be at this year's IMPACT Summer Summit), to give her insight on supporting students in Crisis. Joyce is a licensed clinical social worker and a certified school social work specialist. After seven years in the field of school social work working with students from preschool to high school, she is pivoting to provide school-based clinicians with the resources, community, and training that they need to support their students. Recognizing that most of what she used on a daily basis as a school social worker she had to learn through experience and create herself, Joyce is committed to sharing her expertise to make the lives of school-based clinicians easier so that they can focus on the important part: the students! Listen In for some of these highlights!: The importance of acknowledging how schools can contribute to student trauma through both major incidents and more subtle interactions. Recommendations for establishing crisis response protocols and teams to avoid one counselor being overwhelmed. Examples of concrete tools like flowcharts counselors can use to map out contingency plans for different crisis situations. A Preview of Joyce's IMPACT Summer Summit session covering her "secret sauce" for comprehensive crisis response strategies. Joyce's venture back into school and her plans to focus on special education law to better advocate for students' rights. It's truly a do not miss! Listen in now! Resources mentioned: IMPACT Summer Summit Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here! If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! Connect with Rachel: TpT Store Blog Instagram Facebook Page Facebook Group Pinterest Youtube Connect with Joyce: http://www.joyce-lcsw.com/ More About School Counseling Simplified: School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica. You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

In this episode, I'm covering all things counselor interviews. Remember when you were interviewing for counseling positions or maybe you're interviewing right now? I know that it was an emotional roller coaster preparing, interviewing and dealing with rejection. It took me quite a few interviews before landing my dream job. That's why I love to talk about this! AND I decided to tag in some help! Thank you to everyone who submitted their advice! Listen in to hear us eloborate on these pieces of advice: Research the school - Look up demographics, mission, goals and relate how you can contribute. Don't sell yourself short - Be confident in your skills and experiences. Embrace your individuality - Admin want to see your genuine personality and fit with school culture. Prioritize students - Give examples of how you make students a top priority. Thank you notes - Writing thank you notes that stand out and are appreciated by interviewers. Seriously, this is a DO NOT MISS! Resources mentioned: Coffee with the Counselor Stress Free School Counselor Bootcamp Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here! If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! Connect with Rachel: TpT Store Blog Instagram Facebook Page Facebook Group Pinterest Youtube More About School Counseling Simplified: School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica. You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

In today's episode, I am sharing all my strategies to help school counselors to tie up loose ends at the end of the school year and support students' mental health over the summer months. Some Highlights: Implementing Termination strategies for school counseling groups Creating an End-of-year report and data wall for advocating counselor role Getting summer support plans in place with community resources How to make Summer SEL toolkits for parents to support students Some fun ideas for summer SEL toolkit with activities for families Resources mentioned: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee Summer SEL Toolkit https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/bootcamp Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here! If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! Connect with Rachel: TpT Store Blog Instagram Facebook Page Facebook Group Pinterest Youtube More About School Counseling Simplified: School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica. You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

In Today's episode I chat with Lauren Tingle. We are diving into all things school counselor interviews. The do's don'ts, interview preparation and our experiences, we will be sharing advice and tips for common scenarios we have seen! Lauren is a former high school counselor turned content creator and curriculum writer. She is the high school counseling hype girl behind Counselor Clique helping other high school counselors energize and breathe life into their programs through creative and engaging counseling resources. She's also the host of the podcast "High School Counseling Conversations" and also runs a membership for high school counselors called the Clique Collaborative where she brings value and fun into high school counseling. Some topics covered in this episode are: Creating summer SEL toolkits for busy school counselors. Returning to work after maternity leave in the school counseling field. How to approach job interviews and bring enthusiasm to a new role. Job interviews, storytelling, and overcoming insecurities. Selling one's unique experiences and skills as a school counselor candidate. Resources mentioned: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/bootcamp Create a Summer SEL Toolkit - Thrive Instead of Survive at the End of the Year Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here! If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! Connect with Rachel: TpT Store Blog Instagram Facebook Page Facebook Group Pinterest Youtube Connect with Lauren: Website TpT Store Instagram High School Counseling Conversations- More About School Counseling Simplified: School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica. You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

In today's episode I chat with Malisa Hepner, an elementary school counselor and published children's book author. She discusses her background and strategies for building relationships with students and staff. She also shares tips for wrapping up the school year. Here are some things we covered: How Malisa supports students and staff through intentional relationship-building and acts of kindness to boost morale. Malisa emphasizes the importance of proactive tier 1 instruction and teaching common SEL skills to teachers. Advocating for her role while maintaining boundaries and providing summer crisis resources for students. New counselor advice to build relationships and focus on serving students effectively. Malisa's self-published children's books related to her counseling lessons on topics like bullying prevention. Listen in to hear it all! Resources mentioned: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/bootcamp Create a Summer SEL Toolkit - Thrive Instead of Survive at the End of the Year Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here! If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! Connect with Rachel: TpT Store Blog Instagram Facebook Page Facebook Group Pinterest Youtube More About School Counseling Simplified: School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica. You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

In today's episode we discuss anxiety strategies for school counselors with expert Courtney Bennett. Courtney is a passionate school counselor and mom of three. She loves to learn, so you will most often find her with a book in hand. She has spent the last several years studying about anxiety, trauma, and executive functioning and enjoys the challenge of putting this expertise to the test with real kids.. Courtney shares personal experience with anxiety and strategies for managing it with students. Strategies include externalizing worries, naming emotions, and reframing mindsets about stress. Listen in for more highlights including: Externalizing techniques to help students distance from overwhelming feelings Educating the whole school community using consistent language and care plans Teaching positive mindset interventions about stress responses Considering bottom-up or top-down anxiety interventions for each student Learning clinical approaches to anxiety from experts like Lynn Lyons Resources mentioned: Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here! If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! Connect with Rachel: TpT Store Blog Instagram Facebook Page Facebook Group Pinterest Youtube More About School Counseling Simplified: School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica. You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

On today's episode, we explored a variety of strategies for managing student anxiety with special guest Casey O'Brien Martin. Casey shared her wealth of experience working as both an art therapist and school counselor. Casey O'Brien Martin is a Mom of two boys and a mini schnuazer named Hurley. She is the author of the book Skills for Big Feelings: A Guide for Teaching Kids Relaxation, Regulation, and Coping Techniques. She works as a school adjustment counselor in Massachusetts and runs Whole Child Counseling. She is also a licensed mental health counselor, a registered nurse, and a registered expressive arts therapist. Some topics covered in this episode are: Origami box activity helps MS students express themselves Teaching all students coping skills through universal prevention strategies Addressing anxiety and avoidance behaviors in students Casey's Book "Skills for Big Feelings" offers 12-week curriculum for coping techniques Somatic techniques like "shake, wiggle, shake" to help kids manage anxiety Resources mentioned: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT_6Lvkhxvo Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here! If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! Connect with Rachel: TpT Store Blog Instagram Facebook Page Facebook Group Pinterest Youtube More About School Counseling Simplified: School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica. You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

In this episode of School Counseling Simplified, your host, Rachel, shares powerful mindfulness strategies for managing student anxiety and executive functioning. Here are some highlights: Mindfulness activates the prefrontal cortex and cingulate cortex, areas of the brain linked to attention, executive functions, and learning. A study found students who practiced mindfulness improved their executive functioning skills like behavioral regulation. Rachel demonstrated mindful breathing exercises like dragon breath and flower breath for elementary students. Guided meditations can help students become aware of sounds in mindfulness session two. Increasing sensory awareness through 5-4-3-2-1 grounding Listen In to hear more! Resources mentioned: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here! If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! Connect with Rachel: TpT Store Blog Instagram Facebook Page Pinterest Youtube More About School Counseling Simplified: School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica. You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

In today's episode, I chat with Laura Filtness about anxiety strategies. Laura talks through the importance of setting professional boundaries and using therapy dogs in counseling programs. We discuss practical applications for managing anxiety in students and school counselors, including mindful moments, expanding the window of tolerance, and using cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques. Laura also shares her passion for using picture books in counseling and her involvement in mentoring new counselors. Laura is a school counselor with more than 15 years of experience. In 2017, she was honored with the title of Elementary Tennessee School Counselor of the Year. Her passion is to foster empathy among children through the use of picture books. Her therapy dog, Boss, has inspired her to continue his legacy and promote empathy through picture books. Some Highlights: Monthly counselor community circles and calls for sharing wins, troubleshooting tough cases, and discussing counselor experiences. Laura's expertise in using picture books in counseling programs, including her upcoming presentation at ASCO on the topic. Strategies for managing anxiety, including setting professional boundaries, using therapy dogs, and practicing mindfulness. Practical applications for supporting students with anxiety, such as identifying physical signs of stress, expanding the window of tolerance, and using CBT techniques. Laura's passion for mentoring new counselors and helping them navigate challenges such as paperwork, time management, organization, and setting boundaries. Resources mentioned: Ep 147 with Laura https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/picture-books-to-enhance-counseling-sessions https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here! If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! Connect with Rachel: TpT Store Blog Instagram Facebook Page Facebook Group Pinterest Youtube More About School Counseling Simplified: School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica. You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

Anxiety remains our focus this week as we have gotten such an overwhleming response and need to continue to cover this topic. Today, Jessica, from Counseling Adventures, joins the conversation to share valuable insights and practical strategies for addressing anxiety among students. Drawing from her 10 years of experience, Jessica offers tips for parents, teachers, and fellow counselors, emphasizing the importance of understanding and managing different types of anxiety in the school setting. Gain a deeper understanding of common anxiety triggers among middle schoolers and learn effective techniques, including cognitive-behavioral approaches and relaxation exercises, to support students in coping with their emotions. Tune in to discover actionable steps for creating a supportive environment for students dealing with anxiety. Some topics covered in this episode are: Strategies for teaching anxiety to students Understanding how anxiety shows up for individual students Practical techniques for addressing anxiety in middle school students Preventive measures for anxiety, including emotional identification and coping skills Advice for new school counselors, emphasizing self-care and experimentation with new approaches Resources mentioned: Check out Jessica https://counselingadventures.com/ Middle school resources https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Counselingadventures Save your spot for this month's Coffee with the Counselor: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here! If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! Connect with Rachel: TpT Store Blog Instagram Facebook Page Facebook Group Pinterest Youtube More About School Counseling Simplified: School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica. You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

Separation anxiety has always impacted kids but it seems to be much more prevalent in the past few years since the pandemic. We see it in students crying as they are exiting their cars in the morning, refusing to come to school, and feeling sick in the nurse's office. We all want to help these students cope with this anxiety as best as possible so Ashley Bartley is joining us to share practical tips and strategies to help our students who struggle with separation anxiety. Ashley Bartley, M.Ed., NCC, is a school counselor, author, and curriculum writer. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Virginia and her M.Ed. in School Counseling from the College of William & Mary. She has five social emotional learning children's books published with Boys Town Press and is the creator of Counselor Station, where she develops curriculum and resources for busy school counselors. Ashley lives in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with her husband and three young boys. She enjoys hiking, reading, and traveling. Ashley has so much knowledge when it comes to helping students with separation anxiety. In this episode, Ashley shares signs that a student is experiencing separation anxiety, some strategies she has found helpful when working with students, and her favorite preventative strategies for separation anxiety. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/support-anxious-students-1 * Resources Mentioned: Save your spot for this month's Coffee with the Counselor: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee Episode 80: Anxiety Counseling Crash Course: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/anxiety-crash-course Episode 81: Anxiety Strategies for Class Counseling Lessons: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/anxiety-strategies Episode 82: Anxiety Strategies for Small Group Counseling: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/small-group-counseling Episode 83: Anxiety Strategies for Individual Counseling: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/strategies-for-individual-counseling Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

Anxiety does not just impact older students and adults. There are many elementary students who struggle with anxiety as well! As a school counselor, it can be challenging to determine the root of that anxiety and figure out what strategies may be beneficial for your student. I know we all want to support our students as best as possible so I am so excited to have Sophia from School Psych Finds on to share some knowledge and insights about helping our students with anxiety! Sophia is trained as a school psychologist and has worked with families & children of all ages. She received her B.A. in Psychology from UCLA and her M.A. & Ed.S. degrees in Educational & School Psychology from Loyola Marymount University. She runs the social media accounts & podcasts: School Psych Mom & School Psych Finds. She recently became a new mom to a baby boy and cares for him full time. She enjoys sharing information and creating resources targeted towards mental health, parenting, and school psychology. Sophia has such a wealth of knowledge about anxiety in students! In this episode, she is sharing anxiety strategies she loves to use with kids, the steps to take when working with students with anxiety, insight into CBT and selective mutism, and preventative strategies for anxiety. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/anxiety-deep-dive * Resources Mentioned: Save your spot for this month's Coffee with the Counselor: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee Check out TherapistAid.com: http://TherapistAid.com Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

I think all of us can agree that kids are more anxious now than ever. And as school counselors, trying to find effective tools and strategies to figure out why our students are so anxious and help our students calm down can be challenging. So how can we help these students? I completely understand how difficult it can be to come up with strategies when you have a student in your office whose anxiety is high. Having practical, easy to implement strategies handy for when your student needs them is helpful to both you and your students. If you've found yourself struggling to come up with a calming strategy on the spot, this episode is for you! I am sharing 3 of my favorite grounding strategies (plus a bonus strategy!) you can use with your students right away! I'm also sharing one of my favorite preventative strategies you can use with your students before they are in the midst of high anxiety. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/strategies-to-help-anxious-students * Resources Mentioned: Save your spot for the FREE live training, Help Studnets Break the Stress Cycle: The Anxiety Management Tool You Didn't Learn in Grad School!: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/training Grab your Anxiety Poster FREEBIE: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/anxiety-poster Anxiety & Worry Individual Counseling Curriculum | Coping Skills and Strategies: https://shop.brightfutures-counseling.com/products/anxiety-and-worry-activities-games-and-lesson-plan-for-individual-counseling Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

Students of all ages can suffer from anxiety or feel anxious about certain situations. Teaching them effective coping strategies for managing their anxiety is so empowering for them and can help them feel more calm in stressful situations. I always love to hear tips and strategies from other school counselors and I am so excited to have Mallory Zolinas join me to share some coping strategies for anxiety that she teaches her students. Mallory is a 5th year Elementary School Counselor working with students in grades Pre-k through 4. She has been an IMPACT member for almost 2 years and loves having ready to use school counseling resources available any time I need them for individual sessions, group sessions, or class lessons. In this episode, Mallory is sharing what she finds frustrating and what she loves about her job, what a day in her role looks like, and her favorite coping strategies for anxiety. Mallory has some incredible, easy to implement strategies she has found success with for her Pre-K through 4th grade students and I know you will walk away with new ideas to help make an even bigger impact on your students! * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/anxiety-strategies-2 * Resources Mentioned: Sign up for the next Coffee with the Counselor: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee Grab the Brain Dump FREEBIE: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Brain-Dump-Worksheets-5340086 Check out the Breathing Stick Activity: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Mindfulness-Freebie-Mindful-Breathing-3840837 Mini Paper Shredder: https://a.co/d/6gvgzvl Worry Shredder Label: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Worry-Shredder-Mini-Paper-Shredder-Labels-9835703 Mindfulness Moments for Kids: Hot Cocoa Calm Book: https://a.co/d/aSQeacz Follow Mallory on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schoolcounselormsz Get the Hot Cocoa Breathing Handout: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Hot-Chocolate-Deep-Breathing-Prompt-anxiety-and-calm-down-tool-5079451 Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

We are wrapping up our series on school counselor competencies with my favorite topics: assessing and data! Showcasing assessments and data is such an incredible way to advocate for your role and show your program's progress to stakeholders. In addition to it being an amazing way to advocate for your role, assessing and reporting program results is an ASCA school counselor competency! Sharing your program's progress and impact doesn't need to be incredibly complicated and now is a great time to start thinking about how you want to share your data with stakeholders. Two of my favorite ways to showcase the benefits of school counseling is by creating an end of the year report and displaying a data wall. Both are amazing ways to share important data with parents, teachers, admin, and others! In this episode, I am sharing how I like to use both these options as ways to present the impact school counselors make. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/assessing-counseling-lessons * Resources Mentioned: Save your spot for February's Coffee with the Counselor Training: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee ASCA Professional Competencies: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/a8d59c2c-51de-4ec3-a565-a3235f3b93c3/SC-Competencies.pdf How to Create a School Counseling End of the Year Report: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/blog/how-to-create-a-school-counseling-end-of-the-year-report Get the School Counseling EDITABLE End of the Year Report: https://shop.brightfutures-counseling.com/products/school-counseling-editable-end-of-the-year-report Check out the School Counseling Data Wall: https://shop.brightfutures-counseling.com/products/school-counseling-data-wall-counseling-bulletin-board Episode 184: Planning Counseling Lessons...Simplified!: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/planning-counseling-lessons Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

Have you looked at the ASCA school counselor competencies and been totally overwhelmed? This whole month, I am focusing on simplifying these standards and making them easy to understand and easy to implement. We've previously covered direct and indirect student services and now it's time for one of my absolute favorite topics, planning. If you're a planner like me, you are going to love this, too! Planning doesn't need to be complicated! There is a lot of jargon in the ASCA school counselor competencies but planning really comes down to three simple steps. In this episode, I am breaking down the three steps of planning: identifying the gap, developing goals, and implementing action steps. I am also giving practical examples of what this may look like so you can better understand each step and implement them without confusion! * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/planning-counseling-lessons * Resources Mentioned: Save your spot for February's Coffee with the Counselor Training: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee ASCA Professional Competencies: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/a8d59c2c-51de-4ec3-a565-a3235f3b93c3/SC-Competencies.pdf ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/7428a787-a452-4abb-afec-d78ec77870cd/Mindsets-Behaviors.pdf Episode 183: Direct Student Services 101: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/direct-student-services Episode 182: Indirect Student Services 101: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/indirect-student-services Episode 161: How to Plan Data Driven Small Groups: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/data-driven-small-groups Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

Direct student services may not sound super interesting but this is the good stuff! It's the things we all enjoy doing and the reasons we became school counselors. Direct student services are when we are working with students in one on one settings, small groups, and class lessons. We all know that providing these services are the key parts of our role but how can we be sure we are delivering the best services possible to your students? The ASCA professional competencies can be a bit challenging to read, understand, and implement, and as busy school counselors, it can be hard to find time to sort through them and figure out how they would look in an actual school counseling setting. That is why I dove into them, split them down into direct and indirect services, and broke down each behavior listed so you can get the info you need without the added stress. So in this episode, I am sharing the importance of each behavior and giving you some ideas and tangible things you can do to make sure that you're providing the best services possible. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/direct-student-services * Resources Mentioned: Save your spot for February's Coffee with the Counselor Training: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee ASCA Professional Competencies: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/a8d59c2c-51de-4ec3-a565-a3235f3b93c3/SC-Competencies.pdf Grab the Social Emotional Learning Boom Cards Super Bundle: https://shop.brightfutures-counseling.com/products/social-emotional-learning-boom-cards-super-bundle Episode 182: Indirect Student Services 101: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/indirect-student-services Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

What are indirect student services? We all know there is so much that goes into school counseling besides just the class lessons, small groups, and individual sessions. There is so much that goes on behind the scenes. These indirect student services are so important to making the biggest impact possible on all of our students. If you're looking through the ASCA website, it may seem wordy, formal, and confusing making it challenging to determine what you should consider direct or indirect student services. So I went through and broke down the standards and competencies into easier to understand language, giving you the info you need without all the confusion! In this episode, I am sharing the ASCA standards and competencies that are considered indirect student services and explaining what each one means so you can better understand how to log the time you are spending doing these tasks. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/indirect-student-services * Resources Mentioned: Save your spot for January's Coffee with the Counselor Training: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee ASCA Student Standards: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/7428a787-a452-4abb-afec-d78ec77870cd/Mindsets-Behaviors.pdf ASCA Professional Competencies: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/a8d59c2c-51de-4ec3-a565-a3235f3b93c3/SC-Competencies.pdf Episode 161: How to Plan Data Driven Small Groups: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/data-driven-small-groups Episode 142: Data Deep Dive: Measuring Services Provided: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/measuring-services-provided?rq=data Episode 47: How You Can Use Your Small Group Data to Form Your Groups and Determine Their Effectiveness: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/episode47?rq=data Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

If you're like me, you're always looking for new ways to increase your productivity. As busy school counselors, we need to save every minute we can by finding more efficient ways to do things that work for our personalities and busy schedules. As we wrap up our productivity series, I want to share some of my favorite ways to more efficiently document services provided and ideas for how to make your to do list a little more effective. You know I love sharing tips, tricks, and tools I have found that make your job as a school counselor a little easier. So in today's episode, I am sharing 3 efficient options for documenting services provided so you can find the best fit for you. Plus, I am sharing my favorite tools for digitizing my to do list to make it a little more manageable! * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/document-services * Resources Mentioned: Save your spot for January's Coffee with the Counselor Training: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee Check out my Counseling Log Template: https://shop.brightfutures-counseling.com/products/school-counseling-data-collection-spreadsheets-caseload-and-counseling-log 4 Systems for Implementing an Intentional Counseling Program: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/blog/4-systems-for-implementing-an-intentional-counseling-program?rq=log%20 School Counselor Questions: How Do I Collect Data During the School Year: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/blog/school-counselor-questions-how-do-i-collect-data-during-the-school-year?rq=counseling%20log 5 Strategies for Stress Free Data Collection: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/blog/5-strategies-for-stress-free-data-collection?rq=counseling%20log Trello: https://trello.com/ To Do List: https://todoist.com/ Due App: https://www.dueapp.com/ Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

We are all about productivity this month because I love helping school counselors make the most of their time to make the biggest impact they can! We talked last week about using a time audit to figure out where you are spending your time and how to cut out things that you don't need to be doing, but how else can you make the most of your time? Batching! We have so many things to accomplish each day and it's amazing how much time we spend switching between these tasks. That's why I highly recommend batching where you can! In this episode, I am sharing how I love to batch my communication so that emails, phone calls, and meetings aren't taking up all your free time. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/productivity-with-batching * Resources Mentioned: Save your spot for January's Coffee with the Counselor Training: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

It's January, the start of a new year and what better way to kick off your year than with a time audit! You know I love time audits because they are so incredibly helpful for making the most of your time and helping you make the biggest impact you can. I know, you might be thinking that adding another thing to your to-do list just isn't possible. But believe me, you can regain so much time just by doing a quick time audit of what you're doing each day! As school counselors, we have so much on our plate so finding ways to maximize our time and eliminate things where we can is key to fitting it all in. I have found the best way to truly see where my time goes is by completing a time audit and today, I am breaking down how you can easily do a time audit of your school day to ensure you are making the most of your time! * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/how-to-perform-a-time-audit * Resources Mentioned: Save your spot for January's Coffee with the Counselor Training: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee Toggl: https://toggl.com/ Rescue Time: https://www.rescuetime.com/ Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

I absolutely love hearing from other school counselors and getting an inside look at what their role looks like. Every counselor's position is unique based on so many different factors - their background, their caseload size, if there are other counselors on their team, etc. That's why I am so excited to chat with our guest today! Sheyenne Hernandez has a social work background, has a caseload of about 400 students, and has some great ideas for how to build relationships with her students! All American small town farm princess. Sheyenne is a momma, wife, auntie, social worker and school counselor. She has dreamt of becoming an "art therapist" who worked with kids since she was ten. Fast forward to today, at 36, she has completed her masters in Social Work in 2022 and landed her current dream job of working in the same elementary as her kiddos. She loves the students at her school! The elementary kids are her favorite! She has enjoyed learning how to be a good school counselor and has been so grateful for all of the help from IMPACT. She dreams to continue her counseling career in play therapy/ecotherapy and working with youth and families in need. In this episode, Sheyenne is sharing how she builds rapport with her students, tips for connecting parents with community resources, why each day for her looks different, and what advice she would give to new school counselors. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/school-counselor-sheyenne-hernandez * Resources Mentioned: Stree Free School Counseling Bootcamp: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/bootcamp Email Sheyenne: [email protected] Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

Happy New Year! We made it to 2024 and I am so excited to kick off a new year with you and see what 2024 holds for us! I always love to kick off the year with some new goals, selecting a word of the year, and a fresh start and I thought it would be perfect to share that with you! I think we all like to go into a new year with a fresh perspective and ideas of things we'd like to accomplish, I know I do at least! So to kick off the year, I thought it would be fun to share some goals I have for you in your counseling programs and what my word of the year is with you. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/new-counseling-goals * Resources Mentioned: How I Became a School Counselor in Costa Rica: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/blog/costa-rica-counselor Laura Tremaine's Top 10 Things to Tell Your Podcast: https://www.10thingstotellyou.com/podcast The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine: https://amzn.to/40FbWLq The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle: https://amzn.to/46d8hG5 Episode 95: How to Incorporate Journaling Into Your School Counseling Sessions with Literacy Specialist Megan Polk: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/journaling-into-counseling-sessions Grab the School Counseling Self-Assessments Super Bundle with Digital Data Tracking Forms: https://shop.brightfutures-counseling.com/products/school-counseling-self-assessments-super-bundle-with-digital-data-tracking-forms?_pos=3&_fid=1009c56fc&_ss=c Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

I hope you are enjoying your much needed and well deserved break! We are wrapping up 2023 with a look back at some of the best episodes from School Counseling Simplified this year to help you easily find what you may want to go back and listen to. This year has been so fun and I am so grateful for each and every one of you for tuning in and sharing the podcast! As I looked back on what we covered this year, there were four main topics we spent several episodes covering and I thought those would be great ones to revisit. I'm sharing which episodes to check out if you are looking for a refresh on data tracking, scheduling hacks, class lessons, or supporting teachers. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/best-of-school-counseling-simplified * Resources Mentioned: For all episodes mentioned on supporting teachers, data tracking, scheduling hacks, and a day in my life as a school counselor and IMPACT membership, visit the show notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/best-of-school-counseling-simplified Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

Are you currently using a calendar to keep track of what students you are seeing, what you are seeing them for, and what tasks you are spending your time on? Let me tell you, if you are not, hearing from our guest, Lauren Tingle, is going to make you realize how helpful collecting data using a calendar truly is! Lauren is a former high school counselor turned content creator and curriculum writer. She is the high school counseling hype girl behind Counselor Clique helping other high school counselors energize and breathe life into their programs through creative and engaging counseling resources. She's also the host of the podcast "High School Counseling Conversations" and also runs a membership for high school counselors called the Clique Collaborative where she brings value and fun into high school counseling. In this episode, Lauren is walking through how she shifted her team's services from responsive to proactive by looking at data they collected from their calendars. She shares how they utilized a simple check in system, what to do when you feel like you're losing control of your calendar, and how you can use data to advocate for your role to your administrators. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/collecting-calendar-data * Resources Mentioned: Episode 86, Mock Interview Questions with Lauren Tingle from Counselor Clique: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/mock-interview-questions High School Counseling Conversations Episode 71, An Administrator's Perception of School Counselors and the Role They Play: https://counselorclique.com/mr-eric-williams/ High School Counseling Conversations Episode 44, Owning Your Time Management By Using Your Calendar: https://counselorclique.com/time-management/ Taking Back Your Calendar: 3 Helpful Tips to Prioritize Your Job and Advocate for Your Role: https://counselorclique.com/3-tips-for-taking-back-your-calendar/ Sign Up for Calendly: https://calendly.com/ Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

Have you seen some of your kiddos really struggling with stress, worry, or other challenging emotions? Teaching these students some helpful coping skills they can do at school when these emotions come up can be a game changer for them! But how can we as school counselors help them and what types of strategies can we teach them to help them manage their emotions both at school and at home? Janine Halloran is joining us today to share some great tips for helping our students with coping skills! Janine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who has been working with children, teens, and their families for over 20 years. She has been helping children and teens build their coping skills throughout her career in a variety of settings, including schools, mental health clinics and in her private practice. She founded Coping Skills for Kids to help children and teens learn healthy and safe ways to manage big feelings. She has written several books, including the bestselling Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, the Coping Skills for Teens Workbook and the Social Skills for Kids Workbook. She is also the host of the Calm & Connected Podcast and the founder of the Coping Skills Community Hub. Her work has been featured in the Boston Globe, CNN, Huffington Post, and The Skimm® Newsletter. Janine lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two children. In this episode, Janine is sharing her favorite school based coping strategies, how she likes to teach social skills, and ways for school counselors to help students use coping skills at home. Janine has so much incredible information to share and I know you will walk away from this episode with new ideas and strategies to help your kiddos with coping strategies! * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/learn-coping-skills * Resources Mentioned: Check out the Coping Skills for Kids Resource Library: http://copingskillsforkids.com/hub Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

Happy December! Holiday season is in full swing which means it's a great time to pull some holiday and winter themed activities into your counseling sessions. This is a great opportunity to mix things up a bit, keep students excited to see you, and practice some important skills your students need! One winter activity idea I absolutely love is a seasonal countdown calendar. With winter break quickly approaching, this is a fun way to keep the students engaged during the last few weeks. If you're not sure where to start with creating a countdown calendar, don't worry! In this episode, I am sharing a few different ways you can use a countdown calendar for school counseling, ideas for activities to include on the calendar, and how to adjust the activities to fit your students' needs. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/seasonal-countdown-calendar * Resources Mentioned: Check out the Countdown to Winter Break Activity Pack: https://shop.brightfutures-counseling.com/products/countdown-to-winter-break-winter-themed-counseling-and-sel-activity-pack Read the Countdown to Winter Break with School Counseling Activities Blog Post: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/blog/countdown-to-winter-break-with-school-counseling-activities Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

As a school counselor, you've likely worked with a student who needed a little sensory support. But how can we help to support these students with sensory issues? Today I am joined by therapist and brain science expert Jessica Sinarski, who is giving us some wonderful insight into the eight senses and helping our students who benefit from various types of sensory input. Jessica Sinarski is a highly sought-after therapist, speaker, and change-maker. Extensive post-graduate training and 15+ years as a clinician and educator led her to create the resource and training platform–BraveBrains. She makes trauma-sensitive brain science practical, helping parents and professionals unlock resilience in themselves and their students. She is also the author of the award-winning Riley the Brave series, Light Up the Learning Brain, Hello Anger, and more. Jessica is a wealth of knowledge about supporting our students' sensory needs! In this episode, she is sharing what the eight senses are, signs that a student may need sensory support, and how to add sensory input into the school day. This episode is packed with incredibly helpful information and tips that I know you'll be able to use with your students who need a little extra support. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/supporting-student-sensory-needs * Resources Mentioned: Episode 107, How School Counselor Can Help Kids Feel and Deal with Anger with Jessica Sinarski: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/help-kids-with-anger Check out Jessica's website for parents and helping professionals: http://www.JessicaSinarski.com Visit the Brave Brains website for counselor toolkits and instructions for purchase orders: https://jessicasinarski.com/edu Read the "Understanding the Brain-->Senses-->Behavior Connection" blog: https://bravebrains.com/blog/senses-schools/ Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

You know I am all about showcasing your work and impact as a school counselor! And midyear is the perfect time to do just that. One way I love to show the impact that school counselors make is by including student progress data on a data wall that shows how much students have improved because of counseling services. Now, this may sound a little intimidating especially as you're thinking of everything that you need to do midyear, but it can be completely manageable and totally worthwhile! In this episode, I am sharing my two favorite ways to collect student progress data, how to showcase this data on your data wall, and how this data can help you advocate for your role as a school counselor. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/student-progress-using-data-wall * Resources Mentioned: Grab the School Counseling Data Wall Template: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/School-Counseling-Data-Wall-Counseling-Bulletin-Board-8000554 Check out the Editable School Counseling End of the Year Report: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/School-Counseling-EDITABLE-End-of-the-Year-Report-3144878 Episode 169, How to Showcase Your Counseling Services Using a Data Wall: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/services-using-a-data-wall Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

You know I love having other school counselors join me to share their experiences and insight with you! And I thought it would be fun to share my experiences as a school counselor so you can hear a little more about my background and how I got started. Today, I am giving you a glimpse into my path to becoming a school counselor and what my role looked like in my schools. No two school counselors have the exact same background, experience, or journey school counseling. From not finding a job after graduation to being the school counselor at an international school in Costa Rica and starting Bright Futures Counseling, I have had a unique and amazing journey to where I am now! In this episode, I am sharing my background and roles I had before becoming a school counselor, what I love about being a school counselor, what my days looked like at my previous school, and my best advice for new school counselors. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/my-life-as-a-school-counselor * Resources Mentioned: Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

Can you believe we are getting close to the end of the semester already? As we approach the midpoint of the school year, this is the perfect time to showcase your amazing work! I absolutely love creating a data wall to show parents, admin, and other stakeholders just how much of an impact school counselors have on the students. Putting a school counseling data wall up in a high traffic area is a great way to ensure that as many eyes as possible see the impact of your work. One of the things I love to put on the data wall is services provided data. In this episode, I'm diving into what services provided data is, how you can easily gather this data, and why a midyear data checkpoint is beneficial. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/services-using-a-data-wall * Resources Mentioned: Grab the School Counseling Data Wall Template: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/School-Counseling-Data-Wall-Counseling-Bulletin-Board-8000554 Check out the Editable School Counseling End of the Year Report: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/School-Counseling-EDITABLE-End-of-the-Year-Report-3144878 Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

When it comes to supporting our kiddos with special needs, there are some things to consider that you may not have thought about. We know these students may need extra support and working collaboratively with the special education teachers can help us understand how to provide this support and ways we can help our students get the most out of our lessons. I am so excited to have Michelle Vazquez joining me to share some insight into how we can work with our special education teachers to best serve our students. Michelle is a resource specialist & special education teacher that has been working in public schools for almost 14 years in Southern California. She is the host of a top 1.5% ranked podcast called 'Stepping Into Special Education'. Michelle's mission is to help special education teachers with strategies & support. In her free time she loves going to Disneyland with her husband & two young boys. Michelle is sharing some amazing knowledge, insight, and tips on ways we can support our special education students and teachers. In this episode, we are discussing how school counselors can support special education students in whole class, small group, and individual sessions, a simple tool that can help you prepare to best serve your students, and how she likes to communicate with school counselors. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/support-special-education-students * Resources Mentioned: Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Sign up for the FREE Not So Scary Social Skills training: http://stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/scary Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

At this point in the school year, you are likely seeing lots of referrals coming in for social skills. But, teaching social skills can be beneficial for all students, not just the ones being referred to you. I actually LOVE teaching social skills preventatively as a class lesson and then as needed in small group and individual lessons. Now, you may be a little nervous about coming up with ideas for teaching social skills. That's okay! I have a whole training for you focused completely on teaching social skills across all 3 tiers so you can teach the skills your students need without the stress of doing it on your own! In this episode, I am sharing a glimpse inside one of the videos from the training where I am covering how to use board games and sorting games to teach social skills in your individual sessions in a fun and meaningful way! * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/social-skills * Resources Mentioned: Sign up for the FREE Not So Scary Social Skills training: http://stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/scary Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

Teaching small groups doesn't have to be scary! When you have a consistent routine and amazing activities planned, small groups can be super fun to teach. But don't worry, you don't need to figure it all out on your own. In today's episode, I am explaining how you can spice up your group counseling sessions so you can engage your students and make your small group lessons effective and fun! Small groups can be so much fun for you and the students if you do them correctly. The good news is there is a simple group session outline you can follow to make each session impactful and engaging! I know how challenging it can be to come up with ideas for lessons so I am sharing my favorite ways to teach group lessons, ideas for each part of the session, and tips to make your groups engaging and fun for both you and the students! * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/small-group-lessons * Resources Mentioned: Sign up for the FREE Not So Scary Social Skills training: http://stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/scary Grab the Feelings Check Freebie: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Feelings-Check-2827761 Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Grab your FREE Vision Guide: https://www.teachingmindbodyandsoul.com/vision Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

October is Bully Prevention Month and unfortunately we all know that bullying is everywhere. Regardless of the socio economic status of the school, population, or even the country of the school, there is likely bullying happening. The good news is that we, as school counselors, can address this issue with our students and help to bring awareness to the harm of bullying and hopefully prevent it from happening. Now, you don't always need to teach the same general bullying prevention lesson to every class or every group. There are topics you can narrow in on to make a bigger impact on your students byu addressing the issues they are actually dealing with. In this episode, I am breaking down ways you can teach about cyberbullying, lesson ideas to address relational aggression bullying, and activity ideas for how to put a fun Halloween twist on your school wide bullying prevention lessons. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/bullying-prevention-ideas * Resources Mentioned: Sign up for the FREE Not So Scary Social Skills training: http://stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/scary Common Sense Media: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ ASCA Awareness Calendar: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/dd5fdee1-e207-4178-ab42-0c8cfaae9f31/awareness-calendar.pdf?sso= Stop Bullying Website: https://www.stopbullying.gov/ Relational Aggression Activity Pack: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Relational-Aggression-and-Bullying-Counseling-Activities-Girls-Guide-to-Bullying-2921915 Relational Aggression Small Group Activity: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Relational-Aggression-Small-Group-ASCA-CASEL-Aligned-fallcounselingfaves-9052192 Bullying Prevention School Wide Activities: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Bullying-Prevention-School-Wide-Activities-fallcounselingfaves-3411872 Bullying Prevention Halloween Board Game: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Bullying-Prevention-Halloween-Board-Game-School-Counseling-Fall-Game-3411845 National Bullying Prevention Center: https://www.pacer.org/bullying/ Bullying Prevention Charades Game: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Bullying-Prevention-Game-Salad-Bowl-Charades-School-Counseling-Game-4410301 Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Grab your FREE Vision Guide: https://www.teachingmindbodyandsoul.com/vision School Counseling Referral Form: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/School-Counseling-Referral-Form-2759148 School Counseling Data Collection Spreadsheets: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/School-Counseling-Data-Collection-Spreadsheets-Caseload-and-Counseling-Log-7485732 School Counseling Self-Assessments Super Bundle with Digital Data Tracking Forms: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/School-Counseling-Self-Assessments-Super-Bundle-with-Digital-Data-Tracking-Forms-7615254 Data Collection Behavior Surveys: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Data-Collection-Behavior-Surveys-School-Counseling-Data-Tracking-Forms-5221301 Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

It's spooky season which means it's the perfect time to bring some Halloween and fall fun into your counseling lessons! Our kiddos absolutely love when we bring in props and tie the seasons into our lessons. Plus, it makes our lessons more memorable and engaging. And the best part is it doesn't need to be complicated or take lots of time to prepare! There are super simple and fun ways you can incorporate fall fun into your counseling lessons. Whether you are looking to mix up your class, small group, or even one-on-one lessons, I have some engaging, low prep ways to bring a little fall flair into your counseling lessons. In this episode, I am sharing my favorite ways of incorporating spooky season into my lessons with minimal props and very little prep! * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/fall-fun-in-school-counseling * Resources Mentioned: Sign up for the FREE Not So Scary Social Skills training: http://stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/scary 5 Ways to Use Halloween Candy Buckets in School Counseling: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/blog/2018/10/3/5-ways-to-use-halloween-candy-buckets-in-school-counseling Grab the Self-Regulation and Size of the Problem Fall Games, Activities, and Worksheets: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Self-Regulation-and-Size-of-the-Problem-Fall-Games-Activities-and-Worksheets-4085458 Episode 63, Create Counseling Games with Halloween Candy Buckets: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/halloween-candy-buckets Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Grab your FREE Vision Guide: https://www.teachingmindbodyandsoul.com/vision School Counseling Referral Form: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/School-Counseling-Referral-Form-2759148 School Counseling Data Collection Spreadsheets: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/School-Counseling-Data-Collection-Spreadsheets-Caseload-and-Counseling-Log-7485732 School Counseling Self-Assessments Super Bundle with Digital Data Tracking Forms: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/School-Counseling-Self-Assessments-Super-Bundle-with-Digital-Data-Tracking-Forms-7615254 Data Collection Behavior Surveys: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Data-Collection-Behavior-Surveys-School-Counseling-Data-Tracking-Forms-5221301 Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

We've all heard about how important it is for educators to practice self-care, especially in the past few years. But oftentimes when we hear "self-care" we think of it as indulgent or selfish. What we as school counselors really need is true, radical self-care that will help us prevent burnout. Brittany Blackwell is joining me today to share some incredible insight on the importance of practicing radical self-care. Brittany Blackwell, M.Ed. is an award-winning special educator, podcast host of "The Resilient Teacher Podcast", and teacher resilience strategist from South Carolina with over ten years of experience working with elementary and middle school classrooms. Brittany is no stranger to teacher burnout and has a passion for empowering teachers and educational leaders to prioritize their mental health and develop individualized sustainable resilience & recovery plans to reduce stress, prevent burnout, and create the life you've been dreaming about! Brittany's digital approach to self-care and resilience through digital planning, vision planning, and sustainable strategies has reached the homes of thousands of educators across the world. Also known as "MsPrincessTeach" on Tiktok, Brittany's social media following grew through her fast-paced, lighthearted tutorials and humorous real life experiences. Brittany helps teachers create their own Individualized Resilience Plan by providing sustainable strategies, personalized coaching, mindset shifting, and digital resources to reduce stress, automate the mundane tasks of teaching, and prevent overall teacher burnout. Her approach gives support so that educators can maximize fulfillment and effectiveness in their personal and professional lives. If you've experienced burnout or overwhelmed, you are absolutely not alone but there are things you can do to help take care of your wellbeing and mental health. In this episode, Brittany is sharing what the stress cycle is and how to complete it, why we should automate our systems, and the importance of setting boundaries in both your personal and work life. You'll walk away from this episode feeling validated and encouraged plus have some great tips to help you practice radical self-care! * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/radical-self-care * Resources Mentioned: Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Grab your FREE Vision Guide: https://www.teachingmindbodyandsoul.com/vision Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

Is it really possible to meet with EVERY student in your school? We know it's important to check in with students to see how they are doing but how could you possibly sit down and talk with every single student? Our guest today, Dr. Heidi MacDonald is a school psychologist who uses "minute meetings" to talk to every student in her school and is sharing how you can implement this in your school as well! Dr. Heidi MacDonald is in her 25th year of being a school psychologist. She resides in Connecticut but was born and raised in Pennsylvania. She is a proud graduate of Penn State University's School Psychology Program. She is married to a school psychologist and they have one daughter, who is a Junior at Penn State. Heidi loves her job! She enjoys supervising interns from and teaching in the School Psychology Program at the University of Hartford. In her spare time, Heidi loves working out, thrift shopping, crafting, and batching everything that she can in order to make life more efficient. She and her family have 4 cats and 1 guinea pig, Marcel, who goes to school with her. We want to make sure that no student falls through cracks and that every student is getting the services they need. Getting the student's perspective and input on how things are going not only gives us valuable data but also gives us insight into how we can best support our students. In this episode, Heidi is sharing about her role as a school psychologist, how she implements minute meetings, and what the benefits of implementing these meetings are. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/minute-meetings * Resources Mentioned: Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Check out Heidi's Website: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Sr8SQs4KrLD-Lw1R7_kqImCGEhr_zpF-mEfChr6uHhQ/edit#slide=id.g8a30f011fe_0_0 Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

You know I absolutely LOVE using data as a school counselor! But why is having a data driven school counseling program so important? Well, first it allows us to see if what we are doing is actually working and helps us tweak things when needed. Second, it's an amazing way to advocate for our role as school counselors. And I know it's early in the school year and you might be wondering why I'm talking about data already but it's so important to start using and tracking data right from the start! Plus, there are great ways to use data from the previous year to help your students as soon as possible. So, this week, I want to focus on how to plan data driven small groups to make the biggest impact on your kiddos! In this episode, I am sharing the 3 types of data we should use in our programs and how we can use data to determine who is in our groups, document the interventions, and measure progress. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/data-driven-small-groups * Resources Mentioned: Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact School Counseling Referral Form: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/School-Counseling-Referral-Form-2759148 School Counseling Data Collection Spreadsheets: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/School-Counseling-Data-Collection-Spreadsheets-Caseload-and-Counseling-Log-7485732 School Counseling Self-Assessments Super Bundle with Digital Data Tracking Forms: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/School-Counseling-Self-Assessments-Super-Bundle-with-Digital-Data-Tracking-Forms-7615254 Data Collection Behavior Surveys: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Data-Collection-Behavior-Surveys-School-Counseling-Data-Tracking-Forms-5221301 Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

Do you feel overwhelmed when it comes to teaching class lessons? You are not alone! One of the things I hear most often is that school counselors want to feel more prepared and competent when it comes to teaching class lessons. I want to help you to love teaching class lessons so I am sharing how I became obsessed with teaching class lessons! You may not have any classroom teaching experience before teaching class counseling lessons and that is totally okay! There are some things you can do to make your class lessons amazing, effective, and stress-free! In this episode, I am diving into some of the most common concerns I hear from counselors about class lessons. I am sharing my favorite ways to feel more prepared going into class lessons, how to stop last minute planning, why data is key to recognizing the impact you are making, and how to get teachers on board. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/shift-your-mindset-with-class-lessons * Resources Mentioned: Sign up for the FREE Masterclass: 3 Mistakes Counselors Make in the Classroom and What to do Instead: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/mistakes Episode 100: How to Teach When You're Not a Teacher!: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/teach-when-not-a-teacher Episode 98: How to Teach Counseling Lessons When You Have a Huge Caseload: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/lessons-with-huge-caseload Grab Your FREE Class Lesson Cheat Sheet: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/class-lesson-cheat-sheet Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

I made a lot of mistakes when I first began as a school counselor. But, everyone makes mistakes and mistakes are amazing learning opportunities. Obviously, if mistakes can be avoided, we'd all prefer to avoid them, right? So to help you avoid the same mistakes I made, I am sharing four mistakes I made when teaching classroom lessons and what I learned from them. It's easy to share all the amazing things we do as school counselors but getting vulnerable and sharing our mistakes can be a bit more challenging but, I know how important it is to share what I've learned to help make your job as a school counselor stress-free! In this episode, I am sharing what happened when I stretched myself too thin, what I've learned about classroom management, and how I stopped scrambling to plan lessons. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/mistakes-with-class-lessons * Resources Mentioned: Sign up for the FREE Masterclass: 3 Mistakes Counselors Make in the Classroom and What to do Instead: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/mistakes Episode 100: How to Teach When You're Not a Teacher!: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/teach-when-not-a-teacher Episode 98: How to Teach Counseling Lessons When You Have a Huge Caseload: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/lessons-with-huge-caseload Grab Your FREE Class Lesson Cheat Sheet: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/class-lesson-cheat-sheet Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

How can you easily gather data during class lessons? We know how important it is to collect data during our small group and individual sessions, but it is also important that we gather data from our class lessons as well. The good news is, collecting data from a whole class doesn't need to be time consuming or complicated! An easy way to collect data from your class lessons is by using a ticket out the door. Whether you are teaching young students or older students, a ticket out the door helps you gather data to determine if you need to modify your lesson or provide additional resources on the subject you covered. In this episode, I am sharing the pros and cons of using a ticket out the door, examples of this type of data collection, and how you can use the data you collect. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/ticket-out-the-door * Resources Mentioned: Sign up for the FREE Masterclass: 3 Mistakes Counselors Make in the Classroom and What to do Instead: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/mistakes Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

Teaching class lessons can be nerve wracking and stressful if you aren't confident in your ability to teach a whole class. But, just because you may not have been a teacher before, doesn't mean that you need to dread teaching classroom lessons! I am sharing my favorite tips for feeling more confident when teaching class lessons. When you have a better understanding of how to teach classroom lessons, you become more confident in teaching them. I know I struggled with feeling confident at first and I want to help you thrive in your classroom lessons! I am explaining how to establish classroom management strategies, have developmentally appropriate lessons, and know you have great content so you can feel more confident teaching classroom lessons. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/confident-teaching-classroom-lessons * Resources Mentioned: Grab your Class Lesson Cheat Sheet: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/class-lesson-cheat-sheet Episode 94: Classroom Management Mistakes You May Not Know You're Making with Kindergarten Teacher Kristina Harrill: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/classroom-management-mistakes Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

Have you struggled to keep students engaged during class lessons? Over the years, I have tried out many games, activities, and strategies to keep students engaged. Through this, I have found a framework for creating class lessons that are engaging and are also rich in content! Creating engaging class lessons for your students doesn't need to be difficult. The Lesson Builder Framework is a five step framework that takes the guesswork out of how to create a class lesson that keeps your students engaged and learning during your counseling lessons. In this episode, I am breaking down these five steps and giving you practical examples of how to use these steps in your lessons. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/lesson-builder-framework * Resources Mentioned: Grab your Class Lesson Cheat Sheet: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/class-lesson-cheat-sheet Check out the Discussion Dice Cubes on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3OqJGaW Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

How can we possibly meet with every class every month? I get asked this question all the time! Thinking of all the class lessons you need to teach on top of the individual and group lessons can be a bit overwhelming. I totally get it! That is why I am sharing my favorite scheduling tips to help you manage all your lessons this upcoming year. When it comes to scheduling all your class lessons, individual sessions, and groups, it is so important to do it in an organized way. The good news is that there are simple solutions and strategies you can use to keep your busy schedule organized. In this episode, I am sharing four of my favorite tips and tools for making your scheduling more efficient and effective! * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/teaching-counseling-lessons * Resources Mentioned: Grab your Class Lesson Cheat Sheet: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/class-lesson-cheat-sheet Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

I think most of us want to get better at being culturally competent and ensuring that our students feel included, welcome, and safe in our classroom and schools. But it can definitely be a struggle if we aren't sure how to make this happen. The truth is that we don't know what we don't know and when we do know, we do better. I am so excited to have inclusion expert Jocelynn Hubbard joining me today to share how we can get started creating a more inclusive school for our students. Jocelynn Hubbard helps teachers spark joy during the learning experience by creating an inclusive and welcoming classroom environment for ALL their students. She is the founder and managing director of Custom Teaching Solutions, LLC and host of The Culture-Centered Classroom podcast. She has 16+ years of experience in education as an educator, speaker, professional development creator and facilitator. Driven by a passion to see the diverse people of our world feel welcomed, affirmed, and celebrated, she provides training on becoming and remaining culturally competent. As a wife and mother of five, her goals include squeezing in time for exercise, finding moments of joy each day, and parenting each of her children as unique individuals. Jocelynn received a B.S. in Education from Miami University (OH) and an MA in Education from The University of North Carolina – Pembroke. She also has a graduate certificate in Gifted & Talented instruction from The University of North Carolina – Charlotte. You are going to learn so many amazing and practical tips from Jocelynn to help make your space and school more welcoming and inclusive for all students! In today's episode, Jocelynn is sharing what cultural competency actually is, strategies for ensuring your content and lessons are culturally inclusive, what small things counselors can do to make a bigger impact at their school, and the importance of connecting with the community and caregivers. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/school-counselors-can-affirm-culture * Resources Mentioned: Join IMPACT in July and get the Stress Free Counseling Course FREE: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/july Grab your FREE Welcoming & Culturally Inclusive Checklist: https://customteachingsolutions.com/thechecklist 5 Strategies for Stress Free Counseling: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/blog/5-strategies-for-stress-free-scheduling Enroll in the Stress Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

One of my absolute favorite tools for scheduling is Google Calendar. There are so many things to keep track of as a busy school counselor and Google Calendar just makes it so easy to keep it simple and organized. Today, I am sharing some of my favorite tech hacks for maximizing your Google Calendar features to simplify your counseling calendar. There are so many great features and tools within Google Calendar and I am slightly obsessed with how beneficial they are! Whether you are trying to automate lesson reminders, keep your information organized to help with data, or schedule out recurring lessons with ease, I got you covered! I am sharing 4 of my best hacks for helping you get the most out of Google Calendars. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/google-calendar-scheduling-hacks * Resources Mentioned: Join IMPACT in July and get the Stress Free Counseling Course FREE: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/july 5 Strategies for Stress Free Counseling: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/blog/5-strategies-for-stress-free-scheduling Enroll in the Stress Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

I know I've said it before but I absolutely LOVE connecting and hearing from counselors with different backgrounds. I feel like they share such an inspiring and different view on school counseling that we can all learn from! Today I am joined by Leslie Jones whose journey to school counseling included being an adult outpatient therapist, youth pastor, and spanish teacher which has helped her develop incredible relationships with her pre-k through 8th grade students. This will be Leslie (Sanchez) Jones' third year as the School Counselor at Annunciation Catholic School. She is a graduate of University of Oregon where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Pepperdine University where she received her Master of Arts in Psychology. She developed a love for working with families and children when she worked for a women's homeless shelter in Los Angeles for many years. Once she moved to Mississippi, she worked for Community Counseling Services before ending up at our #unicornschool. We all know how busy school counselors are and it is no different for Leslie! She spends her days being both the school counselor and Spanish teacher at her school but has found a way to manage the workload and meet her students' needs. In this episode, she is sharing how her background has impacted her work as a school counselor, what her typical day looks like, what she loves about being a school counselor, and how she handles scheduling especially with her older students. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/school-counselor-leslie-jones * Resources Mentioned: Join MPACT in July and get the Stress Free School Counseling Course FREE: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/july Enroll in the Stress Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

As busy school counselors, our time is incredibly valuable! So how can we ensure that we are making the most of it? We've previously discussed the importance of completing a time audit but there is another way that I have found to be incredibly helpful in finding time to get everything in during contract horse. We set aside time on our calendars for so many things but there are some things you may not be scheduling in that can be super helpful. When we set aside time dedicated to specific tasks, it helps to keep us organized and from getting distracted when we should be doing something else. So today, I am sharing four things that you should be putting on your schedule, why it's important to schedule them, and how this would look when implemented. * Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/add-to-your-schedule * Resources Mentioned: Stress-Free School Counseling July Summer Special: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/july Get your ticket for the IMPACT Summer Summit: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/summit Episode 150: How to Use a Time Audit to Streamline Your Schedule: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/time-audit 5 Strategies for Stress-Free Scheduling: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/blog/5-strategies-for-stress-free-scheduling Join the IMPACT 2.0 membership for ongoing support and access to 300+ resources: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact Enroll in the Stress Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll * Connect with Rachel: Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095 If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971