How Teachers Can Improve Their Mental Health in Only 20 Minutes

…a venting Session with A’tajene “Tazz” Anderson is the way to start.

Nothing feels better than when someone does something nice for you. Someone in your family or in your workplace or in your neighborhood looks you in the eye and says, “Thank you so much for your help…” or “You are a life saver…” or “You can do this…” and this can completely change the trajectory of your week. A positive interaction, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, can have a profound impact on a person’s mental stability. Human beings are inherently social creatures, and our interactions with others play a crucial role in shaping our emotions, thoughts, and overall well-being. When someone experiences a positive interaction, such as receiving a genuine compliment, being shown empathy, and understanding, or engaging in a meaningful conversation, several things can happen at a psychological level. We tend to expect these types of interactions from educators when they are working with any member of the academic community — from Pre-K through doctoral programming. Of course, we realize this is not the case. But why? Why are some teachers seemingly rotten to the core in their interactions with students and colleagues? Why might some teachers not be aware that they are treating their students in this way…and yet continue to do it?