Winston-Salem counselor’s tips for teachers to improve their mental health

80’S ON WEDNESDAY AND RAIN CHANCES THROUGH THE WEEKEND. AUDREY: WE SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT BACK TO SCHOOL ANXIETY IN STUDENTS BUT TEACHERS MAY ALSO FEEL UNEASY ABOUT RETURNING TO THE CLASSROOM ESPECIALLY AFTER A CHALLENGING TWO YEARS AND WHY IT’S ALWAYS IMPORTANT FOR TEACHERS TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. LET’S SAY GOOD MORNING TO BRITTANY TODD, A LICENSED CLINICAL COUNSELOR AND OWNER — OWNER OF B MENTAL COUNSEING IN WINSTON SALEM. GOOD MORNING. BRITTANY: GOOD MORNING. AUDREY: LET’S TALK ABOUT WAYS FOR TEACHERS TO PRACTICE THEIR OWN SELF-CARE AND FIND BALANCE AT WORK. BRITTANY: BALANCE FOR WORK CAN BE HARD FOR ALL OF US AS WE KNOW. I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT FOR TEACHERS TO PLAN TIME DURING THE DAY TO CHECK IN WITH THEMSELVES AND IT’S EASY TO BE OVERWHELMED AND PUSHED THROUGH THE DAY. YOU’RE DEALING WITH SOME BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS MAYBE WITH YOUR STUDENTS, YOU’RE DEALING WITH CHALLENGING EDUCATION AND DEALING WITH YOUR CO-WORKERS, PARENTS, SO MANY THINGS INVOLVED. JUST TAKING TIME THROUGHOUT THE DAY TO STEP ASIDE AND THINK ABOUT HOW AM I FEELING, HOW AM I HANDLING THIS, DO I NEED TO TAKE A COUPLE DEEP BREATHS AND TUNE IN TO MY SENSES? AND IN TERMS OF STUDYING BALANCE, IT COMES WITH BOUNDARIES. SO REALLY SETTING THAT EXPECTATION AHEAD OF TIME, WHETHER THAT’S IN A HANDOUT, A NEWSLETTER, AN ONLINE CLASSROOM PORTAL BUT OUTLINING YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR PARENTS, STUDENTS AND MAYBE EVEN ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF OF WHEN YOU’RE AVAILABLE, WHY YOU’LL BE AVAILABLE DURING THAT TIME, AND ALSO WHEN YOU’RE NOT AVAILABLE. SO THEY KNOW WHEN THEY CAN CONTACT YOU AND/OR SET UP A MEETING. AUDREY: YOU THINK IT WOULD HELP WITH THE TEACHERS NOT FEELING GUILT IF THEY ALREADY OUTLINED IT, THEY CAN’T FEEL GUILTY IF THEY AREN’T MAKING THEMSELVES AVAILABLE LITERALLY 24/7. BRITTANY: RIGHT. I HAVE TO DO THIS IN MY OWN JOB, TOO. IT SETS BOUNDARIES FOR OURSELVES WHEN WE SET BOUNDARIES FOR OTHER PEOPLE. SO SETTING THAT EXPECTATION AND HAVING THAT DEDICATED TIME I THINK DEFINITELY IS GOOD. ANY TIME YOU’RE IN A HELPING PROFESSION, FOR WHATEVER REASON, I THINK IT COMES WITH A LITTLE BIT OF GUILT AND IT’S JUST LIKE THIS THING WE HAVE TO CONSTANTLY WORK THROUGH AND CHECK IN ON. BUT KNOWING THAT PART OF WHAT YOU’LL REALLY HAVE TO DO, TEACHERS, IS FOCUS ON YOURSELF AND POUR INTO YOUR OWN CUP SO YOU CAN POUR OUT FOR YOUR STUDENTS, THERE SHOULD BE NO GUILT WITH THAT BECAUSE TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF DIRECTLY REFLECTS TO WHAT YOU BRING TO THE CLASSROOM. AUDREY: HOW DO YOU ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, TEACHERS AREN’T TAKING OUT THEIR STRESS ON THEIR ACTUAL STUDENTS, OR MAYBE EVEN FELLOW STUDENTS OR COLLEAGUES? BRITTANY: WORKING THEM IN. I THINK THAT WILL HAPPEN HERE AND THERE. BUT DOING YOUR BEST TO COMPARTMENTALIZE WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE AND WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIFE. THAT BEING SAID, REALLY FOCUSING ON HAVING SOMETHING TO CHANNEL YOUR ANGER, FRUSTRATION OR JUST OVERALL STRESS WITH THE CHALLENGES THAT WE’VE BEEN FACING RECENTLY FOR SURE. WHETHER THAT’S EXERCISING OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, OUTSIDE OF WORK, WHETHER IT’S CONFIDING IN A FRIEND, LEANING ON A CO-WORKER, YOU KNOW, AND THEN ALL THE BASICS, JOURNALING AND FOCUSING ON YOUR HOBBIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT. MOST IMPORTANTLY, HAVING AN OUTLET WHERE YOU CAN CHANNEL THAT STUFF IN TO. MAYBE HAVING A MENTOR WHERE YOU CAN SAY HEY, I’M REALLY CHALLENGED BY THIS STUDENT OR I’M HAVING FEAR BECAUSE OF THIS, WHATEVER IT MAY BE THAT REALLY GOT YOU HUNG UP AND CAUSING SOME INNER TURMOIL. HAVING SOMEBODY YOU CAN BOUNCE THESE THINGS OFF OF AND GET ADVICE AND OBVIOUSLY THERAPY IS GREAT FOR THAT, TOO. AUDREY: THAT REMINDS ME, IN YOUR OPINION, WHEN IS IT TIME TO SEEK OUT MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT? BRITTANY: OBVIOUSLY I’M VERY BIASED IN THIS BUT RIGHT AWAY, YOU KNOW. IF YOU HAVE ANY TREPIDATION OF GOING BACK TO SCHOOL, OF GETTING BACK INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR, ABSOLUTELY SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP. WE WANT TO GET ON THE FRONT SIDE OF ANY OF THAT STRESS AND ANXIETY AND THEN OF COURSE IF YOU’RE SEEING SYMPTOMS WITHIN YOURSELF, WHETHER IT’S PANIC OR JUST OVERALL MALICE, SOME FEAR, OR IF YOU’RE SEEING IT IN A CO- WORKER, MAKE THIS ADJUSTMENT TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP. I THINK WE ALL NEED IT. I NEED IT. WE ALL DO. SO FIND SOMEBODY YOU CAN CONFIDE IN. FIND A MENTOR, A PROFESSIONAL AND JUST TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. AUDREY: THAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, TAKING CARE. BRITTANY, THANKS AS ALWAYS FOR JOINING US HERE ON THE LOCAL VIBE. YOU AT HOME CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH B

Winston-Salem counselor’s tips for teachers to address their mental health

Updated: 10:55 AM EDT Aug 1, 2022