In today's episode we discuss anxiety strategies for school counselors with expert Courtney Bennett.

Courtney is a passionate school counselor and mom of three. She loves to learn, so you will most often find her with a book in hand. She has spent the last several years studying about anxiety, trauma, and executive functioning and enjoys the challenge of putting this expertise to the test with real kids.. Courtney shares personal experience with anxiety and strategies for managing it with students. Strategies include externalizing worries, naming emotions, and reframing mindsets about stress. Listen in for more highlights including:

• Externalizing techniques to help students distance from overwhelming feelings
• Educating the whole school community using consistent language and care plans 
• Teaching positive mindset interventions about stress responses
• Considering bottom-up or top-down anxiety interventions for each student
•  Learning clinical approaches to anxiety from experts like Lynn Lyons

  Resources mentioned:

• Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here!

• If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

• Connect with Rachel:

• TpT Store

• Blog

• Instagram

• Facebook Page

• Facebook Group

• Pinterest 

• Youtube

More About School Counseling Simplified:

School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica.

You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

On today's episode, we explored a variety of strategies for managing student anxiety with special guest Casey O’Brien Martin. Casey shared her wealth of experience working as both an art therapist and school counselor.

Casey O’Brien Martin is a Mom of two boys and a mini schnuazer named Hurley. She is the author of the book Skills for Big Feelings: A Guide for Teaching Kids Relaxation, Regulation, and Coping Techniques. She works as a school adjustment counselor in Massachusetts and runs Whole Child Counseling. She is also a licensed mental health counselor, a registered nurse, and a registered expressive arts therapist.

Some topics covered in this episode are:

• Origami box activity helps MS students express themselves
• Teaching all students coping skills through universal prevention strategies
• Addressing anxiety and avoidance behaviors in students
• Casey's Book "Skills for Big Feelings" offers 12-week curriculum for coping techniques
• Somatic techniques like "shake, wiggle, shake" to help kids manage anxiety

Resources mentioned:

• https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT_6Lvkhxvo

• Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here!

• If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Connect with Rachel:

• TpT Store

• Blog

• Instagram

• Facebook Page

• Facebook Group

• Pinterest 

• Youtube

More About School Counseling Simplified:

School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica.

You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

In this episode of School Counseling Simplified, your host, Rachel, shares powerful mindfulness strategies for managing student anxiety and executive functioning.  Here are some highlights:

•  Mindfulness activates the prefrontal cortex and cingulate cortex, areas of the brain linked to attention, executive functions, and learning.
• A study found students who practiced mindfulness improved their executive functioning skills like behavioral regulation.
• Rachel demonstrated mindful breathing exercises like dragon breath and flower breath for elementary students.
• Guided meditations can help students become aware of sounds in mindfulness session two.
• Increasing sensory awareness through 5-4-3-2-1 grounding

Listen In to hear more! 

Resources mentioned:

• https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee

• Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here!

• If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Connect with Rachel:

• TpT Store

• Blog

• Instagram

• Facebook Page

• Pinterest 

• Youtube

More About School Counseling Simplified:

School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica.

You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

In today's episode, I chat with Laura Filtness about anxiety strategies. Laura talks through the importance of setting professional boundaries and using therapy dogs in counseling programs. We discuss practical applications for managing anxiety in students and school counselors, including mindful moments, expanding the window of tolerance, and using cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques. Laura also shares her passion for using picture books in counseling and her involvement in mentoring new counselors.

Laura is a school counselor with more than 15 years of experience. In 2017, she was honored with the title of Elementary Tennessee School Counselor of the Year. Her passion is to foster empathy among children through the use of picture books. Her therapy dog, Boss, has inspired her to continue his legacy and promote empathy through picture books.

Some Highlights: 

• Monthly counselor community circles and calls for sharing wins, troubleshooting tough cases, and discussing counselor experiences.
• Laura's expertise in using picture books in counseling programs, including her upcoming presentation at ASCO on the topic.
• Strategies for managing anxiety, including setting professional boundaries, using therapy dogs, and practicing mindfulness.
• Practical applications for supporting students with anxiety, such as identifying physical signs of stress, expanding the window of tolerance, and using CBT techniques.
• Laura's passion for mentoring new counselors and helping them navigate challenges such as paperwork, time management, organization, and setting boundaries.

Resources mentioned:

• Ep 147 with Laura https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/picture-books-to-enhance-counseling-sessions

• https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee 

• Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here!

• If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Connect with Rachel:

• TpT Store

• Blog

• Instagram

• Facebook Page

• Facebook Group

• Pinterest 

• Youtube

More About School Counseling Simplified:

School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica.

You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

Anxiety remains our focus this week as we have gotten such an overwhleming response and need to continue to cover this topic. Today, Jessica, from Counseling Adventures, joins the conversation to share valuable insights and practical strategies for addressing anxiety among students. Drawing from her 10 years of experience, Jessica offers tips for parents, teachers, and fellow counselors, emphasizing the importance of understanding and managing different types of anxiety in the school setting.  Gain a deeper understanding of common anxiety triggers among middle schoolers and learn effective techniques, including cognitive-behavioral approaches and relaxation exercises, to support students in coping with their emotions.

Tune in to discover actionable steps for creating a supportive environment for students dealing with anxiety.

Some topics covered in this episode are:

• Strategies for teaching anxiety to students
• Understanding how anxiety shows up for individual students
• Practical techniques for addressing anxiety in middle school students
• Preventive measures for anxiety, including emotional identification and coping skills
• Advice for new school counselors, emphasizing self-care and experimentation with new approaches

Resources mentioned:

• Check out Jessica https://counselingadventures.com/
• Middle school resources https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Counselingadventures

• Save your spot for this month's Coffee with the Counselor: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee 

• Join my school counselor membership IMPACT here!

• If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!

Connect with Rachel:

• TpT Store

• Blog

• Instagram

• Facebook Page

• Facebook Group

• Pinterest 

• Youtube

More About School Counseling Simplified:

School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica.

You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!

Separation anxiety has always impacted kids but it seems to be much more prevalent in the past few years since the pandemic. We see it in students crying as they are exiting their cars in the morning, refusing to come to school, and feeling sick in the nurse’s office. We all want to help these students cope with this anxiety as best as possible so Ashley Bartley is joining us to share practical tips and strategies to help our students who struggle with separation anxiety.

Ashley Bartley, M.Ed., NCC, is a school counselor, author, and curriculum writer. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Virginia and her M.Ed. in School Counseling from the College of William & Mary. She has five social emotional learning children's books published with Boys Town Press and is the creator of Counselor Station, where she develops curriculum and resources for busy school counselors. Ashley lives in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with her husband and three young boys. She enjoys hiking, reading, and traveling.

Ashley has so much knowledge when it comes to helping students with separation anxiety. In this episode, Ashley shares signs that a student is experiencing separation anxiety, some strategies she has found helpful when working with students, and her favorite preventative strategies for separation anxiety.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/support-anxious-students-1

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Resources Mentioned:

Save your spot for this month's Coffee with the Counselor: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee 

Episode 80: Anxiety Counseling Crash Course: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/anxiety-crash-course 

Episode 81: Anxiety Strategies for Class Counseling Lessons: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/anxiety-strategies 

Episode 82: Anxiety Strategies for Small Group Counseling: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/small-group-counseling 

Episode 83: Anxiety Strategies for Individual Counseling: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/strategies-for-individual-counseling 

Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact 

Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll

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Connect with Rachel:

Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling

Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095

If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

Anxiety does not just impact older students and adults. There are many elementary students who struggle with anxiety as well! As a school counselor, it can be challenging to determine the root of that anxiety and figure out what strategies may be beneficial for your student. I know we all want to support our students as best as possible so I am so excited to have Sophia from School Psych Finds on to share some knowledge and insights about helping our students with anxiety!

Sophia is trained as a school psychologist and has worked with families & children of all ages. She received her B.A. in Psychology from UCLA and her M.A. & Ed.S. degrees in Educational & School Psychology from Loyola Marymount University. She runs the social media accounts & podcasts: School Psych Mom & School Psych Finds. She recently became a new mom to a baby boy and cares for him full time. She enjoys sharing information and creating resources targeted towards mental health, parenting, and school psychology.

Sophia has such a wealth of knowledge about anxiety in students! In this episode, she is sharing anxiety strategies she loves to use with kids, the steps to take when working with students with anxiety, insight into CBT and selective mutism, and preventative strategies for anxiety.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/anxiety-deep-dive

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Resources Mentioned:

Save your spot for this month's Coffee with the Counselor: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee 

Check out TherapistAid.com: http://TherapistAid.com 

Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact 

Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll

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Connect with Rachel:

Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling

Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095

If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

I think all of us can agree that kids are more anxious now than ever. And as school counselors, trying to find effective tools and strategies to figure out why our students are so anxious and help our students calm down can be challenging. So how can we help these students?

I completely understand how difficult it can be to come up with strategies when you have a student in your office whose anxiety is high. Having practical, easy to implement strategies handy for when your student needs them is helpful to both you and your students. If you’ve found yourself struggling to come up with a calming strategy on the spot, this episode is for you! I am sharing 3 of my favorite grounding strategies (plus a bonus strategy!) you can use with your students right away! I’m also sharing one of my favorite preventative strategies you can use with your students before they are in the midst of high anxiety.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/strategies-to-help-anxious-students

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Resources Mentioned:

Save your spot for the FREE live training, Help Studnets Break the Stress Cycle: The Anxiety Management Tool You Didn't Learn in Grad School!: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/training 

Grab your Anxiety Poster FREEBIE: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/anxiety-poster 

Anxiety & Worry Individual Counseling Curriculum | Coping Skills and Strategies: https://shop.brightfutures-counseling.com/products/anxiety-and-worry-activities-games-and-lesson-plan-for-individual-counseling 

Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact 

Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll

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Connect with Rachel:

Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling

Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095

If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

Students of all ages can suffer from anxiety or feel anxious about certain situations. Teaching them effective coping strategies for managing their anxiety is so empowering for them and can help them feel more calm in stressful situations. I always love to hear tips and strategies from other school counselors and I am so excited to have Mallory Zolinas join me to share some coping strategies for anxiety that she teaches her students.

Mallory is a 5th year Elementary School Counselor working with students in grades Pre-k through 4.  She has been an IMPACT member for almost 2 years and loves having ready to use school counseling resources available any time I need them for individual sessions, group sessions, or class lessons.

In this episode, Mallory is sharing what she finds frustrating and what she loves about her job, what a day in her role looks like, and her favorite coping strategies for anxiety. Mallory has some incredible, easy to implement strategies she has found success with for her Pre-K through 4th grade students and I know you will walk away with new ideas to help make an even bigger impact on your students!

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/anxiety-strategies-2

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Resources Mentioned:

Sign up for the next Coffee with the Counselor: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee 

Grab the Brain Dump FREEBIE: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Brain-Dump-Worksheets-5340086 

Check out the Breathing Stick Activity: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Mindfulness-Freebie-Mindful-Breathing-3840837 

Mini Paper Shredder: https://a.co/d/6gvgzvl 

Worry Shredder Label: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Worry-Shredder-Mini-Paper-Shredder-Labels-9835703 

Mindfulness Moments for Kids: Hot Cocoa Calm Book: https://a.co/d/aSQeacz 

Follow Mallory on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schoolcounselormsz 

Get the Hot Cocoa Breathing Handout: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Hot-Chocolate-Deep-Breathing-Prompt-anxiety-and-calm-down-tool-5079451 

Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact 

Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll

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Connect with Rachel:

Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling

Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095

If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

We are wrapping up our series on school counselor competencies with my favorite topics: assessing and data! Showcasing assessments and data is such an incredible way to advocate for your role and show your program’s progress to stakeholders. In addition to it being an amazing way to advocate for your role, assessing and reporting program results is an ASCA school counselor competency! 

Sharing your program’s progress and impact doesn’t need to be incredibly complicated and now is a great time to start thinking about how you want to share your data with stakeholders. Two of my favorite ways to showcase the benefits of school counseling is by creating an end of the year report and displaying a data wall. Both are amazing ways to share important data with parents, teachers, admin, and others! In this episode, I am sharing how I like to use both these options as ways to present the impact school counselors make.

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Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/assessing-counseling-lessons

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Resources Mentioned:

Save your spot for February's Coffee with the Counselor Training: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee 

ASCA Professional Competencies: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/a8d59c2c-51de-4ec3-a565-a3235f3b93c3/SC-Competencies.pdf 

How to Create a School Counseling End of the Year Report: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/blog/how-to-create-a-school-counseling-end-of-the-year-report 

Get the School Counseling EDITABLE End of the Year Report: https://shop.brightfutures-counseling.com/products/school-counseling-editable-end-of-the-year-report 

Check out the School Counseling Data Wall: https://shop.brightfutures-counseling.com/products/school-counseling-data-wall-counseling-bulletin-board 

Episode 184: Planning Counseling Lessons...Simplified!: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/planning-counseling-lessons 

Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact 

Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll

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Connect with Rachel:

Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling

Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095

If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971