Unwind and Thrive as a

Unwind and Thrive as a Teacher

Presented by Joanne DiPilato

- an Interventionist Reading Teacher of Students in Grades Kindergarten through 4th

What are the biggest
stressors for you as
as a teacher?

Stress can be beneficial....

If we are able to......

recognize what triggers it and how it feels in our body. 

Then, knowing how to proceed can benefit both our physical and mental health.

SESSION GOALS

• Define stress and recognize our own emotional triggers
• Explore the four main reactions to stress
• develop strategies recognizing managing these triggers

Goals for this session

So, what exactly Is Stress?

Stress is when there is a stimulus (trigger or something challenging) and how our bodies' react to it (produce stress hormone).

Two Types of Stress

                                     Two Types of Stress

Acute Stress : short term

Feels like : temporary increased heart rate, muscle tension, "butterflies" 

• Protective, beneficial

Chronic Stress : long term

Results in : increased blood pressure, cortisol levels,  and risk for cardiovascular disease 

• Harmful, physically & mentally 

Understanding your typical response  can help increase your self-awareness to nurture your mental health. 

Fight or Flight - initial reaction to either stay and fight or flee 

Freeze - deer in the headlights Fawn - people pleasers, abused, diffuse conflict

Flop - unresponsive, similar to playing dead, fainting 

After the initial ground-breaking Fight or Flight and Freeze responses to stress, new studies have name two additional responses: Flop and Fawn.

How are you emotionally triggered by students, families or colleagues?

Aha!

 Teachers are triggered also...not just students. 

Understanding emotional triggers (makes you sad, anxious ex) will help me teach students to understand theirs and benefit me by recognizing my go to reaction and have ways to diffuse the destructive impact and lessen the intensity of emotional flare up that can derail you. Constructive triggers can uncover my purpose and potential. To identify, notice how you feel and what is going on around you and in your internal dialogue. Best thing to practice and teach is mindfulness, just being present. RELAX, DETACH, CENTER, FOCUS