The first counseling session is your first opportunity to build rapport, establish a safe space, and encourage student agency. Plan that time with purpose.
Looking for a mindfulness group art activity? Your students will love this artistic expression of emotion after practicing a grounding technique!
School Counseling Crafts: 5 ways to use lunch bags in school counseling for divorce, anger management, mindfulness, giving, and grief from Mental Fills.
Make sure you include 4 key components when you are terminating counseling with elementary students.
Help kids manage worry with these 10 grounding techniques! Students can use these strategies any time anywhere to cope with worry.
Last year, I found a great idea for introducing myself to my students. It worked so well that I decided to do it again this year! The original idea came from Wanda P., a school counselor on the ASCAScene web forum. (If you aren't a member of ASCA, I recommend it just for the discussion forum alone. It's been a lifesaver at times.) I use Mrs. Potato Head to introduce the various parts of my job as Elementary School Counselor. I bring her in a bag to each class and have the kids help me put her back together again. As I take out each part, we talk about how that part helps me do my job. I created a handout that outlines what we go over in class and serves as a coloring page that students can give their parents to let them know who I am and what I do, too! Click here to download a copy of the Mrs. Potato Head handout and lesson plan. NEW!!! Click here to download a copy of Mr. Potato Head handout and lesson plan. The kids love Mrs. Potato Head and I leave her up all year in my office to remind the students what we talked about in class. It's a great way to start the new school year!
Teaching children about coping with anger? Check out these 15 effective anger management strategies for kids.
Help kids manage worry with these 10 grounding techniques! Students can use these strategies any time anywhere to cope with worry.
Read more about 15-Minute Counseling Techniques that Work!
A blog about school counseling and school counseling resources
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of talking therapy that can be used to treat people with a wide range of mental health problems, including anxiety disorders (e.g., generalized anxiety, social anxiety) or depression.
Let’s face it, kids are used to having worksheets and templates and preprinted note pages, but sometimes I don't have time to gather those fancy materials. In my office, I always have plain copy paper and it is an integral part of my counseling program. Here are 5 school counseling activities where I turn
Use this list of free resources to use as social emotional learning activities to help you work with kids and young adults. As a special educator for 10 years, I can say without a doubt that we need more social emotional learning supports for kids and young adults. Some of my best days in the classr
FREE monster feelings cards! Monster feelings cards and games to teach and review feeling words and vocabulary for preschool, pre-k, and kindergarten.
I cannot claim to be an expert with needs assessments but I am happy to share about how I create mine, what's on it, what's worked, and what hasn't.
These 10 mindfulness videos for elementary school students are great for school counseling or SEL lessons. Students will learn what mindfulness is, why it's important and how they can practice it. The videos can be used in K-5 lessons on mindfulness, coping skills or self control.
Counseling Lessons to Rock Your Second Semester: My 2nd Semester of school counseling lessons and activities. This post explains what I did in my building before, during, and at the end of the second semester. Keep reading to find out more about each of my lessons and activities!
30 youtube videos for elementary school counselors to use during class lessons.
Make sure you include 4 key components when you are terminating counseling with elementary students.
One of the things I've gotten fairly established at this point is my first session of individual counseling with students. Here's 4 of my go to activities.
School Counselors can use these techniques to help adolescents with identity development, and improve mental health.
Use these outdoor counseling activities to help kids learn about and explore important social emotional topics like anxiety, coping skills, mindfulness and more. They are a great way to make your school counseling lessons engaging and effective!
15 clubs for school counselors to lead: get your students engaged, involved, and growing with these fun, meaningful activities!
A sweet twist on worry stones for kids! These hearts are easy to make and perfect for the first day of school.
This 5,4,3,2,1 Grounding Technique poster (in spanish) asks you to find five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. Using this with someone who feels anxious will help to calm them down and reduce their feelings of anxiety. For the english version click here. This poster can be a great addition to any space, such as therapy office, school counseling office, calm down corner, classroom... you can decorate any space you need! ONCE PURCHASED Once you purchase you'll be able to download high resolution, 300dpi ready to print JPG files. Printable sizes include (High resolution, 300dpi ready to print JPG files): - 5x7'' - 8x10'' - 11x14'' - 12x16'' - 16x20'' Once downloaded, you can print at your own home or take it to your preferred print shop or have it printed online. --- FIND ME Check the Lightandsaltdesignco site for freebies, offers and more! You can also find my on Etsy by clicking here You can also find me on Pinterest by clicking here --- Copyright (c) LightandSaltDesignCo. This product is for personal use ONLY. No redistribution is allowed. If you have questions please contact me: [email protected]
This worksheet identifies helpful concepts and key ideas behind Motivational Interviewing (M.I.) Whether you're new or well versed in MI, it can be a useful tool or refresher for conducting and using motivational therapeutic skills and techniques.
A must-read review of 10 favorite grief counseling resources for children. Perfect for any counselor working with children who have experienced grief or lo
Separation anxiety is a common and challenging experience for young children, parents, and educators alike. The tears and distress that accompany saying goodbye can be heart-wrenching, leaving parents feeling helpless and educators struggling to comfort and reassure their students. As the new school
If you're looking for a way to help your clients improve their mental health, look no further than solution focused brief therapy! This therapy is based on the idea that every individual has a unique set of solutions to problems, and that by focusing on those solutions, we can help our clients feel better. In addition to providing helpful tools and resources, our office decor can also help make solution focused brief therapy more comfortable and inviting for your clients. Whether you're a school counselor, social psychologist, or therapist in general, our solution focused brief therapy worksheets and cheat sheet are sure to help you provide the best possible care for your clients. Checkout our Progress Notes For Therapist fillable https://www.etsy.com/listing/1392821488/progress-notes-for-therapist-fillable? Size: A5 US Letter A4 (8.3 x 11.7) PDF & PNG files If you will face any difficulty in download, you may contact me i would love to help! Thanks
The wrinkled heart activity or crumpled paper bullying lesson is a powerful way to teach children about the lasting effects of bullying.This simple activity is a valuable friendship lesson that shows
Recently a reader reached ask out to ask if I had any suggestions for getting and staying organized through internship. I do! I certainly wish I was more organized but I would love to share with yo…
From 1976 to 1984 we conducted a comprehensive independent inmate counseling and staff training program inside San Quentin and other California prisons.
Looking for fun activities to introduce your role as the school counselor to your students? These 5 fun meet the counselor activities will get your students engaged and moving while dispelling some myths about the counselor's role!
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to counselors searching for free games and tools for virtual counseling sessions. Although the pandemic has led to many challenges, one positive aspect is that counselors have been expanding their skillsets as they learn to navigate the virtual counseling world. Whether you are a school counselor meeting with children through
Put peacemaking skills at your students��� fingertips with Conflict Cubes they make themselves. This resource encourages collaborative efforts to develop creative and meaningful solutions to common conflicts. Includes directions and a reproducible.
This article goes over instructions for 11 breathing exercises for stress, anxiety and PTSD and includes a printable PDF handout with instructions for 10 breathing exercises all on one page.
Move away from taking classroom guidance requests with a school counseling curriculum plan! Check out this sample curriculum plan and get started!
