Happy New Year from the Colorado Educator Support Team!

What’s New in January?

In conjunction with our standalone workshop updates, Dr. Amy Lopez will be conducting a 4-week DBT (Dialetical Behavior Therapy) workshop that will provide an overview of emotion regulation techniques, strategies for accepting reality, and how to access your "Wise Mind."   This workshop begins Thursday, January 20th at 4:30 PM   Register here!
Graduate credits are now available for our online program! More information here, course number 20340 - "Mental Health for Educators: Caring for your Students and Yourself" If you have any questions, email us at coloradoeducatorsupport@cuanschutz.edu.
Dr. Scott Cypers will facilitate this once-a-month group to review anxiety management skills, but also to simply provide an open forum for questions about all things mental health related.   Register Here!
With the Omicron variant on the rise, let us help you navigate these uncertain times through our Navigating Uncertainty Module.
We wish you a happy 2022 and know that we’re here to listen to both the good and the bad, so feel free to reach out! Email us at coloradoeducatorsupport@cuanschutz.edu, or give us a call or text at 303-724-2500 !

Let us help you start the new year on a high note!

“Resolutions” seems like such a difficult word, especially when there is so much beyond our control that needs changing. We don’t want to offer or suggest any resolutions. Rather, we want to offer some general “tips to try” for 2022 that may bring you moments of happiness, peace, or a welcome change in perspective.  They don’t have to be done every day and there is no commitment,  just some ideas that might make it a little easier to navigate the unpredictable world that 2022 may bring. We hope this helps!

  • Find something fun to do once a week.  It doesn’t have to be big or high stakes -even a doing a puzzle or cooking a fun meal. If there’s something you really enjoy, prioritize it over lesson planning or cleaning the kitchen one day each week.
  • Keep active – take a walk or move around, and get outside if the weather is nice!
  • Laugh, and listen to others laugh. There’s so much in this world that is funny – don’t let it get buried under all those papers awaiting grades!
  • Talk with a friend or a family or a stranger.  Just connect!
  • Make time to disconnect, as well. Agree to a “power down Sunday afternoon” with your family where no devices are allowed.
Click here to register for our Online Support Program!

We wish you a happy 2022 and know that we’re here to listen to both the good and the bad, so feel free to give us a call or text.

coloradoeducatorsupport@cuanschutz.edu
303-724-2500

Welcome – We are so glad you’re here.

We know last year was full of new things: unprecedented times, social distancing, hybrid learning, kids in masks, quarantine.  

And this year, there will likely be more new things to manage: learning loss, reintegration, resilience, and recovery.  Unfortunately, we don’t know what this coming year will look like. There may be masks, quarantines, COVID variants, all of which will impact you both personally and professionally.  Once again, there will likely be more unpredictability and changes.

How are you supposed to manage it all? We think we can help.

This site is dedicated to helping Colorado’s educational workforce. We have put together resources to help process last year, plan for next year, and have the support to get through it all. 
Here are some of the services we offer:
  • Well-being support line (for confidential venting, validation, problem solving, and resources). Call or text 303-724-2500. Hours: Monday-Friday 9-7, Saturday 9-11 am; Sunday 4-6 pm. 
  • An Online Support Program to learn more about stress, trauma, depression, wellness. We offer skills, strategies, and resources for both you and your students. As you view the lessons, you have access to live, real-time coaching from our Crisis Counselors. They will answer questions about the lessons and help you to develop your own resilience and recovery plan. Click here to register for access to this program. Professional Development and Graduate Credits available for participation in this program.
  • Individual Support services. We offer 5 individual support sessions via Zoom. You can use these sessions for whatever is on your mind: school, family, stress, or career planning. If you need support beyond these sessions, we will provide resources for ongoing care. For individual support sessions, call or text 303-724-2500 for more information. All support services are confidential. We are able to provide individual supports in Spanish as well if needed.
  • Mental Health Workshops. If you prefer to interact with therapists and your peers, we offer psycho-educational workshops on a number of different topics. We have workshops available to help you manage your stress, work with students in your classroom, and help you navigate through the holidays. Click here for the monthly group schedule. All workshops participants are eligible for professional development credits.
  • School Based Professional Development or Training. We are also happy to present to your faculty, teams, or work groups on key mental health topics, either in person or via Zoom. Some topic ideas may include: anxiety, depression, burnout, resilience, mental health strategies for the classroom, stress management, or grief and loss. We are also happy to design a workshop based on your needs. If you are interested in having a professional development workshop on one of these topics, please e-mail coloradoeducatorsupport@cuanshutz.edu for more information or scheduling options.
  • Ask-a-therapist line. Need help supporting the mental health needs of your students?  Wondering about mental health interventions you can use in your classroom?  You can speak directly with one of the members of our child/adolescent team who can help you navigate behaviors in your classroom and recommend resources for your students. Call 303-724-2500 and let them know you would like to speak to a child therapist for help with a student.

All of these services are free of charge to Colorado educators.

A Welcome from the President of CEA

Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on what service you want. For access to the website and online resources, you only need to register by clicking here. For anything else, you can send an e-mail to contact the Well-Being Support Line at 303-724-2500 and they will help you figure out the right service and get you connected.
This program is through the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Department of Psychiatry. The programs are developed and overseen by CU faculty members. The treatment services and Well-Being support services are provided by crisis counselors, all of whom are either licensed clinicians or working on completing their Master’s Degree in counseling, social work, or psychology. All services are supervised by a licensed mental health provider.
All services are free. There is no cost to you. We are funded through grants from the Office of Behavioral Health, Colorado Department of Public Health, and the Colorado Education Association.
Yes! All of our services are provided via Telehealth, so no need to be in the metro area.
Yes! We offer Professional Development and CEU credits for the workshops and online programs.
There are only two criteria to receive these services: you must be employed in a school system and live in Colorado. You do not have to be a classroom teacher, only work with the school or childcare system. We work with teachers, but also support staff, administrative staff, mental health staff, Early Childhood Educators in public, private, and charter schools across the state.
Yes, everything is confidential. We will collect information for registration and evaluation purposes, but your information will never be shared. We will provide aggregate information about usage, but no private information will ever be shared.

About Us

This program was developed in response to the COVID-19 crisis and subsequent social distancing orders. Recognizing that educators would be in need of additional support during this time, CU’s Department of Psychiatry began the educator Well-Being Support Line.  For the past year, we have been providing crisis support and resources to Colorado educators. 

Special thanks to our partners: Colorado Education Association; Colorado Department of Public Health – Colorado Spirit Program; Partners for Children’s Mental Health; Office of Behavioral Health. We also want to extend a very special thank you to all the educators who reviewed content, provided feedback, and shared their stories.