Afternoon Renewal Workshops
1:30 - 3:00 p.m. Please indicate your 1st and 2nd choices on the Registration Form

1. Try it, Make it, Take it: Building Creative Tools in a Budget-tight Time
Presenters will demonstrate a range of “homemade” counseling tools, useful for K-12 school counseling. The participants will collaborate as teams to creatively apply a tool or design a new one to enhance a counseling or classroom guidance situation. Participants will use a simple tool/activity in a guided experience of self-discovery to explore their own talents & obstacles regarding their own creativity. They will also rotate through 2-3 stations to make tools to enhance their work. Resources and handouts will be provided, as well as craft materials. Participants are encouraged to bring their favorite tool, especially if it is easy to make.

Presenters:Barb Findlay, Counselor Penfield Central School District
Holly Likly-Juliano, High School Counselor Brighton Central School District

2. Engaging the Challenging Client: The Use of Games, Toys and Humor in Family Therapy
This session is an introduction to therapeutic games and their use K-12, along with books, toys and the “how to” of intervention in family therapy. Hands-on experience with the Ungame, The Anger Solution Game, the Talking Feeling and Doing Game, and others will occur. Resourceful and creative intervention handouts are included.

Presenter:Kinga Kondor, Family Service Primary, Preventive Services Hillside Children’s Center

 3. “Putting First Things First”: An Overview of Habit Three from The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
Counselors continue to have more “to do’s” added to their plates. How do they work smarter, not harder? How do they become more resourceful with fewer resources? This presentation will provide a brief overview of habit three, “Putting First Things First,” which is one of Stephen Covey’s seven habits of highly effective people. Participants will gain an insight into the importance of putting first things first, and learn strategies that they can apply to their own lives.

Presenter:Julie A. Barker, K-12 Social Studies Standards Leader Pittsford Central School District and Licensed Facilitator for Franklin Covey Company

4. Mental Health Gathering (Referral Networking Forum)
One of the many things that counselors rarely have time to do is visit and get to know mental health providers they can use as referral resources. Now, you don’t have to – we have brought them to you! Join us for an informal panel with various mental health providers in the greater Rochester area. These providers were selected based on recommendations from members of the Conference Planning Committee with whom they have had professional and/or personal experience. Some are generalists while others specialize in areas ranging from eating disorders to substance abuse to play therapy. These mental health professionals represent a geographic range of agencies and private practices. Take advantage of this opportunity while winding down from your day.

Facilitators: Sandra Braun, Counselor, Livonia Central School District
Sandra Foley, Counselor, Gates Chili Central School District

Presenters:Greater Rochester Area Mental Health Providers

5. Organizational Solutions for Counselors
Stop the clutter, stop the chaos! Have you ever wished for an efficiency expert to help you organize your office and expedite your paperwork? Experienced counselors will be part of a panel to share their secrets for working with less stress and getting more done. Topics inclide project methods, filing solutions, shortcuts, setting priorities, planning the week and each day, communications, maintaining boundaries, computer aids, and more. Your specific challenges will be addressed at the end of the session.

Facilitator: Carol Marron, School Counselor, Edison Tech, Rochester City School District

Panelists: Rick Massie, Wayne Central School District
Danny Vega, East High School, Rochester City School District
Rose Merrell James, School of Information Imaging Technology at Edison, Rochester City School District
Melanie Williams, Wilson Magnet High School , Rochester City School District
Christine Frederick, East High School, Rochester City School District

6. The Military in Our Midst: Their Children, Their Lives, Their Schools
In this session a mother and daughter team with unique expert experience will lead a conversation about what counselors can do to help children and families connected to military service and current world conflicts. They will explore issues children and families in military service encounter here and abroad and encourage lively discussion in relation to the impact of active duty on families. How the Department of Defense schools operate and multimedia resources on the topic of children from military families will also be shared with participants.

Presenters: Mary Lou Miller, Counselor, Edison Tech, Rochester City School District
Amanda Marashlian, Teacher, Victor Central School District; Former Teacher for the Department of Defense