Foundations of Savvy Sessions

I've been a clinician for over 20 years with a significant portion of my time spent in clinical supervision, counselor training and as adjunct faculty for counseling courses. I found that no matter what level of expertise, counselors are always looking for concrete, in-session material to deal with a wide variety of issues. New counselors are looking to fill their clinical toolboxes while seasoned pros look for ways to keep their sessions fresh and motivating. The very first incarnation of these sessions began when I was a young counselor (years ago!). I was working in a high-stress, crisis-riddled juvenile facility with excessively high turnover in counseling and supervisory staff. The bulk of my early "training" consisted of delivering a pre-determined set of poorly photocopied packets that walked each client through a standard treatment plan. I learned firsthand that these early, formative years for new counselors can really make or break a counselor. I became discouraged and seriously thought about leaving the profession. Thank goodness, I was fortunate enough to meet wonderful mentors and colleagues who showed me there was life beyond packets and one-size-fits-all mental health. I decided to stay in mental health and make it better for those who came after me. Savvy Sessions was developed by and for supervisees, colleagues and students that I worked with over two decades in residential, outpatient, educational and correctional settings. Our sessions have been adapted for use with children, teens and adults in individual, group and family counseling sessions. Over the years, counselors just like you provided feedback that informed and improved our sessions. And, we're not done yet. We still listen to our counselors and continue to hone, improve and add to our session offerings. I am very excited to be able to share these sessions with a whole new audience. Enjoy!