StructureEspecially with elementary school counseling, students need objects or activities to help start conversations. I give students choices about what they can have, such as LEGOs, art supplies, stress balls, or my sandtray. These objects give me insights into my students' thoughts and feelings and also make the 1:1 counseling environment less intimidating.
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Counseling JournalsI often have students who request to see me many times throughout a given school week. Since I have an entire school population to serve, I cannot always be there for them face-to-face. So, I decided to start creating counseling journals with these students. We make them out of notebook paper and colored construction paper (for the cover). Students can decorate their journals however they wish. I typically write the first message, reminding students about how the process works, and then, from that point on, students write as often as they need to. This is also a great way to document student progress. Students love it and it's cheap and easy!
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Check-In
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LEGOs
![]() My students LOVE playing with LEGOs while we talk! It's also interesting to see what they build and how they interact with the various mini-figures.
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