School Counseling Simplified Podcast

Latest Episodes:

180: Increase Productivity with Batching! Jan 23, 2024

Show notes

We are all about productivity this month because I love helping school counselors make the most of their time to make the biggest impact they can! We talked last week about using a time audit to figure out where you are spending your time and how to cut out things that you don't need to be doing, but how else can you make the most of your time? Batching!

We have so many things to accomplish each day and it's amazing how much time we spend switching between these tasks. That's why I highly recommend batching where you can! In this episode, I am sharing how I love to batch my communication so that emails, phone calls, and meetings aren't taking up all your free time.

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

Resources Mentioned:

Save your spot for January's Coffee with the Counselor Training: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee

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

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

Connect with Rachel:

Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling

Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095

If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

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

Show notes

It's January, the start of a new year and what better way to kick off your year than with a time audit! You know I love time audits because they are so incredibly helpful for making the most of your time and helping you make the biggest impact you can. I know, you might be thinking that adding another thing to your to-do list just isn't possible. But believe me, you can regain so much time just by doing a quick time audit of what you're doing each day!

As school counselors, we have so much on our plate so finding ways to maximize our time and eliminate things where we can is key to fitting it all in. I have found the best way to truly see where my time goes is by completing a time audit and today, I am breaking down how you can easily do a time audit of your school day to ensure you are making the most of your time!

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

Resources Mentioned:

Save your spot for January's Coffee with the Counselor Training: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee

Toggl: https://toggl.com/

Rescue Time: https://www.rescuetime.com/

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

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

Connect with Rachel:

Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling

Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095

If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

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

Show notes

I absolutely love hearing from other school counselors and getting an inside look at what their role looks like. Every counselor's position is unique based on so many different factors - their background, their caseload size, if there are other counselors on their team, etc. That's why I am so excited to chat with our guest today! Sheyenne Hernandez has a social work background, has a caseload of about 400 students, and has some great ideas for how to build relationships with her students!

All American small town farm princess. Sheyenne is a momma, wife, auntie, social worker and school counselor. She has dreamt of becoming an "art therapist" who worked with kids since she was ten. Fast forward to today, at 36, she has completed her masters in Social Work in 2022 and landed her current dream job of working in the same elementary as her kiddos. She loves the students at her school! The elementary kids are her favorite! She has enjoyed learning how to be a good school counselor and has been so grateful for all of the help from IMPACT. She dreams to continue her counseling career in play therapy/ecotherapy and working with youth and families in need.

In this episode, Sheyenne is sharing how she builds rapport with her students, tips for connecting parents with community resources, why each day for her looks different, and what advice she would give to new school counselors.

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

Resources Mentioned:

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

Email Sheyenne: 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

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

Show notes

Happy New Year! We made it to 2024 and I am so excited to kick off a new year with you and see what 2024 holds for us! I always love to kick off the year with some new goals, selecting a word of the year, and a fresh start and I thought it would be perfect to share that with you!

I think we all like to go into a new year with a fresh perspective and ideas of things we'd like to accomplish, I know I do at least! So to kick off the year, I thought it would be fun to share some goals I have for you in your counseling programs and what my word of the year is with you.

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

Resources Mentioned:

How I Became a School Counselor in Costa Rica: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/blog/costa-rica-counselor

Laura Tremaine's Top 10 Things to Tell Your Podcast: https://www.10thingstotellyou.com/podcast

The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs by Laura Tremaine: https://amzn.to/40FbWLq

The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle: https://amzn.to/46d8hG5

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

Grab the School Counseling Self-Assessments Super Bundle with Digital Data Tracking Forms: https://shop.brightfutures-counseling.com/products/school-counseling-self-assessments-super-bundle-with-digital-data-tracking-forms?_pos=3&_fid=1009c56fc&_ss=c

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

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

Connect with Rachel:

Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling

Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095

If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

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

Show notes

I hope you are enjoying your much needed and well deserved break! We are wrapping up 2023 with a look back at some of the best episodes from School Counseling Simplified this year to help you easily find what you may want to go back and listen to. This year has been so fun and I am so grateful for each and every one of you for tuning in and sharing the podcast!

As I looked back on what we covered this year, there were four main topics we spent several episodes covering and I thought those would be great ones to revisit. I'm sharing which episodes to check out if you are looking for a refresh on data tracking, scheduling hacks, class lessons, or supporting teachers.

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

Resources Mentioned:

For all episodes mentioned on supporting teachers, data tracking, scheduling hacks, and a day in my life as a school counselor and IMPACT membership, visit the show notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/best-of-school-counseling-simplified

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

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

Connect with Rachel:

Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling

Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095

If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

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

Show notes

Are you currently using a calendar to keep track of what students you are seeing, what you are seeing them for, and what tasks you are spending your time on? Let me tell you, if you are not, hearing from our guest, Lauren Tingle, is going to make you realize how helpful collecting data using a calendar truly is!

Lauren is a former high school counselor turned content creator and curriculum writer. She is the high school counseling hype girl behind Counselor Clique helping other high school counselors energize and breathe life into their programs through creative and engaging counseling resources. She's also the host of the podcast "High School Counseling Conversations" and also runs a membership for high school counselors called the Clique Collaborative where she brings value and fun into high school counseling.

In this episode, Lauren is walking through how she shifted her team's services from responsive to proactive by looking at data they collected from their calendars. She shares how they utilized a simple check in system, what to do when you feel like you're losing control of your calendar, and how you can use data to advocate for your role to your administrators.

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

Resources Mentioned:

Episode 86, Mock Interview Questions with Lauren Tingle from Counselor Clique: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/mock-interview-questions

High School Counseling Conversations Episode 71, An Administrator's Perception of School Counselors and the Role They Play: https://counselorclique.com/mr-eric-williams/

High School Counseling Conversations Episode 44, Owning Your Time Management By Using Your Calendar: https://counselorclique.com/time-management/

Taking Back Your Calendar: 3 Helpful Tips to Prioritize Your Job and Advocate for Your Role: https://counselorclique.com/3-tips-for-taking-back-your-calendar/

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

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

Connect with Rachel:

Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling

Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095

If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

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

Show notes

Have you seen some of your kiddos really struggling with stress, worry, or other challenging emotions? Teaching these students some helpful coping skills they can do at school when these emotions come up can be a game changer for them! But how can we as school counselors help them and what types of strategies can we teach them to help them manage their emotions both at school and at home? Janine Halloran is joining us today to share some great tips for helping our students with coping skills!

Janine Halloran is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who has been working with children, teens, and their families for over 20 years. She has been helping children and teens build their coping skills throughout her career in a variety of settings, including schools, mental health clinics and in her private practice. She founded Coping Skills for Kids to help children and teens learn healthy and safe ways to manage big feelings. She has written several books, including the bestselling Coping Skills for Kids Workbook, the Coping Skills for Teens Workbook and the Social Skills for Kids Workbook. She is also the host of the Calm & Connected Podcast and the founder of the Coping Skills Community Hub. Her work has been featured in the Boston Globe, CNN, Huffington Post, and The Skimm® Newsletter. Janine lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two children.

In this episode, Janine is sharing her favorite school based coping strategies, how she likes to teach social skills, and ways for school counselors to help students use coping skills at home. Janine has so much incredible information to share and I know you will walk away from this episode with new ideas and strategies to help your kiddos with coping strategies!

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

Resources Mentioned:

Check out the Coping Skills for Kids Resource Library: http://copingskillsforkids.com/hub

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

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

Connect with Rachel:

Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling

Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095

If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

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

Show notes

Happy December! Holiday season is in full swing which means it's a great time to pull some holiday and winter themed activities into your counseling sessions. This is a great opportunity to mix things up a bit, keep students excited to see you, and practice some important skills your students need!

One winter activity idea I absolutely love is a seasonal countdown calendar. With winter break quickly approaching, this is a fun way to keep the students engaged during the last few weeks. If you're not sure where to start with creating a countdown calendar, don't worry! In this episode, I am sharing a few different ways you can use a countdown calendar for school counseling, ideas for activities to include on the calendar, and how to adjust the activities to fit your students' needs.

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

Resources Mentioned:

Check out the Countdown to Winter Break Activity Pack: https://shop.brightfutures-counseling.com/products/countdown-to-winter-break-winter-themed-counseling-and-sel-activity-pack

Read the Countdown to Winter Break with School Counseling Activities Blog Post: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/blog/countdown-to-winter-break-with-school-counseling-activities

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

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

Connect with Rachel:

Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling

Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095

If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

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

Show notes

As a school counselor, you've likely worked with a student who needed a little sensory support. But how can we help to support these students with sensory issues? Today I am joined by therapist and brain science expert Jessica Sinarski, who is giving us some wonderful insight into the eight senses and helping our students who benefit from various types of sensory input.

Jessica Sinarski is a highly sought-after therapist, speaker, and change-maker. Extensive post-graduate training and 15+ years as a clinician and educator led her to create the resource and training platform–BraveBrains. She makes trauma-sensitive brain science practical, helping parents and professionals unlock resilience in themselves and their students. She is also the author of the award-winning Riley the Brave series, Light Up the Learning Brain, Hello Anger, and more.

Jessica is a wealth of knowledge about supporting our students' sensory needs! In this episode, she is sharing what the eight senses are, signs that a student may need sensory support, and how to add sensory input into the school day. This episode is packed with incredibly helpful information and tips that I know you'll be able to use with your students who need a little extra support.

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

Resources Mentioned:

Episode 107, How School Counselor Can Help Kids Feel and Deal with Anger with Jessica Sinarski: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/help-kids-with-anger

Check out Jessica's website for parents and helping professionals: http://www.JessicaSinarski.com

Visit the Brave Brains website for counselor toolkits and instructions for purchase orders: https://jessicasinarski.com/edu

Read the "Understanding the Brain-->Senses-->Behavior Connection" blog: https://bravebrains.com/blog/senses-schools/

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

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

Connect with Rachel:

Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling

Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095

If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

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

Show notes

You know I am all about showcasing your work and impact as a school counselor! And midyear is the perfect time to do just that. One way I love to show the impact that school counselors make is by including student progress data on a data wall that shows how much students have improved because of counseling services.

Now, this may sound a little intimidating especially as you're thinking of everything that you need to do midyear, but it can be completely manageable and totally worthwhile! In this episode, I am sharing my two favorite ways to collect student progress data, how to showcase this data on your data wall, and how this data can help you advocate for your role as a school counselor.

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

Resources Mentioned:

Grab the School Counseling Data Wall Template: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/School-Counseling-Data-Wall-Counseling-Bulletin-Board-8000554

Check out the Editable School Counseling End of the Year Report: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/School-Counseling-EDITABLE-End-of-the-Year-Report-3144878

Episode 169, How to Showcase Your Counseling Services Using a Data Wall: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/services-using-a-data-wall

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

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

Connect with Rachel:

Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling

Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095