131. It’s All Coming In: Managing Referrals Like a Pro

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 help you make a big impact on student growth and success, you're.

Carol: In the right place.

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

Carol: Hey there, counselor friends. I'm Carol Miller and welcome back to another episode of Counselor Chat where we are going to talk about real life school counseling. I mean, the kind that includes glitter, spreadsheets and maybe even a few emergency bathroom passes.

But today's episode is all about that magical time of year,

AKA right now,

when every single referral form seems to come flying in at once.

When your inbox dings more times than your morning coffee machine and you start wondering if you should set up a tent outside your office door.

Yep, that's right. We are talking all about.

It's all coming in,

managing referrals like a pro.

And whether you're a seasoned counselor or you're still figuring out where the line for the laminator starts,

this episode, my friends,

is for you.

We are going to talk all about triage systems, tips for prioritizing, and ways to keep yourself from becoming the counseling version of 9 11.

I'm going to say that over. We're going to talk triage systems, tips for prioritizing, and ways to keep yourself from becoming the counseling version of 91 1.

So let's dive in.

I mean,

why is this happening?

Let's start with the why.

You've been back for a week or two,

for some of you maybe even a little longer, and suddenly,

bam,

referrals are coming in like confetti at a surprise party that you didn't ask for.

But it makes sense, right? I mean, teachers are starting to see who's struggling to adjust.

Those friendships are shifting and conflicts. They're rising.

The summer honeymoon period is at an end and kids are now just realizing, oh yeah, the counselor's back.

So let me just say this up front.

Referrals are a sign that people trust you.

And that's a good thing. I mean, a really good thing.

But we have to be strategic because no one, not even you, Counselor Rockstar, can handle 22 referrals in a day.

So you need a triage system all Right, here's the big idea.

Not every referral is urgent and not every student needs one on one counseling right away.

We need a system.

I'm like,

I like to call mine the three t tiered, triage,

time sensitive,

tiered, transparent.

Let me break that down for you.

One time sensitive.

You have to ask yourself is this urgent or not?

So ask yourself, is this a safety concern?

Is someone in emotional distress right now?

Has a student shared suicidal thoughts, self harm or abuse?

If the answer is yes,

then I think you know what to do. Stop everything,

that student jumps to the front of the line.

But if the concern is Samantha's having trouble picking a seat partner in science,

then Samantha can wait 48 hours,

I promise.

Now number two,

tiered.

Can this be handled in tier one or tier two first?

I mean, cause a lot of early referrals, they could be addressed through a classroom lesson or maybe a check in with a whole group.

It could be a community sel circle, I do a lot of those in my school.

Or it could be a tier 2 small group like friendship,

emotion regulation or self esteem.

So before scheduling a full on individual counseling session,

you need to ask, can this concern be addressed with small group intervention or skill building activity?

That one question can save you hours.

And number three,

transparent.

You have to let staff know how referrals are handled.

I mean you can't keep everyone happy,

but you can keep them informed.

So create a quick faq.

How do you handle triage?

What is the referral process?

What is your average response time?

What qualifies as urgent?

And when should a teacher handle something in class versus send a referral?

I mean you can even create a flowchart or an infographic and post it in your counseling newsletter or teacher portal.

Transparency builds trust and it also sets boundaries in a really respectful way.

I know from the Facebook groups that a lot of you struggle with this,

but being transparent is so important.

Part three, my friends, is to streamline your referral process.

I mean if you're still accepting referrals on sticky notes, hallway conversations and mystery emails titled can you talk to this kid? I mean, it's time for an upgrade.

So here's what I want you to do. I want you to use a Google form or a simple digital referral system.

You need to include the student name,

the grade, the teacher, the specific concern,

has the teacher contacted home?

What is the urgency scale?

The preferred follow up email call in person.

Because once you have that referral system,

this lets you track patterns,

document communication,

really prioritize based on need and keep everything all in one place.

If you're using a Google tip, here's another. Or Google form, here's another little tip. Add a dropdown that says,

have you tried these strategies already with classroom based interventions like brain breaks, seat changes, or journaling?

I love having the teachers put in what they've already done because that gives me an idea of where they're at now. My friends, you need to script it.

Let's talk about language because sometimes saying no can feel hard, especially when a teacher is stressed.

And here are some counselor friendly, friendly, friendly phrases to keep in your back pocket.

Instead of saying this isn't really a counseling issue,

I want you to try this. Sounds like something we can support through a classroom strategy. Want to brainstorm some ideas together?

Instead of I have too many referrals right now,

try.

I'm prioritizing safety and tier three needs right now, but I'd love to circle back next week to check in about this student.

Or instead of saying they don't need individual counseling,

try this concern might be better addressed through one of our small groups where we build those exact skills. I think they'd really benefit.

Teachers really want to feel heard.

They don't expect you to fix everything instantly.

Oh, okay, maybe they do.

But they do want to know that you see them and their students.

So it's so important, my friends, to communicate your system and to say it with compassion and confidence.

When I read these Facebook posts and I see counselors that are struggling,

I often wonder what types of phrasing they're using when they're talking to people.

Are they just coming in with a nope, not my job. Can't do this.

No,

this isn't a counseling thing.

Or are they coming through with supportive language?

Because language, my friends, it really does make such a huge,

huge difference.

And we are in an organization and a system and a profession where we need to build bridges,

not have our bridge explode as we're walking over it,

you know, across the river.

We don't want to fall in.

We want to safely get to the other side.

And on the other side is the well being of our kids.

So it's so important that we share our thoughts and what we are doing in a really mindful and respectful way because we are part of a team and we get further together than alone.

Now here's the next thing.

You need to track it or forget it because if it's not written down,

I mean, did it really ever happen?

You have to make your referral system trackable.

Even a simple spreadsheet where you log the date received,

the type of the concern,

the response, or the plan,

and the outcome,

because this gives you powerful advocacy data for later on.

And when you're asked, what do you do all day?

You'll be able to say, well, I responded to 32 referrals this month. I ran three tier two groups and I prevented four minor conflicts from becoming major explosions.

So that's what I did.

Some final thoughts for you.

Referrals, my friends, will always come in waves,

especially early in the year.

But with the right system, a calm mindset, and a little counselor magic, you can manage it like a pro.

So remember, triage your time filter by tear,

be transparent with your team,

use your data and breathe.

You're not behind,

you're building something sustainable.

And if you ever feel like you're drowning in referrals,

just remember,

you don't have to see everyone at once.

You just have to start with the right next student.

All right, that's it for today's episode of Counselor Chat.

I hope this episode gave you some helpful ideas,

and if it did, consider sharing it with your staff or a fellow counselor who's swimming in referrals too.

Until next time,

I want to remind you to practice, prioritize like a pro,

lead with heart and advocate fiercely for your students and yourself.

Until next time. I hope you 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.

Carol: Want to connect?

Carol: Send me a DM on Facebook or Instagram at counselingessentials.

Carol: Until next time.

Carol: Can't wait till we chat. Bye for now.