On Friday, April 18, from 3:30–4:30 PM (Arizona time), I’m hosting a free educator wellness workshop on Zoom called Self-Care and Compassion Fatigue for Educators. This session goes beyond the usual solutions to burnout and talk about “taking care of yourself” and digs into what schools can actually do to support staff well-being in real, sustainable ways.
Cameras are optional, and everyone who registers will receive a video version of the session (not just a recording, but one made specifically for you to revisit or share) along with all the handouts. If you’re ready for something deeper than reminders to “breathe,” I hope you’ll join us. The link to register is here and at the bottom of this article!
By Dr. Tim Grivois, Executive Director
Why Educator Wellness Workshops Must Go Beyond Self-Care
If you’ve worked schools long enough, you’ve probably heard some version of this: “Don’t pour from an empty cup.” While the sentiment is true, it often shows up in ways that feel performative at best—and dismissive at worst. What most educators need is not just encouragement to take care of themselves. What they need are systemic solutions to burnout—solutions that honor their work, respect their time, and actually make life better.
Sustainable Self-Care Starts with Systems, Not Slogans
A typical educator wellness workshop tends to focus on what individuals should do for self-care. However the idea that teacher wellness is an individual responsibility puts the burden on the very people already stretched to their limits. Instead, sustainable self-care for educators begins when school systems ask better questions:
- Are our planning expectations realistic?
- Do we give staff time to collaborate meaningfully?
- Are our behavior support systems designed to support staff and students?
When schools structure time, leadership, and expectations in ways that value people, staff begin to experience self-care not as something they must do alone, but as something the system helps make possible.
A Trauma-Informed Approach—For Adults
We often talk about being trauma-informed when supporting students, but what about the adults? Trauma-informed staff support means recognizing that educators—especially those working with students facing adversity—can also be impacted by what they experience. This includes secondary traumatic stress, emotional exhaustion, and moral injury.
What helps isn’t a cupcake in the staff lounge, at least not until we consider a schedule that includes breaks, supervision that prioritizes care over compliance, and school cultures that recognize distress and respond with empathy—not discipline.
Emotionally Safe Schools (For Adults, Too)
Educators thrive when they feel safe—emotionally, psychologically, and professionally. That’s why emotionally safe schools for adults are essential to any meaningful school improvement effort. These are environments where people can say:
- “I need help,” and not be judged.
- “This isn’t working,” and be taken seriously.
- “I’m struggling,” and be offered support, not scrutiny.
Just like students, adults need relationships, boundaries, and a sense of belonging to learn, grow, and lead well.
The Relational Approach to Staff Wellness
The most powerful wellness strategy? Relationships. A relational approach to educator wellness means creating structures where people are connected, not isolated. This looks like:
- Peer mentoring, not just evaluation.
- Collaborative planning time, not just prep periods.
- Principals checking in with staff, not just checking boxes.
When staff feel seen, supported, and part of something that matters, their capacity to care—for themselves and their students—grows.
Final Thought:
Wellness isn’t an extra. It’s the foundation. When schools take adult wellness seriously—not as a slogan, but as a system—everyone benefits. Educators feel better. Students learn more. And the school community becomes a place where people want to stay.
If you’d like to join me for a free educator wellness workshop on all of this (with no group breathing exercises or any mention of how much water you should drink), you can click here to register.