When Teaching Drains You...
Your Sense of Self Gets Tested
You can stay grounded even when the job keeps pulling you in every direction.
You don’t need more strategies, more flexibility, or another voice telling you to "just hang in there."
You need a calm, steady presence in your corner - someone helping you come back to yourself, not just your role.
For teachers who entered this profession expecting challenges - and found themselves carrying far more
than lessons, grading, and classroom management.
You've taken the PD.
You've learned the new acronyms.
You've sat through the same mandatory trainings
(blood-borne pathogens... we could probably recite it by heart at this point.)
You've implemented strategy after strategy.
And still, the daily reality still leaves you
feeling off balance and unseen.
If this sounds like you...
You're showing up every day - doing the work, supporting the students, meeting expectations - but inside, you feel more drained than you let on. You can feel your capacity thinning, even when you're still doing "all the right things."
Small interactions linger longer than they used to. A comment, a conflict, an email pulls at your inner world more than you want it to - not because you lack skill, but because you've been carrying so much for so long.
The part of you that once felt grounded and steady feels distant. You find yourself wondering, "Where did that old me go - and is there a way to stay in this profession without losing myself
Here's what it feels like when a teacher finally pust their oxygen mask on first:
Not another one-size-fits-all PD or strategy - but support that's personal, attuned, and truly in your corner.
A place where your inner world matters as much as your students'.
Support in the exact moments the job pulls you away from yourself.
A way to process the hard interactions without overexplaining or being judged.
Help returning to calm and clarity - without shutting down or pushing through.
A space that honors your dignity, your limits, and your humanity.
A reminder that you are worth caring for, not just the people you serve.
Support that meets you in real life - both the in-between moments, and the scheduled ones.
The clarity to move forward in alignment with who you are, even on the days that stretch you thin.
You don't need more strategies
or another teacher appreciation week -
you need support that helps you
stay grounded, not depleted.
Because the truth is simple:
What you're carrying isn't light.
And it's not going away just because you power through, stay late, or "push to the weekend."
The things that weight on you - the interactions, the expectations, the emotional load - they add up.
They affect how you feel during the school day, how you show up at home, and how much of yourself you have left by Friday.
Putting your oxygen mask on first doesn't mean working less hard.
It means you're not doing it alone, and you're not doing it from empty.
Teachers have told me, “I've been teaching for a while, and I thought I'd have it figured out by now. But the work feels harder, and I can't quite find the balance I need for myself and my family."
After hearing this again and again, here's what has become clear:
Most teachers don't struggle because they're unprepared - but because the emotional load keeps growing while the space to breathe keeps shrinking.
Balance isn't something you magically "figure out" with time - it's something that requires support, steadiness, room for your own inner world, and the flexibility to evolve as your circumstances change.
When teachers have space to slow down, reflect, and feel supported, everything shifts - the classroom, the evenings at home, and how they feel at the end of the day.
Why I Believe
in This Work
I've spent most of my life in classrooms - with students, with teachers, and in all the in-between moments that make the job what it is.
And over the years, I've noticed something I can't ignore:
Even the most dedicated teachers start to question themselves when the job becomes heavier than they expected - or than anyone should have to carry alone.
I've seen teachers who care deeply slowly wear down under the weight of everything they're holding.
Not because they're weak.
Not because they're doing it wrong.
But because there are so few places for them to exhale.
I know that feeling too - the drive home where you replay the day, the moment your patience thins faster than it used to, the quiet question you ask when no one is around:
"Is there anything left of me outside of school?
That's why I became a Certified Mentor.
Not to fix teachers.
Not to hand out more strategies.
But to walk with the people who spend their days with everyone else.
Because I believe the most important shifts don't happen in PD sessions or on teacher appreciation days.
They happen in the ordinary moments -
in honest reflection,
in gentle attunement,
in the steady presence of someone who sees you and walks with you through the real work of teaching.
You don't have to keep doing this alone.
Teacher's Oxygen Mask
1:1 Mentorship for Teachers
Looking for Real Self-Care
For teachers who have been caring for so many others,
feel depleted, and are ready to re-prioritize themselves.
What Mentorship looks like day to day:
Mentorship isn't a program to complete or another system to master.
It's a steady, day-by-day dialogue that meets you in the real moments of your life, both inside and outside the classroom.
It's not therapy that pulls you back into the past, or coaching that pressures you toward performance.
It's an ongoing relationship with a Certified Mentor who's right there with you - in the present moment - helping you navigate what's actually happening, and how you want to respond.
You have a private space to speak - up to 15 minutes a day - whenever it fits into real life.
No need to rehearse your thoughts or have the perfect words. Just pick up your phone and share what's on your mind or in your heart.
I'll respond within 24 hours, Monday through Friday - with a voice that's calm, stead, and attuned to you.
There's no need to save things up, book appointments, or overthink how you show up. Just speak from where you are. Whether you're untangling a hard moment, sorting through a reaction, finding clarity before stepping into something new, or circling back after a moment of insight - this is your space.
This mentorship flexes with your life,
and helps you grow in clarity, calm, and connection along the way.
What Makes Mentorship Work
three essential elements:
Daily voice-message support
Personalized guidance
Growth that meets your real life
#1
Daily Voice-Message Support
Mentorship isn't just a conversation - it's a relationship.
It's built with a Certified Mentor who meets you in the present moment - not to analyze your past like therapy or push you toward performance like coaching. It's about staying connected to your internal world so you can move through each day with more steadiness and clarity.
You'll send voice messages from wherever you are - during your planning period, walking to your car, finishing the day at home, pausing between responsibilities, or even on Spring Break.
I'll be there to respond within 24 hours, Monday through Friday.
What daily support looks like:
Send up to 15 minutes of voice messages per weekday
Receive responses within 24 hours, Monday-Friday
Share in real time - not weeks later in a session
Speak freely without booking an appointment
Be heard and accompanied by someone trained to walk with teachers, not evaluate them
Sort through tough moments, emotional reactions, or internal conflict without pressure
Build momentum as your awareness, clarity, and confidence shift
This is support that meets you in the present - while gently helping you grow toward what feels more grounded, spacious, and possible.
#2
Personalized Guidance
There's no one-size-fits-all strategy here.
This Mentorship is shaped around you - your experiences, your values, your internal, and the realities of your life both in your work as a teacher and who you are as a person.
What personalized guidance looks like:
Rooted in your values, your dignity, and the person you are beyond the role of teacher
Adapts to what you're navigating day to day
Helps you name the emotions beneath the surface
Clarifies what matters when things feel overwhelming
Responds to what you bring - not a script or system
Lets you guide the conversation, at your pace
Offers honest, grounded reflections you can trust
You're not following a formula - you're becoming more fully yourself, with someone walking with you.
#3
Growth That Meets Your Real Life
This isn't about fixing everything overnight.
It's about building rhythms of reflection and connection so you can show up with more peace - even when the day is demanding.
What long-term growth looks like:
Grows with your life - the shifts, the seasons, and the realities you face
Strengthens your ability to pause before reacting
Helps shift patterns of overwhelm, self-criticism, or shutdown
Builds steadiness through everyday moments
Makes space for your growth - not just the needs of everyone around you
Supports emotional clarity and grounded leadership
Helps you teach - and live- with intention, not just endurance
Because when you feel anchored, your whole life steadies.
The Heart of Mentorship:
helping you stay grounded, clear, and connected to yourself - right when it matters most.
Hi, I'm Cathie!
Cathie Swanson
Certified Mentor
I've spent 25 years in schools - walking alongside teachers, students, and families through seasons of growth, challenge, and change.
During this time, I didn't just teach - I listened.
I stood with colleagues after overwhelming days, sat with students in moments of uncertainty, and paid attention to the emotional worlds shaping our classrooms and communities.
My work has taken me into public and private schools, across grade levels, in special education settings, and even into classrooms around the world. I've walked with students and families from many cultures and backgrounds, and needs - every experience has depended what I believe: teaching is profoundly human work, and teachers deserve spaces where they can be human, too.
That's why I became a Certified Mentor.
Not to add more strategies or pressure, but to walk with teachers in the real moments - the steady, quiet, ordinary places where your inner world meets the demands of your day.
This isn't about being perfect.
It's about showing up honestly, noticing what's happening inside you, and finding a way forward with clarity and dignity.
If you're ready for daily, steady support from someone who's been walking with teachers for decades, I'd be honored to walk with you.
oLet's take the guesswork out of ito
Frequently Asked Questions
You don't have to know everything before you begin.
These FAQs are here to help you feel more
clear, confident, and comfortable
before taking the next step.
What is Mentorship, exactly?
Mentorship is daily support through voice messages - real-time accompaniment that helps you process what's happening inside you and respond with clarity, calm, and confidence.
It's not therapy, coaching, or professional development.
It's not another strategy, script, or expectation.
It's an ongoing relationship with a trained Mentor who meets you where you are and helps you make sense of what's happening inside you - in your work and in your life.
This approach is rooted in the CatholicPsych model of Integrated Dialogic Daily Mentorship (IDDM) which supports the whole person - not just the teacher role you carry.
What kind of support will I get - and how does the voice messaging work?
We use a voice messaging app called Voxer - private, secure, and easy to use.
You speak when you're ready; I listen and respond within 24 hours, Monday through Friday.
You don't need to schedule anything or sit down for a session.
You can leave a message while driving home, during your planning period, decompressing after a staff meeting, or walking the dog.
You'll receive thoughtful, grounded support in real time - whether you're:
- processing a difficult moment with a student
- navigating tension with a colleague
- feeling overwhelmed by expectations
- carrying something heavy you can't name yet
This is support that meets you in the moment and walks with you through it.
How much time does this take each day?
You have up to 15 minutes per day to use however you want. This might mean sending one longer message, or breaking it into a few quick updates throughout the day.
Some days, you might have a lot to process.
Other days, you might just need to check in.
There's no pressure to use every minute, and the rhythm can shift as your needs do.
How is this different from therapy or coaching?
You don't need a diagnosis. You don't need a 12-step system.
You need someone who actually sees you - and helps you stay grounded in the middle of everything life throws your way.
It's not therapy that mines your past.
It's not coaching that maps your future.
It's not PD or classroom management training.
It's an ongoing relationship with a Mentor who's right there with you - in the present moment - helping think through the hard moments, make decisions with confidence, and reconnecting with yourself beyond your role as teacher.
It's for the real-life stuff:
the emotional spirals, the overwhelm after a long day, the self-doubt, the exhaustion that has you wondering if this is sustainable.
It's not about "fixing" you.
It's about helping you be you - with clarity, calm, and connection.
The word Catholic comes up a lot - should that matter to me?
You'll see references to Catholic language here because I'm certified through the CatholicPsych Institute, which trains mentors to serve the whole person - emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and relationally.
That said, this isn't religious membership.
There's no expectations that you share my beliefs.
This is a space for you to be seen, heard, and supported - without pressure, preaching, or performance.
If your faith is important to you, it's welcome here.
If it's not a focus right now, that's okay too.
This mentorship starts with you.
What if I don't know what to say?
That's actually the perfect place to start.
This isn't about having prepared thoughts or the right words - it's about having a space where you don't have to hold everything together.
You can show up unsure, overwhelmed, numb, or tangled inside.
I'll meet you there.
Mentorship is a back-and-forth conversation that helps you:
- process what's happening
- understand what matters
- notice what's rising inside
- and find your footing again
Whether it's a moment from your classroom, a conversation that unsettled you, or something deeper you didn't expect to surface - you don't have to sort it alone.
Just show up. I'll walk with you from there.
Is there a minimum time commitment?
Mentorship is month-to-month.
There's no long-term contract, no pressure to commit beyond what you need.
You can step away at the end of any month cycle.
That said, real growth takes time - and most teachers stay longer than they expected. Not because they have to, but because it's helping
This isn't a quick fix.
It's a space to slow down, process what's actually happening, and shift how you're showing up - day by day, conversation by conversation.
You're not locked in.
But once you feel the difference - less reactivity, more clarity, deeper connection - you'll understand why so many choose to stay.
What if my situation feels too specific - or too small - for mentorship?
You don't have to be in crisis to reach out.
Mentorship is for teachers navigating:
- emotional strain
- moments of self-doubt
- overwhelm that feels quiet but constant
- tension in relationships
- questioning sense of self
- wondering how to keep going
Maybe what you're carrying feels hard to name.
Maybe it feels too personal - or not "big enough" to bring up.
Maybe you're wondering if it even counts.
It does.
Whatever is rising inside you has a place here.
If it matters to you, it matters here.
Can I talk about things beyond teaching?
Yes - because teaching doesn't happen in isolation.
Your identity isn't limited to "teacher," and Mentorship is designed to support you - the whole person.
If what's weighing on you has to do with relationships, boundaries, exhaustion, faith, friendship, family, or just the quiet ache of not feeling yourself lately - it's welcome here
Teaching may be where the strain shows up, but your inner world extends far beyond your job.
Mentorship helps you:
- connect the dots
- clear the noise
- and navigate your life with more clarity, calm, and connection.
Is this confidential?
Yes.
Your privacy matters - and your story is safe here.
Mentorship is built on trust. Everything you share in our conversation stays private.
And with the voice messaging app's end-to-end encryption, your messages are secure from the moment you send them.
You can speak freely - knowing your words are both protected and respected.
oYou already know what's not working.o
oWhat if this is the momento
othat changes things?o
Your days are full.
The pace feels relentless.
And somewhere along the way, you started getting lost inside all the giving.
What do you want to remember about this season of your life?
The strain? The overwhelm? The quiet sense tht you're running on empty?
Or the moment you reached for support - and everything started to shift.
This is your chance to care for the person behind the role of teacher.
The version of you who deserves steadiness, dignity, and space to breathe.
And as you reconnect with yourself, something else happens too: you begin to move through your days with more clarity, more calm, more internal freedom - no matter what's swirling around you.
That growth?
That's the kind you carry long after circumstances change.
It's the strengthening of you - not just the teacher, but the person.
Book your free consultation call today.
Because this work matters - and you don't have to do it alone.