This episode was like a party!  We are joined by several new and old school counseling friends from across the nation.  Listen in as we answer questions from YOU, our listeners!  We're talking about advocacy, National School Counseling Week, measuring student progress, heavy caseloads, and more!  If you didn't join us on this episode, make sure you don't miss the next one!  We'd like to give a shout out to our guest stars from all across the nation who joined us on this episode.  You all MADE this episode what it is!  We love you!

We love when people combine what they're passionate about with their school counseling role.  That's exactly what Dr. Ryan Reese has done with nature and school counseling.  In this episode he shares some of his findings about the benefits of exposing students to various elements of nature.  He also shares "rubber meets the road" tips that our listeners have come to expect and love from our guests.  Let this episode inspire you to start bringing some of the outside inside!  Let us know what you're doing to mix nature and school counseling!

Ryan Reese is an associate professor at Oregon State University- Cascades.  He is also the owner and operator of EcoWellness Counseling and Consulting.  www.ecowellnessbend.com

School counseling advocacy is so important.  We are responsible for spreading the word about the work that we do in order to break down walls and inaccurate mindsets about the job that we do.  Daniel Birdsong, the president of the Alabama School Counseling Association, shares some of the findings of his dissertation based on school counseling advocacy.  This is an episode you will want to listen to multiple times.  We would also recommend sharing it with your administrator and counseling supervisor.

Contact Daniel Birdsong: [email protected]

We are not fans of making resolutions for the new year.  We hate the thought of setting ourselves up for failure.  In this episode we talk about areas we want to focus on as school counselors using the principles outlined in the book by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, The Deepest Well.  Instead of setting unrealistic goals, we want to focus on improving by 1% each day.  Listen in as we share our thoughts on what we would like to accomplish this year.  What are some goals or areas you want to focus on this year?

These will either be the worst tips or the best tips you've ever heard for making the most of the holiday season.  We know that this time of year can bring up a lot of emotions.  We have them, too!  In this episode we are adding to some of the Mayo Clinic's top tips for making the most of the holiday season.  One thing is guaranteed: you will have a smile on your face as you listen to us share these tips!

Have you noticed a shift in student behaviors?  You're not alone!  Joy Winchester joins us in this episode to explain why our students seem different these days, and how we can manage those different behaviors we are seeing.  She is always a wealth of information as she talks about strategies to use with students and teachers, the beauty of neuroplasticity, and more!  This may be one of those episodes you want to share with your staff!

One of the most difficult battles we have to face as school counselors is combatting what our students see and do online.  From cyberbullying to Tick Tock challenges, it feels nearly impossible to stay on top of all of the online threats.  In this episode Titania Jordan from Bark shares Rubber Meets the Road tips that parents and school personnel can do to keep our students safe online.  Titania is the Chief Parenting Officer at Bark Technologies and the author of Parenting in a Tech World.  Bark is the an online safety solution that lets you monitor texts & social media, manage screen time schedules, block websites and apps, and get alerts for signs of danger.  Bark has a parent version and a free version for schools.

Bark-School Version

Bark- Parent Version

Good Pictures Bad Pictures Book

Childhood 2.0 Movie

Parenting Facebook Group

It seems like school counselors (and educators, in general) are experiencing burnout at an alarming rate.  In this episode we are sharing three rubber meets the road tips to avoid burnout or to come out of burnout if you're finding yourself stuck.  Plus we announce who the Alabama Elementary School Counselor of the Year is... Spoiler alert: It's Kim!!!

After spending entirely too long at Indiana University getting her degree in both painting and art education, Cassie Stephens did her student teaching in the magical land of Ireland. While she was away, her parents, fully aware of her slacker ways, sent out 52 art teacherin’ job applications to such far away places as Alaska. One such place that called her for an interview was Nashville, Tennessee. On a whim, she loaded up her jean-jumpers, resume and chain-smoking grandma to made the trip to Nashville where she landed her first teaching gig. Fast forward nearly 15 years and Cassie had settled down with her husband and their three cats. Sadly, she’d fallen into an art teacherin’ slump rehashing stale art lessons, still wearing those sad jean jumpers and doing little creating of her own. It was then that she decided to create a blog that might help snap her out of her funk. She’ll be sharing more about that here in a moment. Zip forward once more to the present. These days, you can find Cassie teaching in Franklin, Tennessee, just south of Nashville. She’s written two books filled with sewing and clay crafts for kids and art teachers alike. You can also take a listen to her podcast where she shares all things life and art teacherin’.

Cassie's Book Art Teacherin' 101

Cassie's Youtube Channel