Dr. Loren Dittmar is currently a Lead Professional Learning Specialist with Hatching Results, where he trains throughout the country in promoting and supporting the development and implementation of innovative, sustainable, data-driven, comprehensive school counseling programs. Loren has over 23 years of professional experience, including 18 years in School Counseling and 5 years in clinical settings. He has also served as an adjunct professor for over 10 years. Loren is the current Director of the Emerging Leaders Program for the Palmetto State School Counselors Association and Co-Director of the PSSCA state conference.
Dr. Dittmar previously served on the Board of Directors of the California Association of School Counselors, and with his PhD in Psychology, he served as their lead expert in the development of the mental health section of the covid19k12counseling.org website.
Dr. Dittmar is a sought-after conference presenter on the topics of school mental health and suicide prevention. With his personal and professional experiences of loss due to suicide, his audiences not only have an incredibly moving experience, but walk away with practical tools and resources.
Loren has been married for 14 years to his wife, Cami, and they have 4 children, ages 11 through 22. Together they have fostered several children and their journey of raising an ‘expanded version’ of a family has brought a unique and real-world perspective to Loren’s presentations on various educational topics.
Counseling Groups are the most effective way of providing our services to the maximum number of students every week, yet there are many counselors, especially at the high school level, who miss the opportunity to implement them regularly (or at all). What prevents you from providing groups? Time? Preparation? Fear? Whatever has been your barrier, let’s break through that today! Join Dr. Dittmar to learn how you can maximize your effectiveness!
The impact of the pandemic is ongoing and our students (and families) need more support for their mental health than ever before. Attendees who are willing to dig deep, and possibly get a bit emotional, are invited to join this session to engage in a valuable discussion about the school counselor’s leading role in these preventative efforts, by exploring current research and best practices
School Mental Health has become a high priority in society, and the opportunity for School Counselors to lead the way has emerged! Our students need increasing support from a lens that is deeply attuned to the emotional challenges they face. This Trauma-Informed lens can be taught, strengthened, and shared. Join this session to learn how you can train all staff to go beyond the surface and truly see each child from a magnified empathic lens.
As School Counselors, we are often pulled in a million directions at once, and it’s so easy to get into the habit of giving more than humanly possible. If you’re exhausted, overwhelmed, and need to develop better balance, join Dr. Dittmar in this interactive session about modeling the things we teach our students: boundaries, self-care, and optimism. And discover how to sustain this throughout the years of your career.