From teaching high school English for 14 years to starting over…this is my story (so far).
Teacher Trauma
I served in five Texas public schools as a 9th-12th English teacher for 14 years. I had wanted to teach since I was 5 years old, and if you tried to warn me that I would experience trauma over and over again in my classroom, I would’ve told you I’ve always wanted to be a teacher and I could handle it.
Turns out, I can’t. No teacher truly can. Over the years, I constantly noticed how much I wanted to help my students and how little I often could. I experienced several incidents of trauma in my classroom, from threats of suicide to murder, and often carried home sadness, guilt, blame, anger, and helplessness. Each experience taught me I didn’t have the capacity to help my students process their emotions, much less my own. Some people say that’s a therapist’s job, but the truth is, we all need and deserve strategies to deal with difficult emotions 24/7.
Self-Care
Thankfully, I learned about mindfulness at SXSWEdu in 2017 and I remember feeling like I could breathe freely and deeply for the first time in years, no matter what stress was happening in my classroom or personal life.
I began practicing mindfulness on my own and teaching my students what I learned, and noticed a huge shift in my relationship not only with my students, but with my partner, my family and friends, and most importantly—myself. I began to understand the power of knowing I can’t control what happens, I can only control how I respond—one day at a time, sometimes one moment at a time.
I quit teaching in 2018 to focus my time and energy on designing the life I want for myself, and that includes sharing mindfulness with as many people as possible. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to hold space and share these incredible strategies with you!
My Credentials
- 2021 ~ Certified Workplace Mindfulness Facilitator ~ Mindful Leader
- 2020 ~ 95hr Children’s Yoga & Mindfulness Training ~ Yoga Ed
- 2020 ~ 35hrs MBSR Program Completion ~ Center for Mindfulness, UMass MHC
- 2019 ~ 125hr Yoga/Meditation Art of Holding Space ~ Angie Knight
- 2019 ~ Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification ~ Sean Fargo (Coach)
- 2018 ~ 200hr Yoga Teacher Certification ~ Yoga Yoga Austin
- 2017 ~ 68hrs Mindfulness Training ~ Mindful Schools
- 2011 ~ Master’s in Teaching ~ St. Edward’s University
- 2002 ~ Bachelor of Arts in English ~ Texas Wesleyan University
