School Consultation

Student & Teacher Burnout, Teacher Turnover & Educational Leadership At A Turning Point

I am a licensed school psychologist, as well as a licensed clinical psychologist. I have spent many years working directly in public schools on the east coast, primarily between New York City and Vermont. Most recently I have also begun working with west coast schools as well. I’ve witnessed firsthand the incredible talent educators bring and the incredible potential in consciously creating the environments where children spend so much of their time. I have also seen the effects of teacher burnout, and the crumbling effect the pandemic has had on public schools and mental health.

We’re Healing From A Crisis And There Is Hope.

What I’ve Seen…

My work has made me an expert on recognizing where sneaky fear is paralyzing a classroom, school building or school system. Fear blocks all humans from accessing their executive functioning, creative wisdom, and true potential. When teachers are chronically stressed, connection with students breaks down and learning and behavior problems pop up everywhere.

I can help you to trade fear-based reactions for wise, emotionally responsive school communities. These shifts are simple, actionable, and the effects are profound for everyone’s learning and development.

How I Can Help You

My experiences in schools have included a full-time school psychologist position overseeing behavioral programs and interventionists, extensive cognitive and developmental evaluations, and working closely with NYU’s ASD Nest Support Project to bring New York City public schools into alignment with the needs of autistic students. I also teach extensively through the Vermont Higher Education Collaborative and Castleton University, offering workshops courses to educators on topics centering around emotional intelligence in schools.

In all of my school consulting positions, I provide virtual learning opportunities for educators on topics including trauma and resiliency, social and emotional learning, mindfulness, and addressing and shifting the ineffective and inequitable patterns of reactive punishment, power dynamics, and burnout and resentment among both staff and students in public schools.

At the school-level, I’m most often hired for professional development on topics related to fear and power, emotional intelligence and SEL (social emotional learning), trauma, resiliency, and mindfulness. From there, we often develop a program to weave these principles into the day to day of the school community, including ongoing consultation with administration, case consultation for specific student or team challenges, and reflective practice.

This experience will replenish your capacity to keep up your important work in the world, doing so authentically and aligned with your inspiration for becoming an educator in the first place.

A Bit On Reflective Practice

When the pandemic was at its worst, educators operated much like the lonely violin players on the Titanic as the ship was sinking. The ongoing pandemic and subsequent restructuring of our society have meant that infrastructure and support teachers need have been lacking to put it mildly. Teacher turnover is very high, and those who have stayed have often felt burned-out and alone.

If you are looking for connection, strategies, and inspiration to maintain passion and hope, this is what I am offering to you!

Reflective practice groups are a supportive space to acknowledge and repair the adverse effect your work can have on you, free from professional consequence or unsolicited advice. Using the guiding principles of reflective practice, our sessions are designed to reduce the effects of compassion fatigue. These virtual sessions offer an ongoing opportunity to process emotions, learn and share strategies to maintain hope and resiliency in the community of others who understand the unique demands of working in schools.

Reflective Practice groups are aimed at addressing how you can

Hold possible feelings of dread and grief that education is moving into the unknown while also holding a stance of excitement at what may be possible.
Distinguish between aspects of your work that feel in conflict with your values and those that are aligned.
Understand when you are feeling fear - and its impacts on your cognitive and emotional functioning - and address it skillfully to move toward problem solving, perspective taking, and empathy
Feel more power and autonomy in your work, and less worried about making a mistake or getting in trouble

Here’s What Past Reflective Practice Participants Have Shared About The Work

Gillian, Thank you so much for your expertise and facilitation of this group. I appreciated the monthly meetings. I especially appreciated the size of the group and the connections we shared. I quickly was able to develop trust and ease in sharing throughout the year.

Casey O'Meara

Curriculum Director

Gillian has expertise in several areas that are underserved. The unique combination of strong clinical knowledge, engaging teaching ability, and in-depth understanding of systems change is invaluable. Gillian is consistently calm, confident, and humble. Her expertise and genuine personal style quickly and easily elicit trust and engagement from youth, parents, and colleagues.

Gillian has a way of putting people at ease while inspiring them into action that is impressive to observe. I admire how she can attune to people quickly and blend her knowledge and expertise with their needs. She is true to her values and ethics while being flexible and sensitive to various community norms. I value our collaboration, trust her without hesitation, and consistently hear incredible feedback about her work.

Gillian has worked in urban and rural settings, as well as spent time working in both outpatient clinics and public schools. The varied background allows her to be very practical in her teaching, realistic in her recommendations, grounded in her expectations, and inspiring in her belief in even the most complex systems to change and improve.

She can see the big picture and the minute details simultaneously. Gillian is among the most talented that I have had the privilege to work alongside, as well as simply a lovely person.

Joelle VanLent

Clinical Psychologist and School Consultant

Provided to share our new learning with our staff in “mini lesson” format and are hopeful that it has been beneficial to them as well!

Joelle Van Lent

Clinical Psychologist

A close colleague and I have both participated in Gillian’s sessions since October. I feel I have personally learned very relevant information that I have applied to my own efforts to remain resilient during this very challenging year. Additionally, my colleague and I have utilized the slides.

Joelle Van Lent

Clinical Psychologist

I appreciated that Gillian provided an overview of the concept then a real life example of the concept, followed by modeling how to implement the work to effect real change. I learned a lot in a short session!

Joelle Van Lent

Clinical Psychologist

It felt great to be in a small group and have time to share and to listen to others. It felt like a small director’s counseling session. It helped me recharge and do my job. The work with Gillian and our small group of colleagues is relevant and meaningful. I look forward to it every month! It’s been a lifeline during these difficult times. I enjoy the structure with new info presented first and then time for personal/group reflections. The content is extremely relevant and Gillian’s presentation really grounds me in the knowledge and importance of understanding that for students and myself personally. She creates a safe environment for sharing:-)

Joelle Van Lent

Clinical Psychologist

Joelle Van Lent

Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Gillian Boudreau At Vermont Higher Education Collaborative

We Made It Through The School Year- Now What?

Highlighting the impact of uncertainty and unrest on individual and collective nervous system functioning, Joelle and Gillian continue the conversation on framing our work with students, families, and coworkers during the pandemic.

If You’re Looking For A School Consultant To Help Your Teachers Turn Burnout Into Resiliency, Here’s How I Can Help You

Schedule a call
Send an email inquiry
We can discuss how to best tailor what I offer to the needs of your school community