Welcome, come on in!
You’re doing really great work. We’re here to help.
What We Do
Counselors and educators need more to successfully, sustainably, and joyfully do their jobs. That’s where we come in. Our curriculum and professional development (both informal and formal):
- Bridges the gap between grad school and the real world.
- Between research and practice.
- And between your unique skillset and resources you need to put them into action.
Here’s how we can support you:
A la carte curriculum you can grab when you need something specific, right now
Our All Access program for counselors who want everything in one place, with one-click downloads for everything you (and your students) need
Trainings that keep things practical and doable, with ideas you can use immediately
Articles that help you think through common challenges and make your next step clearer
Guidebook entries that give you reliable, go-to guidance you will actually refer back to
Who We Are
Meet some of the current and former school counselors, therapists, and educators that combine teamwork and dreamwork to support you in the incredible work you do!
Sara Cottrill-Carlo
Founder and Owner
Emma F.
Curriculum Writer
Favorite Resource:
Solution-Focused Counseling Activities Including Scaling and Goal-Setting
Rebecca M.
Curriculum Writer
Liz B.
Curriculum Design
Victoria H.
Curriculum Writer
Kristin C.
School and District Partnerships
Erin H.
Membership Manager
Amber K.
Marketing
Behind the scenes, this team is guided by a shared set of values in how we create, communicate, and show up for our community: Excellence, Growth, Integrity, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. You can expect those values to show up in the details, from the care we put into our curriculum to the clarity of our communication. We are here to make your work easier to deliver and stronger in impact, with resources you can feel confident using with students.
Our Story
I didn’t set out to build a company. I was just trying to do my job well.
Early on, I used the same kinds of counseling resources many of us start with: what I could find already on my office shelves, what looked cute, and what fit into an already packed week. But I kept noticing a disconnect between what I was doing with students and how. At one point, I asked the teachers I worked with a blunt question: Are my lessons making an impact, or do you just enjoy the break? Their answer was honest, and exactly what I needed to hear: They enjoyed the break, but they weren’t really making an impact.
So I started reading the research, testing what I learned, and building my own curriculum from the ground up. Not “good enough” activities. Not activities that are fun but don’t stick. Real counseling curriculum that could hold up in a real school environment and support meaningful student growth.
As I used those lessons, other counselors began asking for them, too - first in my own district, then far beyond my little corner of the world. And that’s how The Responsive Counselor grew! From one counselor trying to solve a real problem, to a company built around a clear belief: The resources you use matter. The right curriculum helps you spend less time piecing things together and more time doing what you are trained to do. It also makes it easier to deliver lessons that are skill-building, developmentally appropriate, and designed for carryover.
Today, we create elementary school counseling curriculum rooted in peer-reviewed research and shaped by real school experience. We read the studies, translate findings into practical lessons and interventions, and design everything to be engaging, usable, and realistic for school settings. Our materials are created by trained, experienced counselors, with the goal of helping you feel more effective, more intentional, and more sustainable.
Over time, this mission expanded from supporting individual counselors to supporting schools and districts, too, with curriculum they can trust and implement with confidence.
"If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it. The same is true of any endeavor: if the solution you seek doesn't exist, create it."
Toni Morrison, Ohio Arts Council Speech in 1981
Speaking Engagements
Submit Speaking Inquiry
Sharing my knowledge and experience with other educators and counselors is one of my favorite things to do! My speaking experience includes state counseling conferences, the American School Counseling Association’s annual conference, and district-wide counselor PDs.
Virtual workshops are approximately $500/hour. In-person professional development includes curriculum resources for each participant, so pricing is based on group size.
Speaking is free for graduate programs in the middle Tennessee region.
Here are some of the topics we can speak on:
School counseling is a deeply rewarding profession, but one that also comes with high levels of stress and burnout. In this session, you’ll explore practical, research-informed strategies to reduce overwhelm, boost confidence, and support long-term sustainability in your role. Walk away with tools, mindset shifts, and boundary-setting language to help you thrive as a school counselor for years to come.
Keywords: burnout, stress, self-compassion
NBCC Content Areas: counselor professional identity and practice issues, wellness and prevention
Learning Objective(s): Participants will understand different strategies they can use to reduce frustration, prevent burnout, lower stress, and remain fulfilled in their school counseling profession.
Group counseling is an incredible opportunity for reaching more students on our caseloads, especially in MTSS, yet they are often misused or underutilized. Hate small groups but know they’re important? Love small groups but worry yours aren’t effective? This session will show how to thoroughly plan and deliver elementary smalls groups so they are as impactful as possible. Together, we’ll focus on group logistics, activities, minimizing misbehavior, fostering positive relationships, and strategies that help students take what they learn in group and use it in the classroom (and beyond). Learn about common pitfalls and best practices in small group counseling to improve your group game!
Keywords: group counseling, tier 2, program planning
NBCC Content Area(s): group dynamics and counseling
Learning Objective(s): Participants will be able to confidently run small groups that have a measurable impact.
CBT as a theory and a set of strategies is an evidence-based way to help students struggling with anxiety, sadness, and anger. The higher-level thinking required, however, can make it challenging to use with school-aged children. This training provides engaging and developmentally-appropriate strategies for school counselors to use in their programs to help students 1) make the connection between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and 2) challenge and change their cognitive distortions. It will cover several hands-on or play-based ideas for using this modality with students in individual sessions, small group counseling, and class lessons.
Keywords: cbt, anxiety, individual counseling
NBCC Content Area(s): counseling theory/practice and the counseling relationship
Learning Objective(s): Participants will be able to use developmentally appropriate cognitive behavioral counseling interventions to support students with anger, anxiety, and/or sadness.
When teachers are concerned about a student’s behavior, who do they go to? The school counselor! Often times, our role includes being behavior specialists. We’ve all heard and believe that behavior is communication but deciphering this communication can be complicated. This session is about using three different lenses to use when conceptualizing elementary and middle school student behavior: unmet needs, lagging skills, and competing motivations. We’ll discuss clues to look for, case examples, and intervention ideas for each of the lenses. You’ll finish the session feeling more confident about supporting sticky behavior issues and with a fresh set of interventions for your toolbox!
Keywords: behavior, pbis, mtss
NBCC Content Area(s): human growth and development
Learning Objective(s): Participants will understand three different lenses for conceptualizing student misbehavior and coordinate relevant interventions for each.
Having a data-driven school counseling program looks different in elementary schools. The same data that packs a punch in secondary isn’t always relevant or available in elementary. That’s okay! Collecting and analyzing data can still be powerful and meaningful for us in K-5. This workshop session is an accessible deep dive into using data intentionally and effectively as an elementary school counselor. We’ll talk about using data to plan, evaluate, and advocate for your core curriculum, group counseling, and more!
Keywords: evidence-based school counseling, data, program evaluation
NBCC Content Area(s): assessment, research and program evaluation
Learning Objective(s): Participants will be able to collect, analyze, and use data for planning, evaluation, and advocacy.
Some of our previous speaking engagements:
- National Center for Youth Issues: TN School Counselor and Administrator Leadership Institute (11 years)
- American School Counselor Association Annual Conference (5 years)
- Metro Nashville Public Schools
- Clarksville-Montgomery County Public Schools
- Indiana Youth Institute
- Texas Counseling Association Annual Conference
Nashville, TN
Contact Us
Send over a message!
Use the form below or email us at hello@theresponsivecounselor.com. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Office hours are Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm CST.
