Teacher Wellbeing

This is a great conversation with Katrina Bourke, an ex-teacher and Deputy Principal who now coaches caring professionals out of their overwhelm and stress, and into balance and flow. After decades of constant busy-ness, self-judgment, comparison and feeling never-quite-good-enough, she has learned to accept and manage all of that and make long-lasting change. Katrina shares her story of overcomin...

I interview my sister, Naomi, about her experiences as a primary school teacher in Queensland, Australia and in London, England. We also talk about the importance of the community aspects of teaching and the pros and cons of being married to a teacher. Naomi has some great ideas about work-life balance and what that looks like for teachers compared with other professions, as well as some excellent...

It's been a while between drinks but I'm back with the first episode of Season 2! In this episode I share where I've been, why I took such an unexpectedly big break between seasons and what to expect from the second season of the podcast. I also cover some of the insidious symptoms of burnout and why I believe the teacher burnout conversation needs to shift focus going forwards. Plus, I am introdu...

In this episode, Ellen discusses the need for differentiation not only for students in the classroom but also for adults seeking health, happiness and wellbeing. When it comes to self-care, there is no one-size-fits-all and realising this can help us shift out of comparisonitis and perfectionism. Having a good understanding of our own personality and individual traits can help us tailor wellbeing...

In this episode, Ellen interiews Julie , a high school English teacher who also runs the educational consulting business Teacher Mindset. She shares her journey towards creating more wellbeing in her life, including the health scare that led to a lightbulb moment about the job. Julie's focus is always on the strength of the relationships she has with her students, colleagues and the community, and...

In this episode Ellen shares a number of metaphors that can help understand the way priorities work. Following on from the last episode about burnout, she also explains why focusing on solutions is more productive than focusing on the problem. In the goal of burnout prevention, the focus needs to be on moving towards what we do want (health, wellbeing and self-care) rather than away from what we d...

In this episode Ellen explains the three main components of burnout and why it is different from straight exhaustion. She also discusses the difference between chronic and acute stress, and how long term stress impacts the body and the contribution that can make to burnout. A must listen for anybody who experiences stress at work or physical and emotional exhaustion. Understanding and tuning in to...

In this episode, Ellen interviews Diana, a teacher, fellow self-care advocate and anxiety coach. Diana has some excellent tips and tricks to share. She discusses her experiences managing her health with teaching and now motherhood, the benefits of letting go of perfectionism, as well as the importance of modelling vulnerability and authenticity to her students and colleagues. "Let's have some comp...

In this episode, Ellen interviews Broden. Broden is an Aussie high school English teacher living and working in London. He shares his experiences of the differences between the education systems in Australia and the U.K. as well as a bit about how he tries to work smarter instead of harder. "Do your marking on the tube! What else are you going to do? It's down time. You might as well get things do...

In this episode, Ellen interviews LeeAnne from Holistically Healthy Teacher. LeeAnne was a teacher for 19 years and spent most of that time in early childhood and special education in rural, public schools. Now she's an Integrative Nutritionist with a passion for health and wellness, work with teachers to support their health and wellness. Sign up for the Self-Care for Teachers newsletter here .

In this episode, Ellen interviews a 2nd year teacher. Having started her career as a social worker (another career with high burnout rates) and growing up with a family of teachers, Jane entered the teaching profession with a better understanding than most of the work expected and how important self-care is for sustained health and wellbeing. And yet, she found she was not immune from the typical...

Do you ever think about your thinking? The language that we use, whether thinking or speaking, has a powerful impact on the way we experience the world. One example of this is the word tolerance, which has a lot of positive connotations. People associate it with noble concepts such as multiculturalism, religious freedom, harmony in relationships and even world peace. Indeed, many people list toler...

This episode is a must for anyone who has struggled with depression or feels like something is missing in their life. Carolyn shares her journey, and it's a deep and very meaningful conversation. I resonated with this story so much, and I feel that my life is better for having crossed paths with Carolyn. This is real and honest and vulnerable, and just the kinds of conversations we all need to be...

This question comes up a lot, and it is important to address. Yet asking 'Is Self-Care Selfish?' also kind of misses the point. It hints at but doesn't properly acknowledge some of our deepest fears. In this episode, Ellen explores some alternative questions to ask instead to get to the heart of the issue. Sign up for the Self-Care for Teachers newsletter here .

Ellen speaks to Daniel, an Aussie teaching in an International School. We hear his experiences and insights about teaching in a variety of contexts, maintaining health while balancing not only the pressures of the classroom but also language barriers and culture shock, as well as the benefits of taking bold action to make amazing memories early in your teaching career. "If you are a pre-service te...

What is Self-Care? What are the barriers to self-care and why do they hold us back? What does teaching and self-care have to do with International Women's Day? In this episode, Ellen discusses the five facets of self-care, why guilt is the number one self-care sabotage how self-care can help you #BeBoldForChange this IWD. "Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation and that...

Ellen interviews Shailee, a high school teacher who took some time away from teaching in order to figure out how to balance her passion for making an impact with having a life of her own. "It's realising that I can be very good at what I do, I can enjoy what I do, without being what I do." Sign up for the Self-Care for Teachers newsletter here .

In this episode, Ellen shares a children's story that can serve as a helpful reminder for preventing burnout, as well as a number of useful metaphors to illustrate the point. Sign up for the Self-Care for Teachers newsletter here .

In the first teacher story episode, Ellen interviews Rebekah, a high school teacher who has some valuable insights to share about growing up, finding yourself, being 'too busy' and that elusive work-life balance. "When you do achieve that balance, work satisfaction actually increases. I don't think I've been happier in my job than right now, and yet I've had to make some of these hard decisions. A...

In this episode, the host is in the hot seat. Ellen tells her story from ill-health to wellbeing in the education system, shares the changes she made in her life to prioritise her health and happiness and explains what self-care means to her. Sign up for the Self-Care for Teachers newsletter here .

In this episode, Ellen explains why she started this podcast, what the podcast is about, who is this show for and what you can expect from this podcast going forward. Sign up for the Self-Care for Teachers newsletter here .