The School of Wellbeing with Meg Durham

"It's definitely not a destination. It's a journey." - Megan Corcoran Who supports the people who support everyone else? Meg Durham speaks with educator, former school leader and trauma-informed education specialist Megan Corcoran about her new book, Beyond Survival Mode: Thriving as a Trauma-Informed Professional . Together, they explore what survival mode really is, what it means...

“What we carry each day might not change, but the way we carry it can.” - Dr Libby (PhD) What are you carrying that no one else can see? In this episode of The School of Wellbeing podcast, Meg Durham is joined by Dr Libby (PhD) to explore The Invisible Load: A Guide to Overcoming Stress and Overwhelm . Together, they unpack the hidden weight many people carry each day. The thoughts, responsibiliti...

“When we skip the thinking, we often create more work for ourselves.” Janine Stratford When was the last time you gave yourself time to think? In this episode, Meg Durham sits down with Janine Stratford , author of Leading for Tomorrow, Today: School Leadership with Purpose, Alignment and Lasting Impact , to explore the role of strategic thinking in the day-to-day reality of school life. This conv...

“We’re all in the same storm, just in different boats.” Daniela Falecki So much has changed in how we understand staff wellbeing in schools, and with that, the way we approach it is evolving, inviting us to notice what is shaping our experience of work each day. Through the layers of the me, the we and the us, we begin to see that staff wellbeing is shaped within us, between us and around us. In t...

“Investigations take time. Reputational damage is instant.” - Susan McLean What’s happening to school staff online? In this episode,  Susan McLean  shares about the growing reality of online risk for teachers and school leaders. From targeted harassment and aggressive parent communication, to being named and discussed in community forums, and the rise of AI generated content and deep fakes, the na...

“What we do during the day is carried into the night time.” Maria Ruberto In this episode, Meg Durham speaks with Maria Ruberto about the neuroscience of sleep and why so many big-hearted educators and school leaders feel exhausted yet unable to switch off at night. They explore what is happening in the brain when hyperarousal overrides sleep pressure, why the emotional labour of teaching lingers...

“Burnout is a sense of feeling overwhelmed by stuff. There is more coming at us than we have the ability currently to handle.” – Sue Langley What’s really driving burnout in schools? In this episode, Meg Durham sits down with Sue Langley to explore burnout through a systems lens. Together, they unpack why focusing on behaviour alone is rarely enough. Because burnout isn’t just about time managemen...

Where do your thoughts go at the end of a busy school day? In this episode, Meg Durham is joined by Greer Kharidi to explore professional supervision and why it’s one of the most important, yet missing, supports for big-hearted humans working in schools. Meg and Greer unpack the emotional load educators carry, the complex decisions they are making every day, and why so many people are left to proc...

“Self-preservation is about intentional actions that protect ourselves.” - Bianca McLeish What if working harder isn’t the answer? In this powerful conversation, educator and school leader Bianca McLeish shares her personal journey from burnout to self-preservation, drawing on insights from her book, 'Teacher Wellbeing Transformed: Break Free From Survival Mode Before Burnout'. Together, M...

"Our default way of being is so strong, and the more depleted we are, the more likely we are to fall back to these default patterns." - Meg Durham In this final episode of The School of Wellbeing, Meg is interviewed by friend and colleague, David Bott , in a warm, honest and often hilarious reflection on the year that was. Together they explore the messy moments, the quiet wins and the sto...

“Conversations are messy, and that's okay." - Kel Innis In this episode of the School of Wellbeing podcast, Meg Durham sits down with primary school principal Kel Innis for an honest and practical conversation about the moments in school life that many of us try to avoid. Together they explore the reality of important conversations, the emotions that arise and the skills that help us appro...

“Culture is shaped by the behaviours we encourage and the ones we tolerate.” – Adam Voigt In this episode, Meg chats with education leader and founder of Real Schools , Adam Voigt, for a practical and honest conversation about what school culture really is and how it’s created. Together, they explore the daily interactions, expectations and relationships that influence the way a school feels and f...

“When the cognitive load is too high, and you're not coping, it really tears away at the fabric of who you think you are.” Georgia Park In this rich and reflective episode, Meg is joined by Tasmanian instructional coach and literacy leader Georgia Park to explore how understanding Cognitive Load Theory can transform the way we teach, learn, and lead in schools. Georgia shares her journey from...

“Who we are beyond our work shapes how we show up within it.” Mark Worthington In this episode of The School of Wellbeing, Meg Durham sits down with Mark Worthington, Head of Player Development Manager at the Geelong Cats and former teacher, to explore what it means to have an identity beyond work. Together they discuss the parallels between education and elite sport including the intensity, the t...

“Turn learning from shame making into thrill seeking.” - Andrew Fuller Andrew Fuller, Clinical psychologist joins Meg Durham to reframe neurodivergence through a strengths based lens. We explore why labels alone are not enough, how teachers can think like coaches, and practical ways to change the neurochemistry of a room on purpose. Andrew explains myelination and unique strengths, shows how langu...

"When we're self-reflective, we bring our better self.” - Tracey Ezard Ever noticed how one person can shift the energy in a room? In this episode of The School of Wellbeing, Meg Durham is joined by leadership expert, keynote speaker and educator Tracey Ezard to explore how our presence, mindset and emotional tone influence school culture, team dynamics and professional relationships. Toge...

“I want new teachers to be teachers for a long time.” - Tom Brunzell Education is always evolving, and one of the most significant shifts in recent years has been the rise of trauma-informed practice and wellbeing in schools. In this episode of The School of Wellbeing podcast, Meg Durham speaks with Dr Tom Brunzell , Director of Education at Berry Street and co-author of Creating Trauma-Informed,...

“Let's recognise the autonomy and the power and the control we have to make schools great workplaces for educators.” Amy Green Workload in education is one of the biggest challenges facing schools today. It shapes the way teachers teach, the way school leaders lead, and the way students learn. In this episode, host Meg Durham speaks with Amy Green , educator, leader, and author of Teacher Well...

“Language heavily impacts our psychological realities.” - Lindsay G Oades PhD In schools, we often hear the terms mental health, wellbeing and flourishing, but are we clear on what they really mean? In this practical and thought-provoking conversation, Meg Durham is joined by internationally acclaimed wellbeing scientist, educator and author Professor Lindsay G. Oades . Together, they explore the...

“Just because that's the way it's always been done doesn't mean that it actually works.” - Lael Stone Do you own your story, or does it own you? In this powerful and deeply relatable conversation, speaker, educator, and author Lael Stone shares insights from her new book, Own Your Story: Understanding Your Past to Create Your Future . Lael gently guides us through what it means to beco...

“What we need to do is try to break that cycle of compulsive behaviour.” - Dr Helen Kelly Why is it so hard to switch off? Even when the school day ends, the work often follows us home, in our minds, in our emails and in the emotional weight we carry. In this episode, Meg Durham is joined by Dr Helen Kelly to explore why switching off feels so difficult and how learning to switch off is a skill ev...

“The best resource we have for challenges is connection.” - Mathew Disher Is learning possible without wellbeing? In this episode, Meg Durham speaks with Mathew Disher , Director of Learning and Wellbeing at Concordia College, about the powerful connection between how we feel and how we learn. Together, they explore the Equilibrium Model of Wellbeing, the role of social resourcing, and why embraci...

“Know that you don't have to do this alone and know that you don't have to come up with these answers alone.” - Kristen Douglas What can we do when tragedy strikes a school community? In this important episode, Meg Durham is joined by Kristen Douglas , Head of Headspace Schools and Communities, to explore how educators can respond to crisis with compassion, clarity and care. With nearly tw...

“Growth comes from reflection, not from perfection.” - David Bott What lessons can we learn from getting it wrong? In this episode of   The School of Wellbeing ,   Meg Durham   is joined by   David Bott , Co-Founder of The Wellbeing Distillery and a globally respected educator, to explore the lessons we can learn from getting it wrong. Together, they unpack the emotional weight of mistakes, the po...

“Our words carry such weight and such power that they're better off being said even in an imperfect way than not being said at all.” - Michelle Mitchell Is it the small moments that truly connect us? In this heartwarming episode, educator, author and speaker Michelle Mitchell joins Meg Durham to explore the quiet power of everyday conversations. Together they discuss how small interactions, a...