258. What counselors think about IMPACT
School Counseling Simplified Podcast
Release Date: 07/22/2025
275. Behind the Scenes of Successful Individual Counseling Sessions
School Counseling Simplified Podcast
Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified. Today, we’re pulling back the curtain on what really makes individual counseling sessions effective, engaging, and purposeful. If you’ve ever felt unsure about what to do in these sessions or overwhelmed by how to track student progress, this episode is packed with practical, ready-to-use strategies. Individual counseling is an important Tier 3 support that allows you to provide targeted, personalized intervention. With the right tools and structure, these sessions can feel manageable and meaningful. Why Individual Counseling...
info_outline
274. Behind the Scenes of Successful Small Groups
School Counseling Simplified Podcast
Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified! Today, I’m taking you behind the scenes of successful small groups and sharing how to set them up for success. We’ll talk about how to engage your students, keep sessions organized, and measure their progress with ease. Small groups are a key Tier 2 intervention and an important part of a layered approach to student support. In this episode, you’ll learn everything you need to know to start and lead small groups with confidence. How to Set Up Counseling Groups Identify students using referrals, previous counseling data,...
info_outline
273. Behind the Scenes of Successful Class Lessons
School Counseling Simplified Podcast
Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified! Today we are going behind the scenes to talk about how to create engaging class lessons that keep students interested and make your counseling program run smoothly all year long. 1. How to Map Out Lessons for the Year Start by looking at your school calendar and noting upcoming dates, themes, and holidays. For example, October is Bullying Prevention Month, which is a great time to plan related lessons. Review your referral data and needs assessment responses to identify key areas of focus. Check what curriculum your school...
info_outline
272. ICYMI Proactive Bullying Prevention: Teaching Self-Advocacy
School Counseling Simplified Podcast
Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified! Throughout October, we have been exploring practical bullying prevention strategies, and today we are wrapping up the series with a focus on teaching self-advocacy. While this may seem like a more reactive approach, it is an essential skill that helps students navigate challenges with confidence. In this episode, we explore three simple ways to help students learn to advocate for themselves and others: Practice Scripts Provide students with sample scripts they can use in real-life situations. Watch short videos together, then...
info_outline
271. ICYMI Proactive Bullying Prevention: Friendship Skills
School Counseling Simplified Podcast
Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified! October is Bullying Prevention Month, and throughout the month I’ll be sharing some replays of our best episodes focused on strategies to prevent bullying in schools. In today’s episode, we’re diving into friendship skills — an essential foundation for creating a kind, connected, and inclusive school culture. I’ll be sharing ideas you can use at every level: schoolwide, classroom, small group, and individual. Schoolwide Strategies Buddy Bench (Elementary Level): Transform an existing bench at recess into a “Buddy...
info_outline
270. ICYMI Proactive Bullying Prevention: Conflict Resolution Strategies
School Counseling Simplified Podcast
Welcome back to School Counseling Simplified. Since October is Bullying Prevention Month, this episode focuses on practical conflict resolution strategies you can use at the schoolwide, classroom, and small group levels. If you have not listened to last week’s episode on restorative circles, start there for helpful background on resolution circles and community-based approaches. Today we build on that foundation with tangible tools you can use right away to help students resolve, forgive, and repair relationships. What you will learn in this episode How to use classroom-based activities to...
info_outline
269. ICYMI Proactive Bullying Prevention: Creating a Culture of Kindness
School Counseling Simplified Podcast
Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified! Since October is Bullying Prevention Month, I will be highlighting some of our best podcast episodes all about bullying prevention strategies. Today, we are diving into practical ways to create a culture of kindness in schools. Promoting kindness is one of the most effective ways to reduce bullying. In this episode, I share strategies that teachers and counselors can use to set a positive tone, build empathy, and encourage collaboration. Morning meetings are a simple yet powerful practice that helps students begin their day...
info_outline
268. Measuring the Effectiveness of Your Counseling Lessons
School Counseling Simplified Podcast
Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified! Throughout September, we have been diving deep into classroom lessons. I love using them as tier 1 interventions, and so far we have talked about how to plan, schedule, teach, and manage behaviors during lessons. Today, we are shifting the focus to data and exploring how to measure the success of your classroom counseling lessons. Often, counselors rely on self-assessments or individual assessments during small group or one-on-one sessions, which is a fantastic approach. But did you know you can also track data in your classroom...
info_outline
267. Managing Behaviors During Counseling Lessons with Gina Venancio
School Counseling Simplified Podcast
Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified! Throughout September, we are diving deep into classroom lessons. I love using them as my tier 1 interventions. While many times we are handed lessons to deliver, there are plenty of situations where you have to create everything on your own. That is why I am sharing how to schedule, plan, and teach classroom lessons. These insights come from my Stress-Free Class Lessons Course, a five-module program that equips you with tools and strategies to feel prepared and confident. In today’s episode, we are focusing on behavior...
info_outline
266. Teaching Counseling Lessons
School Counseling Simplified Podcast
Welcome back to another episode of School Counseling Simplified! Throughout September, we are diving deep into classroom lessons. I love using them as my tier 1 interventions. While many times we are given lessons to teach, there are also plenty of situations where you are expected to create everything on your own. That is why I am sharing strategies on how to schedule, plan, and teach classroom lessons. These ideas come from my Stress-Free Class Lessons Course, a five-module program designed to help you feel confident and prepared. In today’s episode, we are focusing on the teaching piece...
info_outlineSchool is right around the corner, and I want to help you feel confident and prepared as you head back! I’m offering a free live training all about how to use a Meet the Counselor lesson to introduce yourself to your students and advocate for your role as a school counselor. You’ll get a free copy of my favorite lesson and a PD certificate for attending! This training is TODAY to make sure to use the link below in resources and save your seat!
In today’s episode of School Counseling Simplified, I wanted to take a break from our usual content to let you hear directly from the amazing counselors inside the IMPACT membership. We’ve been talking about the Summer Summit and IMPACT over the last few episodes, and now you get to hear real experiences from real members.
Here’s what some of them had to say about being part of IMPACT:
-
Madelyn, a K–8 counselor, loves the ready-to-use resources, the opportunity to collaborate with other counselors in the community, and the empowering monthly PD. She’s saved so much time!
-
Jennifer, a school social worker, finds the data tools especially helpful for gathering feedback from both students and adults.
-
Lacy appreciates the small group lessons and that the plans are already aligned with ASCA standards. She feels more prepared and loves being able to print and use the resources with ease.
-
Kelly is a one-counselor team across multiple buildings. She says IMPACT helps her get things done faster by cutting down on indirect hours and increasing time spent with students.
-
Marybeth has saved so much time with the low-prep, research-based lessons that her students find fun and engaging.
-
Angie says IMPACT has helped her grow tremendously by offering structured support, practical tools, and a strong sense of community through monthly PD and a network of nearly 1,000 school counselors.
-
Lydia relies on the ASCA-aligned resources for quick support—especially on her most challenging days.
-
Jamie loves that IMPACT has freed up the time she used to spend creating lessons from scratch. Now she can focus more on direct services for her students.
-
Kailey, a first-year counselor, says IMPACT has helped her make a meaningful difference in her students’ lives from day one.
Ready to feel supported and confident this school year?
With school creeping up now is the perfect time to check out all the hype around IMPACT and see if it’s a great fit for you at:
👉 stressfreeschoolcounseling.com/impact
Resources Mentioned:
Connect with Rachel:
More About School Counseling Simplified:
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.
You can listen to School Counseling Simplified on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and more!