Mental Health Resources for Educators

At Flourish, we understand the pressure on educators, and how difficult it can be to juggle work obligations and wellbeing. But prioritising your mental health is essential. That’s why we’ve put together this guide for teachers and educators, to help you safely access mental health resources.

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The Demands of Working in Education

Like all demanding sectors, teaching and educating can take its toll. Long hours, curriculum pressures, student welfare responsibilities and administrative demands often leave little room for educators to focus on their own mental health.

The Education Support 2024 Teacher Wellbeing Index reveals that over three-quarters of educators report experiencing mental health symptoms linked to their work, including anxiety, depression, stress, and burnout.

The cliché solutions are the ones that work best – more fresh air, more movement, more social interaction – but if you know you’re not your usual self, it’s vital you take action. There are more resources and support systems than ever before, but if no one knows what’s going on, they can’t help. Below are some suggestions for how to seek and access mental health support safely.

Accessing mental health support for teachers and educators

  • Your GP is the best place to start if you don’t quite know what’s wrong, or where to find the right type of support. They will be able to help identify your needs and signpost you to trusted resources. They will also be able to let you know about any specialist services commissioned by your Local Authority.
  • School/Employer-provided support: Check whether your workplace can offer any support. Many schools offer Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs), which often include counselling or mental health training.

External resources

There are charities and helplines dedicated to supporting teachers:

  • Education Support is the only UK charity dedicated to improving the mental health and well-being of teachers and education staff. They offer a free 24/7 helpline (08000 562 561), as well as guides and resources.
  • Now and Beyond is a charity providing access for educators to vital resources – this page lists resources for teachers and educators.
  • Mentally Health Schools from The Anna Freud foundation offers information and guidance for educators.
  • Many teachers’ unions also offer support and resources for mental health.

Accessing online resources safely

Look for trusted sources, verified by a range of legitimate bodies such as the NHS. Do your research before trying any wellbeing solutions suggested by non-professionals.

Digital tools and apps

There are many apps for stress management, meditation, sleep and mood tracking.

Looking for safe mental health apps can be tricky – check that they have:

  1. Recent updates: Check that the app has been updated within the last 6–12 months, showing the developer is actively maintaining it.
  2. Legitimate reviews: Look for reviews from multiple reliable sources. Avoid apps with overwhelmingly glowing reviews that seem sponsored or unverified.
  3. Professional backing: Choose apps developed with input from a medical professional involved in their development – look for endorsements and logos on their website and branding
  4. Trusted endorsements: Many high-quality apps will have been recommended or commissioned by NHS/ healthcare services – again, check their website and promotional materials for logos and endorsements.

Talking therapies

If you feel that talking therapies could be helpful, there are a number of options:

NHS: A low-cost option is seeking therapy and mental health support through the NHS – although waiting lists may be longer in your area, there may be interim support you can access in the meantime.

Private counselling and talking therapy. This can be a faster route to accessing support. As counselling is an unregulated industry, it’s a good idea to search directories that only accredited professionals can join, including:

Other options

Holistic therapies: Many people prefer to improve their mental health through holistic therapies. When exploring these options, make sure you’re seeking services from people with credible experience, genuine reviews, and up-to-date qualifications showing they take their CPD and your health seriously.

Online training opportunities: For a deeper dive into building good mental health and resilience, Flourish's wellbeing bundle offers targeted, expert-led training – but there are also lots of free courses available.

(You didn’t hear it from us, but there are a lot more free, high-quality courses on supporting others than for yourself, and that’s transferrable knowledge!)

  • Mind’s free online mental health course: Supporting Other People – This course provides valuable insights into mental health, offering tools and strategies that can benefit you and those around you.
  • Mental Health First Aid courses – This page lists courses which are free for eligible learners, offering training to be able to provide initial help to those experiencing mental health issues.
  • MindEd – A free educational resource hosted by NHS England in emotional and behavioural ‘first aid’ for children and young people, adults and older people in the UK.

Working in a demanding sector like education means you’re used to solving problems - but your mental health isn’t a problem, it’s a priority. Start small: take a walk, reach out to a friend, or schedule a GP appointment. You don’t have to tackle everything at once, but that first step can make all the difference.

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