373. Why Emotional Intelligence Is the Missing Link in Teacher Retention: Featuring Katrina Huels

About this episode

The episode discusses the role of emotional intelligence in addressing teacher burnout and retention in education.

What if the burnout crisis in education is not just a workload problem but a skills gap? In this episode of Aspire to Lead, Joshua Stamper sits down with Corwin author and educator Katrina Huels to unpack why 54% of K through 12 educators report feeling burnt out often or always, and what leaders and teachers can actually do about it.​ Katrina draws on her 14 years of leadership experience across special education, assistant director, and executive director roles to explain how emotional intelligence development across five domains (self awareness, self regulation, internal motivation, empathy, and social skills) can reduce turnover, increase job satisfaction, and help educators shift from a reactive stress response into their thinking brain. She also breaks down the neuroscience behind neuroplasticity and explains why consistently practicing EQ tools, including breathwork, gratitude practices, and cognitive reframing, actually rewires the brain so that calm and clarity become the default rather than frustration and overwhelm.​ Katrina shares practical strategies educators and leaders can begin today, introduces her book Transformational Tools for Special Educators , her new…

People in this episode

Host: Joshua Stamper

Guest: Katrina Huels

Topics covered

• emotional intelligence
• teacher retention
• burnout in education
• leadership strategies
• mental health
• neuroplasticity

Keywords

• emotional intelligence
• teacher burnout
• education leadership
• neuroplasticity
• mental health
• professional development
• self awareness

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Transformational Tools for Special Educators

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