Addressing Pandemic Schooling Behavior
My early parenting years inspired this piece. As a new mom to a six-year-old, I never rocked my girl to sleep as an infant or toddler. When she moved in, we had no established bedtime rhythm together, and nights were not easy for either one of us. If you’ve ever cared for a little one […]
Unpacking Big Stress with Rock, Paper, Scissors
Big stress is impacting educators—it’s influenced by a lack of substitute teachers, student behavior concerns, heated conflicts (e.g., over mask mandates, how history should be taught, or affirming gender identities), and more. Together, it creates distress that can increase school personnel’s vulnerability for burnout. That’s because ruptures in relationships take a toll. Many educators feel […]
Foster Self-Compassion by Listening to Your Body
Once a therapist said to me, “Self-love may be too hard; aim for self-compassion.” Self-compassion, though, can be difficult too. What gets in the way? Would clearly defining compassion and self-compassion help? And, how can educators deepen their compassionate practices by listening to their bodies, particularly when nearing the end of an incredibly stressful school […]
The Anniversary of the Pandemic’s Beginning
This month marks the one year anniversary of the time when many people started staying home as much as possible due to the pandemic. It’s important for educators to acknowledge the anniversary of the pandemic’s beginning. Not doing so would gloss over the changes, harm, injustice, loss, and resilience that is part of our collective […]
When Grief Comes to School: Sad Isn’t Bad
The 2020/2021 school year is a definitely a year when grief comes to school. That grief is caused by different losses. First, the pandemic has changed a lot for everyone. Some groups, however, are experiencing more illness, death, economic hardship, and trauma than others, with communities of color being most severely affected. As such, stressors […]
Questions for Trauma-Sensitive Decision-Making
A shorter version of “Questions for Trauma-Sensitive Decision-Making” was included on the Attachment & Trauma Network’s blog in the fall of 2020. Read it to explore four questions that will help you make trauma-sensitive decisions during the pandemic and beyond. The 2020/2021 school year during a pandemic is stressful for many school leaders, educators, families, […]
Supporting Students and Staff After COVID-19
Supporting Students and Staff After COVID-19: Your Trauma-Sensitive Back-to-School Transition Plan releases this month. I wrote it for every educator who is wondering how to support students in the wake of the pandemic. COVID-19 is a collective trauma that is affecting everyone, although not in the same ways. Importantly, these stressors are impacting you, as an […]