Minute meetings look great on a spreadsheet. But do they actually help kids? In this episode of Graded, I dig into where this practice really came from, the myths we’ve built around it, and the risks nobody’s talking about, and I’ll share what to do instead.

Minute meetings have taken on near-folklore status in school counseling. They’re all over Pinterest, pushed in Facebook groups, and praised as the “must-do” way to reach every student. But here’s the problem: they didn’t come from research. They came from a 2011 blog post that went viral because it looked proactive and admin-friendly.

I’ll unpack why so many counselors have latched onto them, and the real costs hiding under the surface: wasted time, shaky privacy practices, legal risks, and the illusion of equity. 

Most importantly, you’ll leave with stronger, evidence-backed alternatives- systematic data analysis, teacher consultation, and SEL strategies- that replace documentation theater with practices that actually change outcomes.

If you’ve ever wondered whether minute meetings are helping or quietly hurting your program, this episode is for you.

References (Annotated)

American School Counselor Association. (2005). The ASCA National Model: A framework for school counseling programs (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.
This framework formalized the profession’s shift toward “comprehensive, data-driven” programs. Its expectations created pressure on counselors to prove contact and impact—conditions that made quick-fix strategies like minute meetings appealing.

Dahir, C. A., & Stone, C. B. (2006). The transformed school counselor. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Captures the post-ASCA Model climate of accountability and data demands. This context helps explain why counselors gravitated toward visible, trackable practices like minute meetings, even without research support.

Kathuria, T., & Pandya, A. (2023). Can a five-minute meeting improve the wellbeing of students? The Indian school experience. Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 33(2), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1017/jgc.2023.12
The only peer-reviewed study even remotely related to “minute meetings.” Though conducted in India and using a different model (five minutes, not one), it highlights how little empirical research exists to validate this practice in U.S. schools.

Schultz, D. (2011, December 28). Got a minute? School Counselor Blog. https://www.schcounselor.com/2011/12/got-minute.html
Earliest known mention of “minute meetings” in the school counseling world. 

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⭐️ Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us! ⭐️

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All names, stories, and case studies in this episode are fictionalized composites drawn from real-world circumstances. Any resemblance to actual students, families, or school personnel is coincidental. Details have been altered to protect privacy.

What if the behavior approach everyone swears by is actually making some kids worse?

Check-In/Check-Out (CICO) is one of the most common Tier 2 interventions in school counseling, but most trainings leave out the detail that decides whether it works or fails. 

In this episode, I share the research, the hidden limitation no one’s talking about, and the story of a student who proved that “research-based” doesn’t always mean “right for every kid.”

This episode is highly researched:

Fairbanks, S., Sugai, G., Guardino, D., & Lathrop, M. (2007). Response to intervention: Examining classroom behavior support in second grade. Exceptional Children, 73(3), 288–310.

Filter, K. J., McKenna, M. K., Benedict, E. A., Horner, R. H., Todd, A. W., & Watson, J. (2007). Check in/check out: A post-hoc evaluation of an efficient, secondary-level targeted intervention for reducing problem behaviors in schools. Education and Treatment of Children, 30(1), 69–84.

Hawken, L. S., Bundock, K., Barrett, C. A., Eber, L., Breen, K., & Phillips, D. (2015). Large-scale implementation of check-in check-out: A descriptive study. Canadian Journal of School Psychology, 30(4), 304–319. 

Hawken, L. S., MacLeod, K. S., & Rawlings, L. (2007). Effects of the Behavior Education Program (BEP) on office discipline referrals of elementary school students. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 9(2), 94–101. 

Klingbeil, D. A., Dart, E. H., & Schramm, S. A. (2019). A systematic review of function‐based modifications to check‐in/check‐out. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 21(1), 3–18. 

Maggin, D. M., Zurheide, J., Pickett, K. C., & Baillie, S. (2015). A systematic evidence review of the check‐in/check‐out program for reducing student challenging behaviors. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 17(4), 197–208. 

Sottilare, A. L., & Blair, K.-S. C. (2023). Implementation of check-in/check-out to improve classroom behavior of at-risk elementary school students. Behavioral Sciences, 13(3), 257. 

Note: "Jake" and "Carrie" are fictional versions of students based on compilations of real stories. 

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⭐️ Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us! ⭐️

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Tired of feeling overworked, underestimated, and buried under responsibilities no one trained you for?

The School for School Counselors Podcast is for real-world counselors who want clarity, confidence, and tools that actually work in real schools... not packaged curriculums or toxic positivity.

You’ll get honest conversations, practical strategies, and a real-world alternative to the one-size-fits-all approach you’ve probably been told to follow.

If the ASCA-aligned model doesn’t fit your campus, it's not your fault.
This podcast is where you’ll finally hear why, and what to do instead.

You don’t need more PD. You need someone who actually gets it.

Small group counseling gets pushed as the fix for everything. But what if we’re getting it wrong?

In this episode:

• Why “ASCA-aligned” doesn’t mean effective
• The real reason group work is overused
• How to spot a pretty curriculum with zero impact

Plus, a student story that stopped me in my tracks.

If you’ve ever run a group just to prove you’re doing Tier 2… this one’s for you.

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⭐️ Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us! ⭐️

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Our goal at School for School Counselors is to help school counselors stay on fire, make huge impacts for students, and catalyze change for our roles through grassroots advocacy and collaboration. Listen to get to know more about us and our mission, feel empowered and inspired, and set yourself up for success in the wonderful world of school counseling.

You know that feeling when it’s Friday, and you can’t even explain what you did all week?

Use-of-time tracking is supposed to help- but too often, it feels like just another way to keep school counselors in check.

This week on Graded, we’re pulling apart one of the most pushed- but least supported- tools in school counseling.

We’ll talk about:

• Why it’s recommended in the ASCA model—and required in some states
  
  
• Why real-world counselors struggle to make it stick
  
  
• What happens when it’s used for control instead of clarity
  
  
• And how it can be helpful—if you’re the one holding the reins
  
  

If you’ve ever felt like you’re working nonstop but still have no proof of it…
this episode might feel like a breath of fresh air.

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⭐️ Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us! ⭐️

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Our goal at School for School Counselors is to help school counselors stay on fire, make huge impacts for students, and catalyze change for our roles through grassroots advocacy and collaboration. Listen to get to know more about us and our mission, feel empowered and inspired, and set yourself up for success in the wonderful world of school counseling.

Needs assessments are everywhere in school counseling, and they're especially enticing when you’re just starting out. They feel like the smart, strategic thing to do. But what if they’re just giving you more to carry?

In this episode, we’re taking a hard look at needs assessments: who’s pushing them, why they’ve become the go-to starting point, and what they can cost you. 

We’ll cover the real benefits and the overlooked drawbacks- like ethical risks, political landmines, and the guilt spiral that comes from trying to meet every demand.

You’ll hear how one research-backed insight helped shift the way I think about stakeholder feedback and why your professional judgment might matter more than you’ve been taught.

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “What am I supposed to do next?”, this episode has answers (and a grade you probably won’t expect!).

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Reference:

Zabek, F., Lyons, M.D., Alwani, N. et al. (2023). Roles and functions of school mental health professionals within comprehensive school mental health systems. School Mental Health 15, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-022-09535-0

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⭐️ Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us! ⭐️

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Our goal at School for School Counselors is to help school counselors stay on fire, make huge impacts for students, and catalyze change for our roles through grassroots advocacy and collaboration. Listen to get to know more about us and our mission, feel empowered and inspired, and set yourself up for success in the wonderful world of school counseling.

We’ve all been told school counseling should be short-term and goal-focused, and most of us have tried to follow that rule: running six-week groups, setting goals, and wrapping things up quickly.

But when those same students show up in your office again weeks later- or their behavior backslides the moment your group ends- you’re left wondering:
Was it the student… or was it me?

In this episode, we’re talking about the deeper truth behind short-term counseling:

• Why it feels like failure,
• How it leaves counselors holding the emotional bag, and
• What it really means to “stay in scope” when the needs run deeper than the time allows.

How does short-term counseling really measure up?

And when the grade gets revealed… will you agree?

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⭐️ Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us! ⭐️

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Our goal at School for School Counselors is to help school counselors stay on fire, make huge impacts for students, and catalyze change for our roles through grassroots advocacy and collaboration. Listen to get to know more about us and our mission, feel empowered and inspired, and set yourself up for success in the wonderful world of school counseling.

In this first episode of the Graded series, we put the ASCA National Model to the test.

What was promised? What’s actually happening? And what grade does it really deserve?

If you’ve ever felt like the model was built for someone else’s school, you are NOT alone!

For over two decades, the ASCA Model has served as the gold standard in school counseling. But for most counselors, the support to make it work just isn’t there.

Not in staffing.

Not in scheduling.

Not in the endless stream of “other duties as assigned.”

You don’t need another pep talk.

You need someone to tell the truth about why the model still isn’t protecting your time- and help you reclaim your confidence in the process.

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Episode References:

Mullen, P. R., Blount, A. J., Lambie, G. W., & Chae, N. (2017). School counselors’ perceived stress, burnout, and job satisfaction. Professional School Counseling, 21(1), 2156759X18782468.

Shillingford, M. A., & Lambie, G. W. (2018). Contribution of Professional School Counselors’ Values and Leadership Practices to Their Programmatic Service Delivery. Professional School Counseling, 13(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X1001300401 (Original work published 2010)

Wilkerson, K., Pérusse, R., & Hughes, A. (2018). Comprehensive School Counseling Programs and Student Achievement                    Outcomes: A Comparative Analysis of RAMP versus Non-RAMP Schools. Professional School Counseling, 16(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X1701600302 (Original work published 2013)

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⭐️ Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us! ⭐️

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Our goal at School for School Counselors is to help school counselors stay on fire, make huge impacts for students, and catalyze change for our roles through grassroots advocacy and collaboration. Listen to get to know more about us and our mission, feel empowered and inspired, and set yourself up for success in the wonderful world of school counseling.

You’ve got the heart. You’ve got the training.
So why does it still feel like no one’s listening?

This episode is about the invisible skill no one taught you, but everyone responds to.
The one that separates the school counselors who get looped in…
from the ones who get left out.

It’s not confidence.
It’s not charisma.
And it’s definitely not another credential.

We’re talking about the kind of presence that shifts the energy in a room.
The kind of clarity that builds trust when things get tense.
The kind of leadership that doesn’t wait to be handed a title.

If you’ve ever thought, “I know what I’m doing... so why don’t they see it?”
You’re closer than you think to the answer.

Press play, and let’s talk about what makes a school counselor undeniable.

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⭐️ Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us! ⭐️

**********************************

Our goal at School for School Counselors is to help school counselors stay on fire, make huge impacts for students, and catalyze change for our roles through grassroots advocacy and collaboration. Listen to get to know more about us and our mission, feel empowered and inspired, and set yourself up for success in the wonderful world of school counseling.

More and more school counselors are saying, “I’m getting my LPC and getting out.”

But is licensure really the answer- or just a new kind of stress?

In this episode, we take a candid look at what licensure changes, what it doesn’t, and why your next move deserves more than burnout logic.

Plus, I’ll walk you through the hidden costs, the unexpected trade-offs, and what clinical work actually involves (spoiler: it’s not school counseling in a cozier office).

We’ll talk salary.
We’ll talk supervision.
We’ll talk what it really feels like to carry clinical liability.

And most importantly, we’ll ask:
Are you chasing licensure because it aligns with your goals…
Or because you’re trying to escape something no one ever taught you how to fix?

If you’ve ever wondered whether you should get your LPC, this one’s for you.

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⭐️ Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us! ⭐️

**********************************

Our goal at School for School Counselors is to help school counselors stay on fire, make huge impacts for students, and catalyze change for our roles through grassroots advocacy and collaboration. Listen to get to know more about us and our mission, feel empowered and inspired, and set yourself up for success in the wonderful world of school counseling.

Still feeling unsure- even with experience under your belt? This episode explains why doubt might be the best sign you’re doing the job well, not a reason to second-guess yourself.

In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on what that uncertainty in school counseling really means. We’ll talk about the invisible labor of school counseling, what the research says about feedback-poor environments, and how self-doubt often shows up right when your skills are leveling up.

You’ll learn:

• Why experienced counselors question themselves more, not less
• How silence and lack of validation chip away at even the strongest counselors
• Why messy, imperfect work is often the most effective
• And how to chase credibility instead of certainty

You’re not failing; you’re growing. And you’re not alone.

Mentioned in this episode:

School for School Counselors Mastermind

Free School Counselor Planner

References:

Culbreth, J. R., Scarborough, J. L., Banks‑Johnson, S. B., & Solomon, T. (2005). Role stress among practicing school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 9(2), 106–112. 

Dunning, D., & Kruger, J. (1999). Unskilled and unaware of it: How difficulties in recognizing one’s own incompetence lead to inflated self-assessments. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77(6), 1121–1134. 

Falender, C. A., & Shafranske, E. P. (2010). Psychotherapy‑based supervision models in an emerging competency‑based era: A commentary. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 47(1), 45–50. 

Hill, C. E., Sullivan, C., Knox, S., & Schlosser, L. Z. (2007). Therapist self‑disclosure: Research-based suggestions regarding clinical training, practices, and ethics. Psychotherapy Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 44(4), 392–407. 

Hochschild, A. R. (1983). The managed heart: Commercialization of human feeling. University of California Press. 

Jennings, L., & Skovholt, T. M. (2016). In T. M. Skovholt & K. Rønnestad (Eds.), Master therapists: Exploring expertise in therapy and counseling. Routledge. 

Skovholt, T. M., & Trotter‑Mathison, M. (2016). The resilient practitioner: Burnout prevention and self‑care strategies for counselors, therapists, teachers, and health professionals (3rd ed.). Taylor & Francis. (Original concept described in earlier editions as an “ambiguity‑rich, feedback‑poor environment.”) 

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⭐️ Want support with real-world strategies that actually work on your campus? We’re doing that every day in the School for School Counselors Mastermind. Come join us! ⭐️

**********************************

Our goal at School for School Counselors is to help school counselors stay on fire, make huge impacts for students, and catalyze change for our roles through grassroots advocacy and collaboration. Listen to get to know more about us and our mission, feel empowered and inspired, and set yourself up for success in the wonderful world of school counseling.

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