Jotting it all down: Forms, Documentation, and Organization in School Counseling

Hello Counselors!!

It's been awhile since I've blogged! Things have been busy and I'm so glad to get back on here today!! Another thing that I am learning throughout my internship is finding a system for "Jotting it all down". Keeping track, documenting, and organizing are important parts of the job, and I've been working to find a system that works for me. I would also like to share some of the things that have worked for me:

1. Having a central place for everything: Structure is important for me, and when I had multiple folders for similar things, it started to get a bit overwhelming. Whether its an accordion file, file folders, binder, use what works for you!! I use a combination of file folders and a binder. Binders are extremely helpful for organization, and a great way to keep all of my counseling stuff organized, and everything stays in one place :) I typically use my file folders for keeping track of materials that need to be submitted such as applications, bulletin board materials, etc.

2. Clipboard and Forms: My clipboard is great for jotting down notes and keeping track on my logs!! When the logs are complete, I keep them in the "counseling logs" section of my binder! The forms and notes pages on my clipboard help remind me of what currently needs to be done. I purchased mine at Target for $4.00. I've also seen some cute personalized clipboards on Etsy that I have my eye on :) I always keep a pen clipped onto my clipboard for easy access!

3. Scrap Paper is your friend: Scrap paper is great way to jot down a quick note. I keep an envelope on my clipboard where I can keep my scrap paper reminders. Feel free to use old worksheets, cut them in 4's, and reuse the blank back pages for jotting down notes! Also, if you keep a file for each student, it can also be great for jotting down notes for your file.

4. Google Docs: I got introduced to google docs this year, and I love it :) I've began using it to create and email forms. For example, I created a classroom guidance survey for teachers on when to visit classrooms, specific topics, etc. The forms you create can also be emailed or used as a hard copy. You can also use it for documentation, and The Stylish School Counselor has a great post on google drive documentation that you can check out  by clicking HERE.


If you're a form-person (like me!) I have a few items in my TeachersPayTeachers Store that you can check out:

This message log is great for keeping track of messages from parents, teachers, and other staff members and documentation date & time of when the call was returned. You can download this item in my TpT store for FREE. Click HERE to download!!

This communication log is perfect for contacts and keeping track of conversations during our school day. There is space for name, date, notes, and if a follow up is needed.You can click HERE to download :)

My School Counselor Organization Pack and Planner Pack have been helpful to me also. I created this product because it really suits my needs, and I hope you find them useful too! 

You can purchase these for $2.50 each, and the School Counselor Planner Pack has been revised and now includes a BONUS Monday-Friday 2015-2016 calendar!! The School Counselor Organization Pack is available in many colors: You can click on the colors below to check it out in my TpT store:

Turquoise and Orange
Black and White
Pink and Green
Purple and Yellow


I hope that you found this post useful!!

How do you stay organized in the world of school counseling? Feel free to comment below, post on my facebook page/facebook message, or email at cheerfulcounseling@yahoo.com!! I would love to hear from you!!

~Nicole

Putting together your School Counseling Portfolio! Step 2: Gathering and Organizing

Hello again! :)

This is my second post in the school counseling portfolio series! :) If you missed the first post on planning and preparation, you can read it HERE. Once you've planned and prepared your portfolio and its content, the next step is to begin gathering what you need and organizing the contents 

For organizing, I purchased an accordion file for about $3 at Walmart. I used this to keep my portfolio contents organized by topic! For example, I have a section for each of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) domains. I have a section in each domain in my portfolio, so I have my materials organized in my accordion file. By doing this, I collect and organize all of my portfolio contents prior to putting it together, making the process easier and less overwhelming :)  File folders can work well also! 

For example, I have a section titled "Academic" in my accordion file. Everything labeled "Academic" will appear in my academic divider section in my portfolio! I do the same for each section so that everything stays organized. This is something that you can do as you go along. Doing little by little can also make the process less overwhelming! I will be doing a third post on assembling your portfolio soon! 

Keep Track- Know what you need to buy! Having a list of what you need can will be beneficial at the time of assembly! You may already have many things on hand, but it is good to know what you need, I have listed some of the items that I am using below: 

• Hole Punch (I purchased one for about $5 at walmart)
• Accordion File for organizing the content and materials
• 3 Ring Binder (Target has a great selection in awesome colors- mine is 1 1/2" in size)
• Clear sheet protectors- I bought a 50 pack just in case 
• Table of Contents- I plan to create this for easy access of my portfolio contents- this will go in the front of my binder
•  Dividers

Other materials that you may need if you wish to add decoration to your portfolio:

• Construction Paper/Card Stock 
• Glue Sticks
• Scissors

This about sums up this post! This is the gathering and organizing step in the portfolio process. Stay tuned for my third post on assembling your portfolio. Again, if you missed the first step you can read it here:

Putting together your School Counseling Portfolio! Step 1: Planning and Preparation

Do you have any questions/comments, or topics that you would like me to cover? Feel free to comment on the blog, facebook, or email at cheerfulcounseling@yahoo.com! I would love to hear from you! 

~Nicole 

Putting Together Your School Counseling Portfolio! Step 1: Planning & Preparation

Hello again counseling friends!

Now that I am nearing the end of my school counseling program, I've decided to write a few posts on putting together a school counseling portfolio! This can serve as a great tool, and it can be done in 3 steps: planning & preparation, gathering & organizing, and assembling! This is a great opportunity to show what you have to offer and what you have done! In this post, we will discuss what can be done in step 1 of the portfolio process :)


Brainstorm: This is a great way to decide your layout and what you wish to include! The ASCA National Model is an excellent resource guide! In the ASCA National Model book, there are a number of different ways that you can organize your portfolio: by developmental domains or the ASCA model theme are just a few ideas. Creating lessons and activities based on the 3 domains can show that you are able to provide services in each domain. You can also decide your layout based on the items that you wish to include :) I have included a list of some materials you can possibly include:

• Classroom Guidance Lesson Plans 
• Small Group Lessson Plans & ideas 
• Things that you've created in your work with children 
• Use of Data in your internship 
• Letters of Recommendation
• Pictures (I will talk about this one in more detail)

Look at what you've already done: Taking a look at your past accomplishments and projects is a great way to discover portfolio material! This can also give you ideas that you can implement now.

Create a written plan for your lessons: Creating your own classroom and small group lessons is great idea to add more content to your portfolio. By having a written lesson plan, the idea can be easily implemented in your future work as a School Counselor. It also shows some ideas of what you've done in your direct work with students. I follow the ASCA Lesson Plan Template when writing my lesson plans. You can view all of the ASCA templates by clicking HERE. It also gives yourself something to follow during the lesson as opposed to just "winging it".

Get the most out of your internship: Going above & beyond is a great way to get more out of the internship experience, and taking additional things on at your school. Be sure not to take on too much, and practice self care, Be sure to check on my self care blog post for more tips!

Show Use of Data: In the school counseling world, data is extremely important, Being able to display data and show what you can do with it is great portfolio material!

Take Pictures: A picture is worth a thousand words...and can help others visually see what was done in a particular event, classroom lesson, or small group. Be careful about pictures with kiddos and protecting privacy! For example, taking a picture of any tangible items, displays, or diagrams used in the lessons can help to show the work that you do.

A School Counselor Portfolio is an excellent way to highlight the things that you've done, and to let yourself shine :) You can check out the second post in the portfolio series by clicking here: Putting together your school counseling portfolio! Step 2: Gathering and Organizing

What materials do you plan to include in your School Counseling Portfolio? Practicing School Counselors: Do you have any portfolio ideas or resources for current graduate students? Feel free to comment below! :)

~Nicole

Resources every school counselor intern should know about!

Hello counselors!!

I can't believe that October is here already! ! Fall is here, and I’m having a blast at my internship and loving every minute of it! I have been super busy lately, but I am happy to be working on another blog post!

For this post, I am linking up with Traci R Brown to discuss resources that every school counseling intern should know about!  I have listed mine below, and be sure to check out Traci's post on awesome intern resources by clicking HERE.







1.      FREE Publications: There are a number of websites where you can download and/or order great resources and publications! The U.S. Department of Education  has many FREE publications on topics such as bullying, financial aid materials for college bound students, and more! Another one of my favorites is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website. They also have FREE resources and materials that you can order! You can see what they have to offer by clicking HERE. I have recieved items such as a suicide hotline magnet, childhood grief curriculum guide, and much more! Also, sure to check out resources at the National Education Association (NEA) including the Bullying Prevention Kit and Bully Pledge! Great resources and information to use in your work with students

2.      Libraries: As an intern, we are surrounded by many resources for books: The School Library & librarian, your nearby local library, and your university library. These are all great places to look for books to use in lessons, working with students, etc. The best part is…it’s FREE! If you are looking for books for a lesson  or a specific topic, the library is a great place to start! Also, the librarian is a great resource in your school on books, and to answer questions that you may have! If your local library doesn't  have the book you need, you can always check and see if another location does! 

3. EZ Analyze: I love this tool! This is also a FREE resource, and it allows you to record and analyze data, track time spent with students, track session, documentation, and much more! If you have Microsoft excel, you can use EZ Analyze! Click HERE to get started with it! Data is a resource in itself, and it is extremely useful for your work with students! Data is a great jumping point to plan & provide services for the students in the school! Even as an intern, the use of data is important as well! If you plan on putting together a School Counselor Portfolio, you can include how you used data in your internship!

I hope that you found this post useful! :) I am excited to have collaborated with Traci R Brown with this post! She is also a school counseling grad student blogger, and you can check out her post and blog by clicking HERE. 

Good luck with internship!

 Do you know any resources for counseling graduate students that you would like to share? Feel free to comment below!

~Nicole

Going for the G.O.A.L!

Hello counselors,

Today I've decided to do a blog post on goal setting from a school counseling perspective! In my graduate classes and at my internship, I am learning the importance of setting goals and providing direction for your program. Since I love acronyms so much, I came up with one on creating goals for your school, your school counseling program, and yourself! I will explain each one and detail, and I'll also include some resources that I love and use again and again! This acronym is great for setting goals as an intern or a practicing School Counselor!

Gather Your Data:     

In the school counseling world, the "D" word is used often, and for a good reason. Backing up your goals with data is a great place to get started. By looking at the numbers from the previous year, or current trends, you can look at ways on how to improve! Also, this serves as a jumping point for creating your goals and making them meaningful to fit the needs of your school :)

Organize your goals using a method: 

Using a method is key, and my personal favorite is the S.M.A.R.T goals method! This acronym stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely!  Again, I sure do love acronyms, and this one is great! It allows you to be able to set a specific goal and make it something that you can measure and place a time frame on as well! You can click HERE to find a great resource on smart goals!

Ask Yourself: How will this benefit me, my students, and my school? 

As we all know, our students are the heart of the school, and they are the reason for all that we do! In creating our goals, keep in mind how will this benefit our students, our program, and the school as a whole! This can also apply when setting personal work goals for yourself, and how this can benefit both you, the staff & student body as well! By asking yourself this question, you are creating goals that are in the best interest of the school and students!

Link up & Collaborate with others! 

Take a minute to think about who is on your side, and who can help in your efforts to accomplish these goals. Also, keeping in mind what resources you have in your school to work towards implementing programs and working towards achieving your goals :) I feel that collaboration and building relationships in the school and community is essential in a school counseling program, and in helping both schools and students achieve goals!

I also recommend the book, The Use of Data in School Counseling: Hatching Results for Students, Programs, and the Profession by Trish Hatch. You can click on the title to order on amazon!

Also, I am currently reading School Counselor Accountability: A MEASURE of Student Success for one of my classes and I'm loving it :) This one will serve as a great reference book in the future for planning and measuring goals to ensure the success of all students!


Both books are great and relatively inexpensive! I recommend them both! I hope that you have enjoyed this blog post! One book that I have on my wish list is Making Data Work by Carol Kaffenberger!



What goals do you have set for the school year? Do you have any resources that you recommend? Is there anything that you would like to share on goal setting?
Feel free to comment below!


Enjoy the rest of your weekend :)

~Nicole

School Year Lunch Packing Tips & Ideas!

Hello everyone!!

A good friend asked me about lunch ideas for school counseling internship. I thought it would be a good idea to do a post on this! These tips are great for interns, professional school counselors, teachers, and more!

Leftovers: Packing leftovers can make your life so much easier on those busy mornings! When making dinner, I will sometimes make a little extra for lunch the next day :) Put some leftovers in a container, along with some other items, and you are good to go!

Pack an easy on-the-go breakfast: This is great if you don't have time to eat breakfast at home, and you can pack these easy (and somewhat healthier ideas). I love the on-the-go microwavable oatmeal cups, fruit, and greek yogurt! I place my fruit in a container or plastic snack bag so that its ready to take with me! Also, I like to get a good breakfast in, just in case things get busy and there is no time to each lunch! Other breakfast items that I enjoy are: toasted bagel with cream cheese, coffee, and boiled or scrambled eggs!

Meal Prepping: Many of my family members engage in meal prepping, and I think it is a fabulous idea! By preparing food for the week, it helps out in so many ways: You won't have to do much during the week, and easy lunch packing! Some of the things that are easy to prep are tuna salad, grilled chicken, cooked veggies, and chicken salad. When I am making my lunch for the next day, I can make a lunch using the food that is already prepared, which I love!

Water is essential: I don't know what I would do without my water bottle! I use the Contigo Auto Seal Water Bottle that you can order from amazon, comes in great colors! It is important to stay hydrated. Although soda and caffeine can help us throughout the day, they can sometimes dehydrate you. I try to drink more water in addition to drinking other beverages. To spice things up, I will add lemon or cucumber to flavor my water, great beverage to drink with lunch! You can easily refill your bottle at work :)

Balance things out: When I pack my lunches, I like to have balance. I usually pack some form of protein, fruit or veggie, and a snack! My protein usually consists of meat or greek yogurt, or both! My favorite fruits & veggies are: carrots, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, grapes, and pineapple, and apples! Needless to say, I love fruits and veggies! I like to include at least one of my favorite snacks: wheat thins/ritz crackers, pretzels, chips, or rice cakes!

Variety is key: I sometimes get tired of the same thing, so I try to switch things up when I pack my lunch. I make sure to not pack the same thing too many days in a row! Also, when I pack different things that I like, it gives me a yummy lunch to look forward to! Pinterest is a great place to find new and exciting lunch ideas!

Quick Snacks: I briefly discussed different snacks, and my reasoning for that is so that I have something that I can grab quickly. Sometimes things get busy and a lunch break may be far out of reach. A quick snack is good to have for lunch bunches with students also :) Having a quick snack available in your office can be a good idea!


Packing lunches is one thing that I like to do, and finding fun new things to pack is exciting! What things do you pack for lunch? Feel free to comment below!!

Enjoy your weekend everyone!! :)


~Nicole

Getting ready for Internship!

Hello again!!

I have been blogging quite a bit lately, but I am so excited for fall and I have so much to share! :) With many school counseling graduate students out there, the time for fall internship is upon us! I am getting ready myself and I have put together a list of things that you can do to prepare! :)


1. Organize your items: Staying organized goes a long way in internship! This summer, I took the time to create my own internship planner to use for this year! I created a section for schedules & calendars, small groups, meeting notes, notes, and counseling logs. I took a few photos of my planner to show an example of how I put it all together! I used a Five Star notebinder with a customizable cover, Jyjoyner Counselor has a great counselor notebook post using the notebinder! You can click HERE to order a notebinder on amazon!

 You can download the following items for FREE in my TpT Store!

• To-Do List for School Counselors
• Blank 12 Month Calendar Set

2. Visit the school website: If you have the time, take the look at the schools website where you will be interning! By doing this, you can look at special events, important contact information, academic calendars,

 and more! By taking a look at the academic calendar, you can plan ahead with hours and taking note of school closures, early dismissals, etc. Many schools have their information available online!

3. Go in early for an orientation: If you are able to, try to go in early for an orientation if you haven't already. This is great time to take a tour of the school, and get somewhat familiar with your surroundings before the official first day! Take this time to ask any questions that you may have. If you are unable to, getting in contact with them via phone or email before the first day can be a great way to prepare yourself also...or both!

4. Make a list of everything that you need: Things and ideas can pop into our heads at random times..happens to me all the time :) Try keeping a list of what things you need or want to use for internship. Also, try to note what you would like to pack with you! This can be anything...from items for working with students and what to pack for lunch! For ideas on packing and organizing, feel free to check out My Internship Kit blog post!

5. Gather some resources to help you get started: Pinterest is a great place to start for getting together great school counselor resources! Traci R Brown has an awesome post on Pinterest for School Counselors, you can click HERE to read it :) Ready-to-use icebreakers are great when getting started with students as well!

6. Sign up for a library card: I love checking out the local library for counseling resources to borrow! I did this during practicum and I plan to do the same for internship. In addition, check out the counseling books that may be available in the library at your university. I love checking both places for books that I can use in lessons with students, books for professional development, and more! If there is a book that you want, check your local and university library to see if it is available :) Also...it is FREE to borrow!


I have also created a School Counseling Internship Kit that you can purchase in my TeachersPayTeachers store for only $2.50! It includes a internship binder cover page, contact information form, dates to remember, notes page, dice icebreaker activity, internship schedule and counseling internship log! You can click HERE to purchase. I also used my  School Counselor Organization Pack!

Be sure to check out other posts here on my blog for internship!

• Starting your practicum experience: Things to keep in mind
• Tips for running small groups! (Great for first timers!)
• My Internship Kit 

Feel free to check out these great posts from other amazing School Counseling Bloggers! 

• 36 Must-have Experiences for School Counseling Interns by The Helpful Counselor 
• Intern Advice from an Intern by JYJoyner Counselor 
• The Internship: Get Organized!  by Traci R Brown
• Getting Organized for Internship by The Spirited School Counselor 

I hope that you found this post useful! Good luck with internship!! :) What advice do you have for school counseling interns? Feel free to comment below :)

~Nicole

Starting your Practicum Experience: Things to keep in mind

Happy Sunday everyone!!

When I was coming up with today's post, I thought about how I felt when I started my practicum. It was a combination of nervousness and excitement! Now, I have decided to highlight a few things to keep in mind when starting your practicum experience that I found to be helpful for me!

1. Take everything in & ask questions: This is an important one! Practicum is a learning experience, so learn as much as you can! Asking questions is a part of learning, and this is a great way to learn more about the profession beyond the classroom! Observe as well as get involved as much as you can to get the most out of your practicum experience.

2. Build your resources: At the start of my practicum, I created a resource binder with divider sections (Personal/Social, Career, Academic, Professional). In this binder, I would add handouts and resources that I accumulated during my experience. Many of these resources were either given to me or some that I found to be helpful for myself.

3. Your supervisors are there to help: I cannot emphasize this enough, your counselor mentor/supervisor is there to help assist you with the learning process. Ask specific questions, and maybe even ideas and resources!

4. Go above & beyond:  You can also get more out of your experience by doing a little more than the minimum. If your supervisor allows it, you can even go in an extra day and learn even more. One of the things that I love most about counseling is the variety of each day! Be careful not to stress yourself out too much, and remember to balance with everything else that you have going on Which brings me to number 5...

5. Practice Self-Care early: The self-care piece is very important, and starting early can go a long way! By learning to practice self-care, you can avoid counselor burn out by making time for yourself even with your busy schedule. Click HERE to check out my self-care blog post!

6.  Stay Organized with everything: I love staying organized, and I mentioned in my previous organization post that I love to keep a binder for everything. I love binders for a number of reasons: they are fun to put together and everything stays in one place! In my binder, I had a section for note taking, my small groups, counseling logs, and materials for classroom lessons that I did. I used the ASCA Lesson Plan Template to plan for my lessons. For my small groups section, I included some printables that I created to help me keep things organized for my group:

You can download these forms for FREE!
Small Group Planning Materials 
Small Group Debriefing Chart

If you are working with elementary students, it may even be helpful to print out a Confidentiality poster and keep it in your binder! You can download my confidentiality sign HERE.

7. Stay on top of your hours- and planning: Remember how many hours you need, and always know how many you have. Planning ahead is also important, and knowing how much time you have to get the hours you need. In my program, we track our hours using excel, which is extremely helpful! I plan to start using calendars this year for internship by writing school closings and important dates ahead of time. This is going to make planning ahead so much easier! It is also helpful to print off the school calendar as well!

You can download my 12-month calendar set for free by clicking HERE. This set only includes Monday through Friday, but I also have a Blank Calendar Printable that has a Sunday start, and a small section for notes if you need it :) They can all be hole punched and placed in your binder, if that's what you choose to use!

8. Do your best: Remember that it is OK not to have all the answers just yet. This is a learning experience, and remember to ask your supervisor questions and consult with him/her as well. Remember, practice makes perfect! The more experience that you get, the better! I am so eager for the fall semester to begin so that I can learn even more :)

Also, if you are running small groups, be sure to check out my Tips for Running Small Groups post!

I got together with a friend of mine and we had a counseling craft night, where we created stress balls with feelings faces. They are super easy to make, you can find the instructions HERE. All you need is flour, balloons, pencils, and funnels! We used sharpie markers to draw feelings faces on them! We decided to make this a regular thing! You can always get together with friends in your program and have a counseling craft get-together! In an attempt to practice self-care, we watched a movie to balance things out!






I hope you enjoyed this post!! Enjoy the rest of your summer, and good luck to all the other practicum and internship students! School counselors, do you have any advice for new counselors or those just entering the field? Feel free to comment below!

Until next time,


~Nicole

My Internship Kit

Hi Everyone!

It's been a few weeks since I've blogged and its always nice to get back on here :) It's saturday and a beautiful day outside and this has put me in the blogging mood!

With Internship fast approaching, I am so excited!! In practicum, I was super organized with everything and I plan to do the same for internship. For an organized person like me, I like to have it all in one place. I wanted to share my Internship Resource/Organization Kit with everyone and I have included: what I bring, how I pack, and how I keep it all organized!

  For starters, I love my Thirty One Organizing Utility Tote! I use this tote because of how roomy it is in the inside, the many pockets on the outside, and its flat bottom for easy access and organization of items! This is my tote of choice, but feel free to use any tote that you like and what works for you :) You can locate a thirty one representative in your area HERE. I include the following in my internship kit (I will discuss each in further detail)
1. School Counseling Internship Binder (Where I keep many resources and materials)
2. Counseling Notebook
3. Small art supply case
4. Counseling go-to resource book
5. Quick icebreaker and activity ideas


1. My School Counseling Internship Binder: This binder starts off pretty empty in the beginning, but I include a divider for each domain (Academic, College/Career & Personal/Social) and include resources that I accumulate during my experience! When you're done, you've got some school counseling resources available in your binder and you are good to go! I'm using a 1 1/2 inch binder (from target) which has plenty of room and fits perfectly in my organizing tote! In addition to building resources, I learned from The Helpful Counselor  that it is good to keep emergency information and resources in your binder (suicide resources, child abuse & neglect, etc.) Which I have decided to do too!
For the little ones in particular, having blank paper in your binder can be a good idea as well, and there are tons of activities that can be done with simply paper, pencil, crayons/colored pencils, etc. I have included links to other awesome printables that I have included in my binder as well that you can download for free!!

• My School Counselor Appointment Reminders
• Stylish School Counselor's "Check in Scale"- Download it HERE
• Stylish School Counselor's "Confidentiality Rules"- Download it HERE

2. Counseling Notebook: I absolutely love this! I used a Five Star Notebinder to make this which is an idea from the amazing school counseling blog JYJCounselor! I used some ideas from the post to create my own! This Five Star Notebinder is amazing! It comes with lined paper, graph paper, and dividers! I ordered my notebinder with customizable cover on amazon HERE.
I have the following divider sections that I use for this notebinder:
*Small Groups
*Schedules & Calendars
*Meeting Notes
*Notes
*Counseling Logs (I keep my to-do lists here as well)

I used my School Counselor Organization Pack for this notebook that you can purchase in my TeachersPayTeachers store for only $2.50! It comes complete with log sheets/forms, dividers, and binder covers to help making organization a breeze!! Purchase it here!

Other items that I used for my Counseling Notebook (You can download them for free!)

• My Small Group Planning Materials: Download them HERE
• My School Counselor To-Do List Printable: Download it here!
• "A Year of Many Firsts" Chevron Binder Covers and Monogram it for free HERE!
• My Blank 12-month calendar freebie (Monday-Friday)- They are blank and can be printed and used year after year! Download for free!
• My Small Group Debriefing Chart

3. Small Art Supply Case: I love to keep this case in my Internship Kit, they are only about $1 at the dollar store or walmart! It fits perfectly in my kit, and I keep 24-pack crayons, glue sticks, scissors, colored pencils, and 10-pack of markers, which are all inexpensive!

4. Counseling go-to resource book: My book of choice for my kit is "Grab Bag Guidance: And other Small-Group Counseling Topics for Middle School Students" by Becky Kirby!! Her books are amazing, especially for middle school counselors. With me being at the middle school for internship, her books are awesome!! "Grab Bag Guidance" includes energizers and wonderful activities that cover so many topics including grief & loss, divorce, success skills, self-esteem, etc. Excellent for classroom and group activities! I will be doing a future blog post on my favorite counseling books and resources soon, featuring books by Becky Kirby! This book is about $30 but totally worth it! You can purchase it HERE and get free shipping! Feel free to choose your book of choice for your kit!!

5. Quick Ice Breaker and Activity Ideas: This bag can be great to have whenever you are in need of a quick ice breaker or individual/group activity. I got my first Thumball as a christmas present, and I cannot wait to use this with students! Great way to get to know students as well, and they are about $10 on amazon! I also have included blank index cards as they can serve many purposes! These can serve as quick converstation starters activity by writing down questions that pertain to your group topic, or have group members write their own questions to share! They can even be cut and taped on to large foam dice, which I have also included. The dice game can be a great interactive game for any group, and you can always remove the squares and place new questions for a different group! I purchased my foam dice for only $1, and you can check out my blog post on foam dice and other dollar store counseling finds HERE!


The best part about it is....everything fits in one place! All in my organizing tote! I even have space for my Vera Bradley Lunch Bunch Tote!

Pardon my slipper...lol! There are a number of pockets on the outside in case I need them, which I love..there's even space for a small water bottle in one of the pockets! I have actually use one pocket for post-it notes and pen in case I need to jot down something quickly! In additon, a small notebook/notepad can be great for your intership kit! 

I hope that you all have enjoyed this post and have found it useful! Also, feel free to adjust your kit for your age group as well!! I hope that you all enjoy your week!! Also, don't forget to like Cheerful Counseling on Facebook! Facebook fan freebie coming soon!! 

I would also like to hear from you!! What ways have or did you stay organized in internship?? If you are a practicing school counselor, how do you stay organized now? What advice do you have for interns or those just entering the profession? Feel free to post in the comments!! 

~Nicole