Can you believe it is almost December? The countdown to winter break is on. I absolutely love this time of year. Everything is so fun and festive, especially at the elementary level. I’m always trying to think of ways that I can put a seasonal twist on counseling activities to keep your students (and you) engaged. At the same time, I always had the problem of “frequent flyers” popping up. You know the ones. The kids who are always stopping by wanting to chat instead of going to their classroom. ...
Nov 26, 2024•14 min•Season 5Ep. 224
In this episode, I explore ways school counselors can help parents implement practical Social Emotional Learning (SEL) strategies at home. By building rapport with families and providing simple, screen-free activities, parents can support their children's emotional growth outside of school. I discuss using SEL choice boards, which offer a variety of activities for students to choose from, giving them ownership and encouraging skill development in a fun, engaging way. Plus, I share a variety of m...
Nov 19, 2024•9 min•Season 5Ep. 223
In this episode of School Counseling Simplified, I am sharing practical strategies for supporting and building rapport with school administrators. As a key stakeholder group, administrators play a crucial role in the success of a school counseling program. I am outlinging four (plus one bonus) strategies that counselors can use to effectively collaborate with their administrative team, including conducting needs assessments, utilizing data-driven check-ins, discussing school-wide initiatives, an...
Nov 12, 2024•8 min•Season 4Ep. 222
This episode of School Counseling Simplified is all about building strong relationships with teachers. I am sharing four practical strategies that school counselors can use to collaborate more effectively with the teachers in their building. From conducting needs assessments to offering supplemental lessons and organizing fun staff activities, I'm providing you with a roadmap for strengthening those crucial counselor-teacher partnerships. Some highlights from this episode: The Importance of a ne...
Nov 05, 2024•8 min•Season 4Ep. 221
October is Bullying prevention month. I couldn't let the month get past without touching on the importance of teaching students to be "upstanders" as a key bullying prevention strategy. I am introducing the concept of an upstander as someone who witnesses bullying and intervenes to stop it, in contrast to a bystander who does nothing.We will discuss the benefits of empowering students to be upstanders, including preventing future bullying, supporting targets, and reducing bullying-related anxiet...
Oct 29, 2024•10 min•Season 4Ep. 220
Halloween is just around the corner, and I know you are looking for fun and engaging ways to incorporate the season into your lessons and activities. In this episode, I'm sharing 5 creative ways you can use Halloween candy buckets to liven up your counseling sessions. From identifying and changing negative thoughts to practicing self-regulation, these activities are sure to get your students excited and eager to participate. Grab your pumpkin-shaped buckets and get ready for some spooky counseli...
Oct 22, 2024•13 min•Season 4Ep. 219
It's Part 2 of the Small Group Planning podcast episodes. Today I am diving into the planning and implementation of small group counseling. If you didn't catch Part I, I covered the logistics of getting small groups started, but now we will focus on the curriculum development, group structure, and data collection involved in running effective small counseling groups. Some highlights from this episode: Importance of standards-aligned small group curriculum planning Using pre and post-assessments ...
Oct 15, 2024•13 min•Season 4Ep. 218
In this episode of School Counseling Simplified,I am diving deep into the topic of small group counseling. As a small group enthusiast, I'm sharing my expertise on the benefits of small group work and provides a step-by-step guide for school counselors on how to effectively plan and implement small groups from start to finish. This episode is packed with practical tips and strategies to take the stress out of small group planning. Some Highlighted from this episode: The two main reasons Rachel l...
Oct 08, 2024•13 min•Season 4Ep. 217
In today's episode, I am talking on the importance of creating a classroom calming corner - a designated safe space for students to manage their emotions. I'll be discussing the benefits of calming corners for teachers, counselors, and students, as well as practical steps for setting them up effectively. I'll also touch on how to handle potential pushback from teachers and strategies for implementing a school-wide approach to this valuable tool. Some highlights from this episode include: Identif...
Oct 01, 2024•13 min•Season 4Ep. 216
In this episode, I am discussing strategies for scheduling class lessons for the entire school year. I'm breaking down the benefits of batch work and encouraging you all to plan lessons in advance to save time and reduce stress. We are going to dive into some digital tools like Google Sheets and Airtable that can be used to create checklists and track the status of scheduled lessons. Some topics covered: How to schedule class lessons for the entire school year using batch work so you can signifi...
Sep 24, 2024•15 min•Season 4Ep. 215
Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified. Today, we're diving into a topic that's crucial for the success of our counseling programs - getting teacher buy-in and support when scheduling those all-important classroom lessons. As we all know, building strong relationships with our teaching staff is key to delivering impactful services to students. And when it comes to those classroom lessons, having the teachers on board can make all the difference. In this episode, I am sha...
Sep 17, 2024•19 min•Season 4Ep. 214
In this episode, host I am sharing game-changing tools for scheduling class lessons as a school counselor. I'm covering three main tech tools - Google Sheets, Calendly, and Google Calendar - that can streamline the scheduling process. The key highlights include: Using Google Sheets to have teachers sign up for available class lesson times, allowing them to take ownership of the scheduling. Utilizing Calendly, a free scheduling app that makes it easy for teachers to book appointments for lessons....
Sep 10, 2024•23 min•Season 4Ep. 213
In this episode, I am sharing my 3-step process for effectively scheduling class lessons at your school. Learn how to determine the location, setup, and frequency of your classroom lessons to feel prepared and deliver engaging counseling sessions. I know how overwhelming this can be whether you are brand new or a seasoned veteran, but I have nailed down a process so you don't have to recreate the wheel. This process will help you feel prepared and ready to deliver effective counseling lessons. S...
Sep 03, 2024•10 min•Season 4Ep. 212
Back to school season is in full swing and I'm popping in today's episode to break down your first 90 days of school. We are going to break down my free 30-60-90 Day plan, so that we can break down that seemingly overwhelming to do list that you have. Tune in and follow along with your freebie in hand! I'm breaking down each month piece by piece so that you can be create the impact you are wanting to this school year, without the overwhlem. Some highlights from this episode: What to do in your f...
Aug 27, 2024•15 min•Season 4Ep. 211
In this episode,I am sharing four back-to-school small group ideas to help students transition into the new school year, including groups for new students, friendship skills, self-control, and goal setting. I'll also give you the inside scoop on my IMPACT school counselor membership. Some highlights from this episode: "New Students Friendship Group" to help ease the transition for students new to the school. "Friendship Group" for younger students (K-2) to learn essential social skills and confl...
Aug 20, 2024•11 min•Season 4Ep. 210
In today's episode, I am talking all about the several back-to-school activities and strategies for school counselors to implement at the start of the new school year. So many different ideas you can implement in your program. Some highlights covered are: Create a caseload spreadsheet to stay organized and track students receiving counseling services Maintain a counseling log to document dates, duration, and activities for each student session Conduct needs assessments with teachers and parents ...
Aug 13, 2024•15 min•Season 4Ep. 209
Are you ready for the new school year?? In today's episode I dive into starting the year with a "Meet the Counselor" lesson and setting up an effective school counseling office. I'll be sharing tips and resources to help you as the school counselor feel motivated and organized for the upcoming school year. Some Highlights: Free live training on August 13-14 to show how to use a "Meet the Counselor" lesson to engage students and advocate for the counselor's role. Creating a calming "calm down cor...
Aug 06, 2024•16 min•Season 4Ep. 208
In today's episode of School Counseling Simplified, I sit down with my friend and fellow counselor, Leslie Cuprill. We talk all things on implementing advisory programs and strategies for effective counseling. Leslie Cuprill is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker from Brooklyn, New York who loves supporting educators and students. For two decades she has worked with court and gang-involved youth, LGBTQ+, teen mothers, special needs populations, and educators. Throughout her career, she has taught,...
Jul 30, 2024•26 min•Season 4Ep. 207
In today's episode of the School Counseling Simplified podcast I interview Brandon Gernux, a school counselor who advocates for embracing neurodiversity in schools. Brandon discusses practical strategies for creating inclusive and sensory-friendly environments to support all students, including adjusting lighting and sounds, using visual timers, and collaborating with teachers. Brandon I. Gernux (he/they) is an Elementary School Counselor in Santa Ana and serves on the CASC Social Justice, Equit...
Jul 23, 2024•28 min•Season 4Ep. 206
In today's episode, I chat with Ashley Lutz. who shares strategies and advice for school counselors on working with special education students and collaborating with special education teachers. Ashley has been working in Special Education for 12 years. She was a middle school self-contained teacher for 7 years working with students with intellectual disabilities and did 4 years as a special education inclusion teacher in an elementary setting. In 2022, she switched roles to be an Early Childhood...
Jul 16, 2024•16 min•Season 4Ep. 205
In Today's episode I chat with Bradford Goodridge,an elementary school counselor in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He discusses his approach to comprehensive school counseling lessons, including his "paws" program that aligns with his school's lion mascot. He shares tips for creating lessons from scratch, integrating school values, and supporting students through self-referral groups. Some topics covered in this episode are: Bradford's background in education and his transition to becoming an elementar...
Jul 09, 2024•22 min•Season 4Ep. 204
In this episode, Jocelyn Hubbard shares strategies for creating equitable learning spaces for students. Jocelyn discusses the importance of defining equity, getting to know students beyond surface-level information, and co-creating learning experiences with 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...
Jul 02, 2024•33 min•Season 4Ep. 203
In this episode I welcome Lindsay Jannaman, Director of SEL Content at Quaver Ed, discussing strategies for embedding social-emotional learning school-wide with the support of teachers, parents, and administrators. Lindsey has 12 years of experience as a school counselor and teaching vocal/general music at the elementary and middle school levels. Lindsey has been with QuaverEd for 6 years and has been foundational in the development and writing of QuaverReady’s elementary school program. Lindsey...
Jun 25, 2024•27 min•Season 4Ep. 202
In today's episode, I chat with Patti Sutherland and discuss the benefits of incorporating play therapy in school counseling programs, emphasizing its accessibility and effectiveness in addressing trauma and loss in children. Patti has a Masters in Social Work and has been a social worker for over 30 years. She has worked with children in women's shelter's, family violence programs, schools and spent 12 years in private practice. She is a Certified Play therapist with The Canadian Association of...
Jun 18, 2024•25 min•Season 4Ep. 201
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 execut...
Jun 11, 2024•34 min•Season 4Ep. 200
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. Re...
Jun 04, 2024•24 min•Season 4Ep. 199
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 a...
May 28, 2024•21 min•Season 4Ep. 198
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 SE...
May 21, 2024•26 min•Season 4Ep. 197
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 engagi...
May 14, 2024•47 min•Season 4Ep. 196
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 commo...
May 07, 2024•30 min•Season 4Ep. 195
