A Few of My Favorite Things: Online Counseling Resources
Post by: Erin O’Connell Ed.S., NCSP, Director of Clinical Services, Lighthouse Therapy
I can’t help but think of the lyrics to the Julie Andrews’ song from The Sound of Music… “these are a few of my favorite things” as I write this blog. Online counseling has been around since well-before COVID-19. However, once schools closed and we realized they were not opening back up as soon as we would have hoped—many were looking for “Plan B” and turned to providing counseling services for students online. Our CEO at Lighthouse Therapy, Janet Courtney, recently wrote a great blog about “going down the rabbit hole” when looking at resources. It’s true– there are now more resources than ever online or available in a digital format and it’s easy to go down the rabbit hole when searching for your next activity. As a School Psychologist who began providing online counseling services in 2016, I wanted to share a few of my favorite things with you!
Evidence-Based Programs
First, look for evidence-based programs and materials. Sites like these may help:
The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) https://casel.org/guide/
School Counseling Analysis, Leadership and Evaluation (SCALE) Research Center https://scale-research.org/
For Young Students
Find what they are interested in and match resources. Bibliotherapy can be used with individuals or small groups. Hint: A document camera is a great way to share resources the therapist already has from in-person sessions. Many books are also available on YouTube as read-alouds. Examples:
Sesame Street-https://sesamestreetincommunities.org/topics/emotions/
For Older Students
I like EQ in Your PJs by School-Connect/ Keeth Matheny which are Social Emotional Learning (SEL) online lessons geared towards middle/high school students.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp6RHAIFJtdQ4WTdrVqUCUQ/videos
For All Ages (K-12)
EVERFI offers free digital SEL resources designed to equip students with skills like empathy, leadership, conflict resolution, self-awareness, and resilience.
https://everfi.com/partners/k-12-educators/social-emotional-learning/
Additionally, Therapistaid has worksheets and videos (K-12) for mental health professionals. Examples of topics include: anger, anxiety, emotions, goals, grief, self-esteem, stress, etc.
Enjoy the increased availability of digital resources thanks in part to COVID-19. Experiment with new materials and offer engaging activities to your online counseling students!
