You love school counseling.

You believe in the mission.

But right now, it just isn't feeling right.

If you’ve been wondering whether you’re burned out, questioning if you can make it through another year, or feeling disconnected from the work you once loved... this episode is for you.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why April and May hit school counselors especially hard
• The difference between burnout and professional fatigue
• Five evidence-based strategies to protect your energy, motivation, and heart
• Why now is not the time to make big career decisions

Forget about self-care clichés. We need to talk about real tools to help you finish strong- and remind you why you started in the first place.

Whether you're tired, frustrated, or just not feeling like yourself at work...

You're not alone. And you're not broken.

Let’s talk about how to keep showing up without burning out.

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⭐️ 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! ⭐️

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Our goal at School for School Counselors is to help school counselors stay on fire, make huge impacts for students, and catalyze change for our roles through grassroots advocacy and collaboration. Listen to get to know more about us and our mission, feel empowered and inspired, and set yourself up for success in the wonderful world of school counseling.

Hang out in our Facebook group
Jump in, ask questions, share your ideas and become a part of the most empowering school counseling group on the planet! (Join us to see if we're right.)

Join the School for School Counselors Mastermind
The Mastermind is packed with all the things your grad program never taught you IN ADDITION TO unparalleled support and consultation. No more feeling alone, invisible, unappreciated, or like you just don't know what to do next. We've got you!

Did someone share this podcast with you? Be sure to subscribe for all the new episodes!!

⭐️ 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! ⭐️

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Ever meet another school counselor and realize halfway through the conversation…
you’re not doing the same job at all?

It’s not your imagination!
Right now, the title "school counselor" covers very different realities- and depending on which kind you’re seen as, your future in this profession could look very different, too.

In this episode, we’re uncovering what’s really happening inside our profession:

• The three types of school counselors showing up on campuses today- and the hidden risks each one faces
• The national shifts happening right now (from chaplains replacing counselors to SEL being banned in some states)
• Why your professional identity matters more than ever, and what happens if you don't define it for yourself
• How to start building skills that make you harder to replace, even when the system keeps changing

Because good intentions won’t protect your job.
Being the go-to for assemblies, spirit weeks, or “positive messaging” campaigns won’t protect your role either.

Only real skill, clarity, and strategic leadership will.

If you're ready to stop hoping the system fixes itself- and start protecting the work that actually matters- this episode is for you.

Sources Consulted:

• Selected legislative bills related to school counseling, accessed via LegiScan (including AL HB 583, TX SB 559 and HB 1122, PA HB 249, IN SB 523, MS HB 286, HB 566, HB 371, HB 1533, WV HB 3507, and NV AB 298), April 2025
• American School Counselor Association (ASCA) website, accessed April 2025
• Alabama School Counselor Association (ALSCA) website, accessed April 2025

**********************************

Our goal at School for School Counselors is to help school counselors stay on fire, make huge impacts for students, and catalyze change for our roles through grassroots advocacy and collaboration. Listen to get to know more about us and our mission, feel empowered and inspired, and set yourself up for success in the wonderful world of school counseling.

Hang out in our Facebook group
Jump in, ask questions, share your ideas and become a part of the most empowering school counseling group on the planet! (Join us to see if we're right.)

Join the School for School Counselors Mastermind
The Mastermind is packed with all the things your grad program never taught you IN ADDITION TO unparalleled support and consultation. No more feeling alone, invisible, unappreciated, or like you just don't know what to do next. We've got you!

Did someone share this podcast with you? Be sure to subscribe for all the new episodes!!

⭐️ 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! ⭐️

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Behavior charts. Consequence ladders. ABC data.

They’re everywhere- and school counselors are often expected to be in the middle of it.

But what happens when the behaviorist framework you're handed feels completely misaligned with your counseling instincts?

What if you’re tired of being the “behavior person” when all you want is to help kids feel safe and understood?

In this episode, I'm naming the tension between behaviorism and trauma-informed care, and why school counselors are so often stuck in the middle. We’ll explore how to hold both structure and compassion… and how to begin stepping back into the role that actually reflects your training.

If you’ve ever felt caught between compliance and connection, this one’s for you.

[00:00] Why behavior plans feel off for counselors

[03:00] Behaviorism basics (and why it still dominates)

[06:45] Trauma-informed care: the “can’t,” not “won’t” lens

[10:00] Can you hold structure and compassion?

[14:00] Real-life examples: escape and attention-seeking

[16:30] The problem isn’t just strategy—it’s your role

[17:30] Three frameworks that actually work

[20:00] How to stop being “the behavior person”

[24:00] Four ways to shift the narrative

[27:00] Final encouragement + your next step

References

Barth, R. P., Lee, B. R., Lindsey, M. A., Collins, K. S., Strieder, F. H., Chorpita, B. F., Becker, K. D., & Snowden, L. R. (2004). Evidence-based practice in mental health services for youth. The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 31(2), 213–233. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02287377

Berger, E., Green, S., & Dalton, L. (2019). Educator perceptions of trauma-informed care in schools: A qualitative study. School Mental Health, 11(3), 483–496. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-019-09323-z

Blaustein, M., & Kinniburgh, K. (2010). Treating traumatic stress in children and adolescents: How to foster resilience through attachment, self-regulation, and competency. Guilford Press.

Greene, R. W., Ablon, J. S., & Goring, J. C. (2003). A transactional model of oppositional behavior: Underpinnings of the Collaborative Problem Solving approach. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 41(11), 20–25. https://doi.org/10.3928/0279-3695-20031101-08

Overstreet, S., & Chafouleas, S. M. (2016). Trauma-informed schools: Introduction to the special issue. School Mental Health, 8(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12310-016-9184-1

Perry, B. D. (2006). Fear and learning: Trauma-related factors in the adult education process. In S. Johnson & K. Taylor (Eds.), The Neuroscience of Learning and Development (pp. 123–142). Jossey-Bass.

Perry, B. D., & Szalavitz, M. (2017). The boy who was raised as a dog: And other stories from a child psychiatrist’s notebook (3rd ed.). Basic Books.

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (n.d.). Trauma-Informed School Strategies During COVID-19. https://www.nctsn.org/resources/trauma-informed-school-strategies-during-covid-19

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Our goal at School for School Counselors is to help school counselors stay on fire, make huge impacts for students, and catalyze change for our roles through grassroots advocacy and collaboration. Listen to get to know more about us and our mission, feel empowered and inspired, and set yourself up for success in the wonderful world of school counseling.