In this replay of a High School Counseling Conversations listener-favorite episode, we’re diving into the world of artificial intelligence—specifically how it can support and streamline your school counseling work. With all the buzz around AI, it’s time to explore how this powerful tool can actually save you time and enhance your counseling program! I’m sharing over ten practical ways you can use AI as a school counselor, from writing letters of recommendation and tough emails to prepping for pr...
Jul 07, 2025•25 min•Season 1Ep. 174
Starting out as a high school counselor is both exciting and overwhelming—and there’s a lot you don’t learn until you’re in the role. In this episode, I’m reflecting on the top three things I wish I knew when I was just beginning my counseling career. From navigating tricky relationships with parents and colleagues to connecting with hard-to-reach students, these lessons are ones I wish I could go back and share with my younger self. Whether you’re brand new to high school counseling or still pr...
Jun 30, 2025•11 min•Season 1Ep. 173
Feeling burned out as the school year ends? You’re not alone. In this episode, we’re diving into the tough(but important) question many school counselors ask themselves: Is it time to move on? Summer break gives you the space to reflect, and this conversation offers support and clarity as you sort through the weight of burnout and consider what’s next. We’ll walk through practical questions to ask yourself, common scenarios that lead counselors to consider a change, and how to identify what you ...
Jun 23, 2025•35 min•Season 1Ep. 172
If you’ve ever been curious about the differences in school counseling roles based on the grade levels they support, then this episode is for you. I’m joined by Alabama school counselors, Laura Rankhorn and Kim Cumbley. Between the three of us, we have experience as elementary, middle, and high school counselors. Our conversation centers around the differences and similarities between these grade levels. You might be surprised to find that our skills are really interchangeable in any grade level...
Jun 16, 2025•40 min•Season 1Ep. 171
I love sharing ideas, tips, and advice about all things related to school counseling. But nothing excites me more than the energy, enthusiasm, and fresh perspective of new high school counselors! They’re full of ideas and ready to hit the ground running. So if you’re a new high school counselor wondering, “What do I need to know before the school year begins?”—this episode is for you. Starting out in this role can feel overwhelming, so in today’s episode, I’m sharing four must-listen podcast epi...
Jun 09, 2025•15 min•Season 1Ep. 170
As the school year wraps up and summer break draws near, it’s tempting to mentally check out and leave everything behind. But before you do, there are a few key steps you can take that will save you headaches next fall and make your summer more peaceful! In this episode, I guide you through three simple yet powerful end-of-year tasks to help you wrap things up thoughtfully and set yourself and your students up for success. You’ll learn how to capture important data and reflections while they’re ...
Jun 02, 2025•14 min•Season 1Ep. 169
You’ve been collecting data all year—student attendance, classroom lesson frequency, intervention effectiveness, and student stories… but now what? In this episode, I’m walking you through exactly what to do with all that school counseling data so it actually works for you . Because let’s be real, data is only powerful if you know how to use it to show your students’ progress and advocate for your role as a school counselor. You’ll hear how to make sense of the data you’ve collected all year wit...
May 26, 2025•15 min•Season 1Ep. 168
From awkward group projects to job interviews, communication is the life skill students will use daily, but rarely get taught. In the final episode of my “Life Skills Your Students Should Master” series, we’re diving into healthy communication life skills - the kind that makes a lasting impact on students’ personal and professional lives. If you missed last week’s episode on time management or the one before that on budgeting , be sure to check those out too! In this episode, I’ll share why comm...
May 19, 2025•9 min•Season 1Ep. 167
Time management is one of those essential life skills that often gets overlooked—and yet it can make a huge difference in a student’s success both now and in the future. In this episode, we’re continuing our life skills series (listen to part one HERE!) with a focus on helping high schoolers understand and practice effective time management before they graduate. You’ll hear how this skill connects to ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors and why it’s a game-changer for building independence. I’ll share ...
May 12, 2025•13 min•Season 1Ep. 166
Imagine if your students graduated not just with academic knowledge, but real-world skills they’ll use every day. Today we’re starting that conversation. I’m kicking off a three-part series that will cover essential life skills that students should master before they leave high school, no matter what their post-secondary plans are. First up: the basics of budgeting - a skill so many students are missing when they leave high school. I’m sharing why financial literacy matters now more than ever, h...
May 05, 2025•15 min•Season 1Ep. 165
When it comes to student mental health, the need is huge, but the budget? Not so much. If you’ve ever looked around your school and thought, “How am I supposed to support these students with so little to work with?”, this episode is for you. I’m sharing five practical, low-cost (or completely free) ways to address mental health needs on your campus. Whether you’re part of a fully staffed counseling department or flying solo, the truth is, you don’t have to do this alone. These strategies aren’t ...
Apr 28, 2025•16 min•Season 1Ep. 164
Substance use in schools isn’t just a “some kids” issue. It’s happening across all kinds of student groups and the trends are changing fast. In this episode, I’m joined by Kriya Lendzion, a therapist, addiction specialist, and powerhouse speaker who is helping us understand what teens are using and what we can actually do about it as school counselors. We talk about evolving substances like THC and nicotine, the mental health impacts of use, and realistic ways to support students - without needi...
Apr 21, 2025•50 min•Season 1Ep. 163
After graduation, students are eager to jump into the next chapter of their lives, but sometimes things fall through the cracks. Summer melt is real, and it can make the transition to the next chapter way harder than it needs to be. In this episode, I’m breaking down what summer melt is, why it happens, and, most importantly, what we can do to help students stay on track. It's all about finding solutions and making sure our students have the support they need when they need it the most! We’ll ta...
Apr 14, 2025•17 min•Season 1Ep. 162
What if students could earn college credits, explore the world, and gain invaluable life experience, all before starting their traditional college journey? In this episode, I sit down with Neal Crosson from Verto Education to talk about a unique yet powerful path: first-year study abroad programs. We dive into how these programs work, who they’re best suited for, and how counselors can support students considering this path. Plus, we tackle key questions around credit transferability, program st...
Apr 07, 2025•38 min•Season 1Ep. 161
Are non-counseling duties taking over your job? If you’re spending more time on testing, paperwork, and hall duty than actually working with students, you’re not alone and it doesn’t have to be this way. In this episode, I dive into the reality of these overwhelming responsibilities and why they can lead to burnout and resentment. But don’t worry, I’m not just here to vent! I’m sharing practical ways to manage these tasks so you can get back to what you do best: supporting your students. Resourc...
Mar 31, 2025•25 min•Season 1Ep. 160
The college search should be an exciting journey, but for many students, it’s filled with pressure, competition, and anxiety. Too often, students and parents fixate on prestigious schools without considering whether they’re truly the right fit, leading to stress and a loss of self-discovery in the process. Today’s guests, Jen and Jared, school counselors and co-founders of Forget the Rankings, are here to change that! They’re challenging the traditional, prestige-driven mindset and introducing a...
Mar 24, 2025•34 min•Season 1Ep. 159
Choosing the right college is one of the biggest decisions a student will make. But what if there was a way to explore campuses across the country without ever leaving home? In this episode, I sat down with Alex Boylan, the creator and host of The College Tour, to talk about how the show is changing the way students and families approach the college search. After visiting over 180 college campuses in just four years, Alex definitely knows a thing or two about the process! Instead of relying sole...
Mar 17, 2025•27 min•Season 1Ep. 158
Think college searches have to be boring and overwhelming? Think again! In this episode, I sit down with Sam Bernstein, co-founder of the Loper app , to talk about how gamification is shaking up the college search process. We all know that researching colleges can feel like an endless, stressful task for students and for you as counselors trying to guide them. But what if there was a way to make it engaging, intuitive, and even FUN ? That’s exactly what Sam and his team set out to do with Loper,...
Mar 10, 2025•32 min•Season 1Ep. 157
Are you constantly juggling emails, student crises, and endless paperwork, feeling like there’s NEVER enough time in the day? I think most of you feel this way! That’s why I invited Kaci Ranger on the podcast to talk about practical time management strategies designed specifically for school counselors. We cover simple, effective ways to create structure in your day, set boundaries, and use digital tools to lighten your mental load. Kaci shares actionable tips that make organization feel doable,...
Mar 03, 2025•45 min•Season 1Ep. 156
Have you ever felt like parents don’t understand what you actually do as a school counselor? I know I’ve experienced this more times than I can count! In this episode, I dive into the challenges of working with parents who may not fully grasp your role and how that misunderstanding can sometimes lead to frustration or even hostility. While it’s easy to feel discouraged, let’s remember that you’re on the same team, and approaching these conversations with kindness, patience, and clarity can make ...
Feb 24, 2025•16 min•Season 1Ep. 155
What if you could create a program that not only helps your students grow as leaders but also strengthens your entire school community? That’s exactly what we’re diving into today! I’m breaking down how to set up a successful peer leader program that empowers students, builds relationships, and lightens your counseling load. I’ll walk you through the key steps to selecting student ambassadors, training them effectively, and ensuring your peer leader program runs smoothly all year long! You’ll he...
Feb 17, 2025•18 min•Season 1Ep. 154
Have you ever stopped to truly notice the world around you—the small moments and subtle ways people carry the weight of their day? In this unique episode, I’m sharing a spoken word piece by Leah Grant, a high school counselor and podcast listener, who beautifully captures the essence of what it means to be a counselor. Through her quiet observations in the hallways, she reflects on the emotional toll of social media, the growing disconnect from real human connection, and how these shifts have tr...
Feb 10, 2025•11 min•Season 1Ep. 153
After 150 episodes without a break, I finally hit pause - and it was the best decision! But now we’re back with a mid-year check in and pep talk. Plus, I’m sharing what I learned during my three-month hiatus and how it’s brought fresh inspiration for the podcast. I’ve got lots of incredible guests lined up and plenty of actionable tips and resources coming your way in 2025! You’ll hear me share the ups and downs of podcasting, including dealing with imposter syndrome and the pressure to create c...
Feb 03, 2025•20 min•Season 1Ep. 152
Can you believe that in 150 episodes of this podcast, I've never taken a week off from releasing episodes? Well, the time has come! High School Counseling Conversations will be on an official break from November 2024-January 2025. I'll return with new episodes in February 2025. While we're on break, I invite you to enjoy previous episodes (check out my favorite playlists below!). If you have a specific topic you're looking for, send me a DM on Instagram @counselorclique . Thank you for being a l...
Oct 29, 2024•4 min•Season 1Ep. 151
We talk about a lot of sensitive topics as school counselors, and today is no exception. We’re taking a deep dive into child sex trafficking. Heavy, I know. But with sex trafficking happening all around us, this just might be the conversation you never knew you needed to hear. I’m joined by Krystal Nierman of Switch, an organization fighting to end sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. Krystal shares what sex trafficking really looks like…and there’s a good chance it’s not what you think! Plu...
Oct 28, 2024•56 min•Season 1Ep. 150
What do you do if a student tells you they’re pregnant? There’s a good chance you were asked this question during a job interview because it’s a situation that you will probably run into sooner rather than later. In fact, if you’ve been a high school counselor for any length of time, it’s highly likely that you’ve already supported pregnant students! The truth is, you want to be prepared to not only support your students during their pregnancy but also throughout their journey as a teen parent. ...
Oct 21, 2024•18 min•Season 1Ep. 149
You may not realize this, but you have a unique superpower in your role as a high school counselor! You have the ability to nurture your students and walk them through four of the most important years of their life. One practice that will help you strengthen this superpower is cultural competency. Today’s guest, Jocelynn Hubbard, is here to help us develop cultural competency at work and in our personal lives. It starts with becoming more aware of your beliefs, your biases, and all of your lived...
Oct 14, 2024•39 min•Season 1Ep. 148
Have your students ever expressed interest in taking a gap year? A gap year is more than just time off! It’s a deliberate period to explore personal, practical, and professional interests before transitioning to post-secondary education. Under the right circumstances, and with intentional planning, a gap year could be the perfect option for some students. This is a topic we’ve never discussed on the podcast before, so I’m excited to talk about it today. Gap year education expert, Julia Rogers, j...
Oct 07, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 147
When you work in a school, there are a million and one things to think about every single day. School safety is at the top of that list, and might even be one of the more intimidating parts of your job. If there was a crisis, would you know what to do? Do you have a strong grasp on what your role as a school counselor is when it comes to crisis management? Let’s talk about it! My guest today, Brandy Samuell, knows quite a bit about school safety and crisis management. Brandy is the director of m...
Sep 30, 2024•44 min•Season 1Ep. 146
Have you checked your phone’s screen time lately? If you’re anything like me, you might be embarrassed about how much time you actually spend on your phone, specifically the time spent scrolling on social media. I use social media for both work and personal purposes, and I was beginning to feel like I was spending way more time on these apps than I wanted to be. So, I decided to challenge myself by giving up social media for a month! I was curious to see how a break from social media platforms l...
Sep 23, 2024•28 min•Season 1Ep. 145
