Choosing Yourself: Loving and Leaving Teaching

About this episode

Rachel discusses her journey of leaving teaching due to stress and finding a new fulfilling role.

"We underestimate how brilliant we are as teachers." Former primary teacher Rachel left the classroom when work-related stress began affecting her physical health. Despite loving the classroom, the long exhausting days and a particularly challenging final year made her decision clearer. After leaving at the end of August without a job lined up, Rachel took time to decompress before securing her current position. Now Head of Communities and Development at a charity, Rachel is enjoying the bene...

People in this episode

Host: Joanne Howard

Guest: Rachel

Topics covered

• teacher burnout
• career change
• mental health
• personal development
• education

Keywords

• teaching
• career transition
• work-related stress
• mental health
• charity work

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: charity

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• On Your Own Terms: Finding Flexibility and Family Time After Teaching · February 17, 2026 · 22 min
• Reclaiming Flexibility: Building a Business on Your Own Terms · February 3, 2026 · 27 min
• Breaking Through Burnout: A Headteacher's Journey to Charity Leadership · January 27, 2026 · 29 min