Educator Wellness Podcast

During this episode, Dr. Shelli Kesler, Director of the Brain Health Neuroscience Lab at the University of Texas – Austin, joins me to talk about the importance of nurturing our intellectual wellness. We talk about how to cultivate mental growth as well as improve concentration, memory, and critical thinking skills. 

Reading, doing challenging puzzles, thinking through a creative project, learning how to play a musical instrument, etc., are just a few of the strategies we discuss. Tune in to learn more about how to challenge your mind and stimulate curiosity and creativity.  

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Visit our website: https://scsmh.education.uiowa.edu

Special guests Mary Jane Cobb, Amira Nash, and Dr. Will Coghill-Behrends, join me for a captivating conversation about educator wellness and the future of the profession.

Each brings a unique viewpoint and expertise to the topic. Mary Jane is the Executive Director of the Iowa State Education Association, while Amira and Will both work in the University of Iowa College of Education. Amira serves as the  Associate Director of Programs and Partnerships in the Baker Teacher Leader Center, and Will is an Clinical Associate Professor of Multilingual Education. 

Learn about:

• Tips to individually and collectively enhance educators' occupational and financial dimensions of wellness
• Strategies educators can employ to positively impact the profession, their peers, and personal well-being

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Visit our website: https://scsmh.education.uiowa.edu

January is often associated with a new, improved self. So, today special guest Dr. Susannah Coaston joins me to chat about self-improvement and how we can use self-compassion to counteract self-criticism.

A certified wellness counselor and independently licensed professional counselor and supervisor, Dr. Coaston has 15+ years of experience working with a wide-range of clinical concerns. She currently serves as Associate Professor of Counseling & Human Services at Northern Kentucky University.

Learn about:

• Achieving self-improvement through self-compassion
• Our spiritual dimension of wellness – finding purpose, values, and meaning in life
• The paradox of being present and accepting what is in order to clearly see areas that need some work or practice

Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Visit our website: https://scsmh.education.uiowa.edu

Just in time for the holidays, I welcome Dr. Jacob Priest to the podcast. Jacob, Associate Professor and Director of Couple and Family Therapy at the University of Iowa College of Education, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Director of the LGBTQ Counseling Clinic. 

Learn about:

• Managing emotions to meaningfully connect with others during stressful times
• How to navigate different types of relationships
• Setting firm and kind boundaries in relationships 

Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Visit our website: https://scsmh.education.uiowa.edu

An expert in brain health and the author of Move the Body, Heal the Mind,  Dr. Jennifer Heisz joins our podcast today to explore how our physical wellness connects to our mental health.

She is Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Brain Health and Aging at McMaster University where she directs the NeuroFit lab. Her award-winning research examines the effects of physical activity on brain function to promote mental health and cognition in young adults, older adults, and individuals with Alzheimer’s disease.

Learn about:

• Physical activity’s effect on brain function
• Ways to create and maintain health habits to build a stable wellness system
• Fascinating discoveries connecting  movement and sleep

Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Visit our website: https://scsmh.education.uiowa.edu

In our inaugural podcast episode, I chat with Dr. Peggy Swarbrick, Research Professor and Associate Director of the Center of Alcohol & Substance Abuse Use Studies at Rutgers University. 

She has worked for 25 years as the Director of the Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey Wellness Institute. Recently Dr. Swarbrick developed a Wellness Training Learning Collaborative (W-TLC) designed to support the wellness of the workforce and is a collaborator on peer support models for healthcare professionals and educators to prevent burnout.

 Learn about: 

• The connection between prioritizing educator wellness and centering the needs of students and families
• How identity plays a role in the 8-dimensions of wellness
• How our wellness habits impact our brain, emotions, perspective, etc
• What the relationship between self-care and burnout looks like

Thanks for listening! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Visit our website: https://scsmh.education.uiowa.edu