About
Hi, I’m JJ.
I spent 17+ years in K-12 education as a school counselor, an SEL coordinator, and now in educational leadership. I am experienced in building systems to help people manage stress, big emotions, and the pressure of holding things together for others.
Along the way, I noticed something: the people who most needed those tools were the ones who never got to ask for them. The ones everyone leaned on. The ones who were “fine” because they had to be.
I’m also a certified yoga instructor and trained in trauma-informed practice, and here I bring those worlds together, nervous system tools + SEL-based reframes, for professionals in high-responsibility roles who are done running on empty.
I’m based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, direct by nature, and I believe protecting your peace and having a sense of humor about the chaos aren’t mutually exclusive.
This is MyWellnessVerse. Glad you’re here.
How did MyWellnessverse Come About?
I will never forget the day that we had to leave our schools and send our kids home with no clear understanding of what the future would hold because of a pandemic. It was unsettling to say the least but I was incredibly grateful to have a job that would still pay me, grateful that I didn’t have an elderly parent to worry about, grateful that my daughter was in college and I wouldn’t have to homeschool her, and grateful that I didn’t have any underlying health conditions.
In times of uncertainty in the past I have been able to find a way to stay grounded and this time around was no different. I began a daily self care routine and posted it on social media, hoping to inspire others to take care of themselves. Things like reading, journaling, spending time talking to friends and family, practicing yoga and mediation, and a few others kept my spirits up. When we were finally able to return to our schools it was evident that teaching through a pandemic had taken a toll and I began to shift my work and advocate for our staff’s wellbeing.
Then, after traveling to Greece for a yoga retreat, I came away feeling inspired, renewed and rejuvenated to share about all of the ways that I have tended to my own wellness. My journey includes physical, mental, emotional and practices that continue to evolve with more lived experiences. The most exciting part is that I feel that for the first time I have found what works best for me at this stage in my life.
Recent PostS
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Why MyWellnessVerse Is Evolving (And What’s Staying the Same)
If you’ve been here a while, you know MyWellnessVerse started as a space for educator wellness, because that was my world, and it was real. Seventeen years in K-12 education taught me a lot about stress, burnout, and what it actually takes to hold a room, a school, or a staff together. Here’s what’s changing:…
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How Can Educators Make the Most of Their Summer Break?
Summer break for educators is a much-anticipated period for us to unwind, rejuvenate, and prepare for the upcoming academic year. This summer break has been one of my most anticipated in my 14 years of education. This past school year began with a teacher strike, included learning a new system, multiple tragic events in our…
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The Power of Teacher Collective Efficacy for Staff and Student Wellness
By nature, educators are helpers. We want to help our students become the best versions of themselves. We want to see them achieve their goals and succeed in life. When a student comes back to us years later to tell us how much of an impact we had on them we are beaming. Tears fill…