Are we implementing another checkbox initiative without the intent or funds to ensure successful follow-through? Recently, Illinois Governor Pritzker signed legislation requiring annual mental health screenings for students in grades 3-12. The process and model will be developed and overseen by the Illinois State Board of Education. Schools will be required to connect families with the BEACON Portal to find psychiatric care. According to NBC Chicago, the "screenings are de

If you’ve followed my work for a while, you know that educator mental health has been at the center of almost everything I’ve done. From...

Most of us have heard some sort of metaphor about keeping our personal challenges and professional lives separate such as "keep it in...

I have been asked more in the last two months than ever in my life if I am a licensed counselor or therapist. I feel like I always make...

This is an excerpt from my newest manuscript which is co-written with Dr. Ashley Streeter tentatively titled The Wounded Healer due out...

It's human nature to try to organize information onto a continuum or into boxes. Especially during the course of an increased level of...

To help our students be successful, we know that teaching them to problem solve and search resources for what they need is a necessary...

There are few other professions or systems that need to be more closely aligned than education in order to function. Administration...

My youngest daughter is adopted. She was brought home as a 10-month-old baby from Guatemala all chunkiness and big brown eyes. We were in...

Even people who speak on mental health and know the impact of mental health issues can struggle. I've been dealing with emotional...

The idea of discussing teacher pay has long been largely ignored. At the root, it seems that as a society we underpay professions that...

As a mental health advocate and consultant, I speak about self-care. A lot. Districts ask me to come in and speak about self-care. A...

The wounded healer is a pretty common psychological term that refers to the idea that people who consider themselves healers can only...

Since the day I started speaking openly about my own mental health issues roughly seven years ago, I have owned my issues and my healing....

Resilience has become a buzzword throughout the pandemic. I’ve used it myself – admittedly we need to cultivate resilience in ourselves...

Over the course of the Pandemic I’ve taken the opportunity to dive into reflection and learning more about emotions and how they control...

I like warm hugs. There, I said it. I’ve never considered myself much of a hugger, but since the pandemic, I have developed a new...

I’m not smart enough to keep up with new technology. I’m not cut out for this new way of teaching. I’m not good enough to be able to keep...

One of my professional interests that I am most passionate about is the concept of how I came back from the strong desire I had to leave...

I haven’t made it a secret on social media that I have been struggling to write blog posts lately. It seems like something that should be...