It has been reported that up to half of UK teachers have considered leaving the profession, quoting intolerable levels of stress as the main factor. The problem of stress related health issues is not new to the profession, but its effect appears to be on the increase. Bullying, increased workloads, Ofsted inspections and a general lack of support from head teachers are just a few of the reported contributing factors.
More recently the problem has taken on a new dimension with a succession of successful legal cases against regional education authorities by stressed teachers: one reported settlement exceeded £240,000. The teachers’ union, NASUWT, apparently have a growing pipeline of ongoing cases.
At a British clinic in Southern Spain they treat more members of the teaching profession than any other sector. “They usually arrive reporting that they are suffering from stress; it is often disguised as depression, anxiety, panic attacks, IBS, burnout, insomnia, and occasionally ME. The symptoms may differ, but the cause of course, is always the same!”
The large number of ex-pat teachers visiting the clinic prompted the need to develop a stress management treatment plan, dedicated exclusively to the profession. They combined their own expertise with significant input by several members of the teaching profession to put together their Stress Management Course for Teachers, which incorporates CBT and other methodology. The modules are the subject of considerable ongoing evaluation and improvement.
During 2007 the clinic became aware of an increasing number of UK-based teachers who were travelling to Spain either for a weekend or midweek break, exclusively for treatment. It seems that budget air travel and the availability of low cost hotel accommodation made visiting the Costa del Sol an acceptable option; the sunshine also helped!
The clinic continues to offer their one-to-one sessions to individuals, but to satisfy demand, and to make the treatment available to a greater number of eager teachers at a far lower cost, they are now offering a four-session, two-day workshop package, which can be taken over a weekend, or mid-week break, for groups of a minimum of five delegates.
The group sessions take place at one of a selection of hotels conveniently located along the coast. Staff at the clinic are happy to negotiate a preferential accommodation rate at the selected hotel, or alternatively delegates can source their own accommodation on one of the many Internet-based booking sites. The clinic is able to email a detailed list of online airline and accommodation web sites on request.
