NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Both Teacher Appreciation Month and Mental Health Awareness Month fall in May, so state leaders decided to support teachers' mental health during May.
The Tennessee Department of Education announced a new video series Thursday designed to help educators take care of themselves. The resources provided in the series and free and totally optional, according to officials.
In the videos, two licensed clinical social workers provide guidance, resources and interactive activities educators can follow along with. There are five videos in total focusing on a range of topics — an introduction to stress response, benefits of meditation and mindfulness, grief and loss, maintaining and managing healthy connections as well as self-care.
“The last 18 months have been complex, and educators have faced significant challenges and obstacles while simultaneously working to keep their students engaged,” said Beth Goodner, CEO of TrustPoint Hospital. "Tennessee educators do much more than teach. They impact students for a lifetime.”
The video series created along with state partners. They can be accessed online, and each video includes links to resources where educators can learn more about the topic.