When Less is More in Your School Counseling Program

⭐️ Join the School for School Counselors Mastermind to build a "stress-less" careerIn this episode of the School for School Counselors podcast, host Steph Johnson addresses an issue many school counselors face: the overwhelming number of "urgent" student requests. She argues that constantly "saving the day" might actually hurt student development and introduces a framework for triaging student concerns. Drawing on research by Ryan and Deci on self-determination theory, she emphasizes the importance of fostering student autonomy for psychological well-being. Steph outlines key questions counselors can use to decide when to intervene or step back, aiming to balance immediate support needs with opportunities for student growth. The episode also touches on strategies for explaining this approach to school staff, keeping professional fluency, and joining the School for School Counselors Mastermind group to discuss and refine these practices.00:00 Introduction: The Overwhelmed School Counselor00:49 Welcome to the Podcast01:48 The Problem with Being a Superhero Counselor07:13 The Importance of Student Autonomy13:03 A Framework for Triage in School Counseling20:15 Implementing Autonomy Supportive Strategies28:45 Building Professional Fluency30:37 Conclusion and ResourcesLink to Decision-Making Question List**********************************Resources:Eagle, J. W., Dowd-Eagle, S. E., Snyder, A., & Holtzman, E. G. (2015). Implementing a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS): Collaboration between school psychologists and administrators to promote systems-level change. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation, 25(2-3), 160-177.Epstein, J. L. (2018). School, family, and community partnerships: Preparing educators and improving schools (2nd ed.). Routledge.Friend, M., & Cook, L. (2017). Interactions: Collaboration skills for school professionals (8th ed.). Pearson.Reeve, J. (2009). Why teachers adopt a controlling motivating style toward students and how they can become more autonomy supportive. Educational Psychologist, 44(3), 159-175.Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. Guilford Press.Su, Y. L., & Reeve, J. (2011). A meta-analysis of the effectiveness of intervention programs designed to support autonomy. Educational Psychology Review, 23(1), 159-188.**********************************Our goal at School for School Counselors is to help school counselors stay on fire, make huge impacts for students, and catalyze change for our roles through grassroots advocacy and collaboration. Listen to get to know more about us and our mission, feel empowered and inspired, and set yourself up for success in the wonderful world of school counseling.Hang out in our Facebook groupJump in, ask questions, share your ideas and become a part of the most empowering school counseling group on the planet! (Join us to see if we're right.)Join the School for School Counselors MastermindThe Mastermind is packed with all the things your grad program never taught you IN ADDITION TO unparalleled support and consultation. No more feeling alone, invisible, unappreciated, or like you just don't know what to do next. We've got you!Did someone share this podcast with you? Be sure to subscribe for all the new episodes!! This work is part of the School for School Counselors body of work developed by Steph Johnson, LPC, CSC, which centers role authority over role drift, consultative practice over fix-it culture, adult-designed systems and environments as primary drivers of student behavior, clinical judgment over compliance, and school counselor identity as leadership within complex systems.