99 episodes

School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica.

School Counseling Simplified Podcast Rachel Davis

    • Education
    • 4.9 • 95 Ratings

School Counseling Simplified is a podcast offering easy to implement strategies for busy school counselors. The host, Rachel Davis from Bright Futures Counseling, shares tips and tricks she has learned from her years of experience as a school counselor both in the US and at an international school in Costa Rica.

    Anxiety Roundup: How to Support Anxious Students with Ashley Bartley

    Anxiety Roundup: How to Support Anxious Students with Ashley Bartley

    Separation anxiety has always impacted kids but it seems to be much more prevalent in the past few years since the pandemic. We see it in students crying as they are exiting their cars in the morning, refusing to come to school, and feeling sick in the nurse’s office. We all want to help these students cope with this anxiety as best as possible so Ashley Bartley is joining us to share practical tips and strategies to help our students who struggle with separation anxiety.
     
     
     
     
    Ashley Bartley, M.Ed., NCC, is a school counselor, author, and curriculum writer. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Virginia and her M.Ed. in School Counseling from the College of William & Mary. She has five social emotional learning children's books published with Boys Town Press and is the creator of Counselor Station, where she develops curriculum and resources for busy school counselors. Ashley lives in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with her husband and three young boys. She enjoys hiking, reading, and traveling.
     
     
     
     
    Ashley has so much knowledge when it comes to helping students with separation anxiety. In this episode, Ashley shares signs that a student is experiencing separation anxiety, some strategies she has found helpful when working with students, and her favorite preventative strategies for separation anxiety.
     
     
     

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    Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/support-anxious-students-1
     
     
     
     
     
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    Resources Mentioned:
     
     
     
     
    Save your spot for this month's Coffee with the Counselor: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee 
     
     
     
     
    Episode 80: Anxiety Counseling Crash Course: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/anxiety-crash-course 
     
     
     
     
    Episode 81: Anxiety Strategies for Class Counseling Lessons: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/anxiety-strategies 
     
     
     
     
    Episode 82: Anxiety Strategies for Small Group Counseling: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/small-group-counseling 
     
     
     
     
    Episode 83: Anxiety Strategies for Individual Counseling: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/strategies-for-individual-counseling 
     
     
     
     
    Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact 
     
     
     
     
     
    Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll
     
     
     
     
    *
     
     
    Connect with Rachel:
     
     
    Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling
     
     
    Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/
     
     
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/
     
     
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095
     
     
    If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

    • 20 min
    Anxiety Deep Dive with School Psych Sophia (Everything From CBT to Selective Mutism!)

    Anxiety Deep Dive with School Psych Sophia (Everything From CBT to Selective Mutism!)

    Anxiety does not just impact older students and adults. There are many elementary students who struggle with anxiety as well! As a school counselor, it can be challenging to determine the root of that anxiety and figure out what strategies may be beneficial for your student. I know we all want to support our students as best as possible so I am so excited to have Sophia from School Psych Finds on to share some knowledge and insights about helping our students with anxiety!
     
     
     
     
    Sophia is trained as a school psychologist and has worked with families & children of all ages. She received her B.A. in Psychology from UCLA and her M.A. & Ed.S. degrees in Educational & School Psychology from Loyola Marymount University. She runs the social media accounts & podcasts: School Psych Mom & School Psych Finds. She recently became a new mom to a baby boy and cares for him full time. She enjoys sharing information and creating resources targeted towards mental health, parenting, and school psychology.
     
     
     
     
    Sophia has such a wealth of knowledge about anxiety in students! In this episode, she is sharing anxiety strategies she loves to use with kids, the steps to take when working with students with anxiety, insight into CBT and selective mutism, and preventative strategies for anxiety.
     
     
     

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    Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/anxiety-deep-dive
     
     
     
     
     
    *
     
     
    Resources Mentioned:
     
     
     
     
    Save your spot for this month's Coffee with the Counselor: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee 
     
     
     
     
    Check out TherapistAid.com: http://TherapistAid.com 
     
     
     
     
    Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact 
     
     
     
     
     
    Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll
     
     
     
     
    *
     
     
    Connect with Rachel:
     
     
    Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling
     
     
    Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/
     
     
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/
     
     
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095
     
     
    If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

    • 32 min
    3 Grounding Strategies to Help Anxious Students

    3 Grounding Strategies to Help Anxious Students

    I think all of us can agree that kids are more anxious now than ever. And as school counselors, trying to find effective tools and strategies to figure out why our students are so anxious and help our students calm down can be challenging. So how can we help these students?
     
     
     
     
    I completely understand how difficult it can be to come up with strategies when you have a student in your office whose anxiety is high. Having practical, easy to implement strategies handy for when your student needs them is helpful to both you and your students. If you’ve found yourself struggling to come up with a calming strategy on the spot, this episode is for you! I am sharing 3 of my favorite grounding strategies (plus a bonus strategy!) you can use with your students right away! I’m also sharing one of my favorite preventative strategies you can use with your students before they are in the midst of high anxiety.
     
     
     

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    Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/strategies-to-help-anxious-students
     
     
     
     
     
    *
     
     
    Resources Mentioned:
     
     
     
     
    Save your spot for the FREE live training, Help Studnets Break the Stress Cycle: The Anxiety Management Tool You Didn't Learn in Grad School!: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/training 
     
     
     
     
    Grab your Anxiety Poster FREEBIE: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/anxiety-poster 
     
     
     
     
     
    Anxiety & Worry Individual Counseling Curriculum | Coping Skills and Strategies: https://shop.brightfutures-counseling.com/products/anxiety-and-worry-activities-games-and-lesson-plan-for-individual-counseling 
     
     
     
     
     
    Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact 
     
     
     
     
     
    Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll
     
     
     
     
    *
     
     
    Connect with Rachel:
     
     
    Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling
     
     
    Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/
     
     
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/
     
     
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095
     
     
    If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

    • 13 min
    Easy and Effective Anxiety Strategies with Mallory Zolinas

    Easy and Effective Anxiety Strategies with Mallory Zolinas

    Students of all ages can suffer from anxiety or feel anxious about certain situations. Teaching them effective coping strategies for managing their anxiety is so empowering for them and can help them feel more calm in stressful situations. I always love to hear tips and strategies from other school counselors and I am so excited to have Mallory Zolinas join me to share some coping strategies for anxiety that she teaches her students.
     
     
     
     
     
    Mallory is a 5th year Elementary School Counselor working with students in grades Pre-k through 4.  She has been an IMPACT member for almost 2 years and loves having ready to use school counseling resources available any time I need them for individual sessions, group sessions, or class lessons.
     
     
     
     
    In this episode, Mallory is sharing what she finds frustrating and what she loves about her job, what a day in her role looks like, and her favorite coping strategies for anxiety. Mallory has some incredible, easy to implement strategies she has found success with for her Pre-K through 4th grade students and I know you will walk away with new ideas to help make an even bigger impact on your students!
     
     
     

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    Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/anxiety-strategies-2
     
     
     
     
     
    *
     
     
    Resources Mentioned:
     
     
     
     
    Sign up for the next Coffee with the Counselor: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee 
     
     
     
     
    Grab the Brain Dump FREEBIE: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Brain-Dump-Worksheets-5340086 
     
     
     
     
     
    Check out the Breathing Stick Activity: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Mindfulness-Freebie-Mindful-Breathing-3840837 
     
     
     
     
     
    Mini Paper Shredder: https://a.co/d/6gvgzvl 
     
     
     
     
     
    Worry Shredder Label: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Worry-Shredder-Mini-Paper-Shredder-Labels-9835703 
     
     
     
     
     
    Mindfulness Moments for Kids: Hot Cocoa Calm Book: https://a.co/d/aSQeacz 
     
     
     
     
     
    Follow Mallory on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schoolcounselormsz 
     
     
     
     
    Get the Hot Cocoa Breathing Handout: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/FREE-Hot-Chocolate-Deep-Breathing-Prompt-anxiety-and-calm-down-tool-5079451 
     
     
     
     
     
    Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact 
     
     
     
     
     
    Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll
     
     
     
     
    *
     
     
    Connect with Rachel:
     
     
    Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling
     
     
    Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/
     
     
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/
     
     
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095
     
     
    If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

    • 20 min
    Assessing Counseling Lessons...Simplified!

    Assessing Counseling Lessons...Simplified!

    We are wrapping up our series on school counselor competencies with my favorite topics: assessing and data! Showcasing assessments and data is such an incredible way to advocate for your role and show your program’s progress to stakeholders. In addition to it being an amazing way to advocate for your role, assessing and reporting program results is an ASCA school counselor competency! 
     
     
     
     
     
    Sharing your program’s progress and impact doesn’t need to be incredibly complicated and now is a great time to start thinking about how you want to share your data with stakeholders. Two of my favorite ways to showcase the benefits of school counseling is by creating an end of the year report and displaying a data wall. Both are amazing ways to share important data with parents, teachers, admin, and others! In this episode, I am sharing how I like to use both these options as ways to present the impact school counselors make.
     
     
     

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    Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/assessing-counseling-lessons
     
     
     
     
     
    *
     
     
    Resources Mentioned:
     
     
     
     
    Save your spot for February's Coffee with the Counselor Training: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee 
     
     
     
     
    ASCA Professional Competencies: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/a8d59c2c-51de-4ec3-a565-a3235f3b93c3/SC-Competencies.pdf 
     
     
     
     
     
    How to Create a School Counseling End of the Year Report: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/blog/how-to-create-a-school-counseling-end-of-the-year-report 
     
     
     
     
     
    Get the School Counseling EDITABLE End of the Year Report: https://shop.brightfutures-counseling.com/products/school-counseling-editable-end-of-the-year-report 
     
     
     
     
     
    Check out the School Counseling Data Wall: https://shop.brightfutures-counseling.com/products/school-counseling-data-wall-counseling-bulletin-board 
     
     
     
     
     
    Episode 184: Planning Counseling Lessons...Simplified!: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/planning-counseling-lessons 
     
     
     
     
     
    Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact 
     
     
     
     
     
    Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll
     
     
     
     
    *
     
     
    Connect with Rachel:
     
     
    Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling
     
     
    Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/
     
     
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/
     
     
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095
     
     
    If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

    • 11 min
    Planning Counseling Lessons...Simplified!

    Planning Counseling Lessons...Simplified!

    Have you looked at the ASCA school counselor competencies and been totally overwhelmed? This whole month, I am focusing on simplifying these standards and making them easy to understand and easy to implement. We’ve previously covered direct and indirect student services and now it’s time for one of my absolute favorite topics, planning. If you’re a planner like me, you are going to love this, too!
     
     
     
     
     
    Planning doesn’t need to be complicated! There is a lot of jargon in the ASCA school counselor competencies but planning really comes down to three simple steps. In this episode, I am breaking down the three steps of planning: identifying the gap, developing goals, and implementing action steps. I am also giving practical examples of what this may look like so you can better understand each step and implement them without confusion!
     
     
     

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    Show Notes: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/planning-counseling-lessons
     
     
     
     
     
    *
     
     
    Resources Mentioned:
     
     
     
     
    Save your spot for February's Coffee with the Counselor Training: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/coffee 
     
     
     
     
    ASCA Professional Competencies: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/a8d59c2c-51de-4ec3-a565-a3235f3b93c3/SC-Competencies.pdf 
     
     
     
     
    ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/7428a787-a452-4abb-afec-d78ec77870cd/Mindsets-Behaviors.pdf 
     
     
     
     
    Episode 183: Direct Student Services 101: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/direct-student-services 
     
     
     
     
    Episode 182: Indirect Student Services 101: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/indirect-student-services 
     
     
     
     
    Episode 161: How to Plan Data Driven Small Groups: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/podcast-episodes/data-driven-small-groups 
     
     
     
     
    Join the IMPACT Membership: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact 
     
     
     
     
     
    Enroll in the Stress-Free School Counseling Course: https://www.stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/enroll
     
     
     
     
    *
     
     
    Connect with Rachel:
     
     
    Shop: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Bright-Futures-Counseling
     
     
    Blog: https://brightfutures-counseling.com/
     
     
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightfuturescounseling/
     
     
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2473191466030095
     
     
    If you are enjoying School Counseling Simplified please follow and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/school-counseling-simplified-podcast/id1534494971

    • 13 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
95 Ratings

95 Ratings

Lauren Tingle ,

Love this pod!!

Rachel is a wealth of knowledge in the school counseling world! Her podcast episodes are practical and to-the-point- you can take action right away which is soo nice! Thank you for the contribution you make everyday to the school counselor space!

Counselor Warrior ,

Fabulous!

I love your podcasts and resources! I love, especially how you educate and talk about things in a way we can understand. You are making my summer better with all of your resources and perspectives! You’re a fabulous human!

sammy-sammyfun ,

So helpful

This has helped me feel at ease on my school counseling journey. I often worry about being the best for my students and listening to audio recordings are really beneficial for me as a learner so I can translate that learning for my students.

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