School Counseling Simplified Podcast

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: 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!  

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: 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!    

  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: TpT Store Blog Instagram Facebook Page Facebook Group Pinterest  Youtube   Connect with Lauren: Website TpT Store  Instagram High School Counseling Conversations- 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!  

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: 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!

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!

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: 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!  

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: TpT Store Blog Instagram Facebook Page 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!  

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: 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!  

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: 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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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