Mental Fitness for Education

Mental Fitness for Educators and School Leaders

Teachers and school leaders face unique stressors—from managing diverse classrooms to the high demands of the education system. Recent studies show that a majority of educators report job-related stress and burnout symptoms.

Dr. Andrew Miki’s Mental Fitness education courses are science-based professional development programs designed to help educators build resilience, emotional intelligence, and practical self-care skills tailored to the school environment.

Each course combines evidence-backed psychology (CBT and positive psychology) with interactive exercises and discussion, empowering teachers and staff to manage stress, improve classroom communication, and foster a healthier school community.

The Hidden Cost of Untrained Educators
Burnout, Churn, and Culture Collapse

Don’t Let High Performers Burn Out or Check Out.

Without proactive mental fitness training, teachers can become overwhelmed, reactive, and disengaged—leading to higher sick days, reduced instructional quality, and costly turnover.

30–40% of educators experience burnout severe enough to impair performance

Most have never received formal training in stress management or emotional regulation.

Left unaddressed, stress erodes classroom culture and student outcomes.

The Mental Fitness Program

A CBT-Informed Framework Tailored to Schools

Developed by Dr. Andrew Miki (R.Psych), this program applies Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and positive psychology to the unique rhythms of school life. Educators learn to:

  • Monitor Their “Energy Battery” and schedule restorative micro-breaks

  • Regulate Emotions during high-stakes interactions with students, parents, and colleagues

  • Frame Thoughts Positively to counter fatigue and negativity

  • Communicate Assertively in parent-teacher meetings and staff discussions

  • Embed Daily Practices that fit into busy school schedules (e.g., 2-minute mindfulness, quick cognitive reframes)

Learn more about Dr. Miki — TEDx speaker, CEO, clinical psychologist

The Mental Fitness Program offers flexible, evidence-based training built for the realities of today’s education landscape.

Whether you're equipping trade union leaders with long-term resilience strategies, delivering targeted sessions during Professional Development days, or energizing staff at large-scale wellness events, each format is designed to meet the distinct challenges educators face.

With proven results across school districts and educator associations, the program helps foster healthier, more supportive school environments from leadership down.

Three Formats for Busy Teams

Mental Fitness Training for Healthcare Workers

A 6-session program designed for union leaders, principals, and their teams to strengthen leadership capacity and prevent burnout. Grounded in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), the course builds practical skills in emotional regulation, self-awareness, assertive communication, and decision-making — all tailored to the pressures of leading in today’s education environment.

Keynote Presentations

Engaging, research-based sessions ideal for PD days, educator conferences, leadership summits, or wellness initiatives. Topics include:

  • Burnout and Mental Health in the Education Sector

  • Common Psychological Challenges Faced by Educators

  • Leading Through Stress: Mental Fitness in Action

Workshops & Presentations
for Healthcare Teams

Interactive sessions ranging from 1 hour to full-day formats, ideal for staff-wide Professional Development days, wellness initiatives, or educator training series. Topics include empathy in school settings, stress management for teachers, communication during conflict, and assertiveness strategies for education teams.

BCTF

OTIP

OECTA

OSSTF

ETFO

AEFO

QPAT

PEITF

Dream it

NWTTA

NTA

OPC

CPCO

ADFO

BCTF OTIP OECTA OSSTF ETFO AEFO QPAT PEITF Dream it NWTTA NTA OPC CPCO ADFO

Why Education Needs This

Burnout, emotional exhaustion, and staff attrition aren’t just HR concerns — they’re leadership challenges that directly affect student outcomes, staff morale, and school culture. When educators and school leaders lack the tools to manage their own mental health and support their colleagues, the impact is felt across classrooms, schools, and entire districts.

The Mental Fitness Program gives education leaders practical, evidence-based skills they were never formally taught: how to stay mentally strong under pressure, communicate with clarity, and model resilience for their teams.

By investing in mental fitness, you’re reinforcing the foundation of your school community. You can expect to see:

  • More confident leadership in high-stress educational environments

  • Stronger staff relationships and more effective team communication

  • Reduced burnout, improved attendance, and smoother return-to-work transitions

  • A culture where educator well-being and student success go hand in hand

Mental fitness isn’t a nice-to-have — it’s essential to sustaining healthy, high-performing schools. This program helps your leaders deliver it.

Examples of Topics

Support and Strengthen Educators

Mental Fitness presentations are specifically designed for the education sector, addressing the unique stressors faced by educators today. We can tailor the presentations specifically for each of the following educator professions: Principal, Vice-Principal, Teacher, Education Assistant, Staff.

TOPIC 1

Trends in Educators and The Trajectory of Educators’ Mental Health

A clear understanding of how current stressors and trends (i.e. violence in the classroom, staffing issues, etc.) affect educators’ mental health. This is designed to validate the challenges educators are experiencing across North America and propose what can be done to reduce the impact of stress and burnout.

TOPIC 2

How Mental Fitness Increases Educators’ Emotional Intelligence and Reduces Burnout

An overview of how burnout pertains to educators and actionable exercises they can practice to increase their resilience.

* Inquire for additional topics

Skill Acquisition Self-Ratings

This is how professionals access improvement of their skills after Mental Fitness program

86% were more
self-aware

64% improved emotional regulation skills

80% improved thought management skills

60% improved
empathy skills

92% were better prepared
for difficult conversations

100% improved their mental fitness and emotional intelligence skills

Resilient Teachers Build Resilient Classrooms

Real Results from Real Clients

  • “This was the first PD session that gave me strategies I could actually use the next day — not just theory, but real tools for managing stress in the classroom.”

    High School Teacher, Ontario

  • “As a union leader, I’ve seen firsthand how burnout impacts our members. This training gave our team a new way to talk about mental health — and lead through it.”

    Local President, Teachers' Federation

  • “The session on emotional regulation and communication completely changed how I approach difficult conversations with staff and parents.”

    Elementary School Principal, British Columbia

  • “Andrew’s workshops helped our district shift from reactive support to proactive mental fitness. It’s exactly what our educators needed after the last few years.”

    Professional Development Coordinator, Alberta School District

Start Your Fitness Challenge

Equip yourself and your team with the tools needed for success in today's fast-paced and challenging environments. Book a Mental Fitness course and lead the change towards a healthier, more resilient organization.