Nurturing the Nurturers: A Healing Community for Educators

Nurturing the Nurturers: a Healing Community for Educators is an online space focused on community care. Self-care is essential for individual coping, community care can sustain us collectively. Once a month, we'll gather to connect and reflect as we navigate our work. As educators, we are trying to manage collective and community trauma, the trauma in our own lives and our students' lives, and the stress of our schools and workplaces. It's a lot! Let us hold some space for you.

Each month, we'll gather on Zoom to reflect on our experiences and connect with one another. We'll send out an anchor text - a reading, video, or podcast that you can engage with in 30 minutes or less - ahead of time, and use those teachings as a jumping-off point. We spend some time in the large group and then break off into smaller “home groups” where you dive deeper with one of the facilitators. You can expect to build relationships, make meaning, and generate ideas for sustaining yourself and your community through challenging times.

To register: click on "join the community" and check out. There is a sliding scale for registration. We encourage those who receive funding support from their schools to choose the full-cost option.

Please note that the event "date" only says September 19 but you are registering for the full fall cohort including all dates below. If you have any questions please email us at NurturingTheNurturers@gmail.com

When and where:

Dates we'll be meeting - these are all on Sundays from 2:30 to 4:00pm Eastern Standard time, and you'll get the Zoom link prior to each meeting:

• September 19

• October 17th

• November 14

• December 12

What you're committing to:

Just showing up. We'll send out a short text ahead of time for you to engage with, but the important thing is to just bring yourself to the space.

What to expect in each session:

In each 90-minute gathering, we'll spend some time in the large group and some time in small groups of no more than 10 people each. We'll use each month's text as a jumping-off point to spark discussion about elements of self and community care during trying times. You'll have the opportunity to reflect on your teaching practice, to hear and be heard by others, and to develop goals and intentions.

What past participants say about Nurturing the Nurturers:

“Nurturing the Nurturers has allowed me to stay connected to the larger purpose of my work as a teacher in the most challenging time of my career.”

“Nurturing the Nurturers was a comfortable, affirming space to just be. To listen, experience, and feel grounded. There was no pressure to be anyone or anything but yourself. A necessary place for educators.”

“Nurturing the Nurturers gave me a sense of community at a time in which so many of us were feeling unmoored and isolated. Even though it was virtual, even though I didn't know the people beforehand, we formed an authentic community quickly. It felt a bit magical, but we really did that, together. I benefited greatly from sharing, from listening, from understanding more about true self-care and the trauma response. It was a beautiful experience I am grateful to have had.”

Who we are:

Arlène Elizabeth Casimir (she/her/hers) is Brooklyn-based activist, educator, herbalist, healer, personal and professional development consultant, and writer. She’s currently studying clinical psychology and education with a concentration in trauma, spirituality, and culturally sustaining practices. Arlène recognizes that while self care is radical, community care is revolutionary. When she’s not teaching, learning and/or writing, Arlène is creating at Lakay Lune. Lakay (pronounced: LAH-KAI, means home in Haitian-Creole) It’s the place where Lune (Arlène’s nickname which means moon) makes intuitive herbal blends for the body, mind & soul. Her healing and wellness venture honors ancestral lineage and generational wisdom. (www.lakaylune.com)

Addison Duane (she/her) is an elementary teacher turned PhD student living in California. Her research focuses on trauma in schools from all levels-- systems, schools, teachers, and students. She also collaborates on research related to emotion regulation, positive mental health processes in middle childhood, and the trauma-informed schools movement.

Rhiannon Kim (she|her) is a former SLP and now Ed.D student studying and teaching healing-centered anti-oppressive trauma-responsive practices and pedagogies. In addition to working toward disrupting patterns of over-pathologization in public education, she is an adjunct lecturer, consultant, and lay practitioner and teacher of yoga and mindfulness. Her go-to self-care practices are movement and writing and her favorite community-care practice is sharing space with people who blend social justice and healing-centered contemplative practices.

Alex Venet (she/her) is an educator, professional development facilitator, and author living in Vermont. She focuses on trauma-informed practices with a special interest in boundaries, unconditional positive regard, and trauma-informed leadership. She values community care and collective wisdom as core parts of teaching.