In some of the work we do with students, we may have to help them interpret the actions of others or help them understand how they’re coming across. Within the context of executive functioning, this is known as perspective-taking. This is an essential life skill in both our professional and personal lives; which is why…
Category: Social Work
EP 130: Using private practice to offer accessible services and advocate for your profession (with Ebony Green)
Most people involved in K-12 education aren’t in it for the money, but with high caseloads and low pay; a lot of people are considering a career transition. For people in therapy roles, private practice is a common option on the table; but many come from a “helping people” mindset and struggle with the idea…
EP 126: Behind the scenes of a K-12 staffing company (with Ryan Cleaveland)
Many clinicians start their careers feeling unprepared to navigate the job market. In a lot of professional groups, I’ve noticed a skepticism towards contract companies, recruiters, and staffing agencies simply because many people working in school settings don’t know who they can trust. If you’ve ever had a recruiter awkwardly slide into your DMs or…
EP 125: Time perception, anxiety, and future pacing
When I was younger I was fixated on clocks and the passage of time. It’s accurate to say it was an obsession of mine, to the point that it caused me large amounts of anxiety. It got difficult for me to tell when I was future-planning or when I was catastrophizing. On top of that,…
EP 124: Meditation for educators and the art of giving 85% (with Danny Bauer)
I have a love/hate relationship with meditation and mindfulness. I know I should do it. I even talk about why it’s beneficial. But I never want to do it…even though I feel better if I do. If that sounds familiar, you won’t want to miss episode 124 of the “De Facto Leaders” podcast. That’s why…
EP 122: Executive functioning for college students: Beyond checklists and planners (with Jill Fahy)
What if young adults are still prompt-dependent when they go away to college? Or what if they and their parents aren’t aware of how much support they’re actually getting? On top of that, how can professionals navigate the complexity of supporting language and executive functioning (or knowing when to address which skills)? I invited Jill…
EP 121: Do we all have an inner voice (and if not, should we try to develop one)?
In different discussion groups, I’ve heard the claim that up to 50% of people don’t have an inner voice. Since much of my work has focused on metacognition and language, I wanted to devote an episode to discussing some common questions that come up regarding this topic. That’s why in episode 121 of the “De…
EP 120: Career transitions and improv for educators and therapists (with Aimee Davis)
If you’ve ever thought about leaving the school systems, you may have wondered what options you have as far as jobs go. Maybe you feel burnt out, or maybe you just want a change and don’t want to walk away from education completely. I understand this dilemma on a deep level, so that’s why I…
EP 111: Supporting self-regulation in K-12 kids (with Lisa Navarra)
“Behavior problems” are an external sign of what’s going on internally. In order to support kids who are being referred for behavioral concerns, we need to address these internal skills proactively. That’s why I invited consultant and educator Lisa Navarra to episode 111 of the De Facto Leaders podcast to talk about self-regulation. Lisa M….
EP 100: Working with your building principal to create a win-win-win (with Dr. Gastrid Harrigan)
On episode 100 of the “De Facto Leaders” podcast, I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Gastrid Harrigan has been an educator for over 19 years as a classroom teacher, Assistant Principal, and currently as Principal in Broward County, Florida. In addition, Dr. Harrigan is a Professor of Education at Broward College and Colorado State…