15 minute Counseling Techniques that Work: What you didn't learn in Grad school Book Give Away

When I was in grad school we spent a lot of time learning about the foundations of school counseling, the theories of individual and group counseling, data, and college and career readiness. There were not a lot of  hands-on tips and tools for individual sessions in those academic classes.  It wasn't until I'd spent a few years in the field myself, that I became acquainted with many of the simple, yet effective techniques Allison Edwards discusses in her new book, 15-minute Counseling Techniques that Work: What you Didn't Learn in Grad School.

This book includes techniques useful for students of all ages Kindergarten through the12th grade. It provides the school counselor with strategies to teach students so they feel empowered to meet their challenges and stresses outside the safety of the counseling office.  Change the Channel, All Tangled up, Give Your Feeling a Name, and Structure the Unstructured are just a few of the techniques shared,  along with step by step instructions and materials.

Allison has taken Dollar Store items like yarn, markers, paper plates, scissors, note cards, and play-dough and used them to build a toolbox of techniques school counselors will reach for again and again.  With practical, hands-on activities that don't take a lot of time or money, Allison helps school counselors take students of all levels back to the basics and gets them in touch with what they are thinking and feeling. Often students leave with a physical reminder, whether a note card or a pinch pot, of a specific strategy to continue practicing at school or at home.

Allison Edwards shares about her new book.

Two FREE Books
Thank you to the National Center for Youth Issues for donating 2 free copies of  15 minute Counseling Techniques That Work: What you didn't learn in Grad School for this give-away!  Leave a comment about one of your favorite counseling techniques in the section below this post, on the Exploring School Counseling Facebook page, or the School Counselor Store Facebook page.  The more places you make comments, the more chances you have to win.  Two winners will be selected at random and announced on Wednesday, May 27 at 11:00 pm EDT.  Check back here or the Facebook pages for winners.

Good Luck!!!

There's No Dream Too Tall Book Give-away

There's No Dream Too Tall is a perfect book for Career week, goal-setting lessons, or graduation.  It's great for encouraging children or young people to pursue their dreams. So often as parents, educators, counselors, or mentors we are able to easily see the strengths of the young people with whom we work.  Sometimes, though, our suggestions about a career path can seem more like mandates and influence a child or teen away from following their passion.  I often think of my nephew at 6 feet 6 inches with some great basketball skills who hated a sport everyone told him he was so good at playing.  He just wanted to design video games.  Yet because of our well-intentioned and good natured encouragement to play basketball, he didn't feel comfortable telling us about his real dream.

As supporters and encouragers, we have to help our students discover their passions and their gifts and provide opportunities to see how those passions fit into different career paths.  Author Amie Dean, assisted by illustrator Sian James, doesn't just show a variety of familiar careers, but mentions some of the personal qualities and characteristics of those individuals. This important difference allows readers to perhaps think outside the box and see themself in a career they may not have previously considered.

Although the careers in the book are pretty traditional careers familiar to kids, the message is different.  Amie Dean tells her readers there is no right path, you will make mistakes, but it's all about making the world better by using your gifts and your dreams.

 As someone who didn't have a clue what I wanted to be when I grew up, and everyone else did, I wish I had been given a book like this.  I loved the last page of the story, "And if you don't have a dream yet, that's quite alright, too.  Just believe in yourself and your dream will find YOU!"

Listen as Amie Dean talks about her reasons for writing, There's No Dream Too Tall.

Two FREE Books
Thank you to the National Center for Youth Issues for donating 2 free copies of  There's No Dream Too Tall for this give-away!  Leave a comment about what you were passionate about as a kid in the section below this post, on the Exploring School Counseling Facebook page, or the School Counselor Store Facebook page.  The more places you make comments, the more chances you have to win.  Two winners will be selected at random and announced on  Monday, May 11 at 11:00 pm EDT.  Check back here or the Facebook pages for winners.

Good Luck!!!