School for School Counselors Podcast

Steph Johnson
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Ready to cut through the noise and get to the heart of what it really means to be a school counselor today? Welcome to The School for School Counselors Podcast! Let’s be honest: this job is rewarding, but it’s also one of the toughest, most misunderstood roles out there. That’s why I'm here, offering real talk and evidence-based insights about the everyday highs and lows of the work we love. Think of this podcast as your go-to conversation with a trusted friend who just gets it. I'm here to deliver honest insights, share some laughs, and get real about the challenges that come with being a school counselor. Feeling overwhelmed? Frustrated? Eager to make a significant impact? I'm here to provide practical advice, smart strategies, and plenty of support. Each week, we’ll tackle topics ranging from building a strong counseling program to effectively using data—and we won’t shy away from addressing the tough issues. If you’re ready to stop chasing impossible standards and want to connect with others who truly understand the complexities of your role, you’re in the right place. So find a quiet spot, get comfortable, and get ready to feel more confident and supported than you’ve ever felt before.  For more resources and to stay connected, visit schoolforschoolcounselors.com.

  1. “It's Been Happening All Year.” So Why Is It a Referral Now?

    3D AGO

    “It's Been Happening All Year.” So Why Is It a Referral Now?

    You’re about to get a referral that says: “It’s been happening all year.” And somehow… now it’s urgent. This episode is about why that happens, and why treating May referrals like October problems will burn you out fast. Because most of what’s hitting your desk right now isn’t new. It’s late. We’re talking about:  The predictable end-of-year referral surge (and what’s actually driving it)  How adult burnout reshapes what gets labeled a “problem”  The one triage question that changes everything And how to protect your time without feeling like you’re failing kids You don’t need to do more right now. You need to decide better. ******** Join our new Skool for School Counselors community  ******** 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!  ******** 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. ******** Ready to spend a few days this summer with me, geeking out over school counseling and preparing for your best year ever? Grab your ticket here before this limited-seat event sells out! ******** Ready to spend a few days this summer with me, geeking out over school counseling and preparing for your best year ever? Grab your ticket here before this limited-seat event sells out! ******** This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

    26 min
  2. No One Knows What You Do- And That's Dangerous

    APR 27

    No One Knows What You Do- And That's Dangerous

    You’re doing meaningful work. You’re supporting students. You’re handling things no one else on campus is equipped to handle. But somehow, when big decisions get made, it’s like none of that exists. This episode looks at why that happens... and why it keeps happening. The school counseling profession has made its impact almost impossible to see. So in this episode, we’re talking about the visibility problem in school counseling… how confidentiality plays a role in it… and why showing up with passion and position statements isn't enough to protect your position when it matters. Because when the work can’t be seen, it can’t be defended. ******** Join our new Skool for School Counselors community  ******** 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!  ******** 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. ******** Ready to spend a few days this summer with me, geeking out over school counseling and preparing for your best year ever? Grab your ticket here before this limited-seat event sells out! ******** This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

    23 min
  3. This Isn't Burnout. It's Gaslighting.

    APR 22

    This Isn't Burnout. It's Gaslighting.

    You know the feeling. The one that says: If you were better at this, it wouldn't be this hard. If you had advocated more effectively, the caseload would be manageable. If you were really cut out for this work, you wouldn't be sitting in your car wondering if you can walk through the doors.That feeling has a name. And it isn't burnout. In this episode, Steph Johnson makes the case- through peer-reviewed research and a story she's never told publicly before- that the school counseling profession systematically produces that feeling.  This is what institutional gaslighting looks like.  And once you see it, you cannot unsee it. This Isn't Burnout. It's Gaslighting. ******** Join our new Skool for School Counselors community  ******** 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!  ******** 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. ******** Ready to spend a few days this summer with me, geeking out over school counseling and preparing for your best year ever? Grab your ticket here before this limited-seat event sells out! ******** This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

    22 min
  4. A Year Full of “Yeses”… and a Lot of Regret

    APR 13

    A Year Full of “Yeses”… and a Lot of Regret

    You’re not overwhelmed because there’s too much work; You’re overwhelmed because too much of it is not your job. You're not saying yes because you "lack boundaries". You're saying yes because, in that moment, saying yes made sense. And that’s the problem. ******** Join our new Skool for School Counselors community  ******** 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!  ******** 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. Ready to spend a few days this summer with me, geeking out over school counseling and preparing for your best year ever? Grab your ticket here before this limited-seat event sells out! ******** This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

    26 min
  5. Restorative Justice Works (Just Not Like That)

    APR 6

    Restorative Justice Works (Just Not Like That)

    You sat in the circle. You heard the apology. And you knew… nothing actually changed. Restorative justice can work in schools- the research supports that. But the versions most campuses are implementing... Are something else entirely. Research describes restorative practices as structured, resourced, and time-intensive. What most schools are doing is faster, lighter, and handed off. That's how school counselors end up in the middle of things: Facilitating conversations that aren't meant to be rushedTrying to facilitate a process you were never really trained to leadKnowing the outcome doesn’t match what the promises of true restoration, but not having the language to explain why.In this episode, we take a hard look at what restorative justice actually requires... and how to know if your campus is falling short. Because this isn’t just about whether you believe in restorative practices. It’s about whether what’s happening on your campus even matches what the research is measuring- And what that means for the role you’re being asked to play. Referred to in this episode: Ep. 191, "Your Campus Runs on a Pyramid of Lies" ******** Join our new Skool for School Counselors community  ******** 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!  ******** 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. Ready to spend a few days this summer with me, geeking out over school counseling and preparing for your best year ever? Grab your ticket here before this limited-seat event sells out! ******** This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

    35 min
  6. Your Campus Runs on a Pyramid of Lies

    MAR 30

    Your Campus Runs on a Pyramid of Lies

    There’s a reason the same explanation keeps showing up in every staff meeting, every training, every conversation about struggling students. It feels good. Problem is- It wasn’t built on evidence. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs became one of the most widely accepted frameworks in education without ever being meaningfully tested the way we use it.  In this episode, we go back to where the pyramid actually came from, walk through what the research has (and hasn’t) found, and take a hard look at why it spread anyway. Because if the foundation isn’t solid, it doesn’t matter how good your intentions are. You’re still building on it. Referred to in this episode: Ep. 106, "TPT's Dirty Truths & Why You Need an Evidence-Base" ******** Join our new Skool for School Counselors community  ******** 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!  ******** 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. ******** Ready to spend a few days this summer with me, geeking out over school counseling and preparing for your best year ever? Grab your ticket here before this limited-seat event sells out! This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

    23 min
  7. Stop Finding Your Why

    MAR 23

    Stop Finding Your Why

    At some point, someone has probably told you to “find your why.” I gave that advice last week. I wish I hadn't. In this episode, I’m getting more personal than I ever have on this podcast. I’m sharing what one of the hardest years of my career has done to me physically… what happened when I defaulted to the weakest advice I could have given… and what the research actually says school counselors should be doing when purpose isn’t enough to keep you going. If you’ve been trying to survive this year on nothing but passion and willpower- and it’s not working-  This one’s for you. ******** Join our new Skool for School Counselors community  ******** 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!  ******** 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. ******** Ready to spend a few days this summer with me, geeking out over school counseling and preparing for your best year ever? Grab your ticket here before this limited-seat event sells out! ******** This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

    35 min
  8. Your School's Pressure Valve Has a Name. It's You.

    MAR 16

    Your School's Pressure Valve Has a Name. It's You.

    You said yes… then suddenly it was your job. At some point in your career, something changed. You stopped being the person students came to see and started being the person students got sent to. Behavior referrals. Classroom removals. Crisis containment. The emotional labor nobody else knew how to handle. And it happened one "yes" at a time. In this episode, I'm taking a hard look at how school counselors slowly became the system's pressure valve- justified by "trauma-informed care"- and why that shift has fundamentally changed what we're asked to do in school counseling. We'll talk about: Where role creep actually startsWhy behavior intervention, trauma treatment, and school counseling are three different professional functionsHow "helping" can accidentally turn you into the building's behavior containment systemThe ethical trap of trying to bridge gaps that the system refuses to fillThe one question that can stop role creep before it becomes your permanent jobBecause the thing is: A pressure valve exists so the system doesn't have to change. And the moment you stop being one… the system is forced to find a different solution. If you've ever felt like your job morphed beyond the role you trained for, this episode will give you the words for what's been happening, and how to get back to doing the work you truly love. ******** Join our new Skool for School Counselors community  ******** 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!  ******** 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. ******** Ready to spend a few days this summer with me, geeking out over school counseling and preparing for your best year ever? Grab your ticket here before this limited-seat event sells out! ******** This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.

    26 min
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4.8
out of 5
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About

Ready to cut through the noise and get to the heart of what it really means to be a school counselor today? Welcome to The School for School Counselors Podcast! Let’s be honest: this job is rewarding, but it’s also one of the toughest, most misunderstood roles out there. That’s why I'm here, offering real talk and evidence-based insights about the everyday highs and lows of the work we love. Think of this podcast as your go-to conversation with a trusted friend who just gets it. I'm here to deliver honest insights, share some laughs, and get real about the challenges that come with being a school counselor. Feeling overwhelmed? Frustrated? Eager to make a significant impact? I'm here to provide practical advice, smart strategies, and plenty of support. Each week, we’ll tackle topics ranging from building a strong counseling program to effectively using data—and we won’t shy away from addressing the tough issues. If you’re ready to stop chasing impossible standards and want to connect with others who truly understand the complexities of your role, you’re in the right place. So find a quiet spot, get comfortable, and get ready to feel more confident and supported than you’ve ever felt before.  For more resources and to stay connected, visit schoolforschoolcounselors.com.

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