Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified! Today's episode features Summer Summit presenter Bradford, a seasoned school counselor from Chattanooga, TN. Bradford has six years of school counseling experience, teaches weekly at his church, and recently served as an adjunct professor. He's passionate about building strong student relationships, and he's also excited about incorporating new tech into his counseling program.

Summer Summit Replay Access

Did you miss Summer Summit? It's not too late! When you join IMPACT, my monthly membership for school counselors, you'll get access to all of the Summer Summit session recordings, along with PD hours. Sarah's session is one you don't want to miss. She shares how nervous system regulation supports executive functioning and practical tools to apply these strategies in your life and with students.

In this episode, Bradford shares how he's been using AI tools like Canva and Gemini to enhance classroom lessons and plan more efficiently. Whether it's creating engaging visuals or generating lesson ideas, Bradford explains how AI can be a time-saving support, not a replacement, for your work.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How Bradford uses Canva's AI tools to create engaging classroom visuals

• Why Gemini has become his go-to for brainstorming classroom lesson ideas

• A real-life example of when an AI lesson didn't go to plan—and how it became a teaching moment

• The importance of specificity when using AI tools

• How AI can support 1:1 student session planning

• Bradford's current schedule and how he prioritizes visibility and connection with students

• Advice for new counselors on building student trust through presence and relationships

Bonus: Free Live Training This July!

School is starting soon, and I'm offering a free live training on how to use a Meet-the-Counselor lesson to connect with students and advocate for your role! You'll get a PD certificate and a ready-to-use lesson. I'll be sharing my favorite activity, organization tips, and strategies for using the lesson to build relationships with both students and faculty. Join us July 21 or 22!

Resources Mentioned:

• Join IMPACT

• LIVE Free Training

Connect with Rachel:

• TpT Store

• Blog

• Instagram

• Facebook Page

• Facebook Group

• Pinterest

• Youtube

Connect with Bradford:

• Instagram

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!