Speaker Matt Fleck

Matt is a former school counselor and current director of the nonprofit Inspire Success. Matt hosts the podcast Encouraging Words for School Counselors.

Sharing Thanks: The Six-Word Note (#66)

We start our November Sharing Thanks series with the touching story of a six-word note that Bruce Bushnell received from a student years ago. Though it was a short note, it meant the world to both Bruce and his student.

Sharing Time for Caring (#65)

Counselors interact with students hundreds of times each day and never know which interactions will resonate most. Fabion Vicks shares one of these moments that ended up being a lasting memory for him.

It’s Going to Be OK, Take One Step (#64)

Often the most helpful advice is not something startling new, but something familiar that hits a chord with us at the right moment. This week’s guest Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge reminds us of how we can be helpful to students and parents by starting with a simple phrase.

Encouraging Songs (#63)

School counselors know there are many ways to reach students; sometimes through conversations, artwork, sports, and even music. This week we share our listeners’ 2021 Encouraging Songs for School Counselors playlist which might be useful to both students and counselors.

New Counselor 101: Fake It ‘til You Make It (#62)

For many school counselors the last two years have been rough, but imagine what recent school counselor graduates must be going through. For perspective, new counselor Cal Beneze shares his unique insights this week with advice on how to make it through.

A Passion for Helping Students Find Their Passion

With more than 30 years of experience in career counseling, Spencer “Skip” Niles’ work with students reflects the Maya Angelou quote that appears on his email signature which says, “My mission in life is not merely to survive but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”

Career Guidance as an Investment (#58)

Kuder Career Coach Alesia Ruffin has a three-point career exploration strategy for her 7th through 12th grade students in Alabama: 1) Build relationships, 2) Diminish generational “curses,” and 3) Create opportunities. In this week’s podcast Alesia shares her belief that career guidance is an investment in our students’ future.

Career Assessments and Family Dynamics (#57)

No matter how often we listen to others, it often requires a different perspective to hear what others are saying. This week’s story from Elizabeth Moore describes how that maxim strengthened the bonds between a student and her mother.

Turning Tragedies into the Hope Squad

Student suicides are devastating tragedies that many school counselors, sadly, have experienced at one level or another. But there is hope. Hear how Dr. Greg Hudnall’s vow to prevent one more suicide at his school has turned into an international movement.

For the Love of Learning (#53)

This week we feature one of our favorite podcasts from the past year. Retiring school counselor Kent Cocking shares a story of a 60 year old retiree whose love for learning touched the lives of all those around him.

Using Data to Leverage Student Success (#52)

Collecting and using data may be the last thing some school counselors want to do. But in this week’s summer rebroadcast we hear how Kentucky School Counselor of the Year Amy Beal used data as an effective advocacy tool to help more students have a positive school experience.

Judge Not By the Harvest, But By the Seeds You Plant (#51)

While on vacation this summer, host Matt Fleck saw a sign at a farmers market that said, “Judge each day not by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant.” In this summer rebroadcast, school counselors Trudi Wolfe and Melissa Keeley explain why this particular phrase is especially meaningful to their work as counselors.
Photo of School Counselor Allen Hill

Helping Students Can Help Us, Too (#50)

Helping our students succeed can sometimes take us on journeys we don’t expect. Indiana high school counselor Allen Hill shares a story this week about how helping one of his students helped HIM grow as a professional school counselor.
Photo of Kim Crumbley

Valuing Family Support (#49)

Summer is a great time for reconnecting with our families and for recalling the tremendous support we receive from our “school families.” In this summer rebroadcast, Kim Crumbley reflects on the family values that support her work as a school counselor.

Why Become a School Counselor? (#48)

Why do school counselors choose to be school counselors? Listen in as an elementary counselor, a former middle school counselor and a high school counselor share their reasons for choosing this profession focused on improving the lives of students.
Hedy King photo taken at the beach

A School Counselor Remembered (#47)

Perhaps the best way for school counselors to know if their work makes a difference is to listen to the words of students and colleagues. This conversation between Tif Bernard and Amy Seigle about counselor Hedy King reflects the very reason for recognizing school counselors and the work they do.

Remembering How We Survived the Past School Year (#46)

The pandemic forced all of us to reach deep within ourselves to muster confidence, be creative, and find comic methods of relief. South Dakota School Counseling and Career Development Specialist Andrea Diehm did all of these things as she shared her reflections earlier this school year.

Coping Through Coaching (#45)

How did middle school counselor Jennifer Henriquez cope with COVID and the stresses of school counseling? She became a Life Coach and says this process can help others, too.

You’re Never Too Old (#43)

Years ago, Kent Cocking took a counseling job at his area career center thinking it would be temporary, and then he met John who taught him you’re never too old to learn.

Reaping Rewards & Wedding Cake (#42)

The work of school counselors is often compared to planting seeds. If we’re lucky, we occasionally get to share in the results of our hard work as Stephanie Brinsley did this spring.

The Screeching Halt (#41)

School counselors understand students may "awfulize" (using Albert Ellis' term) a situation, making it more terrible than it is So can adults. Kelly Dunn shares a story of how thinking differently about an issue can bring it to a screeching halt.

The Beauty of the Small Win (#40)

Sometimes the greatest rewards of being a school counselor come in a small note or the barest of smiles from a student. If you can relate to that feeling, you’ll appreciate the beauty of the small win shared by this week’s guest Bob Tyra.

First Things for First Generation Students (#37)

School counselors’ work in helping students succeed is magnified when other organizations collaborate in providing families with information and motivation. Learn how the non-profit organization Catisha Coates-Toney has created is doing just that.

Bumping Into Reality (#36)

For this spring break edition of the podcast we pull another favorite from our archives. This story, from former middle school counselor Mary Pouch, reminds us that it can be helpful for counselors to be there when students bump into reality.

Time for Spring Break (#34)

Hope springs eternal not only for warmer weather and freedom from the pandemic, but for a mid-semester break for counselors, educators, and administrators. Whether you’re still in school or on vacation, we offer a short reminder of why sharing your stories helps us all cope with the school year.

The Power of the Counselor/Intern Relationship (#33)

When the relationship between a veteran school counselor and new counselor intern “clicks,” amazing things can result. Counselor intern Kathleen Whybrew shares the many ways students have benefited from the positive relationship with her counselor supervisor Laura Samide.
Photo of Elishia Basner

The Payoffs of Proactive Positivity (#30)

One of the surest ways of promoting positive student behavior is to highlight occasions when students do good, whether in big or small ways. School Counselor Elishia Basner has found that this practice results in benefits that go beyond the walls of the school building.
Hedy King

Why School Counselors Do What They Do (#28)

Perhaps the best way for school counselors to know if their work makes a difference, is to listen to the words of students and colleagues. This conversation between Tif Bernard and Amy Seigle about counselor Hed King reflects the very reason for recognizing school counselors during National School Counseling Week.
School Counselor Laura Rankhorn

A Bronco Buddy Christmas Wish (#22)

School counselor Laura Rankhorn of the popular Counselor Accents podcast recounts how a handful of high school mentors brightened the holidays for their elementary student mentees.
Kaet Barron as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Counselor (#21)

What happens when a school's traditional holiday event meets with an enthusiastic elementary school counselor? Let's just say there's lots of prancing and blitzing. Listen to the whole story from former school counselor of the year Kaet Barron.
Photo of rubber duck in a bubble bath

The Gift of Self Care (#18)

Despite another challenging school year, we have much to be thankful for as we enter the holiday season. This week’s school counselor guests remind us that taking care of ourselves is one of the best gifts we can give our students.
Photo of School Counselor Allen Hill

Oh, The Places We’ll Go (#17)

Helping our students sometimes takes counselors on journeys we don’t expect. Listen as school counselor and ISCA Executive Director Allen Hill shares how helping one of his students helped him grow as a professional school counselor.

Helping the “School-Proof” Kids, Too (#15)

Lawrence North High School Department Co-Chair and International Baccalaureate Counselor Connie Sivertson shares a story that reminds us that even some of the highest achieving, most resilient students may need our support in this most unusual time.