School Counseling Simplified Podcast

This December, we're revisiting some of the most impactful episodes of School Counseling Simplified as a special holiday treat! In today's throwback to episode 132, I dive into practical strategies for helping students resolve conflicts and develop healthy mediation skills. From whole-class lessons to individual interventions, this episode provides valuable tools for equipping students with effect...

Can you believe it is almost December? The countdown to winter break is on. I absolutely love this time of year. Everything is so fun and festive, especially at the elementary level. I'm always trying to think of ways that I can put a seasonal twist on counseling activities to keep your students (and you) engaged. At the same time, I always had the problem of "frequent flyers" popping up. You know...

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 t...

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 c...

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 tho...

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 upsta...

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 excit...

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 e...

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 s...

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 implement...

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...

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 cl...

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. Utilizi...

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...

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...

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...

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, d...

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 Counsel...

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, L...

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 (...

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 educa...

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, 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 environmen...

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...

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 sp...