The Connected Teacher: Practical tools for self-compassion and trauma-informed teaching

The beginning of the year starts out so great. New students, fresh eyes, new problems, stronger because of the year before, then it's the end of the year and the rock you've been carrying now seems so heavy! It wasn't this hard before!!!The reason?You haven't given yourself the proper rest, if any. Sure, you've taken a personal day in the last 10 years Sure, you got 8 hours of sleep last night, sure you had your kale drink this morning. But........ have you given yourself a break from your inner critic?This episode shares expertise from Dr. Aimie Apigian, as well as wisdom from Kristin Neff.This episode could provide you the awareness necessary to make a small shift that could change everything for you.Remember: You are doing better than you think you are!Let's [email protected]

You ready for a VERY significant mind shift? Was "Do your best" a phrase that seemed like it should have helped you more than it did? Or is it a phrase that you wish meant more to your students than it does? This episode incorporates the Common Humanity component of self-compassion in that it can release all the pressure that comes from the phrase "Do your best". Ironically, once that pressure is lifted, we actually do better. Crazy huh!?!?!?Lets [email protected] I don't respond quickly, please replay to your original message so I can see it better; my mind can be pretty scattered sometimes.

You've heard the ol' adage 'drinking from a firehose'. Well, as humorous as we try to make it, it could actually be the source of trauma. If we don't have time to rest and reset when provided new information and are given more information before we've even had a chance to process the first, it could be creating too much too fast. This isn't saying slow everything down so we don't progress. No. Not at all. What I'm (or more accurately Dr Aimee) saying is the right amount of stress is actually necessary for our progression, but too much too fast can hinder it drastically.Listen to find out more!Talk soon!

Did you know that having healthy emotional boundaries can prevent burnout? Probably, but do you know what else can? Listen to this episode to find out. Wisdom from Kristin Neff's book Fierce Self Compassion: How Women can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim their power and Thrive, has so much power and I'm so excited for you to implement it in your classroom!Talk [email protected]

This episode is inspired by an idea from Tara Brach. She says that Self-compassion is embracing reality with kindness. This episode has words from Kristin Neff that describes Equanimity, which is basically gaining the understanding of what is in our control and what isn't. Its finding that balance.This episode provides some examples to clarify what it can look like for you as a teacher to embrace reality with kindness. You don't have to decide if you are a good teacher or a bad teacher. No matter what day you are having, your students need YOU!

What do you think of first when you see or hear IEP. Well, this episode will provide you with something new and even more exciting. We talk about teacher burnout, real-life teacher struggles, and small steps a teacher can take to feel more connected to themselves and to their classroom.Take the quiz mentioned in the podcast and get connected with Brittany Blackwell!https://www.teachingmindbodyandsoul.com/quiz

When someone told me about self-compassion, I thought I had it made because I was soooooo good at telling myself the things I wished I believed about myself. Turns out it was the NOT helpful way to use Positive Affirmations.This episode provides clarity around the differences between self-compassion,positive affirmations as well as toxic positivity.Hopefully you can learn this lesson quicker than I did!!!IG: https://www.instagram.com/camillescowcoaching/email:[email protected]

This episode contains three real-life teaching scenarios with two types of self-talk examples following each scenario. As yoursel; do you relate more to the inner critic self-talk, or the compassionate self-talk. Which type of self=talk feels better? Which type of self-talk will help you accomplish your goals? Which type of self-talk will help you show up as the teacher you want to show up as more of the time?The inner critic is our brain's default. The good news is that it doesn't have to stay that way. Talk soon!Lets connect!https://instagram.com/camillescowcoaching?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==email: [email protected]

I finally learned that self-compassion is what I needed to achieve my goals. Before that I was convinced my inner critic was gonna take me to new heights. Thank goodness THAT changed. But then what? What did that actually look like?This episode provides clarity around what the elements of self-compassion can actually look like in your daily life. Then, wait for it, a game!!! Thats also a little quiz. Perfect for teachers, right?This is a quiz you can take as many times as you want in order to get 100% ;)Let me know how you [email protected]: camillescowcoachingor FB Camille Bradford Scow

It's VERY likely that your inner critic is negatively impacting you more than you know. This episode has some of Kristin Neff's findings and thoughts on the inner critic and how self-compassion can reverse those negative affects. I also provide an easy example that can help you better apply the tool of self compassion to yourself and to your teaching so you can stop spending your energy on things that won't actually get you what you want.Click this link to register for my FREEEEEEEEE workshops!https://forms.gle/qSsAKn5Y3PyFbqn29

This isn't your typical set SMART goals episode, for one thing. For another, this will SIMPLIFY your life rather than add more things to your list that you "should" be remembering.This episode contains one goal that if you embrace will change EVERYTHING for you FOR GOOD!Your weight loss goals won't seem so daunting, your decluttering goals won't end up stuffed in a box, your exercise goals won't run away with the treadmill. This goal, really is ONE TO RULE THEM ALL!!!Keep me updated on your progress! [email protected] soon!Register for my teacher workshops that start in February 2026! They are ALL totally free. Come to some or all of them; you will get the help you need! All online on Thursdays from 4-5 MST.https://forms.gle/qSsAKn5Y3PyFbqn29

January is a fresh start for a lot of people. I encourage you to intentionally create a fresh start each day. Clean your slate of negative and potentially unintentional "positive" thoughts about your students, your co-workers, your spouse, your kids, and most importantly yourself.Give yourself the gift of letting every day be a fresh start. Lets [email protected]

What if the Grinch never stole Christmas?We often remember the Grinch as the villain of the story—but what if stealing Christmas was the very thing that ended his isolation? In this episode, we reexamine a familiar holiday tale through a trauma-informed, human lens and explore what it teaches us about belonging, behavior, and connection.For teachers, this conversation goes deeper than a children’s story. It’s about the students who act out to be seen, the educators who quietly withdraw, and the cost of isolation in our schools. If you’ve ever wondered what behavior is really communicating—or how connection can change everything—this episode is for you.Want more? Register for my workshops starting Feb 5, 2026. See you soon!https://forms.gle/qSsAKn5Y3PyFbqn29.

Three words that instantly stopped me from going down the lonely path of isolation. Listen to this episode to hear a powerful example of how connection was a catalyst to healing. Register for my FREE teacher workshops starting February 6. 8 weeks of online classes with a digital workbook. https://forms.gle/qSsAKn5Y3PyFbqn29.

When your feeling chaotic, so are your students. When you are feeling calm, so are your students. When you are feeling connected- you guessed it, so are your students.Because of the way our brains are wired, we need connection. Without connection the world feels unsafe and insecure, which is a terrible learning environment. When teachers can intentionally invite calm into their classrooms, everyone benefits. But your class is hard! You have so much on your plate! You don't need ONE. MORE. THING!I promise you that when you find genuine connection and support, you will feel lighter, more capable, and have the energy to light up your student's lives!Connect [email protected]

Tools you will leave with from my conversation with Dr Helen Dugdale:-Staying Above the Line-The Snowball affect of positivity-The Importance of Identifying our Values-How to better prioritize- Benefits of Deep BreathingConnect with Dr Dugdale: [email protected]  Her website: https://www.australianbraincoaching.com.au/This link will send you to where you can book a FREE 30 minute conversation.I HIGHLY recommend booking a session. You will leave feeling like you've taken a load off!Connect with me:[email protected] FB or IG

It is SO, SO common to believe that if I start being kind to myself for all the mistakes that I make, I will only make more mistakes and get myself into an even deeper hole. Thank goodness for the research behind self-compassion because this isn't actually the case. This week I am reading a section from Kristin Neff's book: Fierce Self-Compassion: How Women Can Harness Kindness to Speak up, Claim Their Power, and Thrive. This episode also gives examples of how having self-compassion would have made things so much BETTER for me as I tried to juggle the stressors only teachers can understand.Buy Kristin's book: https://a.co/d/0WboLEOWanna share your stories on the podcast? Schedule a time for us to chat!https://calendly.com/camillescowcoaching/60min

You will leave this episode knowing two very simple strategies you can start using TODAY to help build a more connected classroom. You will also learn that vulnerability is a sign of STRENGTH, not weakness, and the examples in this episode will help make it clear to you if being vulnerable is YOUR next step. Your school needs you, your students need you, and you need you.Lets connect! fb: Camille Bradford ScowIG: camillescowcoachingemail [email protected]

Julie DeJesus everyone!!!! Her message of human connection is loud and strong, and is beautifully laid out in her children's book Broccolipunzle: The Girl With Extraordinary hair. Not only will you be greatly entertained by Broccolipunzle being read by the freakin' author, but you will also leave with simple tools to take into your classroom that will NOT take any more of your time.Connect with Julie:https://iseeyouleadership.com/https://www.iseeyouliving.com/

You can't give from an empty cup? We've heard that over and over, but we want to give so badly and feel like it's our duty as teachers to give.Guess what?! There's a way we can give that is sustainable and truly helps us show up as the teacher we want to be.This episode outlines what that can look like, and how to create it for ourselves.This is a must-listen!Lets [email protected] IG: camillescowcoaching

This episode has a phrase that you can use DAILY to help you get through those challenging days where you wonder if you should quit. Those days where the self-criticism piles on and feels like it will go on forever.When applied correctly, this phrase can slow the pendulum of "I'm the best teacher ever" and "I am, and was never enough" to "It just is"It doesn't force you to think positively because sometimes that just layers on the judgment.Try out this phrase this week, and I'd love for you to report [email protected]

How often do you say you "should" do something? What does that feel like? Not good, I'm guessing. This episode gives examples of how "should" might be showing up uninvited in your life. The first step is to recognize it's there, the next step is to NOT judge it if it is, and lastly, bury it so it will stop having the negative influence that it ALWAYS will.Talk soon!

Want a phrase that will get you out of bed in the morning, or motivate you to grade that writing assignment you were once excited about? I not only answer this question, but also provide some insight about what your life can look like when you let 'shoulds' dictate your life. This episode is a game-changer!This phrase can change everything for you!What will your future self thank you for today?Wanna be a guest and tell us all about what a typical day in the classroom looks like for you? Lets [email protected]

No one says it better than Kristin Neff the difference between Self-Compassion and Self-Indulgence. By the end of this episode you will have more clarity what the difference looks like for you.The children's book "You're Going to Love This Book" by Jory John is such a fun read aloud that also includes some rhetoric that can help you gain more understanding what you really think, and what you like.Want to be a guest on my podcast? Lets connect! [email protected]

Self-Doubt has a way of getting louder the more we care about something; like being a good teacher. In this episode, I open up about the voice of doubt that still shows up for me- and why I choose to keep showing up anyway. If you've ever wondered how to move forward when insecurity feels heavy, this conversation will remind you that courage isn't about silencing doubt; it's about walking with it.Let's [email protected]: camillescowcoachingWanna be my next podcast guest? Send me an email! I'd love for you to share the good, the bad and the crazy of what it's like to be a teacher in the world today.

In this heartfelt episode of Teach Like a Human, I open up about my thoughts on school shootings—an unthinkable reality that leaves behind waves of grief, fear, and unanswered questions. Instead of turning away from the pain or getting stuck in the “why,” I share why allowing ourselves to truly grieve is the key to personal and collective healing. Grief honors the lives lost, makes space for our humanity, and gently guides us toward resilience and hope. This conversation isn’t about quick fixes—it’s about the courage to feel deeply and the belief that healing begins when we give ourselves permission to mourn.Lets [email protected]

Assisstant Principal Ami Anderson is here this week to talk about time allocation to supporting teachers and students and what that actually looks like. Ami shares her perspective on impacts of COVID-positive and not-so-positive- on the public education system. She shares what it could look like if teachers had more self-compassion.Questions:email me: [email protected]

This episode will help you look forward to finding your joy, and you will leave with simple mindset shifts that can help you carry the incredible burdens that you have. You have the future of the world in your hands; let me help yo u make your future brighter!Helpful links:Abby Cox Episode from her podcast called First Lady and Friends. It's fabulous!https://www.podbean.com/ew/dir-kv5r6-20000ba5Wanna chat? Wanna share YOUR story on the podcast? Lets connect!my email: [email protected]

In this episode you get a glimpse of my struggles as a teacher and what it cost me to try to keep them to myself. I describe some tools that I wish I had from the beginning of my teaching.Whether you're years into your career, or just starting, these 3 pillars and the practical takeaway that I leave with you at the end will change the trajectory of your teaching for good. Wanna connect? Send me an email, or find me on IG or FB; [email protected] Bradford Scow (FB)camille scow coaching (IG)Talk soon!

Teachers, have you ever been hard on yourself? Who am I kidding, of course you have! Did it get you what you wanted? Probably not. The good news, is that Self-compassion, as weak as it might sound, is actually the thing that will help you.This episode helps you identify if you are harder on yourself than what is helpful, and provides easy steps to make a change if you're goal is to become an even MORE incredible teacher.Talk soon! Please ask me any question that comes up for you!

This episode provides a brief overview of what trauma can look like in teachers and in students. Being aware of how trauma shows up in our bodies can not only give us better awareness of what we need in order to recover from difficult moments in the classroom, but also provide us with the tools necessary to better see our students and be able to meet them where they are. After listening to this episode you will leave with an applicable understanding of what is considered big 'T' trauma, and little 't' trauma. Knowing this will help you create a healthier, more sustainable relationship with yourself and your students.

Teacher burnout is not only a buzz word, but is also widely misunderstood. There are many indicators of burnout that will likely surprise you. This episode covers signs of burnout and gives practical tools to help you gain the awareness necessary to sustainably show up the way you want to. It defines the terms nervous system, emotional baseline, and gets to the root of stress.Contact me: [email protected]

This first episode shares a bit about my background as an educator and why I care so deeply about emotional resilience in teaching. From the burnout I’ve lived through to the breakthroughs I’ve seen, I’ll tell you how self-compassion and trauma-informed practices changed everything—for me and for the students I serve. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, unseen, or stretched too thin, this episode is for you.