EPV 2026 SUMMER COURSE
From Exhausted to Empowered: A Self-Compassion Toolkit for Teacher Stress and Burnout
Join us for this transformative summer course, where we will guide you through practical strategies to manage stress and burnout, resulting in meaningful changes in your personal and professional life
Course fully approved by the Department of Education and Youth
Course Description
Did you know that we provide individual consultations for adults suffering from stress and burnout… and that the majority of our clients are teachers? As a psychology service, we have a unique perspective into the teaching profession and can see first-hand how teaching has become increasingly demanding, even in the past 5 years! The most common complaint we hear is that you are feeling stretched, overwhelmed and completely drained, both physically and emotionally. The mental load is invisible and crippling.
We KNOW there is a constant pressure to meet various and constantly evolving demands, figure out behaviour strategies for various children (often at the same time) and keep up with the paperwork…often with limited or no support.
For us, the math ain’t mathing – how can you be expected to be at your best for your students when you are drowning behind the scenes?
Because we pride ourselves on constantly striving to support you as a teacher, we were compelled this year to develop this truly meaningful summer course. Developed by Chartered Health Psychologist, Dr Lorraine Lynch, as a direct response to a sector-wide problem, we have poured so much into this course. This course is designed to support teachers who are feeling depleted, helping them move from simply getting through the day to feeling more balanced, supported and in control. Grounded in health psychology and self-compassion, it offers a space to reflect, reset and develop sustainable ways of working that protect your holistic health – mental, physical, social and even spiritual!
We know that you are hard on yourself, often pushing through stress without acknowledging the impact it’s having. You may worry that slowing down means letting others down or feel unsure about how to prioritise your own needs in such a demanding role. Across the modules, we will delve deeper into the practice of mindfulness and harness the power of being in the present moment to forge mental clarity, listen to your intuition and create a deeper mind-body connection.
Even though this EPV summer course is part of your CPD, it’s also the life audit we all need! Sometimes, we just need to carve out time and sit with ourselves in order to get clarity, live intentionally and move forward with more purpose.
Course Overview
This course explores the psychological, physiological, emotional and spiritual impact of stress and burnout, helping you understand why you feel the way you do and what can help. You will be introduced to the role of the nervous system in stress regulation, and how chronic overwhelm can affect energy, patience and emotional resilience both personally and in your career. Not only will you learn the theory, but you will be embodying this through practice on this course by engaging in meditative practice, learning to listen to your Self and truly reflecting on what you want from your life.
The course also provides practical strategies to support emotional regulation, set realistic expectations and create boundaries that are sustainable in a busy school environment. Through reflection, discussion and shared experiences, students on this course will explore what contributes to their stress and identify small, manageable changes that can have a meaningful impact. By the end of the course, participants will feel more equipped to manage stress, respond to challenges with greater calm and self-compassion, and approach their work with renewed clarity and confidence.
But honestly, this course is so much more than just managing stress. A key focus of this course is self-compassion. Therefore, you will learn so much about yourself and, in doing so, will be able to make decisions that align with your life’s purpose. You will have more clarity, which in turn leads to greater social impact, creativity, happiness… In essence, you will be a happier version of yourself!
We are genuinely excited to have each and every one of you start this journey with us – we promise it will be life-changing! Sometimes, we all need to press the pause button, gather ourselves together and figure it out. While earning your EPV days, you will also be giving yourself the gift of empowerment for the year ahead.
This course is ten hours of audio content, visual content and assessment in total, and there are ten hours of recommended reading and resources for you to further develop your own learning.
Course Goals:
Develop an understanding of teacher stress and burnout through the holistic biopsychosocial model, recognising key factors such as sleep, digital burnout and a NEED for rest.
Build self-compassion and emotional regulation skills to reduce self-criticism, improve mental clarity and support overall wellbeing.
Apply practical strategies including boundary-setting, organisation, self-compassion and meditation techniques to truly sustain professional practice.
Reconnect with personal values and sense of purpose, using intentional goal-setting and mindfulness practice to foster greater balance, fulfilment and enjoyment in teaching.
Course breakdown
- 10 hours on-demand video material and 10 hours offline learning
- Online tutor moderation and support
- Downloadable articles and resources
- Access on mobile and desktop
- Course fully approved by Department of Education and Youth
- Full access to the course from the beginning so you can progress at your own pace
With over 10,000 online students, the Child Psychology Institute comes highly recommended as an EPV Summer Course Provider for Irish school teachers.
We also welcome secondary school teachers and SNAs to our summer courses.
Course Dates
GROUP 1
July 1st - 15th 2026
GROUP 2
July 20th – Aug 3rd 2026
GROUP 3
Aug 5th – 21st 2026
About Course Developer – Dr Lorraine Lynch
Dr Lorraine Lynch is an award-winning health psychologist, social entrepreneur and author who specialises in child mental health, behaviour, learning and wellbeing.
With a strong academic background in developmental and health psychology, and extensive experience working directly with schools, families and educators, her work bridges evidence-based theory and practical classroom application.
Dr Lynch’s approach is informed by ecological and choice-based models of psychology, recognising the powerful role of school environments, relationships and emotional wellbeing in supporting children’s development. She has lectured at third-level institutions, co-founded a nationally recognised psychological service for children and families, and is a published author and media contributor.
As EPV Summer Course Developer, Dr Lynch is committed to providing engaging, relevant and practical professional learning that empowers educators to create inclusive, supportive and psychologically informed learning environments.
“I can honestly say that the passion Lorraine has for this topic was obvious throughout this course and made it so enjoyable. I’ve done so many summer courses throughout the years and this was hands-down the best! I couldn’t stop thinking about it and have been telling my friends and family about all my new learnings. It’s like the Netflix of summer courses. I’ll definitely be back next year. Thank you again.”
Course Aims
- Understand the psychological and physiological impact of stress and burnout on teachers, using a holistic biopsychosocial model
- Recognise the signs of chronic stress, emotional exhaustion and reduced mental clarity in yourself and others
- Explain the role of self-compassion in supporting emotional wellbeing and reducing self-criticism in high-pressure teaching environments
- Identify the impact of digital overload, including doom scrolling, and apply strategies such as digital detox routines to support focus and mental clarity
- Understand the importance of sleep, including both quality and quantity, and its role in emotional regulation, energy and resilience
- Explore the 9 types of rest and identify which forms of rest are most needed to support recovery from burnout, specific to your needs
- Apply practical strategies for organisation, boundary-setting and workload management to create more sustainable teaching practices
- Practise evidence-based mindfulness techniques, from 5-min breathwork practices to more advanced body scans, and understand the psychology behind their effectiveness
- Set realistic, meaningful goals and incorporate fun, play and restorative activities into daily life to support long-term wellbeing and balance
- Reflect on personal values, sense of purpose and professional identity, and explore how intentional living can support a renewed sense of joy, flow and fulfilment in teaching
FAQs
Each course is divided into three groups that are running on the following dates:
- Group 1: July 1st – 15th 2026
- Group 2: July 20th – Aug 3rd 2026
- Group 3: Aug 5th – 21st 2026
The course starts and ends on each of the above dates. It is a completely self-paced online course – you decide when you complete tasks within your chosen course’s dates!
Yes, all work is monitored by our e-tutor team, which means that you will receive feedback and you will be notified if more detail is required.
All of our EPV Summer Courses cost €99 per course.
You can also save by bundling:
- €175 for two courses
- €250 for three courses
From early February until 30th April 2026, you can save
20% with our Early Bird offer using the code EARLYBIRD2026. The discount is automatically applied at checkout.
Just add your chosen course(s) and group date(s) to your cart and the correct price will be applied.
Please note: as per Department of Education and Youth (DEY) guidelines, you cannot complete two courses at the same time.
For example, you can complete two courses within the same group timeframe, but one must be completed before starting the second.
Our primary focus is on you learning and then supporting children with their emotional wellness. As a result, we place value on reflective learning. You’ll be asked to discuss your own understanding and experiences, as well as brief summaries of important topics. All assignments are less than 500 words.
We are obsessed with children’s wellness and our mission is to impart as much knowledge as we can on to the people who matter – the teachers and SNAs who are guiding, supporting and shaping our children every single day.
All of our courses have been developed with the most current research in the area of health and educational psychology. Students who have completed courses with us in the past keep coming back for more. Why? Because our customers complete courses that are jam-packed full of meaningful information and effective strategies that really do create change, not just across classrooms, but across careers!
You’ll receive an email with your login details one week before your course begins, with full instructions on how to access your course.
When your course opens, you can log in anytime by visiting our website and clicking Login at the top of the page.
Use:
- The email address you registered with
- Your password (or click Forgot Password if needed)
Once logged in, click Course Portal in the menu to access your course.