For the past four years, Duncan Middle School has been constructing a new project for teachers: a mental health room. It was recently finished and had a grand opening on Monday, September 30th, 2024. The room is designed to be a "safe place" for teachers to seek comfort when stressed or overwhelmed. It has soothing music, numerous lamps, comfortable seating areas, snacks and drinks, and the biggest hit: a massage chair. This room is in the 6th grade hall at the Duncan Middle School.
Derrick Miller, a journalism teacher at DMS, played a major role in planning and building the room.
“It’s been a project,” Miller says, “There’s been a lot of research and discussion. I wanted to give a space for teachers to decompress since teacher burnout is so high.”
The inspiration came from his friends, Cathy Barker and Sonia Norton, and he has seen other places incorporate rooms in their place, specifically a baseball stadium, for their overstimulated patrons. When he approached others with the idea, everyone immediately agreed and said they had the same idea.
Miller explains, “I immediately went to the new principal, Cassie Berthhold, about the idea and she didn’t hesitate to say yes. She said she has wanted to do something like this for quite some time. I told her I would get it done and took to social media about my idea and donations.”
They received some donations, but the only thing of cost money was the massage chair, which NJHS paid for as their teacher appreciation gift. The massage chair has been a bit hit and considered very relaxing.
“Teachers who have used the room have said they feel more relaxed,” Miller says, “And I can’t wait to see what the long-term effects will be”
Sonia Norton, a special education teacher at DMS shares her enthusiasm and role in the room.
“I’ve been teaching at DMS for 46 years and I'm so excited to see how the room can grow,” Sonia mentions.
Her inspiration stemmed from the trauma-informed trainings she and Cathy Barker had attended. She also hosted an event over Beyond Trauma: Informed Day Practices. When she discovered Derrick Miller shared a similar idea, they collaborated on bringing their vision to life.
“We wanted to be there for teachers,” Sonia explains, “We wanted to let them know there is a safe place to decompress after a traumatic event. We hope they utilize it when they’re not feeling 100%, to be better for themselves and their students.”
For the grand opening, the Oklahoma Educators Credit Union brought treats: bread, juices, and donuts, among other wonderful things. Many people came the morning of and relaxed, grabbed a snack, and enjoyed the tour they were given.
“It was wonderful!” Sonia says.
Kim Holland, a counselor at Duncan Regional Hospital, explains why she believes a mental health space benefits teachers.
“There has been a lot of research about decompression time in a workplace,” Holland explains. “If you’re feeling overwhelmed, a place where you can decompress with light music, a comfy chair, calming materials, or just a light nap can allow you to be more productive the next 5-6 hours or an entire shift.”
Different levels of teaching have different stresses. Kim compared working with middle schoolers to working with a troop of monkeys.
“You chase them around all day. When dealing with elementary kids is like a flock of geese, they’ll pick at you but not actually hurt you, and high school students are like mustang horses, big enough to hurt you if they want to,” she explains.
Even though everyone has unique circumstances, the teachers she counseled have had similar concerns: being overworked, having personal time taken away, and stressing about their students. Her advice for teachers is to prioritize their families and find a balance.
“The similar concerns in teachers can cause depression, anxiety, and marital conflict. My best advice is for teachers to work hard and be great at what they do, but not sacrifice too much of their personal lives. When they finish work, they should fully engage with their family. Even though teachers are taking care of other people’s children as work, they need to find a balance and make that a priority, and do some self-care,” Holland explains.
The new mental health room at DMS has begun its journey, and the teachers are excited to see where it leads. It originated from an idea of three teachers, progressed through research and donations, and has finally reached the point where its benefits can be offered to all teachers. The room has many benefits to offer, including snacks and drinks, comfortable seating, calming lighting and music, and a massage chair, all designed to help teachers relax when needed.
“We are open to ideas and suggestions and are happy to incorporate them into the room,” Sonia said,” We are open for donations! Hopefully, the room will get bigger and better.”
Written by:
Charlee La Fee
DHS Junior