Classroom Narratives: Healing in Education

📘 Episodic Synopsis In Part II of this two-part conversation, Dr. Joey Weisler and Christopher S. Mukiibi turn toward the heart of the work: connection, burnout, courage, and the deep human need to feel seen. Chris shares what his burnout research revealed — that connection, not rest alone, is what keeps teachers alive in the work — and how isolation inside classrooms can quietly erode purpose. T...

📘 Episodic Synopsis In this powerful conversation, Dr. Joey Weisler sits down with educator, mentor, and creator Christopher S. Mukiibi to explore what real learning actually is—and why education must help students suffer less, not just perform better. Drawing from his own first year of teaching after the pandemic, his “Learning Compass” framework, and his experiences supporting students living t...

🧭 Episodic Synopsis In this Weisler Alumni segment of Classroom Narratives: Healing in Education , Dr. Joey Weisler sits down with Tom —Army Reserve Staff Sergeant, communications specialist, husband, and returning college student—to explore what happens when education becomes a space for recovery rather than survival. Reflecting on his experience growing up in an underfunded rural school system,...

🎧 Episodic Synopsis In this powerful alumni spotlight episode of Classroom Narratives: Healing in Education , Dr. Joey Weisler reconnects with a former student, Dieunise, for an unfiltered conversation about what it truly means to be a student in today’s education system. From K–12 classrooms to college lecture halls, Dieunise reflects on how education has shifted from learning to survival—and wh...

🧠 Episodic Synopsis In this student-voice segment of Classroom Narratives: Healing in Education , Dr. Joey Weisler sits down with former student Florence Shirman, a neuroscience and behavior major at Florida Atlantic University, to reflect on what learning feels like when education moves beyond grades and toward meaning. Florence speaks candidly about her journey through school—from early experie...

🔗 Show Notes In this episode, Dr. Joey Weisler sits down with Dr. Lisa Kay—art therapist, professor, and national leader in art education—to unpack why classrooms can feel restorative but are not therapy rooms. Dr. Kay breaks down the essential differences between therapeutic spaces and clinical spaces, offers four pillars that make classrooms safer (predictability, flexibility, connection, empow...

📘 Episodic Synopsis In this powerful episode, Dr. Joey Weisler sits down with Dr. Susan B. Neuman —NYU Professor of Childhood Education, former U.S. Assistant Secretary for Elementary & Secondary Education, and one of the most influential voices in early literacy. Together they trace the complex landscape of American reading practices, the politicization of literacy, and what it truly takes t...

In this deeply personal solo segment, Dr. Joey Weisler traces the journey from his childhood dream of teaching, to the profound disillusionment he faced entering the classroom months after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas tragedy, to the transformation that led him toward resilience, boundary-setting, and wholehearted teaching. Drawing on stories from his first year in the classroom, his doctoral rese...

📘 Episode Synopsis In this episode of Classroom Narratives: Healing and Education , Dr. Joey Weisler sits down with author and educator Lincoln James , whose work spans decades, genres, and emotional terrain. Known for his haunting thrillers and his compassionate presence in the classroom, Lincoln shares how his novels— We Are Human , Written Just for You , The Vanishing Eight , and more—explore...

📘 Episode Synopsis In this deeply reflective episode, Dr. Joey Weisler welcomes Dr. Jamie Marich —trauma specialist, expressive artist, author of over a dozen books, and founder of the Institute for Creative Mindfulness . Together, they explore how trauma is not a life sentence but an unhealed wound that can mend through care, validation, and creative expression. From the limits of “safe space” l...

Episodic Synopsis In Part Two, Dr. Matthew Arau shares practical ways to transform classrooms through circles, peer-to-peer leadership, and his Power of GET — a mindset of gratitude, enthusiasm, and treasure that helps teachers and students thrive 🔗 Featured Links & Resources Power of GET Discover Dr. Arau’s signature mindset shift — moving from “have to” to “get to” — with resources, stories...

Episodic Synopsis In Part One, Dr. Matthew Arau shares how educators can find joy and trust even in the midst of burnout. He unpacks the six human needs, the difference between joy and happiness, and why the inner work of mindset sets the tone for our classrooms. 🔗 Featured Links & Resources Power of GET Discover Dr. Arau’s signature mindset shift — moving from “have to” to “get to” — with re...

📖 Episodic Synopsis In this episode of Classroom Narratives: Healing in Education , Dr. Joey Weisler speaks with Dr. Alexander Fields—Assistant Professor of counselor education at Florida Atlantic University, licensed professional counselor, and nationally certified counselor. Together, they explore Dr. Fields' groundbreaking work in suicide prevention among young adults with intellectual and dev...

Episodic Synopsis In this powerful episode of Classroom Narratives: Healing in Education , Dr. Joey Weisler sits down with award-winning musician, author, and youth empowerment coach Emma G. From surviving ten brain surgeries to transforming classrooms through songwriting, Emma shares how music can help students process emotions, confront trauma, and reclaim their voice. Drawing from her Māori her...

📘 **Episode Synopsis (for podcast directories): In this powerful episode, Dr. Joey Weisler welcomes Frances Shefter—former special education teacher turned education attorney—for a heartfelt conversation on what it means to advocate for students within (and often against) the system. As the founder of Shefter Law PA and the visionary behind the “Stress-Free IEP” method, Frances opens up about her...

📘 Episodic Synopsis (for episode notes): What does school safety look like beyond metal detectors and fire drills? In this gripping and deeply personal episode, Dr. Joey Weisler sits down with Chad Chaney—Marine Corps veteran, retired law enforcement sergeant, and current school safety manager for Florida Virtual School—to explore what it truly means to keep students safe. After walking through t...

📖 Episodic Synopsis In this episode of Classroom Narratives: Healing and Education , Dr. Joey Weisler sits down with Eleni Webster—survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas tragedy, Master's student, and Graduate Teaching Assistant for Public Speaking courses at Florida Atlantic University. Together, they explore how trauma shapes pedagogy, why culturally and emotionally informed teaching matters,...

⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of depression, suicidal ideation, and trauma, which may be distressing to some listeners. Disclaimer: The views expressed are not a substitute for professional mental health advice. Listener discretion is advised. 📘 Episode Synopsis In this powerful episode, Dr. Joey Weisler sits down with Stephanie Kunkel—leadership development expert, trauma...

✏️ Episodic Synopsis Brooklyn-based artist and educator Traci Molloy has spent over two decades creating collaborative art projects with youth impacted by trauma—from 9/11 to poverty, gun violence, and systemic injustice. In this deeply moving conversation, Traci reflects on her years as artist-in-residence at America’s Camp, her school-based healing initiatives post-COVID, and why collective artm...

📘 Episodic Synopsis What does it mean to treat a story as sacred? In this powerful conversation, trauma-informed storyteller and strategist Maria Bryan joins Dr. Joey Weisler to reframe how educators, nonprofits, and changemakers gather and share stories—without causing harm. From concepts like story readiness and agency to classroom-based tools for nervous system regulation, this episode offers...

📘 Episodic Synopsis (for episode notes) When her son’s suicide attempt became the breaking point, Jheri South did what any mother would—she stepped in, learned everything she could about ADHD, and became the coach he needed to survive. In this gripping and compassionate conversation, Jheri opens up about raising seven neurodivergent children, confronting rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD), and...

~SENSITIVE CONTENT WARNING~ 📘 Episodic Synopsis: When a fourth-grade student brought a weapon into her classroom, Amber—a dedicated teacher of 14 years—faced a decision no educator should ever have to make. Rather than "sweep it under the rug," she chose to speak up, advocate for her students, and walk away from a toxic system. In this deeply vulnerable episode, Amber (@beautifullyorganizedchaos)...

🎧 Episode Synopsis: In this special roundtable episode—the first in a new, ongoing Weisler Alumni series—Dr. Joey Weisler reconnects with two of his former eighth-grade students: Mandy Lanier, a dance and neuroscience major at the University of Florida, and Ryan Romero (aka DJ Romi), a communications major and campus DJ at Nova Southeastern University. Together, they reflect on what it means to b...

📘 Episodic Synopsis: In this deeply reflective episode, Dr. Joey Weisler is joined by Professor Brenda Cowan—author, theorist, and educator at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York city—to explore how everyday objects in classrooms, museums, and memory-laden spaces carry the power to heal. Through her groundbreaking framework Psychotherapeutic Object Dynamics , Cowan breaks down the sev...

📘 Episode Synopsis In this powerful and resonant episode of Classroom Narratives: Healing in Education , Dr. Joey Weisler sits down with Dr. Guiliana Conti—music educator, researcher, and Director of Professional Development at Music Workshop —to explore how music transcends curriculum and becomes a lifeline for student connection, regulation, and identity. Through personal stories and practical...