EducationallyPsyched

I don’t like presenting a problem without at least trying to come up with a solution, so as a Part 2️⃣ to my previous video, here are some ideas for how we can address this issue we’ve uncovered with many School Psychologists not feeling prepared to take on the type/ amount of counseling expected of them in schools.

❓What do you think about the feasibility of the first two options (advocating for program changes in grad programs and a more robust mental health team on school campuses)?
👋🏼 If you feel your grad program did a great job, please shout it out in the comments!!
👋🏼If you feel your school has a robust mental health team that makes you feel supported in handling the needs on campus, which positions are staffed?

🥰If you have had some great professional development, share where you found it ⬇️

Let’s get a good comment section going on so we can help each other out! 🤗🤗

On top of being a school psychologist, I also hold a license to practice privately. Being a Licensed Educational Psychologist (LEP), like a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of CA requires 36 hours of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) every two years.

I try my best to get them evenly throughout the two years, but inevitably I end up doing the bulk of them over the summer since my renewal date is in August.

I have 18.5 hours left to complete this summer 😅😅 so I thought I’d take you on the journey of how I’m getting them all in. I get lots of questions on how to get good quality CEUs that won’t break the bank, so if you also want to know- this series is for you!

Make sure to like and follow along- and please comment if there’s any particular area of professional development you need so I can seek out and share resources in that area for you! ⬇️

In my last video, we discussed how many school psychs feel under-prepared to conduct the type or amount of counseling they’re being asked to in schools. Now, here are four potential solutions i brainstormed for us to help. What do you think? Any other suggestions?

Why do SO many of us feel under-prepared to do the type/ amount of counseling expected of us in schools?

Now of course this doesn’t apply to EVERY program (🙌🏼 shout of to the programs of the school psychs who responded to my story the other day to tell me how well prepared their program made them for counseling responsibilities) but after talking with school psychs all over the country, MANY feel like their one of two classes (IF that) barely scratched the surface of the counseling knowledge they feel like is required of them 😩

This is leaving many scrambling to come up with counseling lessons, scratching their head to come up with IEP counseling goals, at a loss for how to meaningfully measure those goals, and feeling inadequate in their therapeutic approaches with students. 😣

My hypothesis for why this is comes from the fact that our roles as school psychs vary SO MUCH. Many of us do no counseling at all, so just the very basic knowledge works fine. But some become the entire mental health support for their entire school, either because there is no other staff on campus that are trained in mental health (counselors, social workers, mental health clinicians, etc) or the need is just so great that school psychs also have to take on a leading role. Because it differs so much, perhaps our programs haven’t found the right balance to meet all of our training needs?

👋🏼👋🏼 let me know what you think of my hypothesis or share your own in the comments ⬇️

In the next video, I’ll share some ideas of what we can do about this! Make sure you like this video and follow along so the algorithm brings you back for the follow up! 🥰

It has been such an honor watching my husband turn into the father I’ve always dreamed he would be 🥹

A sample script of how you can introduce / explain the parent rights / procedural safeguards in an IEP meeting. Is this similar to how you do it? Share any other tips!

I asked in my previous video if you as school psychs feel like your program gave you adequate training for the amount/type of counseling you’re being asked to provide in schools. The responses were…. Bad 😣 seems like there are some huge gaps here. Maybe this is because our programs aren’t keeping up with that is being expected of us as school psychs? Not sure. Let me know your hypothesis in the comments

What’s your favorite interview question to ask when you’re getting to know students/ trying to find helpful information during the evaluation process?

Let me know, do you think your program adequately prepared you for the counseling you’re expected to do in your role?

The 2025-2026 school year was a really unique one for me- really pregnant at the beginning trying my best to complete my work, took maternity leave in the middle, and then transitioned back as a first time working mom towards the end! Here are some lessons I learned this year!