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. "Burns" vs. Bullying: What School Counselors Need to Know

    6D AGO

    "Burns" vs. Bullying: What School Counselors Need to Know

    Everyone was laughing... until suddenly someone wasn’t. Learn how "burns" work, why it’s usually mutual until it isn’t, and how to know when it’s time to shift from counseling to consequences. Burn culture shows up in those fast, sarcastic exchanges where students trade “jokes” for laughs, status, and social footing... until someone becomes the cost of the humor.  In this episode, we unpack why these moments feel so hard to respond to in real time, how adolescent peer dynamics fuel them, and how school counselors can step in with confidence when the line has clearly been crossed. ********************************* 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. This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, 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. Why Some Students Only Show Up When School Counselors Are Trying to Leave

    DEC 8

    Why Some Students Only Show Up When School Counselors Are Trying to Leave

    Why do some students wait until school counselors are walking out the door before they finally open up? It’s not randomness, and it’s definitely not manipulation. It’s nervous system timing, and understanding it will change the way you interpret those 3:24 p.m. confessions forever. In this episode, Steph Johnson breaks down the neurobiology behind “drive-by disclosures” and explains why so many students can only share the hard stuff after the bell rings. You’ll learn: • Why nervous system safety rises at the end of the school day • How control and autonomy shape when students speak • The role attachment patterns play in last-minute disclosures • How to tell the difference between a disclosure and a true crisis • What to do in the moment- without sacrificing your boundaries Most importantly, you’ll hear a grounded, clinical explanation of why students trust you most at the exact moment you feel least available. If you’ve ever wondered, “Why now?” this episode finally gives you the answer. ********************************* 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. This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, 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.

    19 min
  3. What School Counselors Miss About the Hoodie Kids

    NOV 24

    What School Counselors Miss About the Hoodie Kids

    The hoodie isn’t the problem. It’s the messages we’re missing. In this episode, Steph Johnson takes you inside one of the most misunderstood behaviors on a school campus: the kids who cover up, layer up, or hide inside hoodies no matter the temperature.  Using research from adolescent psychology, sensory science, trauma, school anxiety, and identity development, Steph explains what hoodie behavior really communicates… and why school counselors are uniquely positioned to decode it. ********************************* 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. This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, 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.

    25 min
  4. Are TikTok Dances Actually School Counseling Signals?

    NOV 17

    Are TikTok Dances Actually School Counseling Signals?

    Those hallway TikTok routines are saying something, school counselor- and it’s not what you think. In this episode, we decode what those repeated dance loops reveal about belonging, status, and the adolescent brain.  You’ll learn how synchronized movement functions as a social signal and why these micro-performances can be early indicators of connection, pressure, or exclusion on your campus. If you’ve ever walked past a TikTok trend at school and wondered what you’re really seeing, this episode gives you the insight you’ve been missing. ********************************* 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. This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, 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.

    19 min
  5. The Hallway’s Got Rizz... Can School Counselors Hear What It’s Saying?

    NOV 10

    The Hallway’s Got Rizz... Can School Counselors Hear What It’s Saying?

    “Rizz.” “Bet.” “Six-Seven.” Sounds like noise... but it’s not. In this episode of the School for School Counselors Podcast, Steph Johnson breaks down what teen slang really means, and how it maps your campus culture in ways most adults never notice. You’ll hear the neuroscience behind why slang sticks, the social psychology that makes it powerful, and how school counselors can use it to spot who’s connecting… and who’s slipping through the cracks. If you’ve ever smiled and nodded through a phrase you didn’t understand, this one’s for you. ********************************** 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!  This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, 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.

    13 min
  6. The Hidden Skill That Makes School Counselors Untouchable

    NOV 3

    The Hidden Skill That Makes School Counselors Untouchable

    Some counselors never have to fight for their role- or explain their worth.  That’s not luck. It’s skill. In this episode, you’ll learn how the most respected school counselors earn trust, keep influence, and make their programs untouchable, no “advocacy” required. ********************************** 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!  ********************************** This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, 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.

    20 min
  7. No More Pizza Parties! The Real Way School Counselors Can Fix Attendance

    OCT 27

    No More Pizza Parties! The Real Way School Counselors Can Fix Attendance

    Students refusing school isn’t new... but what’s happening now is different. Across the country, nearly one in three students is missing ten percent or more of the school year. And while everyone’s blaming “attendance apathy” or “bad parenting,” the truth is a lot more complicated. In this episode, I talk about what school refusal really is- and what it’s not. You’ll learn the four hidden drivers behind school avoidance, how to spot them, and exactly what school counselors can do (without becoming the attendance police). We’ll also talk about the conversations no one wants to have, like what to do when it’s the parent keeping the student home, or when a student says flat-out, “I just don’t want to go.” This isn’t another pep talk about attendance incentives. It’s a grounded, evidence-based roadmap for helping kids come back to school- and want to stay there. ********************************** ⭐️ 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!  As mentioned in the episode, use code OCTOBER 25 for a limited time.⭐️ ********************************** Where to go next, depending on what you need today... NEW → Grab my free ​Secret Series for School Counselors​- Six short stories about what no one’s willing to say in school counseling Listen to more of the​ School for School Counselors Podcast​- Real talk and honest insights for school counselors tired of pretending it’s all fine ​Join the School for School Counselors Mastermind​- The professional home for school counselors who love the job… and want to keep their sanity This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, 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
  8. The School Counseling Rollercoaster: 3 Secrets Every Counselor Should Know

    OCT 22

    The School Counseling Rollercoaster: 3 Secrets Every Counselor Should Know

    October hits different, doesn’t it? One week you’re flying high after a student breakthrough, and the next- you’re wondering if you can even make it to Friday. In this episode, I’m talking about the rollercoaster of school counseling: why it feels impossible to stay grounded this time of year, what’s really fueling the highs and lows, and three sanity-saving ways to keep your footing when everything around you feels like too much. We’ll get real about the myths we’ve bought into (like thinking we’re supposed to “fix” everything or perfectly follow the ASCA model) and what it actually looks like to stay centered when the job gets heavy. If you’ve been questioning whether you’re cut out for this work… this conversation might change how you see yourself (and the season you’re in). ********************************** ⭐️ 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! ⭐️ This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, 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.

    27 min
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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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