In this episode of Beat Teacher Burnout, I sit down with Rebekah Alsley, a former headteacher and mum of five, who shares a deeply emotional and honest story about how her dedication to education ultimately came at the cost of her health.
Rebekah opens up about the moment everything changed: delivering an INSET day in 2023 when she suffered from Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, more commonly known as Broken Heart Disease, a stress-induced heart failure that feels just like a heart attack. Though she recovered, the experience left her physically and emotionally shaken, leading her to step down from headship in 2025.
Together, we explore the painful realities of burnout in school leadership, the culture of self-sacrifice that keeps so many teachers pushing beyond their limits, and the urgent need for emotional support and systemic change in education.
This conversation is raw, moving, and full of hard-earned wisdom. We talk about the love of teaching that drives leaders to give everything, the guilt of stepping away, and the practical ways schools can start putting people before performance.
In this conversation, you’ll hear about:
How chronic stress and self-neglect can affect physical health
The emotional toll of leadership and the cost of serving everyone else first
Why coaching and supervision should be standard practice in education
How imposter syndrome fuels overworking and exhaustion
The importance of psychological safety and vulnerability in schools
Redefining what success means in education
Creating time and space for reflection as a leader
Why caring for yourself helps everyone around you thrive
Rebekah’s story is a powerful reminder that passion without boundaries can break even the strongest hearts, and that stepping back isn’t failure but an act of courage and self-preservation.
Connect with Rebekah:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebekah-alsey-848518128/
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