Calming corners can be used in your house, in the classroom, and in your counseling office. I view calming corners as a way to help students regulate their emotions and focus on positive coping skills. Calming corners encourage students to cope with their...
School has just started, which means you're probably focusing on getting to know all of your wonderful students! It is important to have at least 2-3 counseling get to know you activities in your counseling toolbox. You can easily use the same activity over...
The first time I heard about Minute Meetings my immediate reaction was "OMG that sounds impossible, this lady is crazy!" About 30 seconds later I thought "But it is pretty awesome." And then every so often the thought would come back and I'd wonder...
I'll be honest when I first became a school counselor I didn't do a student needs assessment. I felt super lost those first few years and by the time things settled down it seemed too late to send out a needs assessment. The...
If you ask my students about me, they'll all say that I love Jenga. I kind of think it's hilarious that they spread little rumors about how much I love playing Jenga. I have random kids come up to me in the hallway...
It's interesting that according to my blogging tools no one has used the internet to search for "school counselor burnout" this month. Basically telling me school counselor burnout is a terrible topic to discuss right now on my blog, but I think this...
Today I wanted to share one of my most important counseling tools: My Emergency Grief Kit. You might be wondering what an Emergency Grief Kit is and why I feel like it's sssssoooo important!!! Basically my Emergency Grief Kit is a bag/backpack with everything I...
If you have a professional development day coming up, then you seriously need to do have a session over self-care!! This time of the year is super stressful!! Everyone is talking data, the kids are getting antsy for spring break, and patience is running...
As we begin to talk about grief I want to emphasize one thing: never underestimate the power of reflection and the power of silence. As counselors we're taught a hundred different techniques. We're trained in special theories and we feel like to be the...
Grief groups are incredibly important for our students. They provide students with an opportunity to safely express their grief and to understand that they're not alone in their struggles. As students begin to trust each other in group, they begin to express their inner...