Teaching can be an emotionally and physically stressful career. I've been in the classroom for 14 years and my body has kept score: weight gain, migraines, health conditions, and burnout. This podcast is where I share real stories about trying to feel better in my own skin while figuring out what that means as a teacher. You’ll hear plenty of honesty, a little humor, and maybe a few whimsical detours along the way.
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Send us Fan Mail What happens when a friendship you thought would last forever… just ends? In today’s episode, I’m sharing something I never expected to go through in my 40s—the sudden loss of a best friend of many years (a span of decades). This wasn’t a slow drift or a mutual fading out. We were talking every day, sharing life, making plans… and then it ended in two emails. No conversation. No…
Send us Fan Mail In this deeply personal episode, I share the story behind my quieter presence over the past six years. Since moving to Las Vegas, I’ve taught at three very different schools and experienced a wide range of leadership, support, and challenges. Teaching in new environments reshaped not only my professional life, but my emotional capacity and creative energy. This episode is an…
Send us Fan Mail “When It’s Time to Leave And How to Do It with Dignity” Sometimes the healthiest choice is the hardest one: leaving a toxic school. In the final part of this series, we talk about how to recognize when it’s time to go and how to do it in a way that protects your mental health, your finances, and your future. In this episode, we cover: Signs it’s time to leave: when the environment…
Send us Fan Mail “How to Survive a Toxic School Without Losing Yourself” You can’t always fix a toxic school, but you can protect your peace. Part 4 of the Toxic Schools Mini-Series is all about real, doable survival strategies that help you stay grounded, healthy, and yourself. In this episode, we talk about: Micro-boundaries you can set this week: small shifts that create real breathing room…
Send us Fan Mail What Toxic Schools Do to Teachers: Mind, Body & Heart In Part 3, we’re shifting the focus to you: your health, your emotions, your identity as a teacher. Toxic schools don’t just make work hard. They seep into your body, your confidence, and your self-worth. In this episode, we explore: Physical burnout & chronic stress: headaches, insomnia, anxiety, and the Sunday dread…
Send us Fan Mail Hidden Cultural Red Flags That Make School Emotionally Unsafe Some toxicity isn’t loud: it’s quiet, subtle, and woven into the culture of a school. In Part 2 of the Toxic Schools Mini-Series, we’re talking about the emotional undercurrents that drain teachers’ confidence, joy, and mental health. In this episode, we unpack: Gossip, negativity, and cliques — the staffroom dynamics…
Send us Fan Mail The Big 3 Structural Red Flags Your School Might Be Toxic In this first episode of the Toxic Schools Mini-Series, we’re looking at the structural issues that create unhealthy school environments: the big-picture problems that can make any teacher feel overwhelmed, drained, or defeated. If you’ve ever wondered, “Is it me… or is it my school?” — this episode will help you name…
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Healthy Teacher Happy Teacher, Jess shares the real story behind her Australia trip: the one that was supposed to be magical, adventurous, and full of teacher-travel joy… but ended up turning into a crash course in listening to her body. What begins as an exciting journey across the world quickly shifts when Jess gets unexpectedly sick far from home. Through…
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Healthy Teacher Happy Teacher, Jessica dives into one of the most common and painful experiences educators face: emotionally draining friendships, burnout from “being the strong one,” and why highly empathetic teachers often attract people who take more than they give. You’ll learn the psychology behind why emotionally avoidant or self-centered people gravitate…
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Healthy Teacher Happy Teacher, Jess breaks down one of the most damaging myths in education: the belief that teachers earn their worth by absorbing endless stress. She opens up about what this year has taught her — that exhaustion isn’t a character flaw, burnout isn’t “negativity,” and struggling doesn’t make you weak. Jess explores how school culture conditions…