Counselor Chat Podcast

Being spontaneous while being prepared means being ready for unexpected situations while also allowing room for improvisation and creativity. It involves balancing the need for structure and planning with the flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances.

To achieve this balance, it's important to have a solid foundation of knowledge, skills, and resources, as well as a mindset of openness and adaptability. This means:

1. Prioritizing the important tasks.
2. Being Flexible. 
3. Practicing adaptability. 
4. Maintaining a positive attitude.  

Resources Mentioned:

• Guided Meditation Scripts

Grab the Show Notes: Counselingessentials.org/podcast

Join Perks Counseling Club Membership and get the lessons, small group and individual counseling materials you need. Join now and get your first month free when you sign up for 3 months!

Connect with Carol:

• TpT Store
• Counseling Essentials Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Elementary School Counselor Exchange Facebook Group
• Caught In The Middle School Counselors Facebook Group
• High School Counselor Connection Facebook Group

Mentioned in this episode:

Perks Membership

The end of the school year is here, and I’m sure that summer relaxation is on your mind. But wait! Let’s first think about how you can close down this year in a way that will set you up for success for the next one.

This process all starts with reflection. Reflection in itself is an act of self-care. It allows you to assess the effectiveness of your current systems and routines, identify areas for improvement, and shift from busyness to productivity. 

In today’s episode I’m going to walk you through exactly what to reflect on, and offer suggestions on possible changes that you can put in place. What you do today can drive you towards where you want to be tomorrow. I promise, your future self will thank you if you take some time to do these things before completely closing the door on your year. 

Topics Covered:

• The benefits of creating end-of-year reports, and what to include in them
• What to do if you didn’t formally collect data during the school year
• The real purpose of giving a staff survey (it might not be what you think!)
• How data can be an incredibly powerful tool for us as counselors
• Tips for cleaning up your inbox and organizing your files
• Specific questions to ask yourself as you reflect on your program

Links Mentioned:

• Counseling Program Surveys and Needs Assessments
• End Of Year Report Template
• The Perfect School Counselor Planner
• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts 

Mentioned in this episode:

Perks Membership

Burnout is real for school counselors! But, there are things that we can do to try to prevent burnout from happening.

Yes we can be overworked, underpaid, under staffed, tired and exhausted, but if we look at the systems we put in place in our counseling program and start to examine our time on tasks, we can take back some of our time and feel less stressed and more productive.

This episode is filled with tips that you can implement right away to make the most of your day.

Links Mentioned:

• School Counselor Time Tracker (Freebie)
• The Perfect School Counselor Planner

Grab the Show Notes: Counselingessentials.org/podcast

Join Perks Counseling Club Membership and get the lessons, small group and individual counseling materials you need. Join now and get your first month free when you sign up for 3 months!

Connect with Carol:

• TpT Store
• Counseling Essentials Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Elementary School Counselor Exchange Facebook Group
• Caught In The Middle School Counselors Facebook Group
• High School Counselor Connection Facebook Group

Mentioned in this episode:

Perks Membership

Child abuse is a serious issue that affects millions of children worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 1 billion children globally have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional violence or neglect in the past year.

Erin's Law is a law that requires all public schools in the United States to implement age-appropriate sexual abuse and assault prevention education. The law is named after Erin Merryn, a survivor of child sexual abuse who became an advocate for such education.

While talking about Erin's Law can leave School Counselors and students feeling uncomfortable, these uncomfortable conversations are so necessary to keep our students safe. Today, we'll be talking about why we need to take on this role and steps to make it easier.

Here are some resources that can help:

• Protect Yourself Rules (YouTube)
• NYS Erin's Law Resources
• My Safety Lessons on TpT

Grab the Show Notes: Counselingessentials.org/podcast

Join Perks Counseling Club Membership and get the lessons, small group and individual counseling materials you need. Join now and get your first month free when you sign up for 3 months!

Connect with Carol:

• TpT Store
• Counseling Essentials Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Elementary School Counselor Exchange Facebook Group
• Caught In The Middle School Counselors Facebook Group
• High School Counselor Connection Facebook Group

Mentioned in this episode:

Perks Membership

Are you overwhelmed by thinking about all the things you need to do to transition students from the elementary school to the middle school? There's a lot to get done and throw in end of the year testing, end of year activities and fun days, it can seem like there is absolutely no time to cover everything that needs to get done.

Our guest today, Laura Oathout of Music City Counselor, is here to share some tips to make this transition easier and how she got her elementary students ready to move on. I think you will enjoy her easy to implement tips on how to make this transition easier for both you and your students.

Connect with Laura on Instagram: @MusicCityCounselor 

Resources that can help:

• Middle School Transition Lesson, Activities, & Workbook, Digital & Printable by Music City Counselor 
• Middle School Readiness Survey by Music City Counselor 
• Blog Post: Middle School Transition Tips For Success by Music City Counselor
• Middle School Transition Bundle by Counseling Essentials 
•  Escape To Middle School Escape Room by Counseling Essentials 

Mentioned in this episode:

Perks Membership

If you made it to the school counselor interview, you are in the elite few that are being considered for the job! You've wowed them with your resume, now it is time to knock their socks off by how you answer their interview questions. No need to stress, these tips will keep you feeling confident and ready to rock that interview!

Links to resources talked about in this podcast:

• Resume Templates for School Counselors  
• Freebie-- Job Search Workbook 
• Boost Resume, Cover Letter, and Interviewing Course 

Grab the Show Notes: Counselingessentials.org/podcast

Join Perks Counseling Club Membership and get the lessons, small group and individual counseling materials you need. Join now and get your first month free when you sign up for 3 months!

Connect with Carol:

• TpT Store
• Counseling Essentials Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Elementary School Counselor Exchange Facebook Group
• Caught In The Middle School Counselors Facebook Group
• High School Counselor Connection Facebook Group

Mentioned in this episode:

Perks Membership

Your resume is often the first impression you make on a potential employer, so make sure it is clear, concise, and tailored to the job you are applying for. It's a document that summarizes your education, work experience, skills, and accomplishments.

Today we'll cover the steps to putting together a great resume employers will want to see.

Links to resources talked about in this podcast:

• Resume Templates for School Counselors
• Freebie-- Job Search Workbook
• Boost Resume, Cover Letter, and Interviewing Course
• Episode 4: Amplify Your School Counselor Job Search

Grab the Show Notes: Counselingessentials.org/podcast

Join Perks Counseling Club Membership and get the lessons, small group and individual counseling materials you need. Join now and get your first month free when you sign up for 3 months!

Connect with Carol:

• TpT Store
• Counseling Essentials Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Elementary School Counselor Exchange Facebook Group
• Caught In The Middle School Counselors Facebook Group
• High School Counselor Connection Facebook Group

Mentioned in this episode:

Perks Membership

Applying for school counseling jobs is a marathon and not a sprint. Planning ahead is the key. You need to get everything in order ahead of time to avoid the stress later on. Brainstorming, networking, trackers and checklists can help you get ready and put your best foot forward. We'll talk all about what you can do now before you even start to write your resume and prep for interviews.

If you are want the trackers and guide we talked about in today's show, make sure you download the FREE Job Search Workbook .

Want more help with building your resume, cover letter and interview prep? Join BOOST , my resume, cover letter and interviewing prep course.  

Grab the Show Notes: Counselingessentials.org/podcast

Join Perks Counseling Club Membership and get the lessons, small group and individual counseling materials you need. Join now and get your first month free when you sign up for 3 months!

Connect with Carol:

• TpT Store
• Counseling Essentials Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Elementary School Counselor Exchange Facebook Group
• Caught In The Middle School Counselors Facebook Group
• High School Counselor Connection Facebook Group

Mentioned in this episode:

Perks Membership

Anxiety in kids is a common and normal part of childhood. However, when anxiety becomes excessive or interferes with daily life, it can be a cause for concern.

Some common signs of anxiety in kids include:

1. Excessive worry about everyday things
2. Avoidance of certain situations or activities
3. Physical symptoms such as headaches or stomachaches
4. Difficulty sleeping
5. Irritability or restlessness

In this episode we look at 8 activities we can use with kids to help them with their anxiety,

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• SEL Handout Bundle
• Anxiety Games Freebie

Grab the Show Notes: Counselingessentials.org/podcast

Join Perks Counseling Club Membership and get the lessons, small group and individual counseling materials you need. Join now and get your first month free when you sign up for 3 months!

Connect with Carol:

• TpT Store
• Counseling Essentials Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Elementary School Counselor Exchange Facebook Group
• Caught In The Middle School Counselors Facebook Group
• High School Counselor Connection Facebook Group

Mentioned in this episode:

Perks Membership

Thanks for joining me on our inaugural series of Counselor Chat! This is the place where we'll be talking about all the things that make the great work that you're doing as counselors even better because who doesn't want to learn new hacks to make life easier and our impact on kids even greater.

Today's topic is working with kids who are experiencing undesired classroom behaviors and how you can help. How many times a day are you hearing, "they just aren't getting their work done" or "they can't sit still" or "if they blurt out one more time I am going to lose my mind!" I don't know about you but I hear this an awful lot. Really more so frequently than probably ever before.

I don't know maybe teachers expect you to have a magic wand ready to cast a spell to have every problem disappear. I don't know about you but I certainly don't have this magic wand I mean it sounds pretty amazing, but it's just not something I have. I mean if they did have one I would be the first in line to snag one up, but really, it's just not something I have. What I can help with is creating a behavior chart or a check in and check out to try to help incentivize the desired behaviors which hopefully reduce the undesired ones.

Resources talked about in this episode:

• Forced Choice Reward Survey
• Behavior Reward Choice Boards

Grab the Show Notes: Counselingessentials.org/podcast

Join Perks Counseling Club Membership and get the lessons, small group and individual counseling materials you need. Join now and get your first month free when you sign up for 3 months!

Connect with Carol:

• TpT Store
• Counseling Essentials Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Elementary School Counselor Exchange Facebook Group
• Caught In The Middle School Counselors Facebook Group
• High School Counselor Connection Facebook Group

Mentioned in this episode:

Perks Membership