Counselor Chat Podcast

As school counselors, we tend to spotlight the big moments—graduations, awards, and final grades. But what about the small wins? The quiet growth, the subtle progress, and the unseen impact?

In this uplifting episode, I'm sharing why those “little things” might just be the most important part of our work—and how you can start recognizing and celebrating them today.

You'll hear:

• Why small wins matter (backed by behavioral science!)
• Simple celebration strategies for students, staff, and yourself
• How creating a culture of gratitude fuels connection and morale

“Those tiny victories build momentum, boost morale, and create a positive environment for everyone… You are making an impact every single day.”

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

Perks Membership

Surviving school counseling? Sure, it’s doable. But thriving in it? That takes intention. In this episode, Carol shares the 5 non-negotiables that help counselors stay grounded, confident, and impactful—no matter what time of year it is.

Whether you're wrapping up the school year or planning ahead, these five foundational pillars will support your work (and your wellness).

What You’ll Learn:

• How building relationships—yes, even the tough ones—is the key to everything
• What setting strong boundaries really looks like in a school setting
• How to use data to fuel your advocacy and prove your impact
• Why learning never stops (and where to find support that actually fits your schedule)
• Ways to confidently advocate for yourself and your program

🎓 Bonus Spotlight: The 2025 Summer Counselor Conference

• Virtual, on-demand, and designed for real school counselors
• 40 sessions + 2 keynote speakers
• Graduate credit available
• Zoom meetups, giveaways, and easy access
• Registration opens May 15—grab your spot early!

Resources Mentioned:

www.summercounselorconference.com

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

Perks Membership

Between testing, field trips, and students bouncing off the walls, May can be chaotic. But even during the busiest weeks of the school year, you can make meaningful moves for Mental Health Awareness Month—without adding more to your calendar.

In this episode of Counselor Chat, I’m sharing quick, creative, and practical ways to promote mental wellness at school without burning yourself out.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to use morning announcements to plant positive mental health messages
• Ideas for a low-effort Mental Health Spirit Week
• Visual strategies like “Take What You Need” walls and student-made posters
• Fast and effective class check-ins and coping skill moments
• Ways to partner with teachers and engage parents
• How to model mental wellness for your school community

💡 Bonus Reminders:

• 🗓️ First round of Counselor Planners is at the printer—order now for Round 2
• ⏰ TpT Bonus Day Sale ends at MIDNIGHT—don’t miss it!

🎧 Listen now and let’s make mental health awareness doable this May.

Resources Mentioned:

Blog post: How Post-it Notes Can Change School Climate

Affirmation Posters Set 1

Affirmation Posters Set 2

Positive Posties

Spring Meditation Craft and Activity

Coping Skills Meditation and A-Z Posters

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

In this episode of Counselor Chat, we’re exploring one of the most important (and exciting!) aspects of school counseling: promoting self-discovery.

Forget the "find yourself in a forest" narrative — we're talking about real, practical strategies to help students uncover who they are, what they're great at, and how to channel that into meaningful goals.

What You’ll Learn:

• Fun and effective ways to help students spot their strengths
• Activities to ignite passions and tap into hidden interests
• How to turn discovery into direction with goal setting that sticks
• Why embracing the "messy middle" of self-exploration matters more than you think
• Quick wins like strengths scavenger hunts, compliment tag, perfect day activities, and counselor mini coaching sessions

Favorite Moment:

"Your job isn't to hand students a roadmap — it’s to give them the tools to explore, reflect, and dream big."

Resources Mentioned:

Values Auction

5th Grade Career Lesson

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

Perks Membership

In this heartfelt episode of Counselor Chat, we’re diving into something every school counselor faces: when a student you once saw regularly suddenly fades from view. Whether it's due to schedules, emotions, or avoidance, reconnection is possible—and often starts with something small.

🧠 Here’s what we’ll explore:

• Common reasons students stop checking in—and why it’s not about you
• How to send a low-pressure “Hey, I missed you” message
• Creative ways to re-engage through lunch bunches, hallway greetings, and purposeful invitations
• Why micro-moments (like sticky notes or memes) rebuild trust
• What to say when a student isn’t ready to reconnect

✨ Pro Tip: Don’t assume silence means they’re not thinking of you. Sometimes students are testing if you really meant it when you said you care.

🎧 Listen now and take one small step toward reconnecting with a student who may still need you more than you know.

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

Perks Membership

In this episode, we’re cracking open the (possibly chaotic) game closet to help you survive and thrive this spring with low-prep, high-impact games.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

• Why spring is the perfect time for play-based counseling
• Go-to games like Feeling Charades, Coping Skills Memory Match, and Compliment Circle
• Quick & easy activities for those zero-prep, five-minute-group days (Four Corners, Emotion Detective, Pass the Emoji)
• Debriefing questions that deepen student reflection and connection
• How to build a portable game kit for on-the-go counseling sessions

🌟 Counselor Tip: Don’t be afraid to end early if the energy gets too wild—sometimes wrapping it up on a good note is the best counseling move of the day.

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

Perks Membership

It’s that time of year again.

The sun is trying to shine, test season is in full swing, and your to-do list just grew its own to-do list. Before the end-of-year whirlwind sweeps you away, it’s time for some spring cleaning—but not just for your desk.

In this episode, we’re talking about:

• 🧹 How to declutter your calendar by identifying what truly matters
• 📬 Strategies to clean up your email inbox without losing your mind
• 🗂 Tips for organizing your Google Drive and files so you can actually find things
• 🧘 How to create mental breathing room before the end-of-year chaos
• ✍️ A simple reflection practice to help you leave breadcrumbs for next year

You don’t need a picture-perfect system—you just need one that works for you.

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

Feeling like May and June are just a chaotic blur of testing, field trips, and students who’ve forgotten how to sit in chairs? Same. But believe it or not, it’s actually the perfect time to run small groups—and in this episode, I’m sharing exactly why.

✨ In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why spring is secretly the best time for small groups
• 3 small group themes that make a big impact fast
• Quick ideas for activities that keep students engaged (and sane!)
• How to keep your groups manageable, meaningful, and even fun
• Scheduling tips and tricks that actually work
• How to make the most of the time you’ve got (spoiler: short-term groups = big wins!)

Plus, I’ll share why Ritz crackers might just be your group’s MVP.

💡 Whether it’s motivation, friendship skills, or emotional regulation, this episode will help you finish the school year strong—with less chaos and more connection.

📝 Mentioned in this episode:

Card Games:

Coping Skills Card Game

Resolving Conflicts Card Game

Grit and Growth Mindset Card Game

Friendship Skills Card Game

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

In this episode of Counselor Chat, we’re doing a mid-year check-in to reflect, reassess, and reframe our approach so we can make the rest of the school year impactful and fulfilling.

What We Cover:

• Reflecting on Goals: What were your original goals, and how are they holding up?
• Celebrating Your Wins: Why it’s essential to recognize small victories and how to celebrate them.
• Addressing What’s Not Working: Practical tips to clean up your calendar, data tracking, and counseling load without the guilt.
• Creating an Actionable Game Plan: How to make small, meaningful changes that actually stick.
• Mindset Shift: Understanding that adjusting your goals isn’t failure—it’s feedback.

Remember Counseling Friends:

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

March is Self-Harm Awareness Month, and as school counselors, we need to be prepared. In this episode, we cover how to recognize the warning signs, approach students with care, and provide them with real, effective coping strategies.

This is a heavy topic—but you are not alone. By the end of this episode, you’ll have practical steps to confidently support students who self-harm, without feeling overwhelmed.

What You’ll Learn:

✔️ The real reason students self-harm (it’s not for attention)

✔️ How to identify warning signs—even when students try to hide it

✔️ The best way to start the conversation without making them shut down

✔️ Healthy alternatives to self-harm (spoiler: red markers & ice cubes work wonders)

✔️ Why involving parents can be tricky—and how to do it right

✔️ How to create a safety plan that actually helps

✔️ Self-care for you—because this is heavy work

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