Elementary School Counseling in the Virtual Environment

Description

School counselors are facing unprecedented demands in a world where virtual learning has rapidly become the norm—and they must adapt without sacrificing the connection, care, and crisis support their students rely on. This course is your essential guide to reimagining elementary school counseling for a digital age.

With practical guidance rooted in real-world experience, this training helps counselors confidently navigate ethical challenges, technology logistics, and the emotional weight of supporting young learners online. Discover how to be just as present and effective through a screen as you are in person.

Tim K. Hardin, a seasoned school counselor and leader in the North Carolina School Counselor Association, brings over a decade of frontline experience in PK–12 education to this training. As someone who has implemented virtual counseling programs in a Title I district, Tim intimately understands the barriers students and counselors face—and how to overcome them.

Through clear examples, personal insights, and actionable strategies, Tim guides participants in strengthening their virtual presence while preserving professional ethics and student rapport. His approach emphasizes flexibility, empathy, and using the tools you already have in smarter ways.

The course covers ethical and confidentiality considerations unique to virtual counseling, how to establish emergency protocols, setting up secure communication channels with students and families, implementing SEL and academic interventions virtually, adapting 504 processes, and maintaining your well-being as a counselor. It also explores strategies for monitoring student engagement, addressing digital bullying, and conducting suicide prevention through online formats.

Key Takeaways:

• Navigate ethical challenges with confidence: Learn how to apply in-person counseling ethics to virtual settings with practical adjustments.

• Build effective virtual counseling programs: Gain a roadmap for launching and managing comprehensive services that meet student needs.

• Get tools you can use today: Walk away with real-life examples, templates, and tested resources to improve your workflow and student support immediately.

Why this course?

• Instructor insight from the front lines: Tim Hardin shares tried-and-true strategies from real virtual school counseling experience—not just theory.

• Designed for busy clinicians: This self-paced course is packed with immediately applicable solutions, making your job easier without adding stress.

• Backed by a trusted CE provider: Telehealth Certification Institute is committed to quality, innovation, and clinician support, empowering you to provide excellent care.

Learning Objectives:

• The participant will have a better understanding of ethical considerations for a virtual setting.

• The participant will begin to formulate a plan to implement a comprehensive school counseling program in a virtual setting.

• The participant will receive ideas and resources for managing their responsibilities in a virtual setting.

Take the pressure off of figuring it out alone. Join this empowering course and get the insights, structure, and support you need to provide effective, ethical, and compassionate counseling in a virtual world.

Enroll in this course today and equip yourself with the tools and confidence to support your students—no matter where they are.

Format and Access

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Instruction consists of 1 hour of video instruction and a post-test.

Course Details

Availability: 

From the time of registration, you have six months to access the coursework.

Who Should Attend: 

This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.

Teaching Methods: 

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.

How to Attend: 

Course access and completion instructions.

Instructor and Disclosures

Instructor

About Tim K. Hardin

Tim currently serves as the school counselor for grades PK - 5 at Dr. Edward D. Sadler, Jr. Elementary School in Gastonia, NC.  Tim has been employed as a school counselor since 2009 and has worked at all grade levels, PK - 12.  Tim is also a Past President of the North Carolina School Counselor Association and currently serves as the Chair of the Government Relations Committee.  You can email Tim: tThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or follow him on Twitter:  @TimKHardin

Disclosure Statement: 

The instructor for this course receive compensation for their services. There are no reported conflicts of interest to disclose.

CE Hours

Credit Hours:

This course consists of 1 continuing education hour of credit.

Counselors:

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No, 6693.  Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.  Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. 

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Mental Health Counselors. #MHC-0048.

Marriage and Family Therapists: 

Many MFT licensing boards accept our courses or one of the approvals which we have from professional associations.  You can check with your board to determine if your licensing board would accept this course.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0135, effective May 8, 2025.

Social Workers:

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, #1609, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 05/02/2024 – 05/02/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1 clinical continuing education credit.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Social Workers #SW-0435.

Addiction Professionals:

This course has been approved by Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits, effective 2/23/2021. NAADAC Provider #193104, Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is responsible for all aspects of the programming.

Psychologists:

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Psychologists #PSY-0128.

Art Therapists: 

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Creative Arts Therapists #CAT-0093.

Other Professionals:

This course qualifies for 60 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations.  Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.

Accommodations and Policies

Close Captioning is available for live webinars and recorded video presentations.

You can click on the following links to view our policies:

• Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities.
• Cancellation Policy
• Grievance Policy
• Support Options
• Disclosure Statement