School for School Counselors Podcast

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Are you preparing to leave your school counseling position and unsure about what documentation to leave for your successor? Navigating the complexities of student privacy and legal compliance is crucial for school counselors. In this episode, we dive into the essentials of managing student notes and records, giving you the confidence to adhere to FERPA regulations while maintai...

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In this week’s episode, I’ll take you through my real-life experience of being compelled to overhaul my data systems due to recent legislative changes in Texas—a process that unfortunately did not go very well. 

It’s been quite a journey with some big adjustments I had to make in my data collection methods. However, despite the setbacks, the lessons I learned have been...

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Nancy is an experienced and stellar school counselor whose story is as inspiring as it is instructive. Her path from art teacher to guiding light for students spans over three decades,  and in this episode, we walk through the trajectory of Nancy's career, from the day her father suggested looking into a masters degree to the present, where she works through innovative pro...

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In our latest podcast episode, we sit down with Ginger Bernal for a friendly chat about her fascinating 17-year journey through the world of education. Ginger started her professional life in the unexpected waters of underwater crime scene investigation before finding her true calling in school counseling. She shares heartwarming stories, like how she helped a mother of seven g...

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It's time to end the school year on a high note while supporting a stronger partnership with your campus principal. This week’s School for School Counselors podcast offers strategies for school counselors to navigate end-of-year conversations with precision and grace without alienating administrators.

We talk through how to craft success stories from your collecte...

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As we near the end of the school year, it's easy to feel so, so TIRED. How do we power through the rest of the school year while maintaining our sense of purpose and joy for the work we do each day? It's a heavy topic, but an important one.

In this episode, I'll share my own end-of-year challenges, the things we can do to reset our mindset, and the appro...

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In this episode, I highlight a fascinating conversation  with Elizabeth Janners, a school counselor with a super-cool blend of music and military service in her background. Listen in to hear how Elizabeth's background shapes her unique approach to mentoring the next generation, offering invaluable lessons in resilience and adaptability as she guides students through life&a...

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Ever felt like you're juggling the workloads of four people, expected to perform seamlessly in all of them? Buckle up and join me from my car's front seat where I get real about where we stand in the school counseling profession, including the unsustainable pace we're expected to maintain and the systemic issues that often leave us feeling like we're set up ...

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Do you feel like you're running an 'unwinnable race' this time of the school year? In this episode, Steph provides an excerpt of her recent keynote speech for the Lone Star State School Counselor Association Rural Route School Counselors Conference to highlight the importance of self-care, setting achievable goals, and the profound impact counselors have on their...

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This is such a fun episode! Getting started on a new career path can often be a leap of faith, and this story is a shining example of where such a leap can land you. Meet Katie—a former teacher and current grad student who has discovered her true calling in the school counselors' office. Led to develop a meaningful and student-centered school counseling program amidst mult...

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Today's episode considers the legendary "spring fever" in schools, where escalating tensions and stress impact both students and teachers. We unpack the collaborative problem-solving approach credited to Ross Green that seeks to strengthen students' abilities in areas often overlooked – from emotion regulation to social skills – rather than pointing fingers ...

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In this episode, I'm joined by by friend Jessica Neitsch who talks about her simple yet effective strategy for maintaining our feeling of purpose and satisfaction in our work, how to approach emotional management for educators and students alike, and the need to celebrate the small victories that, moment by moment, build a fulfilling career in school counseling. If the spr...

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When life throws you curveballs, it's the ones who knock them out of the park that inspire us the most. Lydia Larimore did just that, turning a disheartening remark from her own school counselor into a fire that fueled her rise as an innovative educator and a Virginia Department of Education Difference Maker. On our show, host Steph Johnson takes a deep dive into Lydia’s t...

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So many of you feel like you are being used as firemen right now, running from one fire to the next, trying to put out the biggest flames. This week, I share the four critical questions that I ask any teacher who flags me down for behavior assistance, why these four questions are so important, and how to facilitate these conversations without causing a rift in your professional...

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Ever found yourself in the middle of behavioral chaos, wondering where it all went wrong? In this episode, we create a "cheat sheet" for initial behavior intervention with strategies to support students without pulling them away from the classroom prematurely.

Mentioned in this episode:
ChildMind Institute's Hierarchy of Behavioral Techniques

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How can we effectively educate kids with mental health or basic well-being concerns? Carissa, a former teacher, current school counselor and mental health therapist, says it's not realistic. Students can't learn if they aren't regulated and works to be her best self for her students by remembering her goal of helping rather than "fixing"- guiding her st...

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Imagine a career where every interaction is an opportunity for growth, understanding, and connection. That's the vision I'm casting in this episode, as we talk through the "what-to-do's" of social emotional leadership in the world of school counseling. I'm unpacking the art of leading by example, drawing upon the wisdom of Bowers, Lemberger-Truelov...

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Discover how to elevate your influence on campus as we explore a leadership framework for school counselors proposed by Bowers, Lemberger-Truelove, & Brigman (2017). We'll look at the leadership dispositions that can transform school counselors into agents of change, promoting an environment where both students and staff can thrive.


Reference:
Bowers,...

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Navigating ethical pitfalls and maintaining  professionalism isn't just a part of our job - it's at the heart of our mission as school counselors.

This episode takes a hard look at the delicate dance between best, ethical practices and the pressures that tempt us to bend or overstep our boundaries.

This is the stuff few people talk about: the emoti...