Are you a North Carolina teacher feeling overwhelmed by the demands of your position?
Are you leaving school feeling exhausted each day? On the verge of burning out?
If you’re feeling tired and disengaged, there’s a good chance it’s related to trauma or secondary traumatic stress, sometimes called compassion fatigue or vicarious trauma. Teachers are oftentimes so focused on taking care of others that it becomes easy to neglect their own mental and emotional health. Teaching is one of the most emotional demanding jobs in the country. Without prioritizing mental and emotional wellbeing, your stress levels won’t budge. Your mental health isn’t only important to you-- research shows that your mental wellness as an educator is directly linked to physical health, family wellness, school stability, and student achievement.
We want to help alleviate that feeling of overwhelm. Several of our therapists are former teachers themselves and have years of experience working with issues educators face such as demanding deadlines, classroom management, behavioral issues, interpersonal conflicts between staff and administration, academic demands, parent expectations, lack of emotional support, stress of not having time for planning and meetings, and so much more....
There is a significant lack of emotional support for educators. We will support you in your own mental and emotional wellness journey, as well as provide resources and concrete ideas on how you can support the students in your classroom. Together, we'll explore issues related to grief, anxiety, depression, interpersonal challenges and life transitions. We're attuned to the challenges that can come up in the helping professions, as it can be difficult to find a healthy balance of providing for others and receiving enough yourself. We utilize mind-body based techniques, CBT, and a variety of supportive therapeutic modalities. We will support you in self-reflection and reconnecting with your internal strengths and resources, enhancing your overall wellbeing and attention to self-care.
What does therapy for teachers look like?
Visit this detailed FAQ page if you want a deep-dive, but in a nutshell here's how it goes down:
First, complete our Contact Form, providing some basic details about yourself.
Our Client Care Coordinator, Melissa Thomas, will contact you within 24-48hrs to discuss which therapist you think would be the best fit for you and determine whether you'd like to schedule online or in-person appointments. We offer both!
Create an account in our online portal after Melissa sends you a link to complete your intake paperwork. BONUS-- if you work in a NC public school and have the BCBS State Health Plan your therapy sessions are 100% covered by insurance through the end of 2021, meaning your copay will be $0!
Meet with your therapist for your first session. This appointment will be about 1 hour and is an information-gathering session. Your therapist will ask questions about your presenting concerns, as well as your history and background. Most likely you'll talk about your current symptoms or struggles, as well as your relationships, interests, strengths, and goals. Most importantly, your first session is about making a connection with your therapist. You should feel safe, accepted, respected, and comfortable. Not all therapists are right for every person, so use your first session to assess whether or not the therapist you chose feels like a good match for you.
You'll come up with a plan with your therapist to return for weekly, every other week, and sometimes monthly appointments. Usually therapists recommend coming weekly or every other week for a few months, and then one you've learned some good skills to help you manage and are feeling better, slowing down to meeting every month or so.
That's it! You're on your journey to managing your stress and taking good care of yourself. Your students deserve it, your family deserves it, but most importantly, YOU deserve it.