PROFESSIONAL – Expert Help

Knowing who to call when your symptoms of compassion stress, compassion fatigue, or burnout have become too hard to bear is a necessary part of restoring your occupational wellbeing.

Medical doctors, therapists, and other trained professionals are the best resource to help you return to positive mental and emotional health.

“One of our colleagues committed suicide, and so the entire staff was just—I felt like it was out of nowhere, just very shocking. And this colleague had children. So we are all sort of taken aback by the event. Simultaneously, there’s just so much guilt, like we should have reached out. We should have known. I think that was very difficult.“

Research Study Participant

Sometimes, educators feel stigma against asking for help because of the myth of the hero teacher or the narrative that “teaching is hard, get used to it, and don’t complain”.

Protecting Your Heart from Emotional & Mental Burnout

“It’s not always the big events or students with big trauma. It’s the day to day emptying of my bucket with no one there to fill it, decreasing understanding by administrators about this, as well as decreasing respect for teachers from the general public. When I actually get to teach and help, I love it. The guilt of not being able to do it all is exhausting.”

Phase One Report, survey response, p. 40
Artwork by contest winner Judy Cook

Professional Interventions include

  • Regular physical check-ups with your family doctor
  • Regular check-ups and cleaning from your dentist
  • Meeting with a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist 
  • Accessing a distress or help phone line if you need to talk. Family and friends are a good start, but if you’re in the middle of crisis, a trained profession can help you more directly.
  • A lack of financial planning can be a cause of stress. Meeting with a financial advisor can help you with effectively managing your money.
  • Meet with a nutritionist 
  • Make an appointment with a fitness coach to meet your physical activity needs.
  • Massage, chiropractic, and other integrative medical practitioners.
  • Be aware of your what your benefits plan provider covers and use your benefits wisely.
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