Right before Thanksgiving, in the middle of progress reports, last-minute meetings, and all the pumpkin spice in the world, it can be easy to miss the small moments that actually fuel us.

This episode is a gentle pause.

 A breath.

 A circle of gratitude created for you.

I asked counselors in my Facebook groups what they are most grateful for, and their answers were pure joy, connection, and heart. Today I am sharing their stories, along with a few of my own, as a reminder that even in the chaos, the work you do every day truly matters.

✨ What You Will Hear in This Episode:

• Why the weeks before Thanksgiving feel especially heavy
• The power of stopping to notice the good
• A collective gratitude circle filled with counselor shared moments
• Students choosing time with their counselor as their reward
• Kids using calm down strategies and repeating your words back to you
• When a student calls you their trusted adult
• Why small wins often matter the most
• Real stories of connection from counselors across the country
• A quick 30 second gratitude practice you can do anytime
• Simple ideas to keep the gratitude going at school

💬 Quote from the Episode

“Emotional safety is such a quiet form of love, and when kids choose to show up in your space, that is gratitude in motion.”

💛 Encouragement for the Week

Take a moment today to name one thing you are grateful for in your work, with no posting or documenting, just a quiet acknowledgment of a meaningful moment.

You are the safe space.

 You are the trusted adult.

 You are the calm in the storm.

And that is something to be profoundly grateful for.

Happy Thanksgiving, counselor friends. I appreciate you more than you know. 💛

Grab the Show Notes: Counselingessentials.org/podcast

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Mentioned in this episode:

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Carol: You're listening to the Counselor Chat Podcast, a show for school counselors looking for easy to implement strategies, how to tips, collaboration, and a little spark of joy.

I'm Carol Miller, your host. I'm a full time school counselor and the face behind counseling essentials. I'm all about creating simplified systems, data driven practices, and using creative approaches to engage students.

If you're looking for a little inspiration to help help you make a big impact on student growth and success, you're.

Carol: In the right place.

Carol: Because we're better together. Ready to chat. Let's dive in.

Carol: Hi everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Counselor Chat.

I am so excited that you're here with me.

Today is.

Well, when this episode airs, it will be the day before Thanksgiving and I just want to say thank you. Thank you, thank you.

One of the things that I'm grateful for this season is you all just spending your time listening to me each week.

It really means a whole lot knowing that you're actually listening. Especially because when I record these,

I am just sitting in front of a computer talking basically to myself.

So I'm glad that you are actually listening in your own free time. I really do appreciate that.

Anyway, my friends,

this is the Counselor Chat podcast and it's the show for school counselors who really want some practical ideas,

meaningful moments,

and maybe even a little encouragement along the way.

So I am your host. I am Carol Miller. And today's episode is one that I think all of us need right about now.

You know, the weeks before Thanksgiving, they're really,

they're so busy and they can be very emotional.

There's pressure, there's paperwork, there's progress reports,

and there's also plenty of pumpkin spice.

And in the middle of all that, I think it's easy to just forget to stop and just breathe and to notice the good.

So today we're going to do something a little bit different.

We're creating a gratitude circle for counselors.

This is going to be the space to pause and reflect on the joy we find in this work.

And I have recently asked school counselors in my Facebook groups what they're most grateful for in their jobs.

And my friends, your responses,

they completely filled my heart up.

So in today's episode, I'm going to be sharing some of your words,

the stories and small moments that remind us all why this work matters so much.

Now, when I think about gratitude,

I picture a circle. There's no front, there's no back,

just everyone connected,

sharing pieces of light.

And really, that's what this episode is it's a collective circle of gratitude because if we're honest,

this job can be exhausting.

It's heavy work,

but it's also hard to work.

And sometimes all it takes to refill our cups is hearing someone else say,

yeah,

me too.

So before we jump into what so many of you shared with me,

I just want to share with you some of the little things that really have filled my cup of joy.

And that was meeting so many of you at conferences this year,

whether this summer or this fall,

going to new places that I've never been to go to these conferences,

learning about new things and new ideas.

I was a bit grouchy at first when my when I was told that I was part of the trauma,

illness and grief team and I had to go through five days of training.

But I'm so grateful that I was able to do that. It has. I have learned so much through that and it has been really a very cool experience.

But when it comes time to working with the kids,

I think the things that I'm most grateful for are the kids that run up to me and say,

I got to choose you as my reward today.

I love it when the little kindergartners come and tell me I'm their reward.

Playing a game with me and they chose to spend their time with me. I think that's awesome.

But also when they come to me and they say, I know you want us to be good humans,

because I do. And I say it to them all the time.

And when they come and they say, I know I just have to breathe and you want us to do it like this and they show me.

And then when they say, I know we're not supposed to go when we breathe. It's supposed to be quiet.

They get it.

So it's all those little things that I'm completely grateful for.

So now let's switch it and hear from you.

So here's what so many of you shared.

The joy in those small but really sacred moments.

Lauren said she's grateful for seeing a student's face light up when they see her.

Her watching a student use strategies she's taught them.

I'm for the moments when a parent says thank you,

she knows she's made a difference,

even a small one.

Angela said she's thankful for helping her littles with their big feelings,

for their hugs and for the moments when students tell her, I hope you have a good day.

And Jenna, she said she's grateful for the morning pop ins when students just warm her room before the Day starts,

she said,

quote, I feel grateful. They feel safe with me.

I mean, that one really got me.

Because safety, I mean, emotional safety,

is such a quiet form of love.

And when kids choose to show up in your space,

I mean, that's gratitude in motion.

And so many of your stories really centered on relationships, those connection moments that remind us of why we do what we do.

Joanne.

She said her favorite moments are when she sees that light go on in a student's eyes when something she said in the hallway or in her office suddenly clicks and it changes how the student sees things.

She says she loves when students, no matter their age,

run up to her to give her a hug or just stop by to talk.

And that some of those students are now her Facebook friends as adults,

I mean,

isn't that what we all hope for? That what we build lasts longer than the school year?

Yeah. Those connections, when they come back to us, they're priceless.

Now, Diana said she's grateful for hearing her high schooler say that she's their trusted adult,

that her office is their safe space.

Mean those words, trusted adult.

They might be two of the most powerful ones in our profession because that trust is earned moment by moment and through. Through every calm conversation, every check in, every time we show up.

Now, some of you shared the joyful chaos of everyday school life,

the kind of moments that don't always make it into data reports,

but they make all the difference.

For example,

Elisa,

she said she's thankful for setting up lunchtime activities for her students,

like Unity Day,

where kids work together to create a puzzle symbolizing that they're all united.

And Elisa, she sent in, actually, a picture of this. And it was such a very cool wall display that was,

I believe, prominent in her school building. It was beautiful. All these little puzzle pieces all put together.

Jamie. Jamie shared a story that really made me smile. She said she once made a student's day on Twin Day by being their twin when no one else did. She even wore pigtails just to make it happen.

I thought that was cute.

And then there was Patrice, who said she's grateful for getting students with attendance issues to come back to school and start being part of the community again.

And she said, quote,

that feels awesome.

It's those little wins, those quiet turnarounds, those. I mean, I think those are the ones that really keep us going.

Here's a few more.

Deanna, she said she's grateful for making lists with students to help them prioritize.

And Millie, she said she finds joy in small groups. Deescalating students and hearing a kindergartner say,

I love you.

She also shared that one of her students told her,

your rotation is my favorite.

And I mean, if that doesn't fill your heart, I don't know what will.

Now, Michelle and Janelle both said it simply, it's the hugs and the smiles that keep them going.

And Diane, she described it perfectly. She said, quote, she's grateful for seeing something land.

It's that sticky connection when a student or staff member remembers something you said and uses it to work through their emotions.

Wow,

that's impact.

And Diane, that's really what change looks like. Good job.

And Christine said she's grateful for mostly everything.

20 years into the profession and she says she is still loving it.

I love that because I am 30 years in and I'm still loving it.

And it's such a reminder that joy isn't just for the new counselors. It's something we can keep finding year after year,

I think, if we choose to notice it.

And when we take time to name our gratitude,

it really changes how we see our days.

Gratitude shifts our focus from what's missing to what's meaningful.

And as counselors,

we need that shift because our work is so full of moments that are easy to overlook.

It's the student who finally breathes instead of shouts.

It's the teacher who says,

thanks for checking in.

And it's the calm you bring into a space that didn't have it before you walked in.

My friends, these are the quiet winds that build resilience in our students and in ourselves.

So if you're listening right now, maybe you're driving, you're walking,

or maybe you're listening to this later on and you're hiding in your office between lunch duty and your next classroom lesson.

I want you to take a minute.

I want you to think about one moment this week that made you grateful to be a counselor.

Maybe it was a student smile,

a breakthrough,

or just a peaceful five minutes in your day.

Whatever it was,

I want you to hold it for a second.

That's your gratitude moment.

It doesn't need to be posted or shared or documented.

Just needs to be felt.

Because that's what keeps your why alive.

And if you wanted to spread this feeling to keep the gratitude circle growing,

try one of these this week.

Write a quick note to a teacher.

Make supported a student you've been worried about.

Start a gratitude wall in your office and invite students to add their own sticky notes.

Send a thank you email to a coworker or admin who made your day easier or,

and this is my favorite,

write a note to yourself.

Write down one thing you're proud of,

something you did that truly mattered.

Because you belong on your own gratitude list, too.

And since we're in this circle together,

let me add a few more things that I'm grateful for.

I'm really grateful for this community.

For you,

the counselors who listen,

share and show up with open hearts.

I'm grateful every time I see a counselor lift another counselor up online with kindness, with humor, and with empathy.

And I'm grateful for the work we get to do,

this messy,

emotional,

wonderful human work of helping students find their way.

You are changing lives even when you can't see it.

Maybe even especially when you can't see it.

So as you move through the season with the holiday chaos, the to do lists, and the endless emails,

I hope you'll take a moment to pause and remember this circle.

Remember that you're part of something bigger.

You're part of a network of caring, hopeful, passionate counselors who are doing incredible work every single day.

You are the safe space.

You are the trusted adult.

You are the calm in the storm.

And that, my friend,

it's something to be deeply grateful for.

So thank you for being part of this gratitude circle with me today.

And thank you to everyone who shared your reflections.

Your words remind us,

reminded us all of what matters most.

And if you want to share what you were grateful for,

tag me on Instagram at counselingessentials or message me.

I'd love to feature a few of your words in a future post.

And as always,

trust your instincts.

Be curious and not judgmental.

Keep noticing, keep connecting, and keep doing the amazing work only you can do.

Happy Thanksgiving, my counselor friends.

I'm really grateful for you.

Until next time. I hope you have a really great week.

Bye for now.

Carol: Thanks for listening to today's episode of Counselor Chat. All of the links I talked about can be found in the show notes and at counselingessentials.org podcast.

Carol: Be sure to hit follow or subscribe.

Carol: On your favorite podcast player. And if you would be so kind.

Carol: To leave a review, I'd really appreciate it.

Carol: Want to connect? Send me a DM on Facebook or Instagram at Counseling Essentials until next time. Can't wait till we chat. Bye for now.