How I Teach
Professional Nourishment as a Counseling Practice
Yvette Thomasson, EdD, LCPC, is a first-generation college graduate serving Prince George’s County Public Schools as a licensed professional school counselor and mentor to new teachers through the county’s monthly PEIP 2.0 sessions. She is the creator of the NeuroSEL Method™, a framework that integrates social-emotional learning with practices supporting the brain’s natural well-being responses. She will present the NeuroSEL Method at the Paris Conference on Education (PCE2026) in June.
After nearly three decades as a school counselor and licensed therapist, I’ve learned that no strategy works unless the adult using it is emotionally resourced. That belief shapes everything I do—and it’s what colleagues often describe as my secret sauce.
When educators ask what makes my counseling practice effective, my answer is simple: I prioritize the nervous system before the notebook. Before solutions, schedules, or strategies, I help people feel grounded enough to think, reflect, and grow.
This approach didn’t come from a textbook. It came from years of working with students in crisis, supporting educators on the brink of burnout, and mentoring new counselors who were doing everything right—yet still felt depleted.
Start with the Human, Not the Role Whether I’m meeting with a student, consulting with a teacher, or facilitating monthly Professional Educator Induction Program (PEIP) sessions for new educators, I always begin the same way: checking in on the person, not the position. I ask open, regulating questions:“
• What’s been heavy lately?”
• “Where are you holding stress in your body?”
• “What’s one small thing that’s gone right this week?”
These questions slow the pace, lower defenses, and signal safety. Once someone feels seen, problem-solving becomes collaborative instead of corrective.
Make Regulation Routine One of the most effective practices I use is embedding brief regulation moments into everyday counseling work. This might look like:
• A single grounding breath before discussing a difficult schedule change.
• A pause to name emotions before addressing behavior.
• A moment of reflection after a tough meeting.
These micro-practices don’t take time to save time. They reduce escalation and emotional overload. Over the years, I’ve seen how consistent regulation builds trust and resilience, especially for new educators learning to navigate a demanding system.
Normalize Reflection, Not Perfection Early career educators often believe they must have all the answers. My role is to help them unlearn that pressure.
In counseling sessions and professional learning spaces, I normalize reflection over performance. We talk openly about missteps, fatigue, and self-doubt—not as failures, but as data. Reflection becomes a tool for growth instead of judgment.
This mindset shift alone can dramatically reduce burnout.
Celebrating the Small Wins Another core strategy is intentional celebration—not of major milestones, but of micro-successes. Finishing a tough conversation. Setting a boundary. Asking for help. Showing up on a hard day. I encourage educators and counselors to track these moments. Over time, they create a narrative of competence and progress that sustains motivation far better than waiting for perfect outcomes.
Why This Works What I’ve learned is that effective counseling isn’t about doing more — it’s about doing what matters most, consistently. When adults feel regulated, supported, and valued, they show up differently for students. Relationships strengthen. Decision-making improves. Schools feel more human.
My secret sauce isn’t a proprietary tool or scripted intervention. It’s a commitment to professional nourishment—honoring the emotional lives of the adults who care for everyone else.
After 28 years, I know this to be true: when we tend to the well-being of educators, everything else flows more naturally.