The survey data is clear: our students are struggling. But here’s what often goes unsaid: so are you.
You witness the pain. You manage the outbursts. You hold space for stories that break your heart.
One survey respondent captured it perfectly: “Teachers need these services.”
Teacher self-care matters! You can’t pour from an empty cup. Here are 10 evidence-based self-care strategies to sustain you while you help break cycles of pain and violence in our children’s lives.
1. Recognise Secondary Stress—And Name It
What our data shows: Teachers encounter depression, suicidal thoughts, rage attacks, self-harm, and anxiety in students daily. This constant exposure creates secondary stress—absorbing others’ pain until it becomes your own.
Your self-care action: Learn the symptoms of secondary stress in yourself:
- Persistent negative emotions
- Difficulty “turning off” after work
- Cynicism or feeling numb
- Physical symptoms (headaches, fatigue, sleep issues)
- Reduced empathy (compassion fatigue)
Why it matters: You can’t address what you don’t acknowledge. Naming the toll this work takes removes shame and opens the door to healing.
Do this today: Journal for 5 minutes on this prompt: “What situations have stayed with me this week, and what emotions am I carrying?”
2. Set Boundaries Between School and Home
What our data shows: With 42,710 students across Catholic schools and countless cases of children suffering from cycles of violence and neglect, the work never truly ends. But trying to be “always on” guarantees burnout.
Your self-care action: Create clear boundaries:
- Designate a “transition ritual” between work and home (change clothes, listen to music, take a walk)
- Set specific times you’ll check school emails—and stick to them
- Create a physical boundary (leave school materials in your car, not your bedroom)
- Practice saying: “I care deeply about my students, AND I need rest to serve them well”
Why it matters: Boundaries aren’t selfish. They’re essential for sustainable care.
Do this today: Choose ONE boundary to implement this week and communicate it to yourself and others.
3. Join or Create a Teacher Support Network
What our data shows: Survey respondents specifically requested “support or network groups for carers.” You’re not meant to carry this alone.
Your self-care action: Connect with colleagues who understand:
- Start a weekly “teacher check-in” group (even 15 minutes helps)
- Join existing support networks through your school or union
- Create a WhatsApp group for venting (with ground rules about confidentiality)
- Attend teacher wellness workshops when offered
Why it matters: Isolation amplifies stress. Community creates resilience.
Do this today: Text three colleagues: “Would you be interested in a monthly teacher support meetup? No agenda, just space to decompress.”
4. Access Professional Mental Health Support
What our data shows: While students need therapists, so do teachers. The survey revealed gaps in accessible mental health services—but resources do exist.
Your self-care action: Prioritise your own therapy or counselling:
- Access EAP (Employee Assistance Programs) if your school offers them
- Seek sliding-scale therapists if cost is a barrier
- Consider faith-based counselling that integrates your spiritual values
- Look into telehealth options for convenience
Why it matters: You deserve the same compassionate care you provide students. Therapists help you process the emotional weight of working with children experiencing violence and pain.
Do this today: Research one therapist or counselling service and schedule a consultation.
5. Practice Micro-Moments of Mindfulness
What our data shows: Teachers witness anxiety, insomnia, and rage attacks in students—while experiencing similar symptoms themselves from the stress of the work.
Your self-care action: Build mindfulness into your school day:
- Three deep breaths between classes
- 60-second body scan during lunch (notice tension, release it)
- Mindful walking to your car (notice your surroundings, ground yourself)
- Brief prayer or meditation before school starts
Why it matters: You don’t need hour-long yoga sessions. Micro-moments reset your nervous system throughout the day.
Do this today: Set three phone alarms labeled “Breathe” at strategic times (mid-morning, lunch, end of day).
6. Protect Your Physical Health Fiercely
What our data shows: The survey identified psychosomatic disorders—physical symptoms from psychological stress. Your body keeps the score of constant exposure to children’s pain.
Your self-care action: Treat physical health as non-negotiable:
- Prioritise 7-8 hours of sleep (even if it means saying no to other things)
- Eat regular meals (pack snacks for busy school days)
- Move your body (walking, dancing, sports—whatever brings joy)
- Stay hydrated throughout the school day
- Schedule annual check-ups and don’t skip them
Why it matters: Working with children experiencing violence and neglect depletes you physically. Your body needs fuel, rest, and movement to sustain caregiving.
Do this today: Identify ONE physical health habit you’ve neglected and schedule it (doctor appointment, meal prep time, bedtime alarm).
7. Engage in Activities That Have Nothing to Do With Teaching
What our data shows: When your entire identity becomes “teacher who helps children break cycles of violence,” burnout is inevitable. You need spaces where you’re just… you.
Your self-care action: Reclaim non-work identity:
- Resume a hobby you abandoned (art, music, gardening, reading for pleasure)
- Join a recreational sports team or fitness class
- Volunteer somewhere completely different
- Spend time with friends who aren’t teachers
- Pursue learning that’s just for you (cooking class, dance lessons, language study)
Why it matters: Diversifying your identity creates resilience. You’re more than your job.
Do this today: Schedule ONE hour this week for an activity that has nothing to do with teaching or students.
8. Learn to Recognise Your Own Emotional Triggers
What our data shows: Teachers with their own ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) histories may be triggered by student situations that mirror their past. This intensifies the emotional burden you carry.
Your self-care action: Develop self-awareness:
- Take the ACE & PACE assessment yourself
- Notice which student stories affect you most intensely (that’s information)
- Identify your stress responses (do you shut down? get angry? overfunction?)
- Develop grounding techniques for triggering moments
- Work with a therapist on your own childhood experiences
Why it matters: Understanding your triggers helps you respond rather than react—protecting both you and your students.
Do this today: Take the ACE & PACE assessment and reflect on what you discover.
9. Celebrate Small Wins and Practice Gratitude
What our data shows: Constant exposure to children’s pain can create “negativity bias”—your brain focuses on what’s going wrong while missing what’s going right.
Your self-care action: Actively cultivate positive awareness:
- Keep a “wins journal”—three small victories each day
- Share one positive student story with a colleague daily
- Notice moments of connection, growth, or joy
- Practice gratitude specifically for your capacity to show up
- Celebrate progress, not just outcomes
Why it matters: Gratitude literally rewires your brain, building resilience against the emotional weight of this work.
Do this today: Text a colleague one positive thing you noticed today. Start the practice of seeing good alongside hard.
10. Know When to Ask for Help—And Actually Ask
What our data shows: The survey revealed that while 120+ educators have been trained in recognising and responding to children’s pain, support systems for teachers themselves remain insufficient. Asking for help isn’t weakness—it’s wisdom.
Your self-care action: Build your help-seeking muscle:
- Identify trusted colleagues you can be honest with
- Know your school’s process for requesting support (mental health days, reduced load, crisis intervention)
- Connect with your union representative about teacher wellness resources
- Reach out to administrators when a situation exceeds your capacity
- Consider taking a mental health day when you need it—without guilt
Why it matters: You teach students that asking for help is brave. Model it for yourself too.
Do this today: Identify ONE person you could reach out to if you needed support, and let them know: “I might need to lean on you sometimes.”
The Truth About Self-Care for Teachers
Self-care isn’t bubble baths and spa days (though those are nice). Self-care is:
✓ Setting boundaries so you can sustain the work
✓ Processing the emotional weight so it doesn’t accumulate
✓ Connecting with others who understand
✓ Protecting your physical and mental health
✓ Maintaining identity beyond your job
✓ Asking for help before you break
It’s not selfish. It’s survival.
The survey data shows our students need us—desperately. But they need us healthy, grounded, and resourced.
You cannot be that for them if you’re running on empty.
Your Weekly Self-Care Checklist
Print this. Put it on your desk. Check in weekly:
□ I set at least one boundary between work and home
□ I connected with another teacher for mutual support
□ I practiced at least three micro-moments of mindfulness
□ I prioritised sleep, food, or movement
□ I engaged in one activity unrelated to teaching
□ I noticed my emotional state and responded with compassion
□ I celebrated at least one small win
□ I asked for help if I needed it
If you checked fewer than 4, pause. Reassess. You’re running too low.
Resources for Teachers:
- Take the ACE & PACE Assessment: Click here
- Access training and support through the Samaritan Movement
- Connect with teacher support networks in your area
- Seek professional support if you’re struggling
You teach students that it’s okay to need help. Now practice what you teach.
