School Counseling Simplified Podcast

223. Support Parents with Practical At-Home SEL Strategies Nov 19, 2024

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 mindfulness, gratitude, stress relief, self-esteem, and self-regulation techniques that parents can easily integrate into their daily routines.

Some topics covered in this episode are:

Mindfulness Activities: Deep belly breaths, butterfly breaths, 5 senses check-in, and guided meditations.
Gratitude Practices: Scavenger hunts, letter writing, and creating gratitude lists.
Stress Relief Ideas: Making stress balls, visualizing favorite places, and going for walks or runs.
Boosting Self-Esteem: Collage-making with affirmations, writing songs, and painting future self-portraits.
Self-Regulation Techniques: Acting out emotions, creating coping strategy toolboxes, and practicing deep breaths with a balloon.

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!
Check out this blog post on learning without screen time!
Grab the counselor curriculum map freebie here!
Grab the choice board, as mentioned in this episode, here!

Connect with Rachel:

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!

222. Use Data to Work with Your Admin Nov 12, 2024

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, and engaging in big picture planning. By implementing these approaches, school counselors can strengthen their relationships with administrators and ensure their programs are aligned with the school's overall goals and priorities.

Here are some highlights from this episode: - Strategies for building rapport and working effectively with school administrators

Conducting needs assessments with administrators to identify high-need areas
Using data-driven check-ins to address achievement gaps, attendance issues, academic problems, and behavior concerns
Discussing school-wide initiatives like career fairs and parent workshops with administrators
Engaging in big picture planning to align on counseling program goals for the year
Advocating for the school counselor's role and communicating the impact of their work

Listen in to the full episode and learn more.

Resources mentioned:

Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here!
Grab My free Curriculum Map
If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Connect with Rachel:

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!

221. How to Support and Build Rapport with Teachers Nov 05, 2024

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 needs assessment to understand what teachers are struggling with and how you can best support them.
Offering "as-needed" counseling lessons on specific topics is a great way to provide just-in-time support for teachers and students.
Building rapport through self-care activities and simply being present in the teacher's lounge can go a long way in showing teachers you're on their team.
Pro Tip: Counselors get out of your office and be more visible around campus to strengthen relationships with teachers.

Listen in to hear the full episode!

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:

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!

220. Empowering Students to Be Upstanders Oct 29, 2024

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 anxiety and depression. I will also touch on several teaching strategies for introducing the upstander concept, such as traditional lessons, interactive games, and digital resources.

Some highlights from this episode include:

Learning the importance of teaching students the different roles in bullying (bully, target, bystander) and avoiding stigmatizing language like "victim."
Diving deeper on the concept of an upstander is defined as someone who witnesses bullying and intervenes to stop it, in contrast to a bystander.
Highlighting the numerous benefits of teaching upstanders as a highly empowering bullying prevention
Teaching methods, including lessons, games, Boom Cards, and videos, to introduce and reinforce the upstander concept.

Listen in and see what you can implement before the month is over!

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!
Check out this Upstander blog

Connect with Rachel:

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!

219. TBT: Create Counseling Games with Halloween Candy Buckets Oct 22, 2024

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 counseling fun!

Some things covered in this episode are:

Using candy buckets to sort negative and positive thoughts, helping students reframe their mindsets
Sorting "tattling" vs. "reporting" scenarios to teach appropriate communication
Exploring growth mindset vs. fixed mindset by categorizing statements into corresponding buckets
Practicing problem-solving skills by sorting problems into "tiny," "small," "medium," "big," and "huge" buckets
Utilizing the color-coded "zones" of self-regulation by sorting feelings and behaviors into the appropriate buckets

I'm giving you all the detailed instructions and examples for each of these engaging activities, making it easy for you to implement in your counseling sessions. I would love to see you to share your experiences on social media, and tag me @BrightFuturescounseling for a chance to inspire others.

Whether you're looking to add a seasonal twist to your lessons or simply want to try something new and interactive, these Halloween candy bucket activities are sure to be a hit with your students. Tune in to learn more and get ready to spookify your counseling sessions!

Resources mentioned:

Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here!
5 Ways to Use Halloween Buckets- Blog
If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Connect with Rachel:

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!

218. Small Group Planning Start to Finish (Part II) Oct 15, 2024

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 to collect data and determine student progress
Essential components of an engaging small group structure (feelings check, group rules, icebreakers, main activities, discussion, reflection)
Leveraging the Impact membership resources for small group curriculum and support
Transitioning students between tiers of intervention based on small group outcomes

Listen in to get a clear roadmap for planning and facilitating small counseling groups that meet the unique needs of your students.

Resources mentioned:

Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here!
ASCA Student Standards: Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success
If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Connect with Rachel:

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!

Small Group Planning Start to Finish (Part I) Oct 08, 2024

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 loves facilitating small groups: efficiency in seeing more students in less time, and the opportunity to watch students connect, bond, and learn from one another.
The importance of having a referral system in place to identify students who would benefit from small group counseling.
Tips for recruiting students for small groups, including reaching out to teachers and parents.
The necessity of obtaining parent permission before starting a small group, and suggestions for what to include in the permission slip.
Strategies for scheduling small groups, including navigating potential pushback from teachers and finding the best time that works for all students involved.

Don't miss out on the rest of my advice on small group planning. Tune in to the full episode to learn more about this efficient and impactful tier of school counseling services.

** And don't forget to tune in next week for Small Group Planning Start to Finish Part II**

Resources mentioned:

Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here!
School Counseling Referral Form
Editable Parent Permission Slip
If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Connect with Rachel:

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!

216. Implement Schoolwide Classroom Calm Down Corners Oct 01, 2024

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:

Identifying Calming corners as a toolkit to help students self-regulate and manage their emotions rather than a punishment
Highlighting the Benefits of calming corners which include happier teachers, less burdened counselors, and more regulated students.
How to set up Calming corners so they can be distinguished from the rest of the classroom and include visuals, soft furnishings, and a calm-down toolbox.
How to address potential teacher concerns and how taking a school-wide approach are key to successful implementation of calming corners.

Listen in and let me know what you think and what you plan to implement.

Resources mentioned:

Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here!
Snag my free Curriculum Map Here
How to create a calming Corner
If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Connect with Rachel:

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!

215. Scheduling Class Lessons for the Entire School Year Sep 24, 2024

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 significantly improve efficiency and organization.
Using Google Sheets to create a simple checklist for monitoring the status of scheduled lessons, including teacher names, grade levels, topics, dates, and lesson planning progress.
Looking into Airtable for a more visually appealing and feature-rich alternative to Google Sheets, allowing for customizable fields, color-coding, sorting, and filtering options to manage classroom lesson planning.
Learning the Importance of Staying organized with digital tools like Google Sheets or Airtable so you can save time and allow you to focus more on serving students.

Listen in and tell me what you plan to incorporate this school year!

Resources mentioned:

Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here!
Grab my 30-60-90 Day Plan for FREE
FREE Curriculum Map
If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Connect with Rachel:

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!

214. Get Teacher Buy-in for Scheduling Class Lessons Sep 17, 2024

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 sharing some incredibly practical strategies to help you navigate this process and ensure your lessons are welcomed and valued by your teaching team.

Some highlights include:

Learning how to share the "why" behind the counseling lessons, such as citing data or research on the benefits
Getting teacher input by conducting a needs assessment survey to understand their perspectives on lesson topics
Having a backup plan in case some teachers are resistant, such as leveraging administrator support or using alternative scheduling
Offering "as needed" lessons tailored to specific teacher requests, even if they don't align perfectly with the overall lesson plan
Emphasizing the importance of ensuring all students receive the counseling lessons, even if it requires creativity and persistence in working with teachers

Be sure to listen in, take some notes and start implementing these strategies to build stronger partnerships with your teachers. Happy listening, friends!

Resources mentioned:

Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here!
30-60-90 Day Plan- FREEBIE
Grab my FREE Curriculum Map
Join Stress Free School Counseling
If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Connect with Rachel:

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!

213. Game Changing Tools for Scheduling Class Lessons Sep 10, 2024

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.
Leveraging Google Calendar to create recurring calendar invites with reminders once lesson times are scheduled.
The importance of being strategic about your availability and scheduling lessons first before filling in other commitments.

By implementing these scheduling tools and strategies, school counselors can get their class lessons scheduled efficiently in advance, allowing them to better manage their overall schedule and priorities throughout the school year. Listen in and change the game for yourself!

Resources mentioned:

Curriculum Map Freebie
Stress Free School Counseling
Free Training happening TODAY!
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:

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!

212. Figure out the Process of Scheduling Class Lessons Sep 03, 2024

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.

Some highlights I cover are:

Join my FREE TRAINING Engaging Individual Counseling Sessions. Struggling with one-on-one sessions? Then this Free live training on using individual counseling curriculum is for you all Live Attendees receive free curriculum set and PD certificate!
Breaking down the 3-step process for scheduling class lessons: which include, location, materials and frequency!
Emphasizing the importance of feeling and being prepared to deliver effective counseling lessons.
My biggest tip for Avoid last-minute stress and engage students better- JOIN IMPACT

Listen in for all the details. You don't want to miss out!

Resources mentioned:

Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here!
30-60-90 Day Plan - FREE
Curriculum Map- FREE
Join Stress Free Class Lessons!
FREE LIVE TRAINING- How to use individual counseling curriculum to engage students and effectively track data!
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!

211. What to do your first 90 days of school Aug 27, 2024

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 first 30 days- like identifying needs through a needs assessment, meeting with new administrators, introducing yourself to students
How to establish your counseling caseload in your first 60 days- scheduling class lessons, preparing data collection tools, planning small group curriculum, and organizing school-wide activities.
Building Conistency in your program- By the 90 day point, you should be implementing your services.
The 30-60-90 day plan helps break down the overwhelming back-to-school to-do list into manageable, prioritized steps to ensure you're on track in the first few months.
Having this structured plan in place from the start of the school year will help you be more proactive, organized, and prepared to deliver effective counseling services to students.

Resources mentioned:

30-60-90 Day Plan
Daily Lesson Plans
Join my IMPACT membership here!
School Counseling Data Collection Spreadsheets - Caseload and Counseling Log
School Counseling Data Tracking Tools Bundle - Data Driven Counseling Program
Stress Free Class Lessons
If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Connect with Rachel:

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!

210. 4 Small Groups to Start at the Beginning of the School Year Aug 20, 2024

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 conflict resolution.
A "Self-Control Group" can teach impulse control strategies and help students recognize signs of anger and frustration.
A "Goal Setting Group" can support students in setting and achieving their academic and personal goals for the new school year.
IMPACT membership program offers school counselors access to a wealth of resources, trainings, and a collaborative community to help them thrive.

If you're a school counselor looking for practical, ready-to-use resources and a supportive community, be sure to check out IMPACT! TUNE IN FOR A SPECIAL DISCOUNT CODE!

Resources mentioned:

30-60-90 Day Plan
Free EDITABLE Year Long Curriculum Map!
Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here!
Friendship Group for New Students - Growing Friends Counseling Group
Friendship Counseling Group - Blooming Friendships Small Group
Self-Control Counseling Group Wiggle Worms, Impulse Control, Behavior Management
Self-Control School Counseling Group: Develop Self-Control Accountability Habits
Goal Setting and Intrinsic Motivation Growth Mindset School Counseling Group
Study Skills Small Group | Test Taking, Executive Functioning & Managing Anxiety
https://shop.brightfutures-counseling.com/products/executive-functioning-and-study-skills-counseling-group-small-group-sel
If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Connect with Rachel:

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!

209. Back to School Todos for School Counselors Aug 13, 2024

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 to identify key areas of focus for the school year
Make referral forms widely available to encourage staff and families to request counseling support
Host a back-to-school night to introduce yourself, share services, and distribute referral forms

Tune in and get all of my Back to School To Dos.

Resources mentioned:

30 60 90 Day Plan
Counseling Lesson Plans
Meet the Counselor Free training
School Counseling Data Collection Spreadsheets
School Counseling Data Tracking Tools Bundle
Meet The Counselor Game Show
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:

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!

208. School Counseling Office Tour Aug 06, 2024

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 corner" in the counseling office with cozy seating, fidgets, and guided meditation scripts.
The importance of using bulletin boards, both inside and outside the office, to display counseling work and create a visual representation of the counselor's role.
Setting up an organized and functional school counseling office, including a file cabinet, whiteboard, small group space, and signage on the office door.

Tune in to listen to the full episode.

Resources mentioned:

30-60-90 day plan
Counseling Lesson Plans
FREE TRAINING: Meet the Counselor
Counseling Office Tour
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:

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!

207. What you need to know about advisory with Leslie Cuprill Jul 30, 2024

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, counseled, and ensured support while conducting academic intervention services, supervised, facilitated professional development trainings, designed curriculums, and developed programs.

She started Informed Decisions to provide resources for counselors and teachers working with multicultural urban youth, teens, and young adults. She wants educators to feel confident in facilitating and engaging in interactive activities for their students. The information and resources she provides are culturally, racially, and developmentally appropriate materials used to engage, educate, guide, and inspire today’s youth. Our youth deserve to be awarded equitable opportunities to become productive contributing members of society. Together, she believes we can engage multicultural youth in making informed decisions about their lives and future successes!

some highlights include:

The value of preparation and planning for school counselors, including color-coding, laminating, and gathering student input.
Strategies for counselors when asked to lead a group or lesson at the last minute, such as asking key questions of administrators and involving students.
The importance of explaining Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) programs to parents and educators to avoid misconceptions and gain support.
The significance of self-care and work-life balance for school counselors to avoid burnout and show up fully for students.
Insights into the varying school start dates and work habits across the country, with tips on how to stay productive during commutes and travel.

Don't miss out on this one, tune in and let me know what you think!

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:

Connect with Leslie:

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!

206. How to Use Neuro-Affirming Practices in School Counseling with Brandon Gernux Jul 23, 2024

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, Equity, and Anti-Racism Committee, is a leader of the ASCA Elementary School Counselor Affinity Group, and is a recipient of the 2024 Orange County School Counselor of the Year recognition.

Some Highlights:

Defining Neurodiversity and how it refers to the idea that every brain is unique, and counselors should presume competence in all students.
Counselors can make their spaces more sensory-friendly by adjusting lighting, sounds, and providing calming tools like headphones.
Collaborating with teachers to create sensory-friendly classrooms is key, as students spend most of their time in those environments.
Using visual timers can help students with executive functioning challenges manage transitions between activities.
Brandon encourages counselors to try new inclusive practices without fear of perfection, and offers to connect on Instagram (@BigSchoolCounselor) for further support.

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:

Connect with Brandon:

Instagram

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!

205. How to Collaborate with Special Ed and Gen Ed Teachers with Ashely Lutz Jul 16, 2024

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 Special Education teacher (ECSE). Outside of the classroom, Ashley is married with 3 kids; an 8 year old and 6 year old twins. When she is not running after her littles, she enjoys workouts, putting her toes in the sand, reading, and drinking lots of coffee!

Some Highlights include:

Strategies for counselors to support special education students, such as building rapport with families, providing sensory input, and using fidget toys or puzzles to help students open up.
Co-teaching models for counselors to work with special education teachers, including team teaching and station rotations.
The importance of validating emotions and supporting teachers' mental health, with suggestions for counselors to offer a safe space for teachers to vent and regulate their emotions.
The value of early intervention and open communication between educators and parents to address mental health concerns in students.

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:

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!

204. Getting a Plan for Your Class Lessons with Bradford Goodridge Jul 09, 2024

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 elementary school counselor.
The "paws" program he developed to provide structured, instructional lessons for students to share their thoughts and feelings.
His process for creating school counseling lessons from scratch, incorporating mandated topics and aligning with his school's core values.
How he pitches and manages self-referral student groups, using kid-friendly terminology to engage students.
The importance of being a visible, supportive resource for both students and parents, and the challenges he faced in a previous disciplinarian role.

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:

Connect with Bradford:

Instagram

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!

203. Lean Into Change and Embrace Equity with Jocelynn Hubbard Jul 02, 2024

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 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. Some Highlights covered:

How to Define equity for your counseling space and share it with stakeholders
Going beyond surface-level information to understand students' goals, characteristics, and future aspirations
Using the "Student Data Dive" form to gather insights on students' preferences, behaviors, and communication styles
Leveraging the arts (music, art, etc.) to connect with younger students or those with diverse learning needs
Embracing your power and agency as a counselor to inspire parents and educators to support students' social-emotional needs

Tune into the whole episode and let us know what you think!

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:

Connect with Jocelynn:

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!

202. A Schoolwide Approach to SEL with Lindsey Jannaman Jun 25, 2024

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 holds a B.M. in Vocal/General Music Education, M.Ed. in Professional School Counseling, and her Ed.S. in Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Mental Health in Schools and Multicultural Education. Lindsey has focused her work as a school counselor on equipping students with appropriate coping skills and strategies to navigate varied emotions, teaching and modeling appropriate social skills, and preparing students to become kind and contributing citizens of their homes, schools, and communities.

Some topics covered in this episode are:

Lindsay's transition from music teacher to school counselor to her current role developing SEL curriculum
Ideas for embedding SEL into daily interactions like passing out papers or group time
The importance of modeling inclusive behaviors and emotional intelligence
Strategies for "outsourcing" SEL lessons to teachers and reinforcing concepts at home
Creating buy-in for comprehensive SEL implementation through newsletters, calendars, and community involvement

Listen in and tell me what you think!

Resources mentioned:

Try QuaverEd
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:

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!

201. Using Play Therapy in School Counseling with Patti Sutherland Jun 18, 2024

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 Play Therapy. She enjoys providing training for educators in the area of developmental trauma in the classroom and is currently a school social worker in the Winnipeg School Division in Winnipeg, Canada.

About a year ago Patti decided she would try her hand at creating resources for school counselors and opened a TPT shop. A major learning curve, but an exciting new adventure. Some highlights from this episode are:

How to incorporate play therapy into individual, small group, and whole-class sessions.
Using Collage-making and cooperative games for easy play therapy implementation.
How to use genogram miniatures to help students make unconscious conclusions about their families
a Sneak Peak at Patti's session at the IMPACT Summer Summit

Listen in for the whole inside scoop!

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:

Connect with Patti:

TpT Store

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!

200. Executive Functioning Strategies for School Counselors with Sarah Lovell Jun 11, 2024

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:

Connect with Sarah:

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!

199. Supporting Students in a Crisis with Joyce Harduvel Jun 04, 2024

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:

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!

198. Rock the interview with this advice! May 28, 2024

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:

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!

197. Supporting Parents Using an SEL Summer Toolkit May 21, 2024

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:

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!

196. Interview Dos and Don'ts with Lauren Tingle May 14, 2024

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:

Connect with Lauren:

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!

195. A day in the life of school counselor and author Malisa Hepner May 07, 2024

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:

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!

194. Approaching Anxiety with a Collaborative and Trauma-Informed Lens with Courtney Bennett Apr 30, 2024

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!

193. Exploring expressive arts therapy and the importance of tier one interventions with Casey O'Brien Martin Apr 23, 2024

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:

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!

192. Using Mindfulness As An Anxiety AND Executive Functioning Strategy Apr 16, 2024

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:

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!

191. Setting Boundaries, Therapy Dogs, and More Ways to Beat Anxiety with Laura Filtness Apr 09, 2024

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:

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!

190. CBT Anxiety Strategies with Jessica Leinen Apr 02, 2024

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:

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!

189: Anxiety Roundup: How to Support Anxious Students with Ashley Bartley Mar 26, 2024

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/support-anxious-students-1

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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

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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

188: Anxiety Deep Dive with School Psych Sophia (Everything From CBT to Selective Mutism!) Mar 19, 2024

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/anxiety-deep-dive

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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

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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

187: 3 Grounding Strategies to Help Anxious Students Mar 12, 2024

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/strategies-to-help-anxious-students

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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

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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

186: Easy and Effective Anxiety Strategies with Mallory Zolinas Mar 05, 2024

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!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/anxiety-strategies-2

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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

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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

185: Assessing Counseling Lessons...Simplified! Feb 27, 2024

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/assessing-counseling-lessons

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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

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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

184: Planning Counseling Lessons...Simplified! Feb 20, 2024

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!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/planning-counseling-lessons

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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

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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

183: Direct Student Services 101 Feb 13, 2024

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/direct-student-services

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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

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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

182: Indirect Student Services 101 Feb 06, 2024

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/indirect-student-services

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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

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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

181: Document Services and Cross Off To-Dos Jan 30, 2024

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!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/document-services

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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

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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

180: Increase Productivity with Batching! Jan 23, 2024

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/productivity-with-batching

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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

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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

179: How to Perform a School Counseling Time Audit Jan 16, 2024

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!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/how-to-perform-a-time-audit

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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

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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

178: A Day in the Life of a School Counselor with Sheyenne Hernandez Jan 09, 2024

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/school-counselor-sheyenne-hernandez

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Resources Mentioned:

Stree Free School Counseling Bootcamp: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/bootcamp

Email Sheyenne: shernandez@bcclc.com

Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact

Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll

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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

177: New Year, New Counseling Goals! Jan 02, 2024

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/new-counseling-goals

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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

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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

176: Best of School Counseling Simplified in 2023 Dec 26, 2023

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/best-of-school-counseling-simplified

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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

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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

175: How Collecting Calendar Data Can Actually Advocate for Your Role with Lauren Tingle Dec 19, 2023

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/collecting-calendar-data

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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

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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

174: How to Help Students Learn Coping Skills with Janine Halloran Dec 12, 2023

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!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/learn-coping-skills

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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

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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

173: How to Use a Seasonal Countdown Calendar in School Counseling Dec 05, 2023

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/seasonal-countdown-calendar

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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

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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

172: Supporting Students' Sensory Needs with Jessica Sinarski Nov 28, 2023

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/supporting-student-sensory-needs

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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

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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

171: How to Showcase Your Students' Progress Using a Data Wall Nov 21, 2023

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/student-progress-using-data-wall

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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

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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

170: A Day in MY Life as a School Counselor Nov 14, 2023

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/my-life-as-a-school-counselor

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Resources Mentioned:

Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact

Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll

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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

169: How to Showcase Your Counseling Services Using a Data Wall Nov 07, 2023

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/services-using-a-data-wall

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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

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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

168: How School Counselors Can Support Special Education Students and Teachers with Michelle Vazquez Oct 31, 2023

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/support-special-education-students

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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

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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

167: Sneak Peek: Not So Scary Social Skills Oct 24, 2023

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!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/social-skills

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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

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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

166: Recap: Not So Scary Small Groups Oct 17, 2023

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!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/small-group-lessons

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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

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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

165: Bullying Prevention Ideas to Fit YOUR School's Needs Oct 10, 2023

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/bullying-prevention-ideas

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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

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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

164: Fall Fun in School Counseling! Oct 03, 2023

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!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/fall-fun-in-school-counseling

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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

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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

163: Eliminating Burnout and Embracing Radical Self-Care with Brittany Blackwell Sep 26, 2023

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!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/radical-self-care

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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

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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

162: How to Impact More Students Using Minute Meetings with Heidi MacDonald Sep 19, 2023

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/minute-meetings

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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

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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

161: How to Plan Data Driven Small Groups Sep 12, 2023

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/data-driven-small-groups

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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

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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

160: Shift Your Mindset from Stressed to Obsessed with Class Lessons Sep 05, 2023

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/shift-your-mindset-with-class-lessons

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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

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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

159: Learn From My Mistakes When it Comes to Class Lessons! Aug 29, 2023

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/mistakes-with-class-lessons

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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

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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

158: The Power of a Ticket Out the Door Aug 22, 2023

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/ticket-out-the-door

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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

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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

157: How to Feel More Confident Teaching Classroom Lessons Aug 15, 2023

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/confident-teaching-classroom-lessons

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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

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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

Exciting news!! You don't want to miss this training! Aug 10, 2023

Bonus annoucement! I am hosting a free back to school workshop next week and believe me you don't want to miss this!

I'll be sharing how to use a meet the counselor activity to engage students and advocate for your role!

Everyone who attends live gets a FREE meet the counselor lesson!

In this training, you'll learn:

1. The ins and outs of my favorite meet the counselor activity

Learn how to organize, set up, and deliver a perfect meet the counselor lesson

2. How to use a meet the counselor lesson to ensure that you impact more students

By explaining exactly what your role is, and how students can connect utilize your services you will reach more students and have a larger impact

3. How us a meet the counselor lesson with faculty to advocate for your position

Learn how to edit the meet the counselor activity so it can be better used with faculty and staff

Click here to save your seat!

156: How to Create Engaging Classroom Lessons Using the Lesson Builder Framework Aug 08, 2023

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/lesson-builder-framework

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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

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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

155: I’m Supposed to Teach How Many Counseling Lessons?! Aug 01, 2023

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!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/teaching-counseling-lessons

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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

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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

154: How School Counselors Can Affirm Culture with Jocelynn Hubbard Jul 25, 2023

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/school-counselors-can-affirm-culture

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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

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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

153: Google Calendar Scheduling Hacks Jul 18, 2023

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/google-calendar-scheduling-hacks

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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

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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

152: A Day in the Life of a School Counselor with Leslie Jones Jul 11, 2023

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/school-counselor-leslie-jones

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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

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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

151: 4 Things You Should Add to Your Schedule Jul 04, 2023

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.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/add-to-your-schedule

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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

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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

150: How to Use a Time Audit to Streamline Your Schedule Jun 27, 2023

One thing that counselors always ask me is how are they possibly going to squeeze in all the things they have to do. It can be incredibly overwhelming! But I have found a way that you can look at what needs to be done, streamline your day, and make the impact we know you can make!

Summer is the perfect time to step back and take a look at how you can be most effective next school year. One of my absolute favorite ways to do this is by doing a time audit that helps you identify where your time is spent and how you can use your time in the best ways possible. In this episode, I am sharing how you can use a time audit and a crisis response protocol to ensure that you are using your time in a way that allows you to work with more students and make the biggest impact that you can!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/time-audit

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Resources Mentioned:

Get your ticket for the IMPACT Summer Summit: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/summit

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

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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

149: How to Support Anxious Students with Ashley Bartley Jun 20, 2023

If you’ve ever had a student who struggled with separation anxiety and cried as they got out of the car, you likely wished you had some strategies you could use to help the student. As counselors (and mothers), a lot of us have experience with children who struggle with separation anxiety and could really use some practical tips to help when our kiddos are having a hard time. That is why I am so grateful that Ashley Bartley from Counselor Station is here to share some of her strategies with us!

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.

In this episode, Ashley is sharing some signs that a child might be experiencing separation anxiety, strategies she uses to help students, and preventative strategies she has found helpful. Ashley shares so many amazing and easy to implement tips and strategies that I know will help you and your students next school year!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/support-anxious-students

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Resources Mentioned:

Get your ticket for the IMPACT Summer Summit: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/summit

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

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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

148: How to Be a Trauma Informed Counselor with Joyce Harduvel Jun 13, 2023

Trauma affects everybody, not just certain communities. It is so incredibly important that school counselors are able to support our students who have experienced trauma in positive and impactful ways. Knowing how to best support our students who have childhood trauma can be challenging and I am so glad that Joyce Harduvel is joining me today to share some incredible insight on helping these kiddos.

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!

In this episode, we are discussing her background as a school social worker in the Chicago Public Schools, an example of how childhood trauma might respond to something and how she would respond to the situation, strategies for handling pushback from teachers and parents, and how trauma impacts a student’s ability to learn.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/trauma-informed-counselor

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Resources Mentioned:

Get your ticket for the IMPACT Summer Summit: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/summit

SPARCS: Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress: A Guide for Trauma-Focused Groups: https://www.nctsn.org/resources/sparcs-structured-psychotherapy-adolescents-responding-chronic-stress-guide-trauma-focused

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

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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

147: How to Use Picture Books to Enhance Your Counseling Sessions with Laura Filtness Jun 06, 2023

Books are an incredibly powerful tool, especially when it comes to counseling. They allow for students to relate to the characters, help them to find solutions to problems, and so much more! Our guest today, Laura Filtness is a self-proclaimed book nerd who has found amazing ways to incorporate books into her counseling to help students be more engaged and excited about her lessons.

Laura Filtness is a School Counselor in Knoxville, TN and was the 2017 TSCA Elementary School Counselor of the Year. She loves to creatively infuse my love of dogs and books into my counseling program. The best way to sum up her obsessions is that she proudly once won a crazy dog mom contest and her office contains over 300 books. Her dog, Boss, was a certified therapy dog.

Laura’s love of books and passion for school counseling has helped her to make a huge impact on so many students! In this episode, she is sharing how she got into books, the benefits of using books in your school counseling program, how she uses books in her program, how to choose which books to pick, and ideas for companion activities. Laura is giving us so much incredible information and you are sure to walk away from this episode feeling so inspired to incorporate more books into your program!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/picture-books-to-enhance-counseling-sessions

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Resources Mentioned:

Get your ticket to the Impact Summer Summit: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/summit

The Bad Seed Series by Jory John: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086D7JNFY?binding=hardcover&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_thcv

Jory John's book that will be released this year: https://www.amazon.com/Big-Cheese-Food-Group/dp/0063329506/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=76URY&content-id=amzn1.sym.ed85217c-14c9-4aa0-b248-e47393e2ce12&pf_rd_p=ed85217c-14c9-4aa0-b248-e47393e2ce12&pf_rd_r=131-1838589-7953851&pd_rd_wg=F5Tk6&pd_rd_r=4c855a08-337d-4d08-9eae-64b5f52fa490&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dsk

"I'm Bored" series by M.I. Black: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D2Y7W4X?binding=hardcover&searchxofy=true&ref_=dbs_s_bs_series_rwt_thcv&qid=1684878190&sr=1-1

Trudy Ludwig - "Invisible Boy": https://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Boy-Trudy-Ludwig-ebook/dp/B00CCPIKTE/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2Y0S4EJ5NHKJO&keywords=trudy+ludwig+invisible+boy&qid=1684878227&s=digital-text&sprefix=trudy+ludgwig+invisible+boy%2Cdigital-text%2C99&sr=1-1

Trudy Ludwig - "Sorry": https://www.amazon.com/Sorry-Trudy-Ludwig/dp/1582461732/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2H9W1XQF1QNBR&keywords=trudy+ludwig+sorry&qid=1684878246&s=digital-text&sprefix=trudy+ludwig+sorry%2Cdigital-text%2C107&sr=1-1

The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld: https://www.amazon.com/Rabbit-Listened-Cori-Doerrfeld-ebook/dp/B072FMLCCX/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2JET4LPERIFAX&keywords=rabbit+listened&qid=1684878263&s=digital

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

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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

146: Productivity Hacks for School Counselors with Khristen Massic May 30, 2023

You know I am all about simplifying your job as a school counselor and helping you to make the best use of your time. We can all benefit from more tips and tricks to maximizing our productivity in the little amount of time we have without students. That is why I am so excited to have efficiency and productivity expert, Khristen Massic joining me today!

Khristen Massic, M.Ed., loves efficiency and productivity as much as you love leaving school at your contracted time. (Okay, so those go hand-in-hand.) She is a teacher mentor, a 10-year high school engineering teacher, a former middle school assistant principal, and mom to 4 littles. Khristen helps multi-prep teachers with time-saving tools and strategies so you don't have to choose between being effective teachers and prioritizing important relationships.

Although Khristen has not been in the school counseling role, her experience as an administrator has helped her recognize how important it is to be super productive in the short breaks we have between students, especially when we could be interrupted at any moment. In this episode, she is sharing her top three productivity tips, what she suggests doing to make the most of small windows of open time, what we can do today to get more organized, and her recommendations for getting systems in place.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/productivity-hacks

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Resources Mentioned:

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

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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

145: 5 Things You Didn't Think to Include on an End of the Year Report May 23, 2023

You know I am super passionate about data and I LOVE a good end of the year report! There is so much data that you can put on your end of the year report to show your stakeholders just how big of an impact you are making. You know the importance of including how many students you served, time spent with students, and how many lessons you taught to the report, but today, I am sharing 5 things to add to your end of the year report to really showcase your impact.

As a school counselor, you are involved in so many things with so many different people! Because of this, you have some amazing data that you can include in your end of the year report. In this episode, I am sharing why you should include data from the meetings and trainings you’ve attended, parent and teacher feedback, attendance data, and referral data to your end of the year report to showcase just how much time and effort you are putting in to make a huge impact on your students!

If you are creating an end of the year report, I would love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @brightfuturescounseling and show off your report (with confidential information removed, of course!). I’d love to see the work you’re doing and reshare it so others can see as well!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/end-of-the-year-report

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Resources Mentioned:

Episode 90: How This School Counselor Uses and End of the Year Report to Transform Her Program with Katherine Guerrero: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/end-of-year-reports

Episode 92: How to Create an End of the Year Report: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/end-of-year-reports

Grab the End of the Year Report Template: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/School-Counseling-EDITABLE-End-of-the-Year-Report-3144878

Sign up for The New School Counselor Bootcamp: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/bootcamp

Mastering Data Collection to get the Recognition You Deserve: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/blog/mastering-data-collection-to-get-the-recognition-you-deserve

Essential Data Tools for School Counselors: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/blog/essential-data-tools-for-school-counselors

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

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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

144: A Day in the Life of a School Counselor with Laurel Whitehead May 16, 2023

Our days as school counselors are busy! Regardless of what grades we work with, how many students are on our caseload, or how perfectly planned our schedule is, school counselors have a lot on our plates. My guest today, Laurel Whitehead, is giving us a glimpse into what her days look like as a 6-8 school counselor.

Laurel is making a huge impact on her middle school students! She starts her days by greeting students at the door and is seeing them individually and in small groups as much as her schedule allows. In this episode, Laurel is sharing her journey to her current position, why she loves making connections with her students, the frustration that comes with lack of understanding of the school counselor role, and what her typical day looks like this school year.

Laurel Whitehead lives in Hamilton, NJ and is currently the Middle School Counselor at a Charter School in Southwest Philadelphia. She is in her 2nd year at her school placement but has a background in working with students from K-12 for over 5 years. Laurel has been passionate about School Counseling since High School due to the amazing School Counselor she had and she has always wanted to give back. When she is not at school, she enjoys spending time with her adorable niece and nephew, going on adventures with her boyfriend, and working out on her peloton bike and treadmill!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/life-of-a-school-counselor-laurel

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Resources Mentioned:

Sign up for The New School Counselor Bootcamp: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/bootcamp

Mastering Data Collection to get the Recognition You Deserve: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/blog/mastering-data-collection-to-get-the-recognition-you-deserve

Essential Data Tools for School Counselors: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/blog/essential-data-tools-for-school-counselors

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

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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

143: Data Deep Dive: Measuring Student Progress May 09, 2023

How can we gather student progress data in an efficient and helpful way? We’ve talked about tracking how many students we see and how many hours we’ve served them, but an equally important piece of data is how students have progressed or not progressed after services. In today’s episode, I am sharing two ways that you can measure and track student progress data.

You know I love, love, love helping you use data to showcase your services and improve your program. A key piece of data to track is student progress. Tracking student progress doesn’t need to be complicated or time consuming! In this episode, I am sharing how to use self-assessments and behavior progress monitoring surveys to get a full picture of how students are progressing with school counseling services.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/measuring-services-progress

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Resources Mentioned:

Register for the FREE training on how to use an end of the year report to improve your program and advocate for your role: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/data

Episode 142: Data Deep Dive: Measuring Student Progress: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/measuring-services-provided

Grab the Data Collection Behavior Surveys: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Data-Collection-Behavior-Surveys-School-Counseling-Data-Tracking-Forms-5221301

Get your School Counseling Self-Assessments Super Bundle: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/School-Counseling-Self-Assessments-Super-Bundle-with-Digital-Data-Tracking-Forms-7615254

5 Strategies for Stress Free Data Collection: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/blog/5-strategies-for-stress-free-data-collection

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

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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

142: Data Deep Dive: Measuring Services Provided May 02, 2023

Where has this year gone? The school year is wrapping up shortly which means that it is a great time to dive into your data and use it to advocate for your role. If the thought of collecting and looking at data seems overwhelming to you, don’t fret! In this episode, I am sharing two tools that I recommend using to easily track services provided.

I absolutely love helping you use data to advocate for your role and improve your program so I am dedicating this month to help you dive into the data! We are breaking it down so it doesn’t seem so daunting. Today, we are covering how to track the services you provide in an effective and efficient way. We are looking at what services provided means, how to use a calendar to track your services, and why a counseling hub is helpful in tracking your services provided data.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/measuring-services-provided

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Resources Mentioned:

Register for the FREE training on how to use an end of the year report to improve your program and advocate for your role: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/data

Grab your School Counseling Data Collection Spreadsheets - Caseload and Counseling Log: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/School-Counseling-Data-Collection-Spreadsheets-Caseload-and-Counseling-Log-7485732

5 Strategies for Stress Free Data Collection: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/blog/5-strategies-for-stress-free-data-collection

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

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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

141: Implementing an SEL Advisory Program with Leslie Cuprill Apr 25, 2023

Have you heard of an advisory program before? It’s similar to implementing a school wide SEL program and is so beneficial to our students! Leslie Cuprill of Informed Decisions is joining us today to share all about starting an advisory program in your school. Whether you’ve considered starting an advisory program at your school or you aren’t even sure what an advisory program is, Leslie has some incredible tips for you!

Leslie has a great deal of experience with implementing advisory programs in schools. In this episode, she is sharing what an advisory program is, things you should and should not do when implementing an advisory program, examples of ways to implement a program, and practical tips to get started right away. I know you are going to walk away from this episode with so many ideas for an advisory program at your school!

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 LGBT+. teen mothers, special needs populations, and educators. Throughout her career, she taught, counseled, ensured support of academic intervention services, supervised, conducted professional development trainings, designed curriculum, and developed programs.

She started Informed Decisions to provide resources for counselors and teachers working with multicultural urban youth, teens, and young adults. She wants educators to feel confident in facilitating and engaging in interactive activities for their students. The information and resources are culturally, racially, and developmentally appropriate materials used to engage, educate, guide, and inspire our young people. Youth deserve to be afforded equitable opportunities to become productive contributing members of society. Together she believes we can engage multicultural youth in making informed decisions about their lives and future successes!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/sel-advisory-program

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Resources Mentioned:

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

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Connect with Leslie:

Shop: https://bit.ly/3JK313r

Blog: https://informeddecisionsblog.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/informed.decisions/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2100385153442681

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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

Celebrating 300k with a Giveaway! Apr 24, 2023

I have some EXCITING news! We’ve recently surpassed 300,000 downloads of the School Counseling Simplified podcast! I can’t believe it!

I want to give a big thank you to YOU for listening to this show by doing a giveaway. I’m giving 30 counselors 30% off of my IMPACT school counseling membership for 3 months! The offer will expire after the first 30 people use the code ‘podcast’ at checkout. Head here to get 30% off your first 3 months of IMPACT: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/offers/9KGqNB22/checkout?coupon_code=PODCAST

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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

140: How School Counselors can Support Teachers with Mini PD Apr 18, 2023

Have you considered providing mini PD to your teachers? You might be thinking that there is no way you are getting in front of your colleagues and teaching something. I completely understand that! But you can still support your teachers by providing easy PD for them about SEL strategies and counseling strategies that they can do in their classrooms.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could help many students use SEL strategies even without you physically being in the room? Teaching teachers strategies to help support their students is a great way to extend yourself a little bit. There are so many practices and strategies that they can easily implement into their classrooms and a little support and help from you can be so helpful with this.

You don’t need to overcomplicate the PD you provide to teachers. Make it simple to teach them and simple for them to implement. Some counseling strategies I suggest teaching your teachers are utilizing a calm down corner, grounding techniques, guided meditation for mindfulness, and deep breathing techniques. All of these strategies will be so beneficial to your students and can be taught to your teachers with short and simple PD.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/counselors-support-teachers-with-mini-pd

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Resources Mentioned:

Grab the Feelings Check Posters Freebie: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Feelings-Check-2827761

Get your Grounding Strategies Freebie: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/grounding-freebie

Guided Mindfulness Meditation Scripts: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Mindfulness-Meditations-10-Classroom-Guided-Meditations-3089368

Check out the "Be the Pond" Mindfulness Video for Kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf5K3pP2IUQ

Follow me on TikTok @BrightFuturesCounseling: https://www.tiktok.com/@brightfuturescounseling

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

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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

139: A Day in the Life of a School Counseling Intern with Stephanie Hubbard Apr 11, 2023

School counselors come from all sorts of backgrounds and it is so interesting to hear how their previous roles play into their role as a school counselor! Making the transition to school counseling can be a process that takes time or, like for our guest Stephanie Hubbard, can be fairly quick. Stephanie is joining us today to talk all about how she got her job as a school counselor intern before she even graduated and what impact she is making at the school.

Regardless of how we came into our roles, as school counselors, we all want to serve our students in the best way possible. A key way to do that is to collaborate with other teachers to ensure students are getting the support they need. Stephanie is an amazing example of this! In this episode, she is sharing the importance of collaborating with other staff and teachers. We are also chatting about her background in IT, how she is transitioning into her new role, what she finds frustrating as a school counselor, what her daily schedule looks like, and advice she has for new school counselors.

Stephanie Hubbard is a first year counselor intern. She loves learning new ways she can support her school staff and students. Stephanie comes from a big family so being around children has never been an issue for her! She loves shopping and traveling to new places. Stephanie graduates in May 2023 as a school counselor and is ready to see what the world has to offer her!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/school-counseling-intern

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Resources Mentioned:

Connect with Stephanie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/princess_stephanie123/

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

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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

138: How School Counselors Can Support Teachers with Supplemental Class Lessons Apr 04, 2023

Teachers are experiencing burnout at an alarming rate but we as school counselors may be able to help. We know that our students are best served when school counselors, teachers, and parents are collaborating together and that is one of the reasons supporting our teachers is so crucial for student success. In this episode, I am sharing some ways that we as school counselors can support our teachers.

One way that we can support teachers is by providing additional class lessons. This time of year can be especially tough for stress and student behaviors so adding in as-needed class lessons can be so helpful for teachers (and students!). In this episode, I am sharing ideas for how to determine who needs additional class lessons and what topics should be covered. Plus, I am sharing something that my school counselor did when I was in school that was so fun and exciting for students and staff during state testing!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/supplemental-class-lessons

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Resources Mentioned:

Grad your Needs Assessment for School Counseling: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Needs-Assessment-for-School-Counseling-Digital-Version-2759112

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

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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

137: A Day in the Life of a School Counselor with Carey Hughes Mar 28, 2023

Are you needing some motivation and inspiration from another school counselor? We are continuing our birthday celebration with another counselor interview and our guest today is sure to leave you inspired to make big impacts at your school! Carey Hughes is sharing all about her role as an elementary school counselor and giving some helpful tips along the way.

Carey has always wanted to work with elementary students and when she and her husband packed up and moved to a new city during the pandemic, she was able to land an elementary school counseling job that she LOVES and today, she is giving us a glimpse into her role. Carey is sharing her background as a middle school and high school spanish teacher, why the variety of tasks as a school counselor is both a good and bad thing, how challenging it is to see some of the struggles her students’ families face, tips for data collection, and advice she would give to new school counselors.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/school-counselor-carey-hughes

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Resources Mentioned:

Sign up for the Ultimate Small Group Experience: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/smallgroups

Elementary School Counselor Exchange Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/590701787640166

Caught in the Middle School Counselors Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/176582632507419

The School Counselor Store Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theschoolcounselorstore

The High School Connection Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1737770729838088

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

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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

136: A Day in the Life of a School Counselor with Lorilee Montgomery Mar 21, 2023

No school counselor role looks exactly the same and I absolutely love hearing from different school counselors about how they organize their days and the impact that they are making! Plus, We all know that there are parts we love about being a school counselor and parts we find challenging and it is so reassuring to hear that we are not alone. As we continue our “Day in the Life” series , Lorilee is sharing all about what she loves and what challenges her in her role as a school counselor.

I am so excited to have Lorilee join us today as she is a longtime and very active IMPACT member! She is giving us a glimpse into how she manages her role while being in each classroom twice a month as the school counselor for 600 students. Lorilee is sharing about her background and how she got into school counseling, how she enjoys not being in a disciplinarian role, knowing when to refer out, what her daily schedule looks like, and how she uses the IMPACT membership to help in her role.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/school-counselor-role

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Resources Mentioned:

Sign up for the Ultimate Small Group Experience : https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/smallgroups

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

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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

135: A Day in the Life of a School Psychologist with Dr. Natasha Tumbarello Mar 14, 2023

Every school counselor’s role is unique based on their school, on their district, and so many other factors. Sometimes, a school doesn’t have a counselor and another staff member steps up to support students who need the support of a school counselor. Dr. Natasha Tumbarello is joining us today and sharing how she wears many hats, including the school counselor hat, in her role as a school psychologist at a small elementary school.

School counselors and school psychologists can really compliment each other when supporting students. However, when a school has only one person to fill several different roles, it comes with unique challenges. Today, Natasha is sharing about her background in education, insight into how she survived her busy season of life, what the student support roles looked like in schools she has been in, what she loves and finds challenging about her role, and what her typical day looks like as a school psychologist wearing many hats. Natasha’s energy and passion is sure to leave you feeling inspired!

Natasha Tumbarello, Ph.D. is a School Psychologist at an elementary school in New York. She is also an Adjunct Professor/Lecturer at a private university in New York. Dr. Tumbarello provides assessment, counseling, and interventions to students and families, and professional development and support to the staff in her school. Her favorite part of being a School Psychologist is her daily interactions with students, especially when they share their successes and growth.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/day-in-the-life-of-a-school-psychologist

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Resources Mentioned:

Sign up for the Ultimate Small Group Experience : https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/smallgroups

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

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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

134: A Day in the Life of a School Counselor with Aimee Garcia Mar 07, 2023

Whether you are a new school counselor or have been one for years, it’s always great to hear from other school counselors. To celebrate 2 years of IMPACT, we will be hearing from IMPACT members every week in March. I know hearing from these school counselors will leave you feeling inspired!

Aimee Garcia is joining us today to share what her role as a school counselor looks like. She is sharing all about how she became interested in school counseling, what she loves about being a school counselor, how she collaborates with the school social worker, what struggles and frustrations she faces, and what a day in her role looks like. Aimee also shares what she loves about being an IMPACT member and how it helps her be prepared with resources for any lessons she needs to teach.

Aimee Garcia is a first year school counselor, wife, and mother of two, working at a public charter school in San Antonio, Texas. She has been in education for ten years, spending the majority of that time as a teacher at the middle school she once attended as a teenager. She taught middle school art, gifted and talented, and English classes and was named teacher of the year in 2017. Through her years teaching middle school, she found that one of her favorite parts of the day were the personal interactions she had with students and the conversations that led to both parties leaving feeling a little bit better.

As a life long learner Aimee always looked for ways to challenge herself within teaching roles, becoming an Arts Integrations Specialist, Electives department leader, and Group Travel coordinator. Eventually her path led her back to school, where she earned her Master's Degree in School Counseling. With her career in School Counseling now in full force, she continues to challenge herself as a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate working to earn her full LPC license in the next few years.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/day-in-the-life-of-a-school-counselor

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Resources Mentioned:

Sign up for the Ultimate Small Group Experience : https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/smallgroups

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

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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

133: Healthy Meal Planning Tips for Busy School Counselors Feb 28, 2023

Just how important is it to have healthy meals as a busy school counselor? We hear about eating healthy all the time but making sure our bodies and minds are properly nourished helps us to maximize our productivity and just feel good! If you’re not sure where to start when planning out nourishing lunches, dietician Sandra Gentleman is here to help!

Who doesn’t love a good treat in the teacher’s lounge or grabbing a coffee on the way into school? As delicious and comforting as these things are, it’s important for us to have balanced meals throughout our day to fuel our minds and our bodies.

In this episode, Sandra is sharing her background and expertise, the importance of planning lunches ahead of time, strategies to plan and prep lunches, and some guidance on what a healthy lunch consists of. We are chatting about the advantages of packing your lunches, how healthier foods impact our mental and physical health, and how to ensure you are practicing mindful eating.

After practicing as a Registered Dietitian for 24 years, Sandra is passionate about healthy eating and nutrition. Recently, She’s been taking school groups through grocery Nutrition Tours as a fun and interactive way to help improve awareness of healthy food. "My Wife The Dietitian" is a podcast that Sandra hosts with her husband, Rob to help cover diet and nutrition topics. Check out her blog and their social media, including YouTube with the podcast.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/healthy-meal-planning-tips

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Resources Mentioned:

My Wife the Dietician Podcast - Ep. 34. Back to School Food Hacks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etkPsQ9Ij8w

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

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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

132: How to Teach Conflict Resolution in Each Tier Feb 21, 2023

All students are bound to have conflicts at some point or another. It is so important that our kiddos know how to resolve conflicts in a respectful manner because it’s a skill they will use while in school and carry through life.

Today, I am sharing how we can teach conflict resolution skills across all three tiers so our students are prepared when conflict arises.

Handling conflict can be challenging for children and even adults. Teaching effective conflict resolution skills to all of our students is an excellent way to ensure they know how to respectfully handle conflict whenever it comes about. In this episode, I am sharing ideas for how to teach conflict resolution skills for all three tiers, ideas for how to teach these lessons, and resources I suggest for each tier.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/conflict-resolution

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Resources Mentioned:

"I Statements" Comic Book Lesson: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Social-Skills-Group-Social-Fluency-Social-Skills-Counseling-Group-4963094

Conflict Resolution Counseling Group - From Pirates to Peacemakers: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Conflict-Resolution-Counseling-Group-From-Pirates-to-Peacekeepers-3389446?utm_source=SCS%2520Podcast&utm_campaign=Pirates%2520to%2520Peacekeepers

Pause it and Resolve it Conflict Resolution Game: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Conflict-Resolution-Game-Pause-it-and-Resolve-it-with-Digital-Version-3338653?utm_source=SCS%2520Podcast&utm_campaign=Pause%2520it%2520and%2520Resolve%2520it

Kelso's Choice: https://kelsoschoice.com/

Kelso - "It's Your Choice Baby" Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrpG8Tk9f8o&t=103s

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

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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

131: A Day in the Life of a School Counselor with Rhea Parks Feb 14, 2023

As school counselors, it seems we never have enough time to do all the things we want to do. Meeting with students, putting on programs and activities, being in meetings, and all the other duties that are put on us spread us so thin. I am so grateful that Rhea Parks is joining us today to share about how she is managing everything on her plate as a second year counselor.

If you are feeling worn out and just tired, Rhea’s zest is sure to leave you feeling inspired and motivated in the second half of this school year! She is sharing her background and her path to being a school counselor, what she loves about school counseling, what she finds frustrating in her position, a look inside her typical week, her ideas for what she wants to do in the future, and her favorite Valentine’s themed counseling activities.

Rhea Parks began as a teacher at 30 years old teaching 4th and 5th grade reading and writing in a Title 1 school. She began to realize that teaching did not prepare her for the emotional support that her students were needing. She is a huge advocate on building relationships but she quickly knew this wasn't enough. Rhea looked into taking counseling classes at a local university just to arm herself with strategies on how to deal with the ever growing emotional and behavioral needs of her current and future students. While in the program, she began to fall in love and realize her purpose. As a new mom, it took Rhea a while to finish the program while she was teaching, and now she is in her second year as a school counselor at the age of 46 at Daniel Boone Elementary in Richmond, KY.

Rhea is a mother of two beautiful girls, age 13 and 10 and a bonus mom to an amazing son, 26. Her husband is a teacher and a head football coach at a high school. She loves watching her children play sports, which is part of my self-care, believe it or not.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/life-of-a-school-counselor

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Resources Mentioned:

Have a question for Rhea? Email her at rhea.parks@madison.kyschools.us

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

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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

130: How to Teach Healthy vs Unhealthy Relationships Feb 07, 2023

February brings so many fun things for school counselors including National School Counseling Week and Valentine’s Day! One thing I love to cover in the month of February is healthy relationships and friendships and this ties in great with Valentine’s Day. If you are looking for some fun ways to combine the Valentine’s theme with healthy relationships, you’re in luck! I have so many fun ideas for you today!

We may think that teaching healthy friendships and relationships isn’t necessary. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. Many of our students may be more familiar with UNhealthy relationships than with healthy ones. We want to make sure that students know what healthy friendships and relationships look like and that they themselves are acting in a healthy manner.

In this episode, I am sharing some of my favorite Valentine’s themed activities that you can use with your students. I am sharing why you should be teaching students about healthy relationships and friendships, examples of activities to do with your students to teach about healthy relationships, and ideas for how to easily implement these activities without added stress.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/healthy-vs-unhealthy-relationships

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Resources Mentioned:

Healthy vs Unhealthy Friendships Discussion Cards - Valentine's Day Themed: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Healthy-vs-Unhealthy-Friendships-Discussion-Cards-Valentines-Day-Themed-5224748 Healthy vs Unhealthy Relationships Discussion Cards - Valentine's Day Themed: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Healthy-Vs-Unhealthy-Relationships-Discussion-Cards-Valentines-Day-Themed-5224755 Episode 77: How to Celebrate National School Counseling Week (even if you're a solo counselor!): https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/national-school-counseling-week

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

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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

129: Supporting Title 1 Students and Families with Megan Polk Jan 31, 2023

Do you work in a Title 1 school or support low income students and families? Working in a low income school can come with unique challenges and supporting these students and families may look a little different. It is so important to understand each unique student and family and find ways to best support them.

Today we are joined by Megan Polk who is sharing some amazing tips she has learned from working in Title 1 schools for 15 years. She is sharing her background and experience in Title 1 schools, what Title 1 is and what the different types of Title 1 funding are, strategies school counselors can use to support low income students, and important things to consider when communicating and collaborating with parents and caregivers.

Megan Polk is a literacy specialist living in Nashville, Tennessee. She has over a decade of teaching experience across elementary grades. She uses best practices and innovation to meet and reach students where they are. Megan is the content creator behind The Literacy Dive and Writing Made Simple where she creates reading and writing resources that are creative, rigorous, and comprehensive. She seeks to equip teachers who share similar challenges and have the same mission: to close the gap, to increase student confidence and achievement, and to develop students who will expand their true love for literacy. Megan is dedicated to supporting teachers, parents, and students everywhere! She loves connecting with educators through Instagram and enjoys diving into ALL things literacy every Monday on The Literacy Dive Podcast. Megan realizes the power of collaboration and the positive impact it holds; teachers are truly better together!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/title-1-students-and-families

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Resources Mentioned:

Episode 95: How to Incorporate Journaling into Your Counseling Sessions with Literacy Specialist Megan Polk: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/journaling-into-counseling-sessions

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

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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

128: Mindset Shifts for School Counselors with Chrissy Nichols Jan 24, 2023

Are you finding that you are feeling burned out or that your mindset just isn’t great right now? Our mindset and thoughts impact us more than we realize. If you aren’t loving your job or are feeling overwhelmed, a mindset shift may make a huge difference! Luckily, there are things we can do to improve our mindset which may lead to rediscovering our love for our job and reducing overwhelm.

Our guest today, Chrissy Nichols, is here to share some amazing ways to shift our mindset. She uses her experience as a teacher to help educators love their job again and avoid burnout. She is sharing what she does as a life and mindset coach for educators, the three main areas she coaches in, one strategy counselors can implement to take control of their schedule, how educators can learn to re-love their job, and how thoughts impact your life.

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Show Notes: Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/mindset-shifts

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Resources Mentioned:

Pomodoro Timer: https://pomofocus.io/

Atomic Habits by James Clear: https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Habits-James-Clear-audiobook/dp/B07RFSSYBH/ref=sr_1_1?gclid=Cj0KCQiA8aOeBhCWARIsANRFrQFSNm0u-Fq6jaFDXWYujFiu-6nWlFEBURO5f9qK4Nly6LR-7FMrer4aAocuEALw_wcB&hvadid=602222145990&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1027991&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=12297735861927490533&hvtargid=kwd-1668531942405&hydadcr=22533_10353821&keywords=atomic+habits%27&qid=1674147389&sr=8-1

Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo: https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Is-Figureoutable-audiobook/dp/B07RQV9QNP/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2HHIVGD20MXH8&keywords=everything+is+figureoutable+book&qid=1674147546&sprefix=everything+is+figureoutable+book%2Caps%2C189&sr=8-1

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

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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

127: A Day in the Life of a School Counselor with Jessica Weinberg Zeff Jan 17, 2023

Looking to feel inspired as we take on the second half of the school year? I am so excited to start having current school counselors on the podcast more often so you can hear what they are implementing at their schools. Jessica Weinberg Zeff is joining us today to talk about her role as a 3rd year school counselor and what it’s like being an IMPACT member.

I absolutely love hearing about what counselors are doing in their schools, what they’ve found works for them, and of course, any advice they have for other counselors. I am so grateful Jessica is joining us to chat about her counseling program and give us a glimpse into her days. We are chatting about what her plans are for second semester, how she’s reaching students in all three tiers even with a big caseload, what she focuses on that has had a huge impact on her program, and advice she would give first year counselors.

Ready to make an even greater impact without added stress or time? Check out the newly revamped IMPACT 2.0 membership! Get access to hundreds of resources for all three tiers right at your fingertips. PLUS, you’ll have access to our community of school counselors to collaborate and troubleshoot with and quarterly professional development training so you have everything you need to support your students.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/school-counselor

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Resources Mentioned:

Sign up for the FREE live workshop, 3 Practical Ideas to Bring Your High School Counseling Program Back to Life in the New Year: https://counselorclique.mykajabi.com/januaryworkshop

Listen to High School Counseling Conversations: https://counselorclique.com/podcast/

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

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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

126: Introducing IMPACT 2.0!!! Jan 12, 2023

Cue the confetti because I have such an exciting announcement to share with you! Impact 2.0 is here! This episode is a replay of the live launch party I held to unveil all the new features of Impact.

I know what it's like to have the heart and desire to want to help as many kiddos as possible as a school counselor. But here’s the problem. You end up overwhelmed and winging it more than you'd probably like to admit, because it takes so much time to create and implement quality curriculum. There’s only so many hours in the day!

Enter Impact 2.0! When you join, you’ll get unlimited access to all of my resources, a quick and easy resource search feature, live professional development trainings, Zoom calls, a school counselor community, and so much more. This will take the guesswork out of planning each month and make the biggest impact as possible at your school.

The best part? We’re keeping Impact 2.0 at the same low price of $29/month so we can make it as accessible as possible for school counselors everywhere. Learn more here!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/impact-2

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Resources Mentioned:

Join my school counselor membership IMPACT: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact

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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