A new partnership between The Fight for Life Foundation (FFLF) and the Indianapolis Colts’ Kicking the Stigma program is providing free mental health counseling sessions for teachers, according to WRTV Indianapolis.
The goal is for teachers at schools around Indianapolis to get this new mental health support to prevent educator burnout.
More than 40 teachers will each get 10 counseling sessions at no cost to the school or educator thanks to this partnership. Educators may opt in, choose their provider, counselor, and whether sessions are in-person or virtual.
Candace Carr teaches kindergarten at Sankofa School of Success, where she’s in her fourth year helping students who face significant challenges outside the classroom. “We know in this area students don’t have all the resources they need, so we know that we have to give them those resources,” Carr says.
Down the hall, Eyan Smith teaches fifth grade. “I’m probably the only young black male that my students see.” He is a teacher and a role model.
Both educators are well aware of the emotional toll their work can take and know that self-care is essential for effective teaching. ” I have to identify my emotions. I have to identify how I feel, because if I don’t do that, I mean, that’s the first problem right there,” Smith says.
When teachers burn out, students go back to square one,” Smith says. “If I’m burnt down, I’m not giving them all I have, I’m doing them a disservice.”
Marlin Jackson, FFLF President and CEO, and a former Indianapolis Colt, says, “We are providing the tools for educators to sustain their mental health and to continue to pour themselves into the students each and every day.”
School officials recognize that teacher well-being directly impacts student success.
It’s important for our teachers to feel seen, valued and heard through mental health therapy if students are to get the very best education possible, says Dr. Tihesha Henderson, Sankofa’s founder and executive director.
The counseling sessions give crucial support for both personal and professional growth, says Smith. “As much as we pour into our students, we have to pour into ourselves. We’re not going to fully successfully help them if we cannot help ourselves,” she says.
Four schools are participating in the program: Frederick Douglass 19, George and Veronica Phalen Leadership Academy, Phalen Leadership Academy 48, and Sankofa School of Success.
WRTV Indianapolis
