Counselor’s Corner Issue 19

My friends,

It's happening. Research predicted it. Public school data foretold it. And now the inevitable is happening: Student Crises.

And believe me, I'm feeling it. After an intense week of student referrals and parent collaboration, I hit my limit. I had given too much and it showed. It evidenced itself in not-so-pretty ways: Snapping at my husband, sleepless nights of tossing and turning, and logging too many work hours to count. In short, I felt like how this Facebook video depicts Covid-19 teaching as a NASCAR team fueling up a race car, but not having fuel for myself.

And it's showing in you, too. Like me, several of you hit your limits this week. You're overworked, under-rested, and out-of-sorts. In short, you have compassion-fatigue.

Hinsdale Adventist Academy's Pastor Frederick reminds educators of the classic airplane analogy. In the same way that you would reach for your own oxygen mask before assisting others, we must be able to breathe in order to help our students.

I love the lyrics from Hillsong's Breathe On Me that portrays the Holy Spirit as our "heavenly oxygen mask:"

"Comfort, heal, restore with light,
Teach my heart. Heal my soul.
Speak the mind that in Christ we know.
Take me to your sanctuary,
Breath on me."

I invite you, in this moment, to listen to the words of this song, take slow, deep breaths, and feel the sense of God's restorative breath wash over you.

With heartfelt prayers,
Mindy