When you’re a counselor who works solely with ninth graders, your role and challenges can sometimes look different from those of other counselors working with older high school grades. No one knows this better than my guest, Felicia Carter. Working primarily with ninth graders her entire counseling career, she has gained so much knowledge through her experience and is sharing her wisdom with you all. In this episode, Felicia shares how she seamlessly transitions ninth graders into high school, along with what she’s learned and let go of along the way.

One of the things I loved most from our conversation was Felicia’s optimistic perspective and encouraging words for working with ninth graders. She worked hard at fostering a sense of belonging and school spirit before ninth graders even started their first day of school. I gained a new outlook for ninth graders, and I know after listening to this episode, you will, too!

Resources Mentioned:

• Private Podcast: Kick-Start Your Year as a High School Counselor https://counselorclique.com/privatepod
• Resource: Freshman Year Planning Bundle
• Resource: Ninth Grade Transition to High School Presentation
• Resource: Freshman Year Planning Guide
• Resource: Soft Skills Bundle
• Resource: Back-to-School Bundle
• Leave your review for School Counseling Conversations on Apple Podcasts

Connect with Felicia:

• Instagram: http://instagram.com/schoolcounselingsmart

Connect with Lauren:

• Sign up for the free, 3-day prep for High School Counseling Job Interviews https://counselorclique.com/interviews
• Visit my TpT store https://counselorclique.com/shop
• Send me a DM on Instagram @counselorclique https://instagram.com/counselorclique
• Follow me on Facebook https://facebook.com/counselorclique
• Send me an email mailto:[email protected]
• Join the Clique Collaborative http://cliquecollab.com

Full show notes on website: https://counselorclique.com/episode137

Before the new school year officially begins, I’m starting a new series where I’m talking with counselors from different grade levels to gather insight into their roles and the specific struggles or challenges they face with the grade level they serve. Today, I’m kicking off the series with middle school counselor Lauren Tenholder. Lauren shares what high school counselors need to know about incoming ninth-grade students and their transition to high school.

When incoming ninth graders enter high school, high school counselors often feel like they have to start from scratch by gathering information on their students. However, Lauren emphasizes using their feeder middle school counselors as a resource. She believes communication and collaboration amongst middle school and high school counselors will make a student’s transition to high school smoother and make the ability to take action on serving their social and academic needs easier.

Throughout our conversation, Lauren provides a lot of insight into the common struggles eighth graders have about entering high school, the pressure parents can put on their kids when it comes to academics, and the growing number of expectations these students are facing. I loved the perspective Lauren conveyed about a student’s transition to high school and what kind of information they’re equipped with and still need to know. So, if you’re a high school counselor who works directly with ninth-grade students, this episode is for you!

Resources Mentioned:

• Resource: Transition to High School Ninth Grade Presentation
• Resource: Freshman Year Planning Guide
• ​​Resource: Freshman Year Planning Bundle
• Leave your review for School Counseling Conversations on Apple Podcasts

Connect with Lauren Tenholder:

• Facebook: https://facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090560221288&mibextid=ZbWKwL 
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/onecraftycounselor   
• Etsy: https://etsy.com/shop/onecraftycounselor

Connect with Lauren:

• Sign up for the free, 3-day prep for High School Counseling Job Interviews: https://counselorclique.com/interviews
• Visit my TpT store: https://counselorclique.com/shop
• Send me a DM on Instagram @counselorclique: https://instagram.com/counselorclique
• Follow me on Facebook: https://facebook.com/counselorclique
• Send me an email: mailto:[email protected]
• Join the Clique Collaborative: http://cliquecollab.com

Full show notes on website: https://counselorclique.com/episode136

When you’re a new high school counselor, you think you need to have a Pinterest-perfect office in order to be effective. However, your worth as a high school counselor isn’t dependent on how much stuff you have in your office or how much financial support you get from your principal, districts, or PTSA. But having a few essentials and office must-haves that you can’t live without will certainly make your life easier! 

This episode highlights a few back-to-school tips and some high school counselor office non-negotiables and “would be nice” things to get your space and program ready for students. While these things worked for me when I was working as a school counselor, everyone’s must-have office items will be different and need to work for you. Rest assured, all the things in this episode will just enhance the wonderful things you’re already doing as a high school counselor since it’s your skills, knowledge, and experience that make you an effective high school counselor!

Resources Mentioned:

• Private Podcast: How to Kick-Start Your Year as a High School Counselor https://counselorclique.com/privatepod
• Resource: School Counselor Beginning of the Year Presentation https://counselorclique.com/beginning
• Resource: Back-to-School High School Counseling Bundle
• Blog: 4 Helpful Categories of Back-to-School Essentials for High School Counselors https://counselorclique.com/back-to-school-essentials
• Blog: 3 Ways to Complete Your School Counselor Office Like a Rockstar https://counselorclique.com/school-counselor-office
• Amazon Store Front: https://amazon.com/shop/counselorclique
• Back-to-School Blogs and Podcasts: https://counselorclique.com/category/back-to-school
• Leave your review for School Counseling Conversations on Apple Podcasts

Connect with Lauren:

• Sign up for the free, 3-day prep for High School Counseling Job Interviews https://counselorclique.com/interviews
• Visit my TpT store https://counselorclique.com/shop
• Send me a DM on Instagram @counselorclique https://instagram.com/counselorclique
• Follow me on Facebook https://facebook.com/counselorclique
• Send me an email mailto:[email protected]
• Join the Clique Collaborative https://cliquecollab.com

Full show notes on website: https://counselorclique.com/episode135

One of the best ways I grew as a professional and leader was when I was a supervisor to high school counseling interns. Being responsible for teaching, guiding, and preparing future high school counselors was something I knew was important for the future of the field. In today's episode, I'm sharing four key things you should do as a supervisor for your counseling interns.

My goal as a supervisor was to get my counseling interns to be able to do this job without me. This is why each of the four things I focus on helps to accomplish that goal. The ideas I'm talking about include teaching interns flexibility, encouraging them to take ownership of their own resources, giving opportunities to fail and learn from mistakes, pushing them out of their comfort zone, and providing honest feedback. I also share examples of how these ideas benefit you as the supervisor.

When you sign on to be a supervisor who is invested in raising up the next generation of high school counselors, I hope that you'll find that the experience benefits you as well. This episode will provide you with practical and direct ways to guide and navigate you through this supervisor/intern relationship.

Resources Mentioned:

• Resource: High School Counselor Kickstart Audio Course https://counselorclique.com/newcounselor
• Resource: New High School Counselor Playlist https://counselorclique.com/newcounselorplaylist
• Resource: High School Counseling Planning MEGA Bundle
• Leave your review for School Counseling Conversations on Apple Podcasts

Connect with Lauren:

• Sign up for the free, 3-day prep for High School Counseling Job Interviews https://counselorclique.com/interviews
• Visit my TpT store https://counselorclique.com/shop
• Send me a DM on Instagram @counselorclique https://instagram.com/counselorclique
• Follow me on Facebook https://facebook.com/counselorclique
• Send me an email mailto:[email protected]
• Join the Clique Collaborative http://cliquecollab.com

Full show notes on website: https://counselorclique.com/episode134

I’m always looking to find new resources and information that will be helpful tools for high school students. Whether that be career opportunities, college options, or test-taking strategies, I want to get the right resources in YOUR hands to give to your students. So when I came across Dan Heath’s podcast, "What It’s Like to Be," I knew this modern platform would be the perfect resource to provide high school students and their parents.

In each of Dan’s episodes, he interviews someone in a unique career to tell a story about their profession. Each guest loves what they’re doing, which comes across in the interviews. In this fun career exploration podcast, high school students can listen and learn about new careers that they may not have been exposed to otherwise. 

I hope Dan's podcast will be just one more resource for career research and career exploration for your high school students. Use it to ignite their curiosity about what jobs are out there. Take this podcast and let students dive into career exploration to find what they want to do in the future!

Resources Mentioned:

• Resource: Counselor Clique’s Amazon Storefront https://amazon.com/shop/counselorclique
• Podcast: Back to School Tips for High School Counselors: Office Prep https://counselorclique.com/episode32
• Leave your review for School Counseling Conversations on Apple Podcasts

Connect with Dan:

• Podcast: What It's Like to Be
• LinkedIn

Connect with Lauren:

• Sign up for the free, 3-day prep for High School Counseling Job Interviews https://counselorclique.com/interviews
• Visit my TpT store https://counselorclique.com/shop
• Send me a DM on Instagram @counselorclique https://instagram.com/counselorclique
• Follow me on Facebook https://facebook.com/counselorclique
• Send me an email [email protected]
• Join the Clique Collaborative http://cliquecollab.com

Full show notes on website: https://counselorclique.com/episode133

As a new school counselor, we’re excited and eager to focus on students, enhance the counseling program at our school, and advocate for our role to others in the building. But being the new counselor might mean you’re working closely with veteran school counselors, formerly known as guidance counselors, who might not have the same mindset or perspective as you. So what do you do if you’re in this situation? In this episode, I’m sharing what to do when working with an old-school guidance counselor as a new school counselor.

Now, I’m not saying that every veteran school counselor has an “old-school” mentality because I was eager to step into a school counseling position where my co-workers had years and years of experience and knowledge that I could soak in. However, I’ve also known the struggle of trying to implement new strategies and techniques into a counseling program with major pushback from my peers. 

When establishing your role as a new school counselor with a veteran school counselor, it’s important to be aware of the three big ideas that could hinder your role. I help define and find solutions to those ideas, explain the characteristics of a guidance counselor, and share the magical answer of what you need to do as a new school counselor when working with an old-school guidance counselor in this episode!

Resources Mentioned:

• Resource: High School Credit Check Spreadsheet
• Resource: Gallup StrengthsFinder 2.0
• Resource: How to Kickstart Your Year Private Podcast Series https://counselorclique.com/privatepod (this is how you can get on my email list if you haven't already!)
• Leave your review for School Counseling Conversations on Apple Podcasts

Connect with Lauren:

• Sign up for the free, 3-day prep for High School Counseling Job Interviews https://counselorclique.com/interviews
• Visit my TpT store https://counselorclique.com/shop
• Send me a DM on Instagram @counselorclique https://instagram.com/counselorclique
• Follow me on Facebook https://facebook.com/counselorclique
• Send me an email mailto:[email protected]
• Join the Clique Collaborative http://cliquecollab.com

Full show notes on website: https://counselorclique.com/episode132

The end-of-year stress and exhaustion can bring up a lot of emotions for school counselors. And when it’s finally summer break, you have the time to stop and reflect on what you want professionally going forward. When a school year wraps, I know many school counselors ask themselves, is it time for me to move on from this? It can be hard to sift through all you’re feeling and decide what your next step is. So, in this episode, I’m helping you examine when it’s time to move on from high school counseling when managing the weight of burnout. 

There are many reasons why a school counselor would want to move on from their current position. Before going through them, I share some practical items you need to think through that will help you better understand what your next move is. Then, I discuss multiple scenarios you could find yourself in when thinking it’s time to move on. The breakdown of these scenarios will show you what you’re lacking in your current position or what you’re looking for in the future. 

However, leaving your current position might not be what you need. Instead, you might find that you want to stay in your role, but certain things need to change. I discuss those items as well to help prepare you for those changes when you return to school in the fall. So, whether you know it’s time to move on or are staying with a few changes, I hope this episode provides you with support, guidance, and an understanding of what’s going to make you happy in your role as a high school counselor!

Resources Mentioned:

• Podcast: The Lazy Genius- Episode 368: My Playbook for a Lazy Genius Summer
• Research Article: School Counselors’ Work-Related Rumination as a Predictor of Burnout, Turnover Intentions, Job Satisfaction, and Work Engagement by Mullen, Backer, Chae, and Li
• Leave your review for School Counseling Conversations on Apple Podcasts

Connect with Lauren:

• Sign up for the free, 3-day prep for High School Counseling Job Interviews https://counselorclique.com/interviews
• Visit my TpT store https://counselorclique.com/shop
• Send me a DM on Instagram @counselorclique https://instagram.com/counselorclique
• Follow me on Facebook https://facebook.com/counselorclique
• Send me an email mailto:[email protected]
• Join the Clique Collaborative http://cliquecollab.com

Full show notes on website: https://counselorclique.com/episode131

Everyone wants to feel successful in their job. But sometimes, there are certain aspects in and out of your control that contribute to you feeling hesitant to speak up, questioning your ability, or finding it difficult to create change. This occurs when psychological safety is low in the work culture, which then contributes to doubting yourself. My guest on today’s episode, Caroline Crawford, is sharing ways for navigating imposter syndrome and facilitating a positive work culture and how this relates to high school counseling.

Work culture is so important that it can truly affect your feeling of safety. Caroline speaks of feeling connected and safe in order to feel motivated in our jobs and how this can be done through your example as a high school counselor. It’s understood that there will be days in this role that are tough and hard to deal with, but Caroline shares how to engage in self-care and always look towards the why of your job to help you through.

Caroline’s message in this episode is one of empowerment and motivation. She believes in facilitating a positive work culture through psychological safety and navigating imposter syndrome in order for you to find success and happiness in your role as a high school counselor, which you will definitely learn from her words and examples in this episode.

Resources Mentioned:

• Leave your review for School Counseling Conversations on Apple Podcasts

Connect with Caroline:

• Website: www.carolinecrawfordconsulting.com
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carolineccrawford
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/carolinecrawfordconsulting
• Email: [email protected]

Connect with Lauren:

• Sign up for the free, 3-day prep for High School Counseling Job Interviews https://counselorclique.com/interviews
• Visit my TpT store https://counselorclique.com/shop
• Send me a DM on Instagram @counselorclique https://instagram.com/counselorclique
• Follow me on Facebook https://facebook.com/counselorclique
• Send me an email mailto:[email protected]
• Join the Clique Collaborative http://cliquecollab.com

Full show notes on website: https://counselorclique.com/episode130

If you’ve been in the education field long enough, you know that the people you work with, encounter along your journey, and meet on the different paths in your career all shape who you are and your approach to your role. Well, I’m no exception to that philosophy. As a high school counselor, I met many fellow counselors who had an impact on my role as a school counselor and the qualities I tried to embody on a daily basis. In this episode, I reflect on the three educators who inspired me and changed how I approached my high school counseling job. 

Although I’ve worked with many high school counselors, three have stood out after many years on the job and beyond. With each person that I name, I also share how and why they impacted my approach to school counseling. Each had different strengths and was successful in their own ways, whether through relationship building, always willing to learn something new, the qualities of a good leader, and so much more. These, along with many others, are reasons why they had an impact on me. 

Additionally, all three of these women were successful school counselors in different seasons of their lives, which I found encouraging. By sharing the educators who inspired me in my approach to high school counseling jobs, I hope you feel encouraged to take the time to reflect and think through the educators in your life who were mentors and impacted your role as a school counselor.

Resources Mentioned:

• Leave your review for School Counseling Conversations on Apple Podcasts

Connect with Lauren:

• Sign up for the free, 3-day prep for High School Counseling Job Interviews https://counselorclique.com/interviews
• Visit my TpT store https://counselorclique.com/shop
• Send me a DM on Instagram @counselorclique https://instagram.com/counselorclique
• Follow me on Facebook https://facebook.com/counselorclique
• Send me an email mailto:[email protected]
• Join the Clique Collaborative http://cliquecollab.com

Full show notes on website: https://counselorclique.com/episode129

I know when I first started out as a school counselor, I was incredibly nervous and constantly worried about both the small and big things that would happen in this role. And while this feeling was completely normal when first starting out, I quickly realized that worrying didn’t do me any good and that I needed to focus on my job and what I knew I could do. So, if this sounds like you, in today’s episode, I’m sharing four things to quit worrying about if you’re a brand new school counselor.

Since I’ve been in your shoes before, I decided to select the four biggest things that would’ve made an impact on being a brand new counselor. When I describe and discuss the things to quit worrying about, I also provide insight into why this shouldn’t be something that worries you in your new role. Additionally, I share insight and encouragement to trust in your experience, knowledge, and skills to not only overcome these worries but excel in this new role. 

During this episode, you will get a mixture of pep talk, tough love, encouragement, and finally, some next steps on how I can personally help you ease your continuous list of worries. Starting a brand new job, especially as a school counselor, can make you nervous and overwhelmed. But after listening to this episode, you’ll learn four things to quit worrying about that will make your first year as a school counselor a success! 

Resources Mentioned:

• Resource: High School Counselor Kickstart Audio Course—use code PODCAST20 for 20% off! https://counselorclique.com/newcounselor
• Resource: New Counselor Playlist http://www.counselorclique.com/newcounselorplaylist
• Leave your review for School Counseling Conversations on Apple Podcasts

Connect with Lauren:

• Sign up for the free, 3-day prep for High School Counseling Job Interviews https://counselorclique.com/interviews
• Visit my TpT store https://counselorclique.com/shop
• Send me a DM on Instagram @counselorclique https://instagram.com/counselorclique
• Follow me on Facebook https://facebook.com/counselorclique
• Send me an email mailto:[email protected]
• Join the Clique Collaborative http://cliquecollab.com

Full show notes on website: https://counselorclique.com/episode128