Mindfulness seems to be the buzz word; however, the western world is a bit behind the game in this arena. However, we are catching up and enjoying the benefits! In our crazy, fast-paced world, taking a break to stop and relax can seem like a joke. But we MUST practice because our livelihood depends on it. And why not teach children to do this at a young age?! Well look no further than this BINGO game to help teach children simple and easy techniques to take a break, check-in with your body and stay present minded. I used this activity A LOT for guidance lessons for Middle School students. The…
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Reflection Journal
Reflecting throughout the counseling process is vital and writing can be the perfect avenue! Also, for students or clients who crave consistency, it is something you can do at the beginning or end of each session. The creativity and flexibility of Reflection Journals make it a great activity for all age groups. Finding silent time to sit back, reflect on your day and then interpret whether actions you made were positive, negative or anywhere in between is difficult. It’s not only difficult, with an increase in technology, kids aren’t reflecting in silence at all. Consequently, because we are not taking the time to reflect on our actions, we are not…
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Small Group: Planning & Assessment
My absolute favorite part of my counseling job was individual and group counseling. However, group added an amazing dynamic because you observed respect, friendship and understanding blossoming among the group members. Whether the students wanted to admit it or not, it was a beautiful thing! Small Group Roster and Planning: This roster helps keep track of consent forms, teacher schedules and no-shows. I adapted this roster from my fieldwork supervisor who was amazing! SMART Goal Worksheet: I love setting goals with the students and helping them track it each week. We go over what SMART goals around Session. I have this SMART goal worksheet included in my Reflection Journal download. …
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Breathe, “Pause” & Repeat
Need a Pause from Life? But “I Can’t, Couldn’t, Shouldn’t”…or Can You?! Have you ever given yourself permission to take a “pause” from your life? Pausing your life can mean a variety of different events: moving to a different city, quitting your job, breaking off an unhealthy relationship, etc. I’m here to confess, I took a pause recently and although the guilt is still alive and well at times, it was one of the best decisions I have ever made! Taking a pause typically comes when we are at a crossroads in our life: big transitional year, difficult break-up with partner/friend and/or unhappiness with our jobs. For me, it was…
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Vision Board
I love Vision Boards because it gives you focus, purpose and direction for the immediate future or years to come! What is a Vision Board? They are powerful tools that guide you, a student and/or client to discover and uncover dreams, desires and goals. To put it simply, Vision Boards are designed to visually and creatively place the dreams circling around in your head on paper. Nothing against New Year’s Resolutions; however, I think Vision Boards are a more powerful and positive tool to bring joy and happiness into your life! New Year’s Resolutions focus on taking something away (i.e. carbs, sugar, weight); whereas, Vision Boards focus on adding something…
