100. Celebrating 100 Episodes: A Look Back and A Look Ahead

Carol: You're listening to the Counselor Chat podcast, a show for school counselors looking for easy to implement strategies, how to tips, collaboration, and a little spark of joy. I'm Carol Miller, your host.

I'm a full time school counselor and the face behind counseling essentials. I'm all about creating simplified systems, data driven practices, and using creative approaches to engage students. If you're looking for a little inspiration to help you make a big impact on student growth and success, you're in the right place.

Because we're better together. Ready to chat. Let's dive in.

Carol: Hello there school counselors, and welcome to a very, very, very special episode of Counselor Chat. I'm Carol Miller, your host and today we are celebrating a huge milestone. Our 100th episode.

Woo hoo. Throw the confetti.

But wait. Let me just take a moment to say thank you. You know, when I started this podcast two years ago, I never imagined, first of all, that I would even make it to 100 episodes.

But let alone watching it grow into such an amazing community.

So whether you've been around here since episode one or you just joined recently,

I appreciate you.

Truly. This podcast wouldn't be what it is without you.

So today I thought we would reflect a little bit on this journey, highlight some of our most well loved episodes and give you a little sneak peek into what's coming next.

So grab your coffee, settle in, and let's celebrate together.

And because this is such a big milestone, I really want to celebrate you, the amazing listeners who make this podcast possible.

And to say thank you, I'm doing a special giveaway. One lucky listener will win a $100Amazon gift card.

That's right, a dollar for every episode. So $100Amazon gift card and here's how to enter. Make sure you're following this podcast.

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Smith, Spotify or wherever you listen, and then snap a picture of your review and email it to me@carolounselingessentials.org that's it. I'll pick a winner by March 5, 2025 and I will announce it on an upcoming episode.

So go ahead and enter. It's my little way of saying thank you for all of your support and your review.

It helps other people, other counselors like you find this podcast too.

So let's look back at our 100 episodes.

Oh my Lord. It is so hard to believe that we've been doing this for two years.

Along the way, we've had some incredible conversations, we've shared practical strategies,

and hopefully all this has made your job just a little bit easier.

We've covered everything from structuring your individual counseling sessions to creating an anti bullying culture in your school. And of course we've had some really unforgettable guest interviews along the way.

Some of the episodes that you all love the most included individual counseling. Like a pro, this episode dove into making the most of one on one time with students and structuring your sessions effectively.

Another fan fave was finding grace and grief a school counselor's journey.

It was not only, I think,

deeply moving for me,

but I had so many people reach out. We just talked about grief and loss and supporting students through hard time and what to do when grief hits us.

And then always a fan favorite is what am I supposed to do for National School Counseling Week?

This fan favorite broke down everything to how to celebrate and advocate school counseling in a really meaningful way.

Another highly listened to episode was using your community circles as SEL lessons. This practical and hands on episode inspired so many of you to bring community circles into your school.

And that was special for me to hear about how you're using this community circles in your in your school and in your lessons because I have incorporated them into mine and it has truly been a game changer.

I love using circles and I love that kids when I walk in are like, are we doing a circle today? And they're ready to set up. It's just makes my job so enjoyable and knowing that the kids really appreciate and look forward to those lessons is a bonus.

And last but not least, I think the one of the most listened to episodes was go make some lollipop moments.

Some back to school motivation.

Because if you need an instant boost of inspiration, this one's for you.

We are making lollipop moments every day.

We just don't know about them.

So if you don't know what I'm talking about, you definitely have to go back and listen. I'm going to be linking all of these episodes in the show notes. So you just have to go to the show notes and click to go back to that episode.

But my friends,

these episodes and so many more have sparked important conversations.

They've given you tools to use right away and hopefully they made you feel supported in this challenging but rewarding field. I mean, that's been the gold mine from the beginning to make it feel like you are not alone.

I was the loan counselor for so many years and while I truly enjoyed it,

knowing that I have a team now with me every day makes it even better.

And whether you are a loan counselor or you're in a pretty mighty sized team. I hope these episodes really make you feel supported as well.

Now let's talk about what's next because Trust me, with 100 episodes we are just getting started. Going forward, you can expect more of what you love. A mix of solo episodes packed with strategies and insights, along with expert guests who bring fresh perspectives and ideas.

And some upcoming topics are going to include how to set boundaries as a school counselor because, let's be honest, we all need a little help in this department.

Some Tier two interventions that actually work because we need some practical strategies to reach students who need extra support.

The Heart of Difficult Conversations because whether it's with parents, teachers or students, we're going to talk about how to navigate these tough discussions with confidence and then creative ways to teach SEL without another lesson plan because we know your plate is already way too full.

Plus, I've got some incredible guests lined up who will be sharing their expertise and wisdom with us. And I love these episodes. I never know what they're going to say, but I always learn a lot too.

And before we wrap it up, I just want to say thank you, thank you, thank you again. And whether you listen on your commute, during your planning period, or while unwinding at home knowing that you're turning in, it means the world to me.

Your feedback, your messages, your emails, and your support have made this journey pretty incredible, and I can't wait to keep bringing you content that helps, inspires and supports you in your role.

If you've enjoyed the podcast, I'd love for you to share it with a fellow counselor to leave a review.

Maybe send me a message to let me know what topics you'd like to hear more about. And don't forget, you gotta enter the giveaway for your chance to win that $100Amazon gift card.

Remember to do that. Just follow me. Follow this podcast,

leave a review,

snap picture of it and email it to me@carolounselingessentials.org so that's it. That's it for today's special episode of Counselor Chat. Here's to the next 100 episodes and all the amazing conversations ahead.

Until next time, take care of yourself and keep making a difference.

You matter. You rock. You are so awesome.

Until next time. Have a great week. Bye for now.

Carol: Thanks for listening to today's episode of Counselor Chat. All of the links I talked about can be found in the show notes and at counselingessentials.org podcast. Be sure to hit follow or subscribe on your favorite podcast player and if you would be so kind to leave a review, I'd really appreciate it.

Want to connect? Send me a DM on Facebook or Instagram at Counseling Essentials until next time. Can't wait till we chat.

Carol: Bye for now.