Counselor Accents

In this powerful and heart-wrenching episode, we speak with Dave Neese, the father of Skylar Neese—a bright, spirited teenager whose life was tragically cut short when she was brutally murdered by two girls she considered her best friends. Dave shares Skylar's story with honesty, courage, and a deep commitment to preventing similar tragedies.This episode is intended for school counselors, educators, youth advocates, parents, and anyone who works with adolescents. Together, we explore the warning signs of relational aggression, how toxic friendships can escalate, and what trusted adults can do to identify and intervene before it's too late.Through Dave's voice, we honor Skylar's memory while shedding light on the hidden and often overlooked dynamics of adolescent relationships. This conversation is both a call to awareness and a guide for those working to create safer emotional environments for all students.Trigger Warning: This episode discusses violence, loss, and adolescent mental health.

Terrence and Eileen Houlihan are a dose of what we all need right about now! They are knowledgeable and so much fun! In this episode they share a portion of the expertise they offer during their coaching or professional development sessions. Get ready for school counseling wisdom related to the developing student brain, as well as information we should be sharing with teachers, and even some tidbits for parents! This episode is one you will want to repeat in order to get all of the pearls of wisdom!Check out Terrence and Eileen's websiteContact Terrence and EileenSign up for our freestanding Behavior Detour Conference

Youth sex trafficking is a growing problem in today's world.Often, individuals don't understand what trafficking lookslike in the United States...especially in rural areas. In this episode Adria Palmer focuses on the signs of trafficking and what we, as educators, can do to educate our families and communities. Adria is a high school counselor in Missouri and was the 2007 Outstanding Young Professional from the Universityof Missouri-Columbia and the 2020 Secondary School Counselor of the Year in Northeast, Missouri.To contact Adria email her at apalmer@rallsr2.k12.mo.us.

You will definitely not want to miss this episode with our panel of behavior experts! They are answering the burning behavior questions that some of our Behavior Detour participants submitted. We guarantee you will nod your head as some of these questions are asked. So many of us are experiencing similar behaviors, no matter what age group or location you're in. This episode is full of rubber meets the road strategies you can implement immediately. Position yourself as a leader and listen and share this!Sign up to watch the virtual, on-demand sessions.

We're gonna be honest- this episode is a chaotic hot mess, but our guest is amazing and joins us to share the fantastic school counseling initiatives he has started in the state of Kansas. Nick Brummett is one of our new obsessions due to his rubber meets the road ideas and general school counseling prowess. Get ready to take notes! You'll want to join in or start some of these same things in your own school counseling program!

If you're like us, you might have thought that The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children solely focused on helping locate missing children; however, the word "Exploited" actually covers a lot of the situations we as school counselors deal with on a daily basis.In this episode Alejandra from The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children shares how this organization can support educators and the work we do daily.⁠Join our Behavior Detour Conference!⁠

In this episode Geoff Heckman joins us to talk about the importance of advocating as school counselors. Geoff inspires us to be fearless in our role, even when we do feel scared or intimidated. This is a great episode to listen to whether you're preparing to become a school counselor, or if you are a veteran school counselor. Join our Behavior Detour Conference!

In this episode we are joined by Lisa Pruitt. She describes the incredible work that is being done through the MO-CPAP (Missouri Child Psychiatry Access Program). There are endless resources available to school counselors, other educators, and parents through this program. Listen to the end to hear our friend, Mallory Jacobs talk about ways to incorporate the movie Wicked into your school counseling lessons.

As school counselors it is inevitable that we will have students who will be in CPS care each year. In this episode MJ Matthews shares ways that we can support students and families who are in foster care or who have already transitioned to the adoption process.

Grief is something that is unavoidable. It is almost guaranteed that at some point through the year you will be counseling your students through their personal grief. School counselor Jodi Fiore's mother was a huge personality, not only at home, but also in the community. In this episode Jodi shares how she processed the death of her mother as a young child, and how it has given her insight on how to talk with students about grief as a school counselor. She graciously shares those tips with us through this podcast, but also with the books she's written about Lia-RIA. In this episode we also have Mallory Jacobs doing our "In the Mix with Mal Pal" segment sharing some much needed deep breathing techniques that you can share with your students! Submit your funny or inspirational story! Submit a proposal to our Behavior Detour Conference! Lia-Ria and the Ostrich Feathers Lia-Ria and the Lockdown Drill Lia-Ria Meets the Angels Lia-Ria and the Old Timers Nee Doh Cube Hobermans Sphere We are Amazon Affiliates. If you click on those links, it won't cost you extra, but we will make a little cheddar from your purchase!

In this episode Dr. Karen Gross joins us to talk about her new book, Mending Education. Dr. Gross explains so beautifully why some of the processes and procedures are failing to work the same way they worked pre-pandemic. She shows us some of the changes that actually worked really as we educated students through the pandemic, why we should keep them in place, and how the rush to return to "normal" may have actually caused some of the behaviors and frustration we are witnessing and experiencing now.

No matter where you are in your school counseling journey, sometimes it is great to talk with someone who is just beginning their journey. In this episode we talk with Shae, a school counseling student, and get her perspective on the future of school counseling, what she is being prepared for as far as the uptick in behaviors, and what she wants veteran school counselors to know. This episode is a great reminder of why we do what we do, and we hope it serves as some inspiration to reach out to someone new in the trenches and share some kind words or assistance! The Ultimate School Counseling Bundle- 90% Off Growing Your Program Wait List

If you've been a school counselor for longer than 5 minutes, you have most likely used a resource from Julia Cook. In this episode she shares how she got started, why she loves school counseling, and what she has coming up next! The things she talks about in this episode will save you time, make you successful, and position you as a leader! Sign up for Cookie Bytes

Kriya Lendzion has been called "The Teen Whisperer." Once you listen to this episode, you will understand why! In this episode she shares statistics about addiction, primarily related to vaping, but she includes alcohol and even screen addiction! She also shares strategies and how school counselors can advocate for policies to help support students overcoming their addictions. This is one of those episodes that ALL educators and parents need to hear! Click here for Kriya's resource page! Sign up for more of Kriya's resources.

Our roving reporter, Mallory Jacobs, was on the streets of the ASCA conference, talking with YOU about all of the things you learned and loved about the conference this year. If you haven't been to an ASCA conference, we would highly recommend listening to this episode so you can start advocating now to join us next year! Take a listen- you might hear yourself, and at the very least we think you'll at least chuckle here and there! Owala Water Bottle Growing Your Program Course Wait List Alabama Critical Issues Conference

There are several topics that school counselors have to share each year that feel uncomfortable or difficult to talk about. Many of these topics are required, but that doesn't make it any easier! In this episode we're giving you resources and ideas on ways to cover these difficult topics that school counselors need to talk about. Here is a link to a free lesson on hygiene.

This episode is full of various ways to take your school counseling program to the next level. In this episode, School Counselor Extraordinaire, Sarah Nauman, joins her administrator, Dr.. Heather Baker, to talk about how they collaborate to find new approaches to behaviors and programs. This collaboration has led to advocacy opportunities for Sarah as well as school and community buy-in for her program. This is one of those episodes that you could listen to multiple times and find new information each time!

In this episode former Missouri Teacher of the Year, Darbie Valenti Huff, recounts the story of a student named Junie. Junie had behavior issues, hygiene issues, you name it! School counselors and all educators need to hear this story about a student who seemed almost impossible to help. We all have students like Junie. Listen to find out what became of Junie and what educators can do to reach the seemingly unreachable. Book Darbie to do a powerful PD at your school: darbieh@msta.org Find her on social media: @miss_d_valenti

Are you making the switch to another grade level? This time of year can feel like "fruit basket turnover," and can leave you wondering what to take with you to your new office, how to interact with the students in another age group, and how to run your program effectively at another school. We are tackling this topic in this episode!

If you can only listen to one episode this week, MAKE IT THIS ONE!!!  Mallory Jacobs is a force in the school counseling world.  She has been named the Kansas School Counselor of the Year, and she wears the crown well!  She exudes joy, spreads positivity, and has a gift for seeing the best in most situations.  In this episode she shares how she does that, and why, as school counselors, it is sometimes necessary for us to do this with our students.

If you're like us, one of the areas we lack training in is eating disorders; however, without fail, we have students each year who struggle with this. In this episode Lauren Dorman, Mental Health Registered Dietitian, shares the difference between eating disorders and disordered eating. She gives us tips to share with parents and ways we can help our students. Click here to download Lauren's Myth Fact Sheet Click here to visit Lauren's website Signs and Symptoms of Disordered Eating

It's that time of year again! Aspiring new school counselors are venturing out to land their first job, or maybe you're listening because you are sitting in on the interviews for other positions in your school. Whatever your reason- even if only for the laughs, we believe some great leadership tips and dos and don'ts are being shared in this episode. Click here to join the Summer Counselor Conference Click here to purchase our book, Growing Your Program for School Counselors

In this episode we are sharing 5 tips to help you finish your school counseling year strong. These 5 tips are also a great way to ensure that you start your school counseling year by "plowing your first row straight." We talk a little about data, organization, evaluations, and some topics that we really don't even want to put in writing!

In this episode we will be talking about our recent New York City adventure. We are also sharing the responsibility we have as school counselors to share the voice of our students, who are the most marginalized and vulnerable members of society. Some of our discussion includes training teachers to understand student voice. In our course, Growing Your Program, we share the specifics of how we train teachers to understand the story that our students have. Join the Waitlist for Our Course

Sandy Austin answered the call to help victims and families on the day of the Columbine school shooting 25 years ago. In this episode she shares her story and the inspiration behind her B.I.O.N.I.C. program. Check it out and start changing your school's culture today! Click here to check out B.I.O.N.I.C.

Stress contagion may be a new term to you, but it refers to the phenomenon where individuals within a group or social network can "catch" or be influenced by the stress levels of others around them. And whether it's your first or your fifty-first year in a school, please let us remind you that 'tis the season for stress! Understanding the relationship between stress contagion and school counselors is important, and we have some strategies to help you keep that stress contagion from spreading! Missouri Virtual Session New Jersey Spring School Counseling Conference Growing Your Program Wait List

School counseling means sharing in rites of passage for our students. Moving to the next grade is one of those! In this episode we're sharing a few rubber meets the road things you can get started on now to make transitioning to the next grade level go smoothly for your students and teachers!

Whether you're the building test coordinator or not, this episode is full of school-wide tips that everyone can benefit from! We are sharing 7 of our best tips plus a few extra "rubber meets the road" strategies. We haven't met anyone who loves standardized testing season, but in most states it is a requirement. This episode may help bring some calm to the chaos that surrounds the testing season. Growing Your Program Wait List Attack the Test Lesson Bee Ready Test Taking Lesson Train Your Brain Centers

Tis the season for so many school counseling tasks! Then again, when ISN'T the season for so many school counseling tasks?! When there are too many school counseling tasks and not enough time, we might start to feel hopelessness, anger, bitterness, frustration, and burn out. We believe we have 5 ways to avoid these pitfalls. Listen for a few strategies that just might help you avoid burn out this season!

We recorded this episode on the go, literally! But with the need for behavior strategies at an all-time high, we felt like it was imperative to bring this episode to you! In this episode you'll get to hear from not one, not two, but three behavior experts! These guests will bring powerful strategies and practical applications that you can help teachers implement in the classroom. These are 3 of the speakers we will be having at our upcoming Behavior Detour Conference. Sign up now by clicking here! Join the wait list for our course, Growing Your Program

School counselors are often one of the first people contacted when a student is displaying challenging behaviors. With behaviors being a main challenge right now for a lot of counselors, Monique Young has developed her services by intentionally improving social skills through individual and small group counseling. In this episode Monique gives listeners ideas of what behavior challenges can be addressed through school counseling services. Follow Monique! @TheSchoolCounselorCoach on Instagram Email her at youngmindcreationsllc@gmail.com Join our Behavior Detour Conference! Join the waiting list for our Growing Your Program course! Purchase our book, Growing Your Program for School Counselors. Purchase our children's book, Hi Gene! The hotdog cooker we mention in this episode.

It can be difficult to have all the answers as a school counselor while raising the tough kid at home. In this episode Carey Hughes shares ways that she managed to advocate for her own child while serving the students at her school. She has found that her experience has given her even more compassion for the families of her students. Join our Behavior Detour Conference! Book Recommendations: The Highly Sensitive Child The Explosive Child

National School Counseling Week is such an important week for school counselors. We're sharing five (or more) ideas on ways you can spread the word and "humble brag" about your school counseling program during National School Counseling Week 2024. Just a word of caution: it's not about receiving gifts during National School Counseling Week. It's about advocating for your program.

As school counselors, we often try to find the underlying issue/s behind unwanted behaviors in hopes that addressing those needs will deliver a different outcome. Even with this knowledge, however, we might still struggle to effect change. At their core, unwanted behaviors are a result of a dysregulated nervous system. In this episode Kathleen Weber explains what Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) are and how EFT can be used in and out of the classroom to support nervous system regulation for our students and for ourselves. With gentle tapping on specific acupressure points, Kathleen will walk us through some exercises to help reduce stress and restore balance to our emotional well-being. Contact Kathleen here. Kathleen's Website Join Kathleen's free master class! Make sure to tell her you heard about her on the Counselor Accents podcast.

We have been big fans of Brent Cosby for years. In this episode he shares practical ways to use everyday objects to help with most situations that walk through your counseling door. Listen to this episode and we can almost guarantee you will be a big fan of Brent Cosby, too! Sign up here for our Behavior Detour Conference A link to our book, Growing Your Program for School Counselors. Here's our new book, Hi Gene!

We're revisiting an oldie but goodie! We recorded this episode 3 years ago, but it is so relevant for what we're experiencing in education today! In this episode Michael McKnight explains what ACE stands for, how to explain them to staff members, and the power of one caring adult. This is one of those episodes we believe should be shared with ALL educators. Eyes Are Never Quiet Book Unwritten Book Sign up to receive a portion of ticket sales to the Behavior Detour Conference

Anybody else feel like you're drowning? We want to help you by suggesting some apps and technology that can help you work smarter not harder! Listen as we share about 12 different tools that we've either used or plan to use to help us from day to day as school counselors. We're curious- what apps help you each day?

We felt like taking a quick break from talking about school counseling strategies and wanted to share a story about Kim's near brush with who knows what during fall break! Kim has a flair for exaggeration, but something tells me this story is accurate! Listen as she takes us on a journey! We also take a few minutes in this episode to talk about our upcoming behavior conference! We are consistently asked about how to manage behaviors, and how to support teachers in managing behaviors. We are putting together a conference to help with those questions! Find out how YOU can earn an extra paycheck through this behavior conference. https://forms.gle/fp1JKhF894pjxAuk9

In this episode, Nour shares her personal story of what happened to her family when she was in high school. From the outside looking in, things seemed perfect. Nour was a good student with no behavior issues. She blended in with the other students at her school. Right after her graduation, an unfathomable tragedy happened right in front of her. As always, we hope you listen to this and think of ways to reach your students who might be living through traumatic situations at home. Submit a proposal for our virtual behavior conference! Purchase our School Counseling Book We are Amazon Associates. Sometimes our links will send you to our Amazon account. It is no extra cost to you!

As a school counselor have you ever found yourself in a situation where you wonder what you should do? For example, if you switched schools and realized day to day life is different from what was covered in your interview, what would you do? Or if you are asked to present to the staff, what would you talk about? In this episode we are answering some of the questions you've asked us! Listen in as we discuss attendance incentives, questioning your new school placement, and more! It is no secret that student behaviors are escalating. We are currently accepting proposals for our first ever virtual behavior conference! If you're interested in presenting, please fill out this presentation proposal form. Sessions will be prerecorded and will be available beginning on February 9, 2024. Proposals are due by November 10.

In this episode Sweety Patel shares some of the highlights from her article for the ASCA magazine where she talked about the importance of marketing your school counseling program. Marketing your program is vital so that others know about the great things that you are doing in your school and community! She focuses specifically on using social media to reach the community. We hope you are inspired to shine a light on your program after listening to this episode!

In this episode we are sharing the school counseling must-haves we have found on Amazon. We believe these items will help you with organization, small groups, whole groups, or individual sessions. Let us know what your favorite Amazon purchase of the year has been! Plus listen until the end for an exclusive interview with Ellie Blair, Laura's younger daughter. She has a story to tell about some playground trauma. You don't want to miss it! Growing Your Program for School Counselors Menu Holders Calming Ball Label Maker Calming Strips Hand Crank Shredder Scratch Off Stickers Dry Erase Dice Mini Backpacks What's Inside Your Backpack Book Punch Cards Picking Stone

In this episode Holly Wilcox shares the story of her childhood, one full of multiple adverse childhood experiences or ACEs. You will be gripped by her ability to overcome, forgive, and use her experiences to help others. Holly paints the picture of some of our students who might be living through the nightmare of abuse. She reminds us that these students don't always fit the mold of what we look for. She also shares practical tips we can use when helping some of our students. Adult Children of Alcoholics Co-dependents Anonymous PBS Special Kevin Honeycutt Episode

“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning” — Fred Rogers In this episode Fondra Magee (a current school counselor in Washington, school based registered play therapist, and member of the Washington State Play Therapy Association Board of Directors) leads us through all of our burning questions about using play therapy in schools. She explains how we can use it without crossing the therapy boundary, why it makes sense to use it, and tips and tricks that you can implement today at your school. **Don't forget to rate and review this podcast!** Garry Landreth's Book, The Art of Play Therapy Association for Play Therapy School-based Play Therapy Credentials Information Our Book! Growing Your Program for School Counselors

We believe it is important that teachers know the role of the school counselor, but as behaviors are changing, our message and training should change too. In this episode we are sharing why teachers need to be trauma informed, and we are also giving rubber meets the road training points to include when you talk to your faculty. And of course we have some laughs along the way.

Lauren Tingle from Counselor Clique collaborates with us in this episode, which is all about... Collaboration! Find out why it is important for elementary counselors to know what secondary counselors are focusing on, and how secondary counselors can help elementary counselors with some of their initiatives. We hope you get some practical, rubber meets the road ideas on how to start these conversations. Maybe this episode will spark conversations across your school system! Here is a link to our book! Follow Lauren Tingle/Counselor Clique

This episode will be difficult to listen to, but absolutely necessary. In this episode we talk with Brian Montgomery, a father of four from Mississippi. He shares how a sextortion scam changed his family within a matter of hours. There were none of the warning signs that we have all been educated to look for. We hope that all educators, parents, aunts, uncles, guardians and concerned citizens will be informed and inspired to take action to prevent another devastating loss. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children- Sextortion Page Contact Brian Montgomery Kids Online Safety Act A Link to Our Book

When we finally have a little down time to sit back and enjoy a good book, podcast, or TV show, it can be frustrating if we don't know what to read, watch, or listen to! In this episode we're giving you our school counselor summer reading list. We've included a mix of nonfiction, fiction, plus OUR book Growing Your Program for School Counselors that was just recently released. Start compiling your list today and let us know whose list you like better, Laura's or Kim's!

We've got a few funny stories for you from our experience at ASCA this year! Listen in as we talk about the RAMP dinner. What do a strawberry, a pecan, and a toenail all have in common? Listen in and find out! Here is a link with your special offer already applied! Share it with a friend!

This is part 2 of how to add creativity to your school counseling program. In this episode we share several rubber meets the road tips, as well as some stories, and of course some laughs. We truly believe that finding that creativity and tapping into what you're passionate about can be a game changer for your upcoming school year.

We believe that this time of year is the perfect time to reflect and think about what worked this year, and what improvements can be made for the upcoming year. In this episode we give several rubber meets the road tips on how to add creativity to your school counseling program, and why we think it's important. There are so many tips and discussions about each tip, we decided to make this 2 episodes. Enjoy the first half this week and the second half next week.