Counselor Chat Podcast

Hi, I’m Carol. I’m a full-time school counselor, national presenter, curriculum writer, and counselor advocate.

What I Wish I Had Done Earlier: Invest in My Future In this episode of Counselor Chat, we’re kicking off a new reflective series about the things I wish I had done earlier in my school counseling career. First up: investing in my future. This episode is not financial advice, but it is a gentle…
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Celebrating Growth (Even When It Doesn’t Feel Like Enough) As the school year comes to a close, it’s easy to focus on the students we didn’t quite reach, the goals that aren’t fully accomplished, and the work that still feels unfinished. But what if success isn’t always found in the big moments? In this episode…
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The Students You’re Still Worried About As the school year winds down, most people are focused on celebrations, graduations, and summer plans. But school counselors know there’s another side to this season—the students we’re still thinking about. In this heartfelt episode of Counselor Chat, we’ll talk about the students who stay on our minds long…
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163. Helping Students Transition Well As school counselors, we spend so much time managing schedules, testing, field trips, celebrations, and end-of-year chaos that it’s easy to forget what many students are experiencing underneath it all: transition. In this episode of Counselor Chat, I’m talking about how transitions affect students emotionally and how we can support…
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Don’t Wait Until June: The 3 Pieces of Data You Should Grab Right Now In this episode of Counselor Chat, we’re talking about one of the biggest end-of-year stressors for school counselors: DATA. But instead of overcomplicating things with giant spreadsheets and impossible tracking systems, this episode focuses on the simple, meaningful information that actually…
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Episode 160: Simple Mental Health Supports Every School Can Use Right Now Mental Health Awareness Month is coming up, and I know how easy it is to feel like you need to do more. Add another lesson. Try something new. Fit one more thing into an already full schedule. In this episode, I share a…
Episode Title: Rocks, Sand, and the Pressure to Do It All (Especially in April) Episode Summary: April can feel like a breaking point for school counselors. Between testing, behavior challenges, end-of-year responsibilities, and ongoing student needs, it’s easy to feel like you’re falling behind. In this episode, I’m sharing a powerful perspective shift using the…
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Test Anxiety Isn’t Just Nerves—Here’s What Students Really Need Test anxiety is everywhere this time of year, but it doesn’t always look the way we expect. It’s not just nervous students biting their nails. It’s avoidance. Shutdown. Frustration. “I don’t care.” In this episode, I’m breaking down what test anxiety really looks like, what’s happening…
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Why I Don’t Make Kids Apologize (And What I Do Instead) 💭 Episode Overview We’ve all said it: “Go apologize.” But what if that moment isn’t actually teaching accountability? In this episode, I’m sharing why I don’t force apologies—and what I do instead to help students take real ownership, build empathy, and repair relationships in…

Meet your host, Carol

I used to think the secret to running a rockstar school counseling program was being the first one in the parking lot and the last one to leave.

Know what? I was wrong.

Over the years, I learned that it’s not about doing more — it’s about what matters most. I went from constantly busy to confidently productive, and now I help other school counselors do the same. Because your work matters.

Your support system should too.

Grab your free download!

Ready to level up your counseling sessions — one card at a time? This free set of Pick-a-Card Prompts turns any board game (or even a regular deck of cards) into a meaningful conversation starter. Perfect for classroom lessons, lunch bunches, small groups, or individual sessions, these easy-to-use questions help kids open up, reflect, and build essential SEL skills — all while having fun!