I am a teacher.  I was raised by a teacher.  And I raised a teacher.  I am a teacher of teachers.  

While I care about helping all those who are called into caIled into caring professions, I am most passionate about caring for teachers…about helping teachers navigate the seasons of their career to make a significant difference in the lives of their students.  I am passionate about caring for teachers…about working with and for them to help them discover both the personal and professional journey they will go on so they can continue to care for students, for fellow teachers, for administrators, for staff, for their families, and for everyone else who matters to them. 

I am passionate about caring for teachers.  If you are a teacher, if you know a teacher, if you had a teacher, who was or is or needs to understand the ethic of care and to take care of themselves, I am here to help.

Caring for people is the most important work on the planet!  

Think about it.  Think of the best teacher or coach you ever had and then describe them.  Chances are you would say that they cared for you.

Think of the best friends you’ve ever had and then describe them.  Chances are you would say that they cared for you too.

Think of the best leaders, bosses, medical professionals, social workers, counselors, pastors, nurses, physical therapists, etc. that you’ve ever encountered and chances are that they not only engaged in caring work but they actually made you feel as if they cared for you.

We take it for granted that everyone cares!  But, for those who are called into caring work, being able to continue to care for themselves as well as for all of those whom they are in a position to care for is absolutely essential to their ability to continue to fulfill their calling.

You see….the highest rates of professional burnout occur in caring professions.  Doctors, teachers, pastors, nurses, counselors, social workers all have extremely high rates of burn out.  The reasons vary across these professions but one thing remains consistent.  There is one essential absolutely necessary to prevent professional burnout for those in caring professions.  

That one thing is the ability to take care of oneself while simultaneously taking care of others.  

While this sounds obvious, my research suggests that those who are called to caring professions have an ethic of care that puts everyone else’s needs ahead of their own needs…thus leading to burnout.

When you realize that being caring means caring for family, friends, finances, health, and work, the work of care seems almost more than most people can handle.

However, there is hope for those who have a call to care for others.  That hope lies in understanding how to be caring, how to become caring, how to manifest a caring relationship through which others feel cared for and how to take care of one’s self so as to be able to care for others.

That is my work.  That is my calling.