Laura is a former school psychologist passionately trying to bring social-emotional learning to every student at every tier. Click here for hands-on resources for the classroom and counseling.
By Laura Driscoll | Group Counseling , Individual Counseling , Social Emotional Skills
Identifying feelings and understanding feelings is an essential social-emotional skill. This is always where I would start in counseling and where most social-emotional curriculums begin. If a student can’t identify how they feel, it’s awfully hard to manage those feelings. While we don’t have a shortage of feelings activities or books on feelings, I think In […]
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By Laura Driscoll | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy , Individual Counseling
I’m often asked how to incorporate CBT activities (cognitive behavioral therapy) in school counseling and if it’s really a fit for school counselors. Are school counselors even allowed to use CBT? 100% yes. CBT activities use a short-term evidence-based approach. It’s a match made in heaven. Well, where do I even start? You start with showing students […]
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By Laura Driscoll | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy , Individual Counseling
Feelings thermometers or scales are an essential tool in your counseling office. I can’t think of something else I reached for or referenced more often with students. They are reusable, research-based tools that help kids put a situation in perspective, build self-awareness,develop a self-management plan, and connect thoughts, feelings, and actions.Phew, talk about a workhorse. For most elementary or […]
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By Laura Driscoll | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy , Group Counseling , Individual Counseling
Children, just like adults, are prone to negative thinking. Their negative thinking can lead them to be avoidant, have meltdowns, get into fights, and take other negative actions. The concept of thoughts can be a little abstract for children. Certainly more difficult to understand than feelings and behaviors. When helping children change their thinking, I make […]
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By Laura Driscoll | Group Counseling , Social Emotional Skills
This winter focus on giving and receiving compliments. Genuine compliments can be a great way to build a positive classroom culture. When students learn how to give and accept compliments, they are also building empathy. Teaching compliments is an easy way to build a positive community.Giving ComplimentsStart by defining what a compliment is.A compliment is […]
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By Laura Driscoll | Individual Counseling , Social Emotional Skills
Do you set goals with students in counseling? In individual counseling, I try to weave SMART goals into a student’s sessions. It helps them feel in charge of their progress and be partners in their progress. There are a number of ways that you can introduce and use goal setting. I find that the secret sauce […]
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By Laura Driscoll | Social Emotional Skills , Teacher Consultation
I don’t think mental illnesses should be used to describe our daily stresses. Someone’s serious challenge shouldn’t also describe how I feel about spilling coffee on my shirt. I’ve spent the last couple months reflecting on this, and I’m asking us all to do the same. I think it is important for the children we […]
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By Laura Driscoll | Behavior , Teacher Consultation
Defiance is an inevitable and generally not a welcomed part of a classroom. You are spending your day getting through your content, building community, and regularly demanding that students do tons of tasks. From time to time, they are going to have different ideas. Even walking down the hallway can be a struggle without one of […]
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By Laura Driscoll | Behavior , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy , Social Emotional Skills
Calm corners are such an incredible tool to have in your counseling office or classroom. It provides a safe place for students to use and improve their self regulation skills. To make calm corners work there are a couple skills and rules that need to be in place.Going to the SpaceWhen introducing the space, it […]
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By Laura Driscoll | Individual Counseling , Social Emotional Skills
In counseling, you work with students to develop coping skills. You introduce different strategies. They practice them perfectly in role play. Then when they actually need these coping strategies, they don’t use them. They didn’t stick. Part of the reason they didn’t stick, is because we didn’t teach them effectively. With so many social emotional skills, […]
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