Ep 106: Healing Despair and Moral Injury in Educators

What if burnout isn’t just about exhaustion—but something much deeper? In this powerful episode, Julie and Ginger speak with Sheri Kreher, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the Trauma, Illness, and Grief (TIG) Coordinator for 24 school districts in New York. Sheri brings two decades of mental health experience and a deep understanding of the emotional toll today’s educators are carrying.
Together, we explore the growing wave of vicarious trauma, moral injury, and systemic despair among school staff—and why the solution lies beyond individual self-care. Sheri introduces the idea of Active Hope—a framework that acknowledges the pain, honors the grief, and offers a path forward rooted in connection, validation, and systems change.
If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “What’s wrong with me that I can’t do this job anymore?”—this episode will help you reframe that question and begin to heal.
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In This Episode, We Explore:
• Why burnout in education is often a symptom of deeper, systemic wounds

• The role of moral injury and betrayal in driving educator hopelessness

• How vicarious trauma shows up—and why it’s not a sign of weakness

• What it means to practice Active Hope in school systems that feel broken

• How administrators can be a protective factor for staff

• Why naming, witnessing, and validating pain is essential to healing

• What it takes to build school climates of cohesion, care, and courage

"What looks like burnout is often unprocessed grief and betrayal. Educators don’t just need more resilience—they need to be seen, heard, and believed." — Sheri Kreher
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Resources:
• Active Hope (by Joanna Macy & Chris Johnstone)

• Active Hope Book Link: https://a.co/d/6dZ6xbi