In today's episode, I chat with Ashley Lutz. who shares strategies and advice for school counselors on working with special education students and collaborating with special education teachers. 

Ashley has been working in Special Education for 12 years. She was a middle school self-contained teacher for 7 years working with students with intellectual disabilities and did 4 years as a special education inclusion teacher in an elementary setting. In 2022, she switched roles to be an Early Childhood Special Education teacher (ECSE). Outside of the classroom, Ashley is married with 3 kids; an 8 year old and 6 year old twins. When she is not running after her littles, she enjoys workouts, putting her toes in the sand, reading, and drinking lots of coffee!

Some Highlights include: 

• Strategies for counselors to support special education students, such as building rapport with families, providing sensory input, and using fidget toys or puzzles to help students open up.

• Co-teaching models for counselors to work with special education teachers, including team teaching and station rotations.

• The importance of validating emotions and supporting teachers' mental health, with suggestions for counselors to offer a safe space for teachers to vent and regulate their emotions.

• The value of early intervention and open communication between educators and parents to address mental health concerns in students.

Resources mentioned:

• Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here!

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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!