What Is Social-Emotional Learning in Counseling and Social Work?
SEL in therapeutic settings means explicitly teaching the skills that allow children to regulate emotions, understand others, and make safer, healthier choices.
Read article
Resources for Counselors & Social Workers
Guides, articles, and practical insights to help you support children's emotional development in individual and group settings.
Evidence-informed articles for counselors, social workers, and therapists.
Teaching Emotional Regulation in Small Groups
Help children recognize emotions, pause before acting, and use safer coping strategies through structured group instruction.
Read article
Using Stories in Therapeutic Social-Emotional Learning
Stories provide a structured, indirect way to explore emotions, behavior, and choices without forcing personal disclosure.
Read article
Supporting Children With Trauma Through Social-Emotional Learning
SEL provides practical skill instruction that supports recovery and stability for children who have experienced chronic stress or adversity.
Read article
Social-Emotional Learning and Behavior Change
Children change behavior when they gain the emotional and cognitive skills needed to respond differently in moments of stress.
Read article
Why Counselors Need Structured Social-Emotional Learning Tools
Structured SEL tools provide a consistent method for teaching emotional and behavioral skills in a predictable, repeatable way.
Read articleReady to help kids build emotional skills?
BeTheBuffalo provides bilingual, story-driven activities designed for counselors to help children practice self-regulation, empathy, and healthy coping.
See Counselor Activities