Dr. Erika Collins-Frazier LPC, Phoenix Union High School on NACCTEP Now

The Phoenix Union High School district recognized that during the pandemic educator stress levels rose exponentially and created the Health and Wellness Specialist position. Dr. Erika Collins-Frazier is the first to take on that role in 2021 and has seen the interest and success of health and wellness efforts grow each school year. Employing strategies such as micro-learning, monthly webinars with expert presenters, and Thursday morning meditation sessions are helping teachers and staff to "Slay the Day". Assessing the needs of the teachers through regular surveys allows Dr. Collins-Frazier to measure the success of different strategies. She talks about how reminding teachers that recognizing emotional intelligence applies to more than just the students in the classrooms. The use of intentional conversations and validating each others' feelings aids in feeling valued which can lead to greater retention of teachers. Calling stress a raw coping power, she encourages staff to embrace it and work through stress with different breathing techniques and self-reminders to loosen the tension in one's shoulders and jaw. Dr. Collins-Frazier recommends the book Don't Believe Everything You Think by Joseph Nguyen because it encourages people to end their negative thinking in order to live a better life. Her favorite quote from the book is "We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change."