Teacher Professional Development
Support the emotional muscles of your school from the inside out.
Mentally Fit Primary Schools - Teacher Professional Development Series
The Mentally Fit Primary Schools Teacher Professional Development Series empowers educators with the tools, language, and strategies to create a culture where mental fitness is embedded across the school community. Grounded in Gotcha4Life’s 3 protective factors, Help-Seeking Behaviour, Emotional Adaptability, and Social Connectedness, this 3-part professional development pathway supports staff to connect, reflect, and take action.
Whether you're kickstarting your wellbeing journey or deepening existing practices, each session builds toward a school environment where no one worries alone and every member of the community feels seen, supported, and strong.
Explore the sessions below to find out how the Mentally Fit Primary Schools Teacher PD series can help your staff, your students, and your school’s mental fitness goals.
Staff Professional Development
Workshop 1:
Mental Fitness Kickstarter
The Mental Fitness Kickstarter is the launchpad for embedding a culture of connection, care, and wellbeing in your school. Designed for all staff, this engaging and reflective session introduces Gotcha4Life’s 3 evidence-based protective factors and sparks meaningful conversations that build trust, resilience, and team connection. This session creates a shared foundation for creating mentally fit primary schools.
This interactive session introduces to your staff the building blocks of mental fitness:
Help-Seeking Behaviour: Explore the barriers that hold people back and take first steps toward building a help-seeking culture.
Emotional Adaptability: Build emotional awareness by naming, noticing, and normalising the full range of emotions.
Social Connectedness: Identify your “village” and learn how to deepen connections and show up for one another.
Workshop Highlights:
Insight into teacher wellbeing and the current stats around burnout and emotional load
Reflection activities to identify personal support systems and emotional habits
Easy-to-use mental fitness tools and practical takeaways
Why Start Here?
Teachers are the heartbeat of school communities. When staff model emotional awareness, help-seeking, and deep connection, these values ripple out to students and families.
This PD session not only supports staff wellbeing, it lays the groundwork for broader whole-school culture change.
Delivery Format:
1hr face to face session
Session 1 in the Mentally Fit Primary Schools Teacher PD series
Ideal for staff meetings, wellbeing days, or term kick-offs
Suitable for NESA accreditation
Staff Professional Development Workshop 2:
MFPS Education Session
The MFPS Education Session supports educators to embed mental fitness practices across the school and deepen their understanding of the Mentally Fit Primary Schools framework. This session builds capacity by equipping staff with classroom-ready tools, shared language, and strategies to promote wellbeing across all areas of school life.
Designed to inspire practical implementation, this session introduces key MFPS resources and aligns them with the Australian curriculum and social and emotional learning (SEL) principles.
This session supports teachers and staff to introduce the Gotcha4Life protective factors, Emotional Adaptability, Social Connectedness, and Help-Seeking Behaviour into everyday classroom practice, using the Mentally Fit Primary Schools resources.
Workshop Highlights:
Experience and explore the full suite of MFPS resources, including:
Brain Break activities to support transitions and emotional regulation
Explicit Mental Fitness Lessons
The “Boys Do Cry” resource pack and literature links
Protective Factor Posters and Implementation Guides
21 Days of Mental Fitness classroom resource
Opportunities to reflect on your school context, barriers, strengths, and wellbeing goals
Explicit connections to the Mentally Fit Primary Schools Year One Scope and Sequence and student lesson progression.
Why This Session?
Schools are ideal environments to build resilience, foster meaningful relationships, and support emotional literacy. This session provides educators with the confidence and tools to translate these ideals into daily, actionable practice, ensuring students and staff alike feel supported, connected, and emotionally strong.
Delivery Format:
1hr face to face session
Session 2 in the Mentally Fit Primary Schools Teacher PD Series
Suitable for NESA accreditation
Curriculum-aligned and grounded in evidence-based SEL strategies
Staff Professional Development
Workshop 3:
Mental Fitness Fundamentals
The Mental Fitness Fundamentals session brings the series full circle by focusing on staff wellbeing through practical mental fitness tools and reflection. Designed as the third step in the Mentally Fit Primary Schools Teacher PD pathway, this session gives educators the space to explore their own emotional load, reconnect with their purpose, and take action to strengthen their mental fitness. This session supports staff to reflect on personal wellbeing, recognise barriers to seeking help, and continue to develop healthy habits for resilience and emotional adaptability.
Workshop Highlights:
Interactive activities to help you assess your personal and professional load
Tools to lighten the emotional load and prioritise what’s within your control
Guided reflection exercises on help-seeking and the weight of our worries
Music and storytelling moments to boost energy and build connection
Mental fitness actions you can take today, for yourself and your team
Why This Session?
When staff are emotionally strong and feel supported, students benefit too. This session helps educators model wellbeing from the inside out, reinforcing a school-wide culture where nobody worries alone.
Delivery Format
1hr face to face session
Session 3 in the MFPS PD series
Suitable for NESA accreditation
Register your interest for the Mentally Fit Primary Schools Teacher PD series below.
One of our team members will be in touch.
Our Educators coach, educate and support you to build your school’s wellbeing capacity.
Presentations, workshops, training and resources for the whole school community.
A shared language between home and school that encourages healthy habit-building and connection.
Evidence-based SEL framework, Australian curriculum-aligned.
Access Resources
Access our resource hub, the Mental Fitness Gym, to find a range of tools and activities designed to strengthen your emotional muscles, foster social connections, and encourage help-seeking in your school community.
Want to become a Mentally Fit School?
Register your interest to download a full program information pack and schedule a discovery session with our team of Mental Fitness Educators.
Register your interest and our team will be in touch.
.
Our Mentally Fit Primary Schools program would not be possible without the support of our donors and partners.
Gotcha4Life’s Mentally Fit Primary Schools pilot program was partially funded by the NSW Government.
The information in our Mentally Fit Primary Schools program is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Gotcha4Life does not provide counselling or crisis support services. You can connect with mental health professionals for confidential 1-on-1 support and advice by calling Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 at any time or visit beyondblue.org.au. If someone you care about is experiencing emotional distress, please contact Lifeline who are there to listen and support you, 24 hours a day on 13 11 14. If someone’s life is in danger, call 000.
*The National Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy (2021)