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Counselor Academy

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Date: October 28, 2025
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Location: Region 7 ESC
Workshop: #356930
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The school counselor is the campus leader in providing a high-quality and effective comprehensive school counseling program. Learn new strategies and activities to use in supporting social, emotional, and academic success as students frame their present and future vision. Professional school counselors will enhance best practices, skills, and knowledge to improve positive outcomes for all students. Continuing Education credits will be available for counselors at this session.
 
Schedule:
9:00 - 9:15:  Welcome & Check-In
9:15 - 11:30:  Keynote Speaker, Ginger Healy
11:30 a.m. - 1:00:  Lunch
1:00 - 2:00:  Breakout #1
2:10 - 3:10:  Breakout #2
3:15 - 3:30:  Closing
 
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Speaker Breakout Topic
Ginger Healy
Creating Emotionally Safe Educational Environments: Trauma-Sensitive Strategies for Connection, Regulation, and Resilience
 
This keynote aims to be powerful and practical by bringing together the most essential elements of trauma-informed education: safety, emotional regulation, co-regulation, and relationship-building. Participants will explore how trauma affects learning and behavior, and how educators can respond with strategies that support safety, connection, and healing. Learn the science behind co-regulation and attachment, how to reach hard-to-connect students, and how to manage big emotions—both students’ and your own—while creating classroom environments that promote engagement, stability, and growth. You'll also discover how to build regulation spaces, use brain breaks effectively, and implement practices that support long-term well-being for both students and staff. Walk away with a toolbox of actionable ideas you can implement right away to create a classroom where everyone can thrive.

Learning Objectives:
  1. Understand how trauma impacts learning and behavior, and how to foster emotional safety, regulation, and resilience in response.
  2. Learn the neuroscience of co-regulation and emotional regulation, including practical techniques for managing stress and de-escalating strong emotions.
  3. Discover how to build strong, healing relationships with students who are often hard to reach, using empathy, attunement, and trust.
  4. Gain tools to promote classroom engagement and community through brain breaks, games, and re-set rooms.
Ginger Healy
For the Givers: Preventing Burnout with Self-Compassion & Community Care
 
This session is specifically designed for those who give so much of themselves in education and often feel drained. We’ll explore the root causes of burnout, the importance of self-compassion, and how to prevent burnout by completing the stress cycle. Learn strategies for integrating community care to build a school culture that supports emotional well-being for both staff and students. You will leave with a concrete plan for prioritizing rest, resilience, and connection, allowing you to continue showing up for both your students and yourself.
 
Learning Objectives:
  1. Identify the signs and causes of educator burnout.
  2. Explore self-compassion techniques and methods for completing the stress cycle.
  3. Learn how to cultivate a supportive community care culture that benefits both staff and students.
Tina Hilton
Storytime with a Purpose: Using Children's Books in Guidance Lessons
 
Looking for engaging ways to connect with students while teaching essential social and emotional skills? Discover how to use children’s books to teach skills during classroom guidance. This session will highlight book recommendations, lesson ideas, and simple strategies to make storytime both meaningful and engaging for elementary students.
Lauri Anderson
TBRI for Trauma-Informed Classrooms                
 
Join us for an empowering and transformative workshop designed specifically for school counselors who are committed to fostering safe and supportive learning environments. In this session, school counselors will learn how using the Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®) framework can help create trauma-informed classrooms.
Vanessa Watkins
Building Connections: Using LEGOs in Group Counseling with Middle Schoolers                
 
Looking for creative ways to engage middle-grade students in group counseling? Learn how to use LEGO-based activities to foster communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and emotional expression. This hands-on workshop will provide practical ideas and prompts to help students build trust, reflect on challenges, and strengthen peer connections—one brick at a time.
 
The Calm Corner offers school counselors a dedicated space to step away, recharge, and engage in brief, restorative activities. Enjoy calming experiences such as drawing on Buddha Boards, mindful coloring, and simple bracelet making. Whether you need a quiet moment or a creative outlet, this space is here to support your well-being.
 
 
 
 
QUESTIONS? CONTACT A MEMBER OF OUR TEAM!