Launch Pad Session Guide
Counselor Blueprint
Launch Pad Session Guide
Session 1 (30-40 Mins)
A structured pathway to build authentic rapport, introduce the therapeutic environment, and collaboratively map out the student's growth milestones for the school year.
Session Milestones
1. Safe Harbor (Icebreaker)
5-10 Mins
Establish safety. Introduce yourself, define confidentiality rules, and conduct a regulatory baseline check.
"Everything we talk about stays in this room, unless someone is hurting you, you want to hurt yourself, or you want to hurt someone else. Deal?"
2. The Horizon (Future Preview)
10 Mins
Explore strengths, identify potential challenges, and discover areas where extra support feels helpful.
"If we could fast-forward to the end of the year and everything went incredibly well, what would be different? What felt easier?"
3. The Blueprint (Goal Setting)
15 Mins
Draft one initial academic or social-emotional target. Focus on co-regulation, emotional coping, or self-advocacy.
"Let's pick one small target to tackle together first. We can shift this whenever you need to. You have the controls."
4. The Launch (Reflective Wrap)
5 Mins
Deliver the Student Exit Ticket. Reinforce safety boundaries, outline scheduling/frequency, and close with a breathing or anchoring check.
Goal Blueprint Options
Adaptable pathways to match the student's unique needs:
Socio-Emotional Goal Identify 2 calming coping skills to utilize when feeling overwhelmed in class.
Behavioral Goal Use positive self-advocacy phrase to request a structured 2-minute reset break.
Academic Focus Implement visual tracking tool to capture assignment timelines and deadlines.
Counselor Tips
- Ensure collaborative design; avoid a diagnostic, authoritative tone.
- Let the student choose formatting or naming of their milestones.
- Utilize the Exit Ticket to gauge underlying safety feelings or anxieties.
Counselor Notes & Adaptations
Student Strengths:
Unique Accommodations or Triggers:
Agreed Meeting Frequency:
Unit: Academic & Personal Advocacy Navigation Launch Pad Session Plan
Launch Pad Exit Ticket
My Counseling Space
The Launch Pad
Initial Counseling Check-In
Let's Navigate This Year Together
My Name
Date
My Navigator (Counselor)
My Compass Check-In
How are you feeling right now about the upcoming school year? (Select the box that matches your climate today)
☀️ Clear Skies Excited & ready to go
🌤️ Partly Cloudy Good, but minor worries
🌫️ Foggy/Mist Not quite sure what to expect
🌧️ Rainy Outlook Feeling highly overwhelmed
My Personal Growth Target
Write down the primary target or coping skill we agreed to explore together during our sessions:
"I can always edit or change this goal whenever I want to."
My Team & Anchors
Aside from your social worker, who is another adult or safe friend in the building you can reach out to?
Identify 1 support champion on campus
Our Launchpad Pact
Counseling is a co-created space. We both promise to be honest, respectful of boundaries, and committed to trying our best. Signing below locks in our launchpad partnership!
Student Signature
social worker Signature
Self-Advocacy & Goal Mastery Support Launch Pad Exit Ticket
