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How to Host 12 Days of Self-Care at School - Update for 2025

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I am heading to the Pennsylvania School Counselors Association Conference next week. I will be presenting about one of my favorite initiatives at school - 12 Days of Self-Care - during my session "Promote Self-Care to Your School Community. Below I will share about the 12 Days of Self-Care and how you can host it at your school! I provide everything you need below! 12 Days of Self-Care & Self-Care Selfies The days leading up to winter break can be stressful! To help students and staff cope with the stress of the season, the Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) team at my school hosts a daily self-care challenge for the 12 days leading up to winter break. Each day, students and staff can take a selfie featuring them doing the daily self-care prompt. Students and staff who submit a self-care selfie, will be entered in the weekly prize drawing.  Find some examples of prizes here:  12 Days of Self-Care Prizes .   This year the challenge starts on Monday, Dec...
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Resources for Planning Children's Grief Awareness Events: Plus Printable Butterflies

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I have been hosting Children's Grief Awareness Day at school ever since I was an intern and I am shocked to find that I have not written about it on this blog since 2009! Below I will share what I am doing this year for Children's Grief Awareness and share some pictures of what I have done in the past. I also share lots of resources you can access for free to plan Children's Grief Awareness events at your school! This year we will host events and activities leading up to Children's Grief Awareness Day, Thursday, November 20th. The purpose of Children's Grief Awareness Day is to show support to students and members of our school community who may be experiencing grief and loss.  The holiday season can be a particularly difficult time for students, families, and staff who are grieving. Student members of our #bethekindkid group will assist with creating displays and facilitating the events this week.  View this video from The Highmark Caring Place to learn more about...
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Upcoming Presentation at the Pennsylvania School Counselors Association Conference: Promote Self-Care to Your School Community

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I’m so excited to present “Promote Self-Care to Your School Community” at the 2025 Pennsylvania School Counselors Association Conference!  🗓 December 4, 2025 | 3:50 PM 📍 The Penn Stater Hotel & Convention Center, State College, PA ➡️ Register now: https://ncyionline.org/conferences/pascac/    💬 Session Description: Self-care goes beyond bubble baths and spa days. It involves proactive, intentional practices that support physical, emotional, and mental well-being. For students, promoting self-care helps students manage stress, build healthy habits, and develop positive relationships. For educators, it can reduce burnout, boost productivity, and support a positive school culture. Discover creative ways to promote self-care through standalone programs and integrate self-care into existing programs. I can’t wait to connect with school counselors, counselor educators, and graduate students at #PSCA25! 💙✨  Want me to bring this session to your school or organizati...
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Vibe Check Bulletin Board for Your School Counseling Office

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I am absolutely obsessed with this  Vibe Check bulletin board ! 🤩 A teacher friend recently posted this Vibe Check bulletin board and I was immediately smitten. I HAD to have it for my School Counseling Office. It just screams middle school to me. 📓💻✨ Typically I design my own bulletin boards in Canva and print everything out. You can view FREE printable bulletin boards I have made here . Sometimes, however, it is nice to have something that is already done. This Vibe Check bulletin board was so easy to pop out and put up. It looks amazing and adds the perfect middle school "vibe check" for the School Counseling Suite. 🤩 I just love all the little details including the cups that look like Stanleys ... so middle school! Shout out to Miss Macon ( @miss_macon ) for sharing this find. Below are the materials I used to create this  Vibe Check bulletin board . Vibe Check bulletin board  (I purchase from Amazon, but you can also find it here and here )...
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Wings Up! FGCU Graduation Re-Cap & Fort Myers, Florida Travel

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Seeing all the pictures of students moving into dorms and the start of the academic year has made me nostalgic for my trip to Florida Gulf Coast University's graduation.  For the past two years, I have had the privilege of teaching future school counselors as an adjunct faculty member in the School Counseling Master’s program at FGCU.💚💙🦅 At the beginning of May I took a trip to Fort Myers, Florida to attend Florida Gulf Coast University Graduation.  In this post I will share about attending FGCU graduation and my trip to Fort Meyers.  I was so excited to be able to participate in the FGCU graduation ceremonies as an adjunct professor. I wore my doctoral regalia from my Duquesne University Counselor Education and Supervision PhD Graduation.  The first graduation of the weekend was the first cohort of students to go through the  ASCA Recognized School Counselor Preparation Program  at FGCU. It was great to see students that I had for a semester of internsh...
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