Teachers: What is your Back-to-School Mental Health Routine?

Supplies have been purchased, first day pictures have been shared, and school is back in session! 

What we know for sure, is that back to school season can bring up a lot of mixed feelings for parents and students and especially for educators and teachers!

Navigating the need to start the year off strong, implement the new systems and routines that seem to never remain stable from year to year, understanding and meeting students’ personal, emotional, academic, and behavioral needs while also setting clear expectations for classroom structures - not to mention getting back into the flow of lesson planning and grading can dim the post-summer glow real quick. 

Maybe you're already deep in grading and feedback, just trying to keep up with your planning, or thrilled to catch up with students’ about the newest social media trends that have been making the rounds this summer. Maybe you’re feeling the energy and excitement of the new school year, tentatively optimistic that this is the year when things will come together and finally click, or feeling like this is your last ditch effort to decide if you want to stay in the field or try something new. 

With all of the competing demands, it can also be an important time of year for teachers to consider your mental wellness. As the routines are settling in, consider what routines might also support your sense of peace, calm, and clarity. This might look like adding in some quiet moments of breathing between classes, setting an alarm for a consistent bedtime, or meditating after the day ends to create space in your brain and body. If you consistently find yourself coming home drained every day and feeling like you’ve already given everything you have to your work, you might consider setting firmer boundaries - not only for your time, but for how much energy you are willing to expend throughout your day on your work tasks. 

Working in a school is demanding of time, attention, energy, and presence, both for students and teachers. How are you supposed to find space in your day to check in with yourself, identify what you need, and do what it takes to meet that need when there’s barely enough time to eat a snack and use the restroom between classes? Having a counselor that is experienced with the back to school hustle can  support you in making the time to consider yourself and help with how to maximize your investment in your work can be a relief in your week. It’s not a time where you need to plan or show up a certain way - it’s your time to get what you need with the support of a present, attuned, caring professional who cares about your wellbeing - not just your efficacy and outcomes. 

In therapy, you might work with your counselor to understand the role of values in work, how to address negative thought cycles that interrupt joy, how patterns from past experiences might be impacting your current experience, or how to connect more deeply with yourself to understand more about what you feeling and learn ways to support yourself. Given the inherently personal, relational, and human work of educating and supporting others, finding the ways that work best for you to access and honor your own humanness with compassion can be a relief. Working with a therapist can help you make and hold space for yourself, your personal growth, and the goals you want to achieve in your life.

At Elevated Counseling & Wellness, here in Denver, Colorado, we have therapists that are passionate about working with teachers and other educators, as well as experienced with students. If you are interested in working with a therapist who gets the grind of working in schools, reach out - we are so excited and ready to support you and already think you are doing a great job!