STRESS
Help is out there
Teaching is
secure website where they can log into their own “It works immediately and they can fit it into their real issue. I am also much more forthright in expressing
personalised and confidential account,” explained daily life,” she explained. “we usually work together my opinions and no longer bottle up frustrations which
one of the
Mr Nash. over a few weeks and the difference is amazing. I are self-destructive.”
“when teachers sign up, they are offered the services explain how their bodies react to the stress they face Angela advises other teachers in similar situations
of one of our experienced coaches who will work with and I show them what they can do to take back control. to see their GP straightaway before physical symptoms
most stressful
them to provide support in resolving both personal and very simple, yet remarkably powerful coping strategies get worse, to contact their union rep for advice and
professional challenges of all kinds. to use everyday to keep stress at a low level, and to use support, to talk to colleagues – who might even feel the
professions, but
“From one-to-one confidential dialogue to specific in emergencies.” same – to contact the TSN and to ask for a referral to
information, resources and fact sheets, their coach will her advice is to ask for help, to learn how to get occupational health.
there are things you can do
help them to find the answers they need, whatever the organised and prioritise, to look after your health and to “Be honest, tell the people who are making life
question. And should they wish to ‘talk’ to a counsellor build a support system. difficult or uncomfortable for you, how they’re making
to keep stress levels under
online, their coach will arrange this, too. Teachers can “don’t beat yourself up. you’re doing the best you you feel, but do it with support and not on your own,”
also receive counselling over the phone,” he added. can with what you’ve got. you’re never indispensable,” she recommends.
relaxation courses can help too. The london- she added. “Put yourself first for once and grab yourself “remember stress is to do with the balance between
control and seek help when
based relaxation for living Institute, for example, some regular me time. Find ways to totally switch off worry about the future and guilt about the past – so just
runs courses all over england for people suffering when you’re not at school, even if it’s just for a few live for the moment!” SecEd
stress takes over your life,
from anxiety, mild depression and stress. GPs often minutes.”
recommend patients to go on these courses, where in Sometimes stress can be so overwhelming that • Helen Kaut is a freelance education journalist.
as Helen Kaut found out
four weekly classes they can learn effective relaxation help has to come from different sources and relaxation
techniques. techniques are not enough as the case of Angela (whose
Further information
Institute director richard hilliard says trainers name has been changed) illustrates. • Teacher Support Network: www.teachersupport.info
explain the link between the mind and the body, An ever-increasing workload and a difficult work • The relaxation for living Institute:
heAvy workloAd, badly focusing on how the body translates mental anxiety into relationship with her headteacher led to a short stay www.relaxationforliving.co.uk
A
behaving pupils, unrealistic tense muscles and bad breathing. he said: “Fight/flight in hospital and a long break from teaching for eight • heather Bestel: www.alittlebitofmetime.com
government targets, and is the basic physiology of what we do. Then we go months. Angela, who has been working at her school • How To Deal With Stress, by Stephen Palmer and
disconcerted parents are some of through all the reciprocal relaxation exercises and then for over 30 years, was diagnosed with a heart condition Cary Cooper, (london, Philadelphia 2007).
the things that teachers have to deal we focus on the lifestyle.” and also suffers from severe anxiety.
with which cause the most stress. Another solution is to seek help and advice from “My stress was not caused by the behaviour of
Heather Bestel’s top tips to tackle stress
In 2007, the charity Teacher a psychotherapist specialising in stress management. children but that of adults, which is something of an
Support Network (TSN) found out that out of 14,891 heather Bestel re-located from liverpool to the irony. My problem was that work became like a drug • Have tiny regular breaks during the day.
teachers who called them, 1,653 calls were about Scottish countryside two years ago and has been a to me and I got to the point where I couldn’t stop,” she
This helps to prevent the body storing
health and wellbeing and 72 per cent of these calls were psychotherapist for over 15 years. She has a solid explained.
up emotional baggage, which leads to
specifically about mental health concerns. background and insight into the education system as “I didn’t recognise what was happening until I
That figure broke down into 39 per cent about she has not only worked with individual teachers, but developed a serious heart complaint for which I now
disruptive or no sleep.
stress, 28 per cent for both depression and anxiety. The also spoken at local authority meetings and conferences have to have continuous treatment. The problem is that
• If in a stressful situation, take control of
“coping with stress survey” conducted by the charity and trained educational welfare officers and school the more you do, the more is expected of you and then your body and stress by breathing out
in the same year revealed that 88 per cent of the 548 health advisors. saying no becomes unacceptable.”
longer than breathing in. This effective
respondents had suffered from work-related stress in In schools she runs stress management courses for The road to recovery was a long one for Angela.
and quick technique accesses the
the last two years. all staff as one group, because she finds that it helps She got her GP on board to help her, and contacted
Stress can affect mind and body and lead to severe them to build a support group. both the TSN and her union for advice and support. She
parasympathetic nervous system and
health problems such as anxiety, depression, chronic Ms Bestel knows from experience that the also asked for a referral to occupational health. her
calms the mind and body.
headaches, musculoskeletal pains, and even heart bureaucracy facing teachers is a major stress factor. therapist proved to be very helpful and recommended • Ten minutes can make a difference,
attacks. So do schools do enough to help? “Teachers often ask me, ‘when am I supposed to counselling. A few months after taking sick leave,
so try and make time to switch off
“Some schools are excellent at supporting their do all this paperwork when I’m teaching all day – and she was finally able to renew contact with her school
and relax. Try visualisation techniques:
teachers, with first class wellbeing programmes. Too when I’m not teaching, I’m marking and preparing for colleagues and also confronted the fact that she had
many, however, are not,” explained Patrick Nash, TSN my next class?’ been badly bullied at work.
imagine yourself in a tranquil place and
chief executive. “I’ve noticed that it’s the constant pressure that gets her return to work was not easy – the workload has
make the experience as real as possible.
“In many schools teacher stress is viewed as an to them. There is no respite. The school holidays are an not really decreased that much. however, Angela’s work The central nervous system cannot
unmanageable and inevitable consequence of the ideal time to train the staff (INSeT days) or are when relationship with her headteacher has improved and she
differentiate between a real and an
profession and therefore only tokenistically discussed teachers do their reports or assessment paperwork. has made substantial changes in her life. She stopped
imagined event.
if at all.” And when teachers are on holiday, a lot of their time working Sundays unless in exceptional circumstances
It is often up to the individual to find ways of is taken up dreading coming back to school. The more and has also taken on the role of union rep. In addition,
• The progressive relaxation technique
dealing with the stress they suffer from. The TSN is experienced teachers are feeling the pressure and find it Angela has completed a coaching course.
can help you go to sleep, this is
one useful port of call. It offers free support to teachers, difficult to mentor the less experienced,” she added. She continued: “I am becoming adept at spotting achieved by tensing and relaxing each
college and university staff in the Uk and USA. In her group sessions she teaches clients her 10- signs of stress in colleagues and am trying to help them
muscle from head to toe.
“our online coaching provides teachers with a minute relaxation techniques. become proactive in dissipating this before it becomes a
SecEd • September 11 2008 15
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