Big life changes hit all of us differently, which is to say that not every teen is equally prepared for the dramatic academic, social, and emotional shift that comes with moving away from home. Amy and Mike invited counselor Katie Burchenal to discuss college transitions and distress tolerance.

What are five things you will learn in this episode?

1. What is Distress Tolerance? 

2. What issues elevate Distress Tolerance? 

3. What are some strategies to manage Distress Tolerance and what is DBT?

4. How can parents, educators, and counselors support students through big life changes? 

5. What are self-care strategies for parents, educators, and counselors? 

MEET OUR GUEST

Katie Burchenal is a Licensed Professional Counselor based in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the owner of Katie Burchenal Counseling. Her private practice specializes in counseling for teens, individuals, and couples. Known for her empathetic approach, warmth, and humor, Katie connects deeply with her clients. She is dedicated to empowering individuals to pursue self-growth beyond therapy by offering solution-focused homework and practical strategies for daily life.

Katie Burchenal Counseling also provides coaching services for teens, parents, and individuals nationwide. She assists teens and young adults with issues such as academic stress, social relationships, divorce, self-discovery, confidence, anxiety, communication challenges, and transitions to high school, college, and post-college life. Additionally, Katie has a strong passion for supporting student-athletes aiming for college competition. She guides them through the recruitment process, effective communication with coaches, self-marketing, and the transition to college athletics.

Outside of her professional life, Katie enjoys a blended family with her husband and their eight children.

Katie can be reached at https://www.katieburchenalcounseling.com/.

LINKS

The Secret to Surviving Stressful Transitions

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Distress Tolerance Skills for College Students: A Pilot Investigation of a Brief DBT

Group Skills Training Program

Dialectical behavior therapy for college students: A randomized clinical trial

RELATED EPISODES

THE W-CURVE MODEL AND NEW COLLEGE STUDENTS

THE PARENT TRANSITION FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO COLLEGE

HOW PREPARATION AND MINDFULNESS GO TOGETHER

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our past episodes on the show page and keep up with our future ones by subscribing to our email newsletter.

ABOUT YOUR HOSTS

Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP. If you’re interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.