Every child has a world of possibilities.

Let's open the door together.

I'm Marcela Laliberte, known at school as Mrs. Marcela. I'm a multilingual School Adjustment Counselor in Massachusetts, helping children, families and educators turn everyday moments into growth.

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  • 15+ years with children and families
  • Español, English, Português
  • Licensed in Massachusetts
Mrs. Marcela smiling in her school office, wearing a dark green blouse

Mrs. MarcelaMarcela Laliberte, M.A.

Meet Mrs. Marcela

From clinical psychology in Bogotá to school counseling in Massachusetts, my work has always started with one idea: look beyond behavior and understand the child behind it.

Read my full story

Psychology degree

Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Universidad Santo Tomás in Colombia. The start of a path dedicated to children and families.

How I can help

Choose who you are to see what support looks like for you. Every offering can be delivered in Spanish, English or Portuguese.

For students

Helping children understand their feelings, build skills and recognize their strengths.

Get resources for kids
  • Social-emotional learningLessons and small groups on feelings, friendship, problem-solving and self-confidence.
  • Emotional regulation toolsCalm-down strategies children can use in class, at recess and at home.
  • Early support and preventionNoticing small challenges early, before they grow into bigger ones.

What to expect

Simple, collaborative and built around the children you care about.

  1. We talk

    You share what you are seeing and what you hope will change.

  2. We plan

    Together we choose the format: a workshop, a consultation or materials.

  3. We work

    Sessions and tools designed for your children, staff or families.

  4. We follow up

    We look at what is growing and adjust along the way.

What you can count on

  • Someone who listens before suggesting
  • Practical ideas you can use the same week
  • Respect for your family's culture and language
  • Steady follow-up as children grow
Skiby waving from inside the open door

My office door is rarely closed.

I want children, families, educators and colleagues to know there is a place to connect, ask for help, share an idea or simply be heard.

Counseling does not happen only during an appointment. It happens through relationships, when we notice, when we listen and when we stay present.

"There are people who believe in me, and I can believe in myself, too."

Free resources in your inbox

Join the list for new stories, printables and classroom ideas as soon as they're ready, in English, Spanish or Portuguese.

Mrs. Marcela smiling at her desk
  • First look at Kids' Corner downloads
  • Strategies for home and classroom
  • Workshop and training dates

What's your weather today?

For kids. Feelings change like the sky. Pick the weather that feels like you right now, and Skiby will share an idea to try.

Every feeling is welcome.

There are no wrong feelings. Noticing how you feel is the first step to taking care of yourself.

Try this anytimePut one hand on your belly. Breathe in slowly through your nose, and out through your mouth, like you are blowing a bubble.

You can always talk to a grown-up you trust: a teacher, a family member or your school counselor.

Kids' Corner is on the way

A growing library of stories with Skiby, printable templates and activities that turn big ideas into things children can hold, color and share.

  • Stories
  • Printable templates
  • Crafts and activities
  • Guides for grown-ups
Peek inside Get notified
Skiby the cloud character
Mrs. Marcela smiling, resting her chin on her hand, in a green cardigan

Meet Mrs. Marcela

Marcela Laliberte, M.A. School Adjustment Counselor.

Hello! In the school community I'm known as Mrs. Marcela. I'm a Massachusetts School Adjustment Counselor whose professional journey began in Colombia.

For more than 15 years my work has centered on children, adolescents and families across clinical and school settings. Supporting students, educators and families is at the heart of what I do every day.

Every child has a world of possibilities.

One belief has stayed with me through every country, classroom and family I have worked with.

My professional journey

A child's behavior can communicate emotions, experiences and needs they may not yet have the words to explain. Clinical work taught me to listen for that.

  1. 2009

    Bachelor of Science in Psychology

    Universidad Santo Tomás, Colombia.

  2. 2010

    First work with children and families

    The beginning of my professional practice with young people and the adults who care for them.

  3. 2011–2020

    Clinical psychologist in Colombia

    Children and adolescents ages 5 to 18 and their families: mental health, trauma-informed intervention, emotional and behavioral needs, violence-related concerns, family challenges and therapeutic support.

  4. 2022

    School counseling begins

    A move toward school-based work, closer to children's everyday experiences.

  5. 2025

    Master of Arts, Assumption University

    Graduate preparation in school counseling and school adjustment counseling. Licensed Massachusetts School Adjustment Counselor.

Why I chose school-based work

Traditional therapy often meant seeing a child at an appointment and then waiting until the next session. I became curious about what happens in between.

A school lets me observe growth over time, work alongside the adults in a child's daily life and offer support before small challenges grow into bigger ones.

I often think of school as a mini society. It is one of the first places where children learn to navigate relationships, expectations, emotions, differences, successes, disappointments and choices.

  • What happens when a child walks into class frustrated?
  • When a friendship becomes difficult?
  • When they cannot find the words for what they feel?
  • When they succeed at something that felt impossible last week?

My approach

My clinical background helps me understand the complexity behind a child's needs. School-based work lets me turn that understanding into prevention, early support and everyday connection.

  • Social-emotional learning
  • Emotional regulation
  • Behavior support
  • Trauma-informed practices
  • Mental health
  • Communication
  • Relationship-building
  • Prevention
  • Family collaboration
  • Support for educators

Children need our presence.

  • Adults who listen
  • Who notice and validate
  • Who remain consistent
  • Who believe in their possibilities, even on hard days

Children change, families change, schools change. I keep learning and adapting so I can meet children where they are.

A multilingual, multicultural view

I'm originally from Colombia and I speak Spanish, English and Portuguese.

To understand a child, we must also be willing to understand the world around that child. Culture, language, family experiences, school and community all shape how children communicate, learn, connect and respond.

Why I created this space

This site brings together my background in psychology, school counseling, social-emotional learning, prevention, creativity and multicultural experience.

I love turning important ideas into experiences children can understand: crafts, visuals, activities, stories and practical strategies. Here I share approachable resources for students, educators, counselors and families, to support children as they learn and grow every day.

Explore Kids' Corner See services
Mrs. Marcela at her desk in front of a board that reads SEL: guidance, support, growth, wellbeing, belonging

Our role is to help those possibilities grow.

"There are people who believe in me, and I can believe in myself, too."

Kids' Corner

A growing library of stories, printables and activities with Skiby. Read them, color them, share them, and discover the world of possibilities inside you.

See what's coming Tell me when it opens
Skiby, a cloud full of stars, smiling with a backpack

The library

Free downloads for children, families and educators. New pieces arrive regularly, in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Story · PDF · Ages 4 to 8

Skiby and the Storm Inside

A picture book about the day Skiby felt a thunderstorm of feelings, and the three things that helped the sky clear.

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Printable · Ages 4 to 10

Feelings Weather Chart

A wall chart to name today's weather inside, with a calm idea for each kind of sky.

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Printable cards · All ages

Calm-Down Breathing Cards

Bubble breath, flower and candle, and four more breathing games to cut out and keep.

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Journal template · Ages 8 to 12

My World of Possibilities

Prompts to notice strengths, set small goals and celebrate growth week by week.

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Activity · Ages 6 to 11

Friendship Fix-It Wheel

A spinner craft with four ways to solve a problem with a friend.

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For grown-ups · Trilingual guide

Family conversation starters

Questions for the dinner table or the drive home that open the door to feelings, in Spanish, English and Portuguese.

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Leave your email and you'll hear as soon as each story and printable is ready.

Looking for the feelings check-in? Try Skiby's weather check-in