School Counseling Simplified Podcast

Latest Episodes:

270. ICYMI Proactive Bullying Prevention: Conflict Resolution Strategies Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to School Counseling Simplified. Since October is Bullying Prevention Month, this episode focuses on practical conflict resolution strategies you can use at the schoolwide, classroom, and small group levels. If you have not listened to last week's episode on restorative circles, start there for helpful background on resolution circles and community-based approaches. Today we build on that foundation with tangible tools you can use right away to help students resolve, forgive, and repair relationships.

What you will learn in this episode

How to use classroom-based activities to teach conflict resolution skills
A simple script for I statements that students can use to express feelings and seek solutions
Engagement strategies for role play, discussion, and practice
Small group activities and curricula that support peer problem solving
Steps to take when a student is referred to you after a conflict

Classroom strategies

Talk it out circle

Use a classroom circle where two students resolve a conflict in front of their peers while the teacher or counselor facilitates a respectful discussion.
This model teaches the whole class how to listen, reflect, and offer support.

Counselor push-ins

Join the classroom for a lesson or mediation session, while the teacher and student exit the classroom to resolve a conflict.

I statement lessons

Teach a simple I statement script: name the emotion, describe the incident, explain how it made you feel, and suggest a next step toward resolution.
Use dry erase boards with fill-in-the-blank templates for practice.
Post I statement language on classroom walls and in common areas so students have visible reminders.

Role play and scenario practice

Break students into small groups and use scenario cards to role play common friendship conflicts.
Incorporate charades, fishbowl exercises, or paired practice to make skills stick.

Small group ideas

Run a conflict resolution group using discussion dice or conversation cards to guide reflection.
Include hands-on activities or crafts that reinforce communication skills and empathy.
Consider curricula like Kelso's Choices to teach problem-solving options for peer conflicts.

When students are referred after a conflict

Start by identifying the source of the conflict. Ask why this keeps happening and what the underlying triggers are.
Take time to get a full picture before deciding on a plan so you do not cycle through the same issues repeatedly.
Use data from observations, teacher input, and student self-report to refine your intervention.

Action steps you can take today

Teach and practice one I statement template with a class.
Try a short talk it out circle during your next classroom visit.
Create or print an I statement poster to display in classrooms and common areas.

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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!

269. ICYMI Proactive Bullying Prevention: Creating a Culture of Kindness Oct 07, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified! Since October is Bullying Prevention Month, I will be highlighting some of our best podcast episodes all about bullying prevention strategies. Today, we are diving into practical ways to create a culture of kindness in schools.

Promoting kindness is one of the most effective ways to reduce bullying. In this episode, I share strategies that teachers and counselors can use to set a positive tone, build empathy, and encourage collaboration.

Morning meetings are a simple yet powerful practice that helps students begin their day with intention. Counselors can shadow teachers and suggest SEL activities, such as discussion cards, to promote empathy and connection.
Restorative practices, including proactive circles that create safe spaces where every student feels heard and valued. These circles allow students to practice active listening, handle strong emotions, and respect differences. Resolution circles and talk-it-out circles provide opportunities for repair and forgiveness with counselor support.
School-wide kindness cards can be passed out to students to recognize and encourage positive behaviors, building a stronger culture of kindness across the campus.

By focusing on these strategies, we can create school environments where kindness thrives and bullying is less likely to take root.

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You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

268. Measuring the Effectiveness of Your Counseling Lessons Sep 30, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified! Throughout September, we have been diving deep into classroom lessons. I love using them as tier 1 interventions, and so far we have talked about how to plan, schedule, teach, and manage behaviors during lessons. Today, we are shifting the focus to data and exploring how to measure the success of your classroom counseling lessons.

Often, counselors rely on self-assessments or individual assessments during small group or one-on-one sessions, which is a fantastic approach. But did you know you can also track data in your classroom lessons without feeling overwhelmed? In this episode, I am sharing two simple and practical ways to measure effectiveness.

Collecting new data
- This includes surveying parents and teachers throughout the year to gather feedback on the effectiveness of your lessons.
- By asking questions such as which topics have been most helpful or what improvements they have noticed, you can continue to modify and strengthen your lessons.
- Surveys can be kept short and simple with just a few questions to ensure people complete them.
- You can also share results in newsletters or with your administration to advocate for your role.
Instant student feedback
- A brief half-sheet with three simple questions at the end of a lesson can provide valuable insights into what students are learning and how they are engaging with the material.

How to use this data

The purpose of gathering information is not just to collect it but to use it to improve future lessons and demonstrate the impact of your program. All data is good data because it allows you to revise, reflect, and show the power of school counseling.

Your action step for this week is to create a parent feedback survey and send it out. This simple tool can make a big difference in helping you measure effectiveness and advocate for your work.

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You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

267. Managing Behaviors During Counseling Lessons with Gina Venancio Sep 23, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified! Throughout September, we are diving deep into classroom lessons. I love using them as my tier 1 interventions. While many times we are handed lessons to deliver, there are plenty of situations where you have to create everything on your own. That is why I am sharing how to schedule, plan, and teach classroom lessons. These insights come from my Stress-Free Class Lessons Course, a five-module program that equips you with tools and strategies to feel prepared and confident.

In today's episode, we are focusing on behavior management during counseling lessons. When I first started, this was one of my biggest struggles. I often had lessons I was excited to teach, but behavior challenges quickly left me feeling overwhelmed. Over time, I discovered that consistency is the key to creating a well-managed classroom. When you are consistent, you build trust with your students. They know what to expect and that you will follow through.

Here are a few strategies we will cover in this episode:

At the beginning of lessons: Review expectations or rules. You can display them on Google Slides or on an anchor chart. Model each expectation with your students, either as a group or with selected volunteers.
When students don't follow expectations: Take a pause rather than pushing through. Stop the lesson, revisit the expectation, and reset. Sometimes you need to go slow in order to go fast.
Reinforcing positive behavior: Use behavior-specific praise. Instead of offering tangible rewards, tell students exactly what they are doing right and why it matters.

The key is to create expectations that can be applied across every classroom you visit and to consistently reinforce them. Behavior management does not have to feel overwhelming when you have clear, practical strategies in place.

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You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

266. Teaching Counseling Lessons Sep 16, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified! Throughout September, we are diving deep into classroom lessons. I love using them as my tier 1 interventions. While many times we are given lessons to teach, there are also plenty of situations where you are expected to create everything on your own. That is why I am sharing strategies on how to schedule, plan, and teach classroom lessons. These ideas come from my Stress-Free Class Lessons Course, a five-module program designed to help you feel confident and prepared.

In today's episode, we are focusing on the teaching piece and specifically on strategies to keep counseling lessons engaging and fun. The more engaged students are, the less likely they are to act out, which makes your time in the classroom much more effective.

You will learn how to add movement and interactive activities into your lessons, including:

Icebreakers: Sides of the room, Simon Says, Stand up/Sit down
Activities: Role play, charades, escape rooms, scoot games
Discussions: Beach ball toss, jumbo discussion die

These simple strategies can transform the energy in your classroom and keep students focused while learning.

Here are three action steps you can take right away:

Find an engaging icebreaker for each topic you plan to teach.
Decide which engagement activity strategy you want to try.
Create a discussion beach ball to spark interactive conversations.

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More About School Counseling Simplified:

You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

265. Planning Counseling Lessons Sep 09, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified! All throughout September, we're diving into classroom lessons, one of my favorite tier 1 interventions. While some schools provide ready-made lessons, there are many times you'll need to design and plan them yourself. That's why I'm excited to share tips on how to schedule, plan, and teach effective lessons. These strategies come straight from my Stress-Free Class Lessons Course, a five-module resource designed to help you feel confident and prepared.

In today's episode, we're continuing the conversation by focusing on planning your counseling lessons—deciding what to teach and how to teach it. This is a sneak peek into Module 2 of my course.

Here's what you'll learn:

Planning lessons for the year: how to select topics, incorporate seasonal and school-wide themes, and repurpose content across grade levels.
Using the calendar: align lessons with holidays, seasons, or events (for example, starting the year with a "Meet the Counselor" lesson, or teaching about kindness and friendship around Valentine's Day).
Referencing data and needs: review referrals, attendance data, and input from administrators to identify student challenges and plan preventative lessons.
Combining curriculum resources: integrate any curriculum your school provides with your own lessons to fill in gaps.
Book-based lessons: choose books with strong themes and build lessons around them, while ensuring teachers have access to reinforce concepts.

We'll also talk about offering "as-needed" lessons when extra support is required, such as teaching a cybersafety lesson to a class that needed immediate guidance beyond their regular schedule.

And here's a planning tip: Don't reinvent the wheel. You can easily adapt lessons to make them developmentally appropriate across different grade levels.

Your action steps:

Write down monthly events you'd like to align lessons with
Review discipline referrals and student data
Prepare your needs assessment
Find out if your school provides a curriculum
Research books you might want to use in future lessons

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You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

264. Scheduling Counseling Lessons Sep 02, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified! Throughout September, we're diving deep into classroom lessons, one of my favorite Tier 1 interventions. Sometimes we're given lesson plans, but other times we're left to create everything from scratch. That's why this month I'm sharing practical strategies for scheduling, planning, and teaching lessons with confidence. These tips are pulled directly from my Stress-Free Classroom Lessons course, a five-module training designed to help you feel prepared and supported when delivering class lessons.

In this episode, I'll walk you through three game-changing scheduling tools that make the process seamless and manageable:

1. Google Sheets

Create a simple form that lists your available times.
Share it with teachers so they can sign up directly, avoiding endless back-and-forth emails.
Teachers take ownership of choosing times, while you stay in control of your availability.
Set it up at the beginning of the year so teachers can reserve their slots for months ahead.

2. Calendly

Use this free, user-friendly website for scheduling.
Teachers can easily reserve lesson times for the entire school year.
Add important details like location, duration, and virtual links.
Customize hours, set time limits, and color-code events to keep everything organized.

3. Google Calendar

Pair with Google Sheets or Calendly for maximum efficiency.
Create recurring calendar invites that include lesson details, virtual links, and reminders.
Invite teachers directly so lessons appear on their calendars.
Color-code lessons, groups, and individual sessions for quick organization at a glance.
While it takes time to set up initially, the payoff is a smooth, structured year.

Pro Scheduling Tip: Be practical and remember that you're in control. For instance, if Mondays are difficult due to travel or frequent holidays, avoid scheduling lessons on that day.

I personally recommend having teachers sign up for the entire year in advance. This approach allows you to balance your time across class lessons, small groups, and individual sessions. At the same time, remain flexible, because your schedule will naturally shift to accommodate your needs and the evolving needs of teachers throughout the school year.

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More About School Counseling Simplified:

You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

263. Unlock the Power of Data with Joyce Harduvel from Balanced Mind Therapy Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified! I hope your school year is off to a wonderful start. Today I'm excited to bring you a very special guest, Joyce Harduvel.

Joyce is a passionate advocate for youth and the school counselors and social workers that support them. She worked in Chicago Public Schools for seven years where she specialized in evidence-based and trauma-informed behavior intervention for students with chronic challenging behaviors. Joyce is an advocate for proactive professional self care that allows school-based professionals to build that sustainable careers of their dreams so that they can do what is really important: support their students! She now works with school counselors and social workers as a coach and clinical supervisor while pursuing a law degree to further her skills in championing youth.

In this episode, Joyce shares her expertise on how to create positive change for students by using data. She breaks down practical steps you can take to make data meaningful and actionable in your counseling practice.

Here's what you'll learn in this episode:

1. Assessing the Situation

Avoid going in with predetermined views.
Begin with a holistic assessment that provides a well-rounded perspective of where a student is at.
Gather information from multiple sources: families, teachers, and the students themselves.
Use observations, records, and assessments to inform your starting point.

2. Developing Goals and Tracking Data

Identify a lagging social-emotional skill and create a targeted goal.
Explore resources like CASEL, which breaks SEL skills into five domains and offers free research and tools.
Start small—choose one specific area to focus on.
Establish a baseline using student records (assignments, attendance, GPA, behavior data).
Incorporate tracking methods such as antecedent-behavior forms, duration or interval data, mood tracking, or SEL pre/post tests.
Refine your goal to ensure it is SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound).
Break goals into smaller benchmarks for clarity and progress monitoring.

3. Using Data to Drive Interventions

Collect ongoing data through screeners, classroom input, or case notes.
Remember—the point of collecting data is to actually use it.
If progress isn't happening, adjust your goals and strategies.
Use data to guide your interventions, advocate for student needs, and identify trends that may inform Tier 1 or Tier 2 supports.
Most importantly, use data to celebrate student growth and successes along the way.

This episode is packed with practical strategies to help you see data not as a burden, but as a powerful tool to create meaningful, positive change for your students.

Resources Mentioned:

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You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

262. 4 Ways To Spruce Up Your Meet The Counselor Lesson Aug 19, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified! I hope your school year is off to a fantastic start. In this episode, I'm sharing four creative, hands-on ways to freshen up your Meet the Counselor lesson.

I truly believe that every counselor should include a Meet the Counselor lesson at the beginning of the year. My personal favorite is a Meet the Counselor Game Show. It's competitive, fun, and requires very little prep. Most importantly, it's an excellent advocacy tool. It gives students clarity on who you are, what you do, and how they can access your services.

But if you're looking to add something new this year, I've got four simple ideas you can incorporate:

Emotions Charades Turn learning into a game by having students act out emotions from a card while their classmates guess. This helps students practice reading facial expressions and body language, while also developing empathy and emotional recognition.
Counseling Treasure Hunt Set up a scavenger hunt in your space with counseling-related items like a mandala coloring sheet, fidgets, or SEL books. As students find each object, engage them in discussion about how these items are used in counseling.
Mindfulness Moments Introduce mindfulness by leading a guided meditation or creating a mindfulness jar. Both activities provide practical examples of self-regulation strategies that students can use throughout the year.
Vision Collages Encourage self-expression by having students create collages that represent their goals, likes, dreams, and hopes. They can cut out images from magazines or design a digital version online. This is a creative way for students to reflect on their identities while you get to know them better.

These activities are easy, engaging, and perfect for adding variety to your traditional Meet the Counselor lesson. Not only do they make your role more accessible to students, but they also set the tone for a supportive and engaging school year.

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You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

261. Dealing with School Refusal Aug 12, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to School Counseling Simplified! As we dive into the back-to-school season, many of us are seeing students who are struggling with separation anxiety and school refusal. In this episode, we're talking about how you can support not only the students experiencing anxiety, but also the teachers in your building and the parents at home.

We'll cover a wide range of practical, school-based strategies that you can implement right away. From calming tools and classroom tips to talking points for caregivers, this episode will give you a full toolkit for addressing separation anxiety at the start of the school year.

Whether you're working with new kindergarten students, recent transfers, or kids who are just feeling unsure after summer break, these ideas will help you build connections, reduce fear, and create a strong foundation for the year ahead.

Tips for Supporting Students

School Tours: Offering a separate tour (outside of open house or back-to-school night) can help new or anxious students become familiar with the campus and reduce fear of the unknown.
Safe Spaces: Creating a calm-down corner in your counseling office, or encouraging teachers to have one in the classroom, can give students a space to feel grounded.
Daily Check-ins: Offer brief check-ins during the first few days or weeks to help students feel supported by a trusted adult.
Safety Plans: For students still experiencing significant anxiety after rapport has been built, work together to create a personal safety plan that outlines their support system and calming strategies.
Small Groups: Run a separation anxiety small group using CBT-based activities, mindfulness tools, and games to help students feel less alone and more empowered.

Tips for Teachers

Buddy Systems: Pair students experiencing anxiety with a calm, confident peer to help them feel supported and included.
Visual Schedules: Use visual schedules to help students know what to expect throughout the day, reducing anxiety caused by uncertainty.
SEL Integration: Incorporate social-emotional learning into daily routines with a consistent morning meeting or circle time.
Read-Alouds: Use books like The Invisible String to open up conversations about separation and connection.
Classroom Jobs: Assign meaningful classroom roles to help anxious students feel a sense of purpose and belonging.
Transitional Objects: Allow students to bring a comforting object from home (such as a stuffed animal, small toy, or photo) during the first few days.

Tips for Parents and Caregivers

Validation: Encourage caregivers to acknowledge their child's feelings without minimizing them. A simple "I see this is really hard for you" goes a long way.
Consistent Routines: Remind parents of the power of predictability. A steady sleep schedule, breakfast routine, and drop-off ritual can ease anxiety.
Practice Separations: Suggest that parents do short practice separations before school starts (e.g., playdates or time at a grandparent's house).
Quick Goodbyes: Encourage brief, confident goodbyes at drop-off and reassure the child about who will pick them up. Lingering can unintentionally reinforce anxiety.
Positive Modeling: Remind parents that children often take cues from adults. Expressing enthusiasm and trust in the school helps children feel the same.

By supporting students, teachers, and families together, you can help reduce separation anxiety and set everyone up for success this school year. This episode offers you a well-rounded approach that's practical, compassionate, and easy to implement.

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