Focusing Skills

Aligns with CASEL 5 & The ASCA School Counselor Professional Standards & Competencies

Zoned In Zeb is the twenty-sixth story from Powerful You (grades 2-adult.) Zeb helps children apply self-motivation and self- direction to learning. Zeb also fosters a positive attitude toward work and learning.

20-MINUTE LESSON PLAN

Launch Introduce the A-Z Powerful You theme.
Breathe and Stretch Practice self-awareness and self-management with the Powerful You free movement videos on this page. Simply hit play or gain a new movement idea for your toolbox.
Connect Read the true short story from the 8.5 x 11 laminated Powerful You Educator Cards.
Promote a Positive Mindset Stand tall and practice each story’s positive self-talk.
Reflect Social-awareness, relationship skills, and problem-solving skills escalate when students are given turn and talk time for each journaling prompt. Learn from them and allow optional sharing.
Role-play Students hold the Powerful You Educator Card and act out desired behaviors.
Leave an SEL Footprint Copy and display the Digital Powerful You Classroom Social Skill Sign.
Expand Use the Powerful You Kit or resources below. Make it your own! Be You! You are more powerful than you know!

Chalkboard Quotes

“Focus like a laser, not a flashlight.” Michael Jordan

“Your life is controlled by what you focus on.” Tony Robbins

“Focus on your goals, not your fear.” Roy T. Bennett

“Focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses.

Focus on your character, not your reputation.

Focus on your blessings, not your misfortunes.” Roy T. Bennett

“Ignore the noise – Focus on your work.”

“Focus on the outcome not the obstacle.”

Featured

Powerful You - A Life Guide for All Ages

$30.00

Powerful You is a grab-and-go counseling resource designed to make group and classroom counseling simple, meaningful, and effective. Packed with 26 short, easy-to-use themed lessons, this book helps counselors, educators, and support staff guide students through important life topics with confidence and care.

Each lesson begins with a true story that reflects real challenges children face, followed by engaging turn-and-talk prompts that encourage student reflection, discussion, and connection. Inspiring quotes, hands-on activities, and practical tips are also included for optional lesson extensions.

Created by a school counselor with more than 35 years of experience listening to and supporting children, these lessons align with ASCA National Standards and explore sensitive school and home issues through a child’s perspective. Powerful You gives adults ready-to-use tools to build emotional awareness, resilience, communication skills, and confidence in students.

To bring each lesson to life, companion Powerful You laminated role-playing cards and colorful classroom signs are also available separately. These engaging tools correspond with every lesson and provide an interactive way for students to practice skills, deepen understanding, and reinforce key concepts.

Breathe and Stretch on the Beach (Pre-K-12 )

$15.00

Breathe and Stretch on the Beach is an interactive listening and movement game that helps children build focus, confidence, calmness, and self-awareness through playful stretching and positive self-talk. Designed for ages 3 and up, this engaging resource can be used in the classroom, counseling groups, therapy settings, or at home by teachers, counselors, parents, and caregivers.

After learning the beach-themed poses, a leader calls out poses in any order, encouraging participants to listen carefully, move mindfully, and practice deep breathing, stretching, and relaxation. Children stay engaged while developing important social-emotional and self-regulation skills in a fun, active way.

Participants will:

Understand and practice controlled breathing
Respect personal space by moving safely without touching others
Strengthen self-control using nonverbal communication
Improve focus and attention
Increase self-awareness
Replace negative self-talk with positive self-talk
Build joy, strength, gratitude, and confidence

Each pose is paired with empowering affirmations so children can embody positive mindsets as they move. Examples include:

Coconut Tree, Eagle, Airplane – I am focused
Sports Boat, Charge Your Battery, Flying Fish – I am full of energy
Hurricane – I step aside for others
Crab – I let my light shine
Paddleboard – I am responsible for what I say, think, and do

Breathe and Stretch on the Beach is a joyful way to help children move their bodies, calm their minds, and grow strong from the inside out.

DIGITAL Classroom Skill Signs (Grades 2 +)

$10.00

The 26 Classroom Skill Signs from Powerful You (A–Z) are a bright, meaningful addition to your classroom board or home refrigerator!

Each letter features a Powerful You skill and is designed to be displayed after reading and discussing the corresponding Powerful You story. Every sign directly matches a lesson from Powerful You and covers important topics such as friendship, bullying, feelings, leadership, grief, and more.

Using these signs in the classroom (or at home) helps reinforce social-emotional learning concepts, keeps skills visible all year long, and supports ongoing conversations around character and emotional growth.

✨ What’s included:

26 skill signs (A–Z)
Each sign aligns with a Powerful You lesson
Perfect for classrooms, counseling offices, or home learning spaces
Printable in 8.5 x 11 inches or 11 x 17 inches

A simple, powerful way to keep Powerful You skills front and center every day 💛

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Powerful You Counselor Kit

$175.00 $210.00

The Powerful You Elementary Counselor Kit was created to keep your favorite Powerful You tools together in one easy-to-carry bag so you are always ready to support students.

Perfect for School counselors, educators, interventionists, and student support teams.

What’s Included

Intermediate Bundle (Grades 2+)

Powerful You Book
26 8.5×11 Laminated Role-Playing Cards
26 Classroom Skill Signs

Primary Bundle (Grades K–1)

26 8.5×11 Laminated Role-Playing Cards
26 Classroom Skill Signs

Digital Resources

26 Primary Brag Tags
26 Social & Emotional Thinking Maps for writing
Free online Breathe & Stretch videos
- 26 Primary videos
- 26 Intermediate videos

Mindfulness & Regulation Tools

Breathe and Stretch on the Beach Yoga activities (Grades K+)
Laminated Breathe and Stretch Sign
Tennessee Transition Chime
Feelings Chart
Powerful You Feelings Bag

Counseling & Life Change Support

Self-Talk Power When You’re in a Pickle
5-Step problem-solving guide for individual counseling (Grades 3+)
Powerful You In the Middle Cookie Game
Supports changing family groups/divorce transitions (Grades K+)

Bonus Items

50 “I Am” stickers

Why Counselors Love It

Grab-and-go support kit
Ready for classroom lessons or counseling groups
Helps students regulate emotions
Builds confidence and self-talk
Supports divorce, transitions, and problem solving
Saves prep time for busy counselors

Perfect For

Elementary school counselors
MTSS / SEL support teams
Teachers
Small groups
Individual counseling
Calm corners

One Kit. Many Needs. Real Impact.

The Powerful You Elementary Counselor Kit helps children build coping skills, confidence, emotional vocabulary, and resilience in fun, meaningful ways.

Powerful You Primary Book or Laminated Cards (Kindergarten - 1)

$30.00

Powerful You Primary (Kindergarten–Grade 1) is a colorful, hand-illustrated social-emotional learning resource designed to help young children find guidance, encouragement, and support for challenges they may experience at school or at home. Created from more than 30 years of educational experience, this engaging tool brings comfort, confidence, and joy to early learners.

Available as a book or laminated role-play card set, Powerful You Primary gives educators, counselors, and families flexible ways to teach essential life skills in fun and meaningful ways. Each lesson uses storytelling to capture attention and strengthen learning through role-playing, movement, thinking maps, games, and positive self-talk.

Children meet the 26 A–Z Powerful You Kids, memorable characters who model positive behaviors and healthy choices. For example, G – Goodsport Grady teaches teamwork and pitching in. Other lessons focus on honesty, independence, self-esteem, responsibility, taking turns, waiting to speak, ignoring distractions, and more.

Lessons align with ASCA National Standards developed by American School Counselor Association, making this a valuable resource for classroom guidance, school counseling lessons, small groups, and home support. Powerful You Primary helps transform classrooms and home environments by teaching social skills proactively and addressing concerns such as bullying at the core.

Companion Classroom Social Skill Signs that match every A–Z lesson are also available separately to reinforce learning visually throughout the day.

Created by an educator who has supported children for over 30 years, Powerful You Primary helps children build skills in:

Problem-solving
Teamwork
Listening
Self-confidence
Friendship skills
Emotional awareness
Respect
Responsibility

Powerful You! In The Middle Cookie Game

$16.00

Powerful You! In The Middle Cookie Game is a fun memory-style matching game designed to help children understand an important message:

Kids are the good stuff in the middle of divorce.

Created for ages 5+ and playable with 2–6 players, this engaging game is played like Concentration while gently opening the door to emotional expression and healing conversations.

Children match:

Feeling words
Coping strategies
Empowering phrases

As they play, they learn to identify emotions, talk about difficult changes, and build resilience.

“Life is like a pickle. Sometimes it’s sweet & sometimes it’s sour.” — Patricia Kienzle

This game helps children recognize “sour pickle” feelings while discovering healthy ways to cope and grow stronger.

Perfect for:

School counselors
Teachers
Parents
Therapists
Small groups
Family support settings

Benefits:

Encourages communication
Builds emotional awareness
Supports children through divorce transitions
Makes hard conversations easier through play
Strengthens confidence and connection

Why Families Love It

Easy to learn, meaningful to play, and created with heart, this game reminds every child:

You are the good stuff in the middle.

Self-Talk Power - When You're in a Pickle

$15.00

Self-Talk Power – When You’re in a Pickle is an empowering story that helps children understand how thoughts influence feelings, choices, and outcomes. Perfect for ages 8 and up, this relatable book introduces readers to Polly Pickle, a character who feels stuck in a frustrating cycle of the same negative thoughts, the same unpleasant emotions, and the same repeated actions.

When Polly realizes she is trapped in a “pickle,” she learns how to recognize unhelpful thinking patterns and retrain her brain through positive self-talk. As she changes her thoughts, she begins to make stronger choices, build confidence, and create better results.

This engaging story gives children practical tools for emotional growth while teaching the power of mindset, resilience, and personal responsibility. It is a valuable resource for parents, counselors, educators, and anyone supporting children through challenges.

Included in the book:

A relatable story that teaches the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behavior
A 5-Step Problem-Solving Guide to help children work through challenges
Two printable charts to identify habitual thought patterns
A sequential planning tool to help children move forward with confidence
Strategies for building resilience and positive thinking habits

Self-Talk Power – When You’re in a Pickle helps children discover that when they change their inner voice, they can change their life.

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Powerful You Pickle Feelings Shirt

$27.00 $35.00

This long-sleeve V-neck Pickle Sun Shirt is more than a sun shirt—it’s a playful conversation starter and wearable feelings chart designed for adults who value wellness, mindfulness, and emotional connection.

Simply point to the pickle that matches your mood and say, “Today I feel ________.” It’s a lighthearted way to check in with yourself, communicate with others, and bring more emotional awareness into everyday life.

Perfect for beach days, boating, pickleball, poolside lounging, walks, travel, or casual everyday wear, this shirt blends fun, comfort, and meaning.

Great for:

Morning mindset check-ins
Stress awareness
Family communication
Classroom or counseling settings
Group retreats or wellness events
Playful connection with friends

Keep the fun going by singing the Pickle Feelings Song from the Self-Talk Power Book and celebrate life with your own Pickle Party.

Features:

Long-sleeve sun coverage
Flattering V-neck style
Lightweight comfort
Unique conversation piece
Supports mindfulness and emotional wellness
Great gift idea

A joyful, healthy, and totally unique way to express emotions, spark smiles, and spread positive energy.

Example of the Pickle Song here: https://youtu.be/TM0m5MFIT4U

Wear your feelings. Share your joy. Grab your Pickle Sun Shirt today.

Self-Built TEENS, The Ultimate Toolkit for Personal Growth

$30.00

Self-Built Teens is an easy-to-use workbook for counselors, parents, educators, or anyone working with youth. Each life lesson includes a short story with reflective turn-and-talk prompts designed to open communication and build meaningful connections. Every A–Z lesson also includes free movement videos and printable signs available when you sign up here: Self-Built Teens Bonus Lessons

Mindful chair stretches are woven throughout the book to encourage movement, release tension, and re-energize learning. This organized toolkit is filled with engaging activities that inspire growth, create positive shifts, and ignite momentum toward incredible possibilities.

As a district school counselor, Julie Frizzi spent hours listening to teens’ ideas about how to boost connection in schools. These students consistently asked for short movement breaks, reflection time with classmates, and fun icebreaker activities. Self-Built Teens was created with these elements to help build relationships, increase self-awareness, strengthen problem-solving skills, and develop self-management tools.

Find more social-emotional books and resources from Powerful You at Powerful You Website