Schools and Education
Behavioral Health brought educators together to explore restoration and resilience before the bell rings again
Most professional development asks educators to grow their skills. The Wayfinders workshop asked them to look inward instead.
On June 11th, school staff from across the county sat down together at the Park County Senior Center not to plan curriculum or review policy, but to take stock of themselves. Teachers, principals, and support staff from Livingston School District, St. Mary’s, One Health, and the Community School Collaborative spent the day with Sage Behavioral Health exploring what it means to genuinely recover from a school year.
Built on Community
The event was made possible through the combined effort of several local organizations. Park County Senior Center hosted the space. Community Closet supplied a grant to cover materials. Rural Resilience spread the word to schools throughout Park County. The afternoon closed with a gathering at Project 49, where participants took part in a collaborative art project as a way to reflect and decompress.
“When community partners come together, we can offer something none of us could put together alone,” said Leah Holmstedt, Executive Director of Sage Behavioral Health.
What Restoration Actually Looks Like
The session, part of Sage’s Wayfinders curriculum and titled “Getting the Most Out of Summer,” worked from a core idea: school staff do not simply bounce back from a difficult year by resting for a few weeks. The cumulative strain of emotional labor, high demand, and systems under pressure builds over time. Understanding that pattern is the first step toward changing it.
Wayfinders gave participants a framework for understanding their own depletion and recovery: what drains energy, what genuinely restores it, and what specific habits could help them return in the fall more grounded than they left in the spring.
“It helped me see where I could make small shifts that have a meaningful impact,” said Rainy Martin, Executive Director of the Community School Collaborative. “That is the kind of practical takeaway that stays with you.”
For a rural community where access to professional support is limited and educators often carry far more than their formal roles require, a program that takes their wellbeing seriously is both timely and necessary.
Sage Behavioral Health is a Livingston-based non-profit licensed mental health center. For more information about Wayfinders, visit www.sageofmontana.com/wayfinders.