Refresh Reset: Supportive Supervision in Education

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02/12/2025

As Alain De Botton so eloquently says, “We need contact with an ‘elsewhere’ to dislodge us from sterility and reawaken us to wonder. We need to surprise and de-habituate ourselves back to health.”

I used time away recently to do just that.

For thousands of years, First Nations People lived in this area, managing its rich natural resources. Known as ‘Woonoongoora’ in Yugambeh language, Binna Burra and the mountains of Lamington National Park are a sacred and spiritual place.

My time there was spent exploring trails in the rainforests. Binna Burra; the Aboriginal word meaning ‘Where the Beech Tree grows’.

Where is the 'elsewhere' where you find wonder?

22/11/2025

Wellbeing leaders, educators and school counsellors…I invite you to reflect on these statements in your daily interactions with children and young people.

Do any resonate and might they be daily affirmations?

“All children are born with a pure and loving essence, and this new lens for discipline calls us to attune and attend to their being and not just their doing.”

“I want to thank myself for showing up every day with an open heart and mind, as I thank my students for being part of this classroom.”

“I am learning that when I begin to trust the essence of every student, they begin to see their inner worlds as worthy and good, no matter what happens on the outside.”

Connections Over Compliance, Dr Lori Desautels, p. 57

18/11/2025

Thank you, Sharon 🥰 💛

16/11/2025

Rather than simply talking about problems, we can integrate the use of images to tap into the subconscious and relieve our frontal lobes for a bit!

Those of you who work with me know that I integrate the use of images into our sessions to deepen the reflective work. At times, we are surprisingly enlightened by the wisdom that arises.

Questions to support exploration of symbols:

❓ Can you say anything about what you have chosen?

❓ Is there something that stands out for you?

❓ Does it have a feeling or mood?

❓Is there anything that surprises you about it?

❓ Do you notice any bodily responses you have – emotions or physical sensations or perhaps a posture?

❓ Is there another symbol that could go with this?

These questions are adapted from ‘Sand Play & Symbol Work Emotional Healing & Personal Development with Children, Adolescents and Adults.’ Pearson and Wilson (2001)

I hope you find this useful 💛

10/11/2025

The Stress Cycle: Why Solving the Problem Isn't Enough

As school counsellors and wellbeing leaders, we're skilled at helping students remove stressors—mediating conflicts, adjusting deadlines, problem-solving challenges. But here's what the Nagoski sisters (Emily and Amelia) teach us in their research: removing the stressor doesn't complete the stress cycle.

When our bodies experience stress, we release a chemical cocktail—cortisol, adrenaline, norepinephrine. Even after the stressor disappears, these stress hormones remain in our system, waiting to be processed. This is why students (and we!) can still feel anxious even after "fixing" the problem.

So how do we complete the cycle?

It's about moving the stress through the body:
• Physical affection – A 20-second hug literally signals safety to our nervous system
• Breathing – Deep diaphragmatic breathing activates the parasympathetic response
• Rest and sleep – Non-negotiable for metabolizsing stress hormones
• Crying – A biological release mechanism (not a sign of weakness!)
• Positive social interaction – Connection tells our body the threat has passed
• Laughter – Deep belly laughs are a powerful stress cycle completer

This reframe has changed how I approach wellbeing work alongside school counsellors and Wellbeing Leaders.

What strategies do you use to help you process stress somatically?

06/11/2025

An easy acronym from ACT c/o Dr Russ Harris.

At the Choice Point: STOP

S = Slow your breathing, slowly stretch, or slowly push your feet into the floor
T = Take note of your thoughts and feelings and the world around you
O = Open up to your hooks, and allow them to flow through you
P = Pursue your values, use your helpers and do what matters to you

Practising this regularly helps to calm our nervous systems, pause, and choose meaningful action in line with our values.

02/11/2025

The one resource I share with every new international school teacher and school counsellor that I work with is Dr Lori Desautel's book, 'Connections Over Compliance'.

“The developing brains of our children need to “feel” safe. Children who carry chronic behavioral challenges are often met with reactive and punitive practices that can potentially reactivate the developing stress response systems. This book deeply addresses the need for co-regulatory and relational touch point practices, shifting student-focused behavior management protocols to adult regulated brain and body states which are brain aligned, preventive, and relational discipline protocols. This new lens for discipline benefits all students by reaching for sustainable behavioral changes through brain state awareness rather than compliance and obedience.”

My favourite section is the ‘Brain Aligned Strategies’. Dr Desautels shares practical Sensory Strategies, Connection Strategies and Cortisol Strategies that target different parts of the brain; the brain stem, the limbic system and the cortex.

I hope you find this resource as useful as I do. You can fnd it here: https://revelationsineducation.com/the-book/connections-over-compliance-rewiring-our-perceptions-of-discipline/

27/10/2025

A shout out to Lisa Oxman, ‘Inner North Psychology and Health’. I was fortunate to be a participant in a workshop session she facilitated at a Zed3 Conference in Canberra on the 24th July.

Lisa incorporated the work of twin sisters Emily and Amelia Nagoski, from their book, ‘Burnout: The Secret to solving the stress cycle.’

It’s an excellent read.

Lisa’s reminders:

🟡 “It’s not the removal of the stressor that completes the cycle.”

🟡 “If your body is in full action mode, you have to provide cues that you are safe.”

🟡 “You have to complete the cycle, or you get stuck in the cycle.”

I shared this recently with a supervisee working in the Domestic Violence space to ‘finish the emotions’ she was experiencing during and after her shifts to complete the stress cycle.

I reminded her, ‘Your body speaks body language.’

My supervisee went on to create what she called rituals, consciously returning her body to safety, when it was activated by women’s heart-wrenching stories and predicaments.

What is key is learning what works for you. Ten deep breaths is my go-to. My supervisee included tapping and hands on her heart with compassionate thoughts. Other ways to complete the stress cycle include consciously sighing, a 20-second hug with a trusted other, laughing, crying and movement.

How do you complete the stress cycle and use body language to communicate with your body?

20/10/2025

Orygen has two digital mental health products - MOST and Mello - that have gone from research to real-life support for young people experiencing mental ill health.

In a time where some AI tools are giving extremely concerning and harmful advice, instead encourage students to use digital technologies that have undergone robust testing.

Follow the links to find out more:

Orygen https://www.orygen.org.au/
MOST: https://www.most.org.au/
Mello: https://www.mello.org.au/

Which evidence-based mental health apps do your students find helpful

08/10/2025

The Outcome Rating Scale (ORS) is a tool I used when working within schools, to assist me to check in with my students.

If you're a School Counsellor, and interested in this useful resource, you can find out more here:

https://corc.uk.net/outcome-measures-guidance/directory-of-outcome-measures/outcome-rating-scale-ors-child-outcome-rating-scale-cors/

02/10/2025

3 resources EVERY School Counsellor needs...

What would you add to this list? Share your essential resources below and let's support each other 💪

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