In this episode of Beat Teacher Burnout, I’m joined by Viv Grant, former head teacher, mother of three, author, and Director of Integrity Coaching. Viv brings deep emotional honesty, lived experience, and decades of leadership insight to a conversation about something many educators silently struggle with: what happens when we stop being whole humans in the profession?

We explore Viv’s journey from newly appointed head teacher (while pregnant!) to navigating burnout, emotional overwhelm, and the heavy expectations of school leadership. Viv shares openly about how the pressure to “be strong,” “please everyone,” and keep going no matter what led her to a breaking point and how this became the catalyst for the compassionate coaching work she now leads.

Together, we unpack why so many educators feel like cogs in a fast-moving machine, how identity gets lost behind the “teacher/leader suit,” and what it really takes to create school cultures where staff can feel safe, seen, and human again.

This conversation is both grounding and empowering, a reminder that you are more than your role, your results, or your resilience.

In this conversation, you’ll hear about:

• Viv’s pathway into headship and the emotional cost of always “being strong.”

• How personal identity, motherhood, and leadership intersect in powerful (and messy) ways.

• Why do many schools unintentionally encourage staff to compartmentalise who they are?

• The difference between reacting and responding and why self-awareness is the key.

• The five behavioural “drivers” (like please others and be perfect) that quietly shape our choices.

• How pausing, reflection, and permission to care for ourselves can shift everything.

• Why psychological safety matters more than any wellbeing initiative or bolt-on strategy.

• Viv’s journey through serious illness and how creativity helped her reconnect with her inner wisdom.

This episode is a tender nudge to remember:

Teachers and leaders are whole people with histories, emotions, identities, hopes, and lives beyond school.

When we create cultures where individuality is honoured and listening is prioritised, teachers don’t just survive, they thrive.

Connect with Viv Grant:

Linked In: Viv Grant FRSA

Want to find out more about my new course 5 Minutes to Thrive? Go to my website at www.rowenahicks.com

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