The Mind-Body Connection for Educators - by Kathryn Kennedy (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Practical ways to support educator mental health and well-being

In The Mind-Body Connection for Educators: Intentional Movement for Wellness, Kathryn Kennedy, founder and executive director of Wellness for Educators, delivers a research-based, practical approach to supporting educators with trauma- and equity-informed somatic strategies for mental health and wellbeing. The book explains how our minds and our bodies are intricately connected, and, consequently, both are highly affected by trauma and prolonged stress. As research shows, when this residual pain is not healed, new learning cannot take place. To support educators' healing and learning processes, the book provides an overview of several mind-body disciplines, including yoga, mindfulness, meditation, Qigong, and breathwork. In addition to overviews of each discipline, Kathryn shares what the research says and provides engaging practices for educators.

Readers will also find:

• Identification of system-level contributing factors that bolster educator well-being, including supportive administration, social emotional learning programs, mentoring programs, points of connection, sense of belonging, and workplace wellness programs
• Acknowledgement of systemic issues that can serve as barriers of educators' healing processes, especially those who identify as people of color, people of culture, and/or LGBTQIA2SI+
• Strategies to empower educators to address and work with their own trauma and negative emotions
• Ways for educators to understand and heal secondary traumatic stress

An essential resource for primary, secondary, and post-secondary educators, The Mind-Body Connection for Educators: Intentional Movement for Wellness is a great addition to the libraries of school administrators, principals, and other education professionals.

From the Back Cover

Trauma- and equity-informed practices to help you thrive in the field of education

If we don't show up for ourselves, we can't show up for our students and colleagues. Burnout and compassion fatigue are the results of prolonged stress and trauma -- all too common in the ever-more-demanding lives of today's educators. The Mind-Body Connection for Educators offers a uniquely holistic way for education professionals to prioritize healing before burnout hits. Inside, Dr. Kathryn Kennedy acknowledges system-level and systemic issues that make educator well-being a system-level challenge rather than an individual one. She also provides strategies and practices for whole-body health, empowering you to heal trauma and prolonged stress, so you can find peace, balance, and resilience inside and out.

You'll learn why prioritizing healing is important not only for your mental and physical health and well-being, but also for your learning, teaching, and leading processes. Sharing the basics of somatic practices like yoga, breathwork, meditation, mindfulness, Qigong, and yin yoga, this book illustrates the profound connection between the body and the mind. Research demonstrates the positive healing effects these practices can have on prolonged stress and trauma, and this book teaches you short practices you can work into your daily routine. You will also learn how to tune into and respond to your emotional reactions when navigating everyday life.

"Filled with practical advice, academic groundedness, and hard-won wisdom, this book is a lifeline for any teacher who is struggling to keep up with the demands of our current education system and maintain their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. From mindfulness practices to intentional movement, this book offers a comprehensive guide for educators on how to navigate the mind-body connection and reclaim their sense of resilience and joy in the classroom."
--Albert Wong, PhD, Director of the Trauma Certificate Program, Somatopia

About the Author

Kathryn Kennedy, PhD, is founder and executive director of Wellness for Educators, a nonprofit invested in supporting educators with trauma- and equity-informed somatic practices for well-being. She also serves as founder and principal consultant of Consult4Ed Group, an education consulting firm. She has been cultivating these two primary passions for over twenty years.