Oxygen for Educators

Michelle Kinder, M.Ed., LPC & Chris Kent Phelps | Produced By: Katie Worden
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Oxygen for Educators explores the overwhelming demands placed on today's educators, often leading to burnout and emotional exhaustion. As anxiety, depression, and behavior incidents rise among students, kids need more, and the adults in the building are overextended and under-resourced. This podcast features inspiring interviews with educators, administrators and counselors making a difference in the lives of countless students. In each hopeful conversation, we acknowledge hard truths and real challenges while simultaneously mining for light-lift, high-impact ideas, practices, and solutions. *Oxygen for Educators is proudly sponsored by Tacky Box®. Follow on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/oxygen-for-educators/id1775510846 Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2i21QueuqVqmEPmI7gzFfQ?si=1bef3354bff2402c Follow on Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/podcast/Oxygen-for-Educators/B0DKL68DLX?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEdbuPy-L7p4RZKZ_VWKCXwK_j8vbjZF2&si=7SHeSWZRllrseygs Website: https://www.tackybox.com/podcast Thank you to our sponsor, Tacky Box! Website: https://tackybox.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tacky_box/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTackyBox/ X: https://x.com/thetackybox Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thetackybox/

  1. 19/12/2025

    Nicholas Ditto

    SUMMARY In this episode of Oxygen for Educators, Michelle Kinder sits down with Nicholas Ditto, founder and CEO of Fort Worth STEAM Academy, for an honest conversation about the unseen weight educators carry every day. Nicholas shares his journey into education, the thousands of decisions teachers make daily, and how leadership, culture, and community directly shape student outcomes. After the conversation, Michelle and Chris Kent Phelps return to break down the moments that mattered most, reflecting on what educators can take with them as they lead, teach, and serve their communities.   CHAPTERS 00:00The Art of Teaching: Decision-Making in Education 02:52Nicholas Ditto: A Journey from Law to Education 05:56The Impact of Education on Justice and Opportunity 09:00Understanding the Role of Zip Codes in Education 12:00The Importance of School Choice and Options 14:56Building a Joyful Culture of High Expectations 17:59Mistakes as Learning Opportunities in Education 20:48The Residency Model: Supporting New Educators 23:57The Future of Fort Worth STEAM Academy 27:01Community Partnerships and Student Pathways 29:55Wellbeing Rituals and Staying Grounded 32:59The Life and Death Urgency of Education 35:57Elevating Educators and Their Impact   ********************************************************************************************* Oxygen for Educators is proudly sponsored by Tacky Box. Follow on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/oxygen-for-educators/id1775510846 Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2i21QueuqVqmEPmI7gzFfQ?si=1bef3354bff2402c Follow on Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/podcast/Oxygen-for-Educators/B0DKL68DLX?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEdbuPy-L7p4RZKZ_VWKCXwK_j8vbjZF2&si=7SHeSWZRllrseygs Website: https://www.tackybox.com/podcast Thank you to our sponsor, Tacky Box! Website: https://tackybox.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tacky_box/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTackyBox/ X: https://x.com/thetackybox Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thetackybox/

    57 min

  2. 12/12/2025

    Oxygen Replay - PART 2 Alex Vesely-Frankl, Viktor Frankl's Grandson

    Opt in HERE for your gifted copy of the Oxygen for Educators magazine!  ( https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdj3tz0r6L2KIAJJ5dTnzx3CfXka2fqTHfUqHDlqtqo_96cCg/viewform?usp=header )   SUMMARY In part two of our conversation with filmmaker and logotherapist Alex Vesely, grandson of Viktor Frankl, we explore what it really means to live a life of meaning as an educator. Alex unpacks burnout through a logotherapy lens, shares powerful stories about suicide and hope, and invites us to ask a different question, not "What is in it for me?" but "Who am I still here for?" This one is a North Star episode for anyone feeling overwhelmed, misaligned, or called to pick up the "right letter" on the conveyor belt of their life.   CHAPTERS  00:00 – What am I still here for? 00:32 – Welcome back: Alex Vesely Part 2 01:17 – Who is Alex? Grandson, filmmaker, logotherapist 02:15 – More than mind and body: the noetic dimension 06:21 – Self-transcendence, good teaching, and burnout 15:02 – The "right seat" and picking up the right letter 24:15 – Despair, suicide, and the question of meaning 31:07 – The grandmother, two granddaughters, and a life-saving reframing 39:18 – Making logotherapy accessible: Viktor Frankl Institute of the Americas 43:26 – Educating toward responsibility and true conscience 46:40 – Ellie Frankl's "abnormal integrity" and partnership with Viktor 50:56 – What Viktor Frankl modeled for his grandson 54:09 – New baby, late-night recording, and gratitude 55:37 – Debrief: pianist and piano, meaning as North Star for educators     ************************************************************************************************ Oxygen for Educators is proudly sponsored by Tacky Box. Follow on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/oxygen-for-educators/id1775510846 Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2i21QueuqVqmEPmI7gzFfQ?si=1bef3354bff2402c Follow on Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/podcast/Oxygen-for-Educators/B0DKL68DLX?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEdbuPy-L7p4RZKZ_VWKCXwK_j8vbjZF2&si=7SHeSWZRllrseygs Website: https://www.tackybox.com/podcast Thank you to our sponsor, Tacky Box! Website: https://tackybox.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tacky_box/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTackyBox/ X: https://x.com/thetackybox Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thetackybox/

    1h 27m
  3. Oxygen Replay - PART 1 Alex Vesely-Frankl, Viktor Frankl's Grandson

    05/12/2025

    Oxygen Replay - PART 1 Alex Vesely-Frankl, Viktor Frankl's Grandson

    Don't forget to opt in HERE for your gifted copy of the Oxygen for Educators magazine!  ( https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdj3tz0r6L2KIAJJ5dTnzx3CfXka2fqTHfUqHDlqtqo_96cCg/viewform?usp=header )   SUMMARY  We're re-releasing this conversation with Alex Vesely because it has never felt more needed. In a moment when so many educators are exhausted and searching for steadiness, Alex brings a rare clarity about meaning, purpose, and why our inner life matters. This is Part 1 of a powerful two-part conversation. Part 2 drops next Friday. LINKS: Man Search For Meaning: https://a.co/d/iS2XrjX Logotherapy-online.com Logotherapy Institute of America Courses: https://courses.viktorfranklamerica.com/   KEY TAKEAWAYS: Meaning is a protective factor against life's challenges Educators play a crucial role in fostering meaning in students' lives Young people are naturally inclined to seek meaning Freedom to choose comes with the responsibility of those choices Navigating modern stressors requires a return to one's purpose Living with purpose can transform stress into a positive force Questions about life purpose can guide students' journeys Educators can create environments that encourage exploration of meaning   CHAPTERS: 00:00 The Pursuit of Meaning Over Happiness 03:02 Introducing Alex Vesely and His Legacy 05:49 Viktor Frankl's Life and Work 08:55 The Essence of Logotherapy 11:47 The Role of Meaning in Education 14:52 Navigating Modern Challenges with Meaning 18:13 The Search for Meaning in Youth 21:05 The Freedom to Choose Meaning 23:58 Finding Solace in Purpose 27:01 Internal Cues for Meaningful Living 29:51 The Importance of Responsibility in Freedom 37:02 The Meaningful Role of Educators 38:45 Exploring the Concept of Meaning 39:40 The Protective Power of Meaning 43:02 Viktor Frankl's Insights on Suffering 46:07 The Pursuit of Meaning in Education 49:10 Creating a Meaningful Environment for Students 51:45 The Shift Towards Meaning Over Pleasure 54:12 Flipping Maslow's Hierarchy 57:31 Finding Meaning in Attitudes and Actions 01:00:44 Navigating Chaos with Purpose 01:02:59 The Essence of Meaning in Life     ************************************************************************************************ Oxygen for Educators is proudly sponsored by Tacky Box. Follow on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/oxygen-for-educators/id1775510846 Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2i21QueuqVqmEPmI7gzFfQ?si=1bef3354bff2402c Follow on Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/podcast/Oxygen-for-Educators/B0DKL68DLX?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEdbuPy-L7p4RZKZ_VWKCXwK_j8vbjZF2&si=7SHeSWZRllrseygs Website: https://www.tackybox.com/podcast Thank you to our sponsor, Tacky Box! Website: https://tackybox.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tacky_box/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTackyBox/ X: https://x.com/thetackybox Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thetackybox/

    1h 10m
  4. Jose Villasenor

    28/11/2025

    Jose Villasenor

    SUMMARY  Jose "Joe" Villaseñor has one of the most unexpected paths into education you'll ever hear: TV production, seminary, bail bonds, school counseling, and now leading Employee Wellness at Irving ISD. In this conversation, he shares how those turns shaped his deep empathy for people in hard places and how that shows up in real, practical supports for educators today, from yoga and fitness classes to laughter workshops and campus wellness champions. If you've ever wondered what it looks like when a district truly cares for the adults in the building, this episode will give you both a vision and doable ideas you can borrow.   CHAPTERS 00:00 – Cold open: "There's always a reason people do what they do" 00:15 – Welcome to Oxygen for Educators + intro banter 01:32 – Meet Jose "Joe" Villaseñor: A true Renaissance educator 04:02 – Jose's path into education: CIS, first graders, and cowboy boots 09:24 – Teaching across Texas, Tennessee, and Georgia + dinosaur vs. dragon 14:03 – "You need to do this": Friends and family nudging him toward education 17:29 – From TV to seminary to almost–Secret Service (and why his dad said no) 22:26 – School counselor, district leader, and the road to employee wellness 25:35 – Launching wellness before COVID and growing through the pandemic 27:35 – Visionary leadership: Superintendent Magda Hernandez and work–life harmony 29:23 – Sponsor spotlight: Tacky Box 30:10 – What educators are hungry for now: Movement, connection, and community 32:08 – Fitness classes, social hours, and wellness champions on every campus 35:36 – The rising weight on educators and state demands 38:01 – Making wellness easy to access: Lunch-and-learns, meditation, journaling, stretching 39:36 – The power of laughter: Connecting with every kind of student 41:33 – Stress as both signal and motivator + doing the inner work 43:05 – Lessons from seminary and bail bonds: Radical non-judgment and empathy 47:04 – Mental health as everyday care, not a last resort 49:53 – Host debrief: Pants-leg stories, unexpected joy, and work–life harmony 1:03:00-ish – Closing reflections, gratitude, and disclaimer   ************************************************************************************************ Oxygen for Educators is proudly sponsored by Tacky Box. Follow on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/oxygen-for-educators/id1775510846  Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2i21QueuqVqmEPmI7gzFfQ?si=1bef3354bff2402c  Follow on Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/podcast/Oxygen-for-Educators/B0DKL68DLX?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp  Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEdbuPy-L7p4RZKZ_VWKCXwK_j8vbjZF2&si=7SHeSWZRllrseygs  Website: https://www.tackybox.com/podcast  Thank you to our sponsor, Tacky Box! Website: https://tackybox.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tacky_box/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTackyBox/  X: https://x.com/thetackybox  Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thetackybox/

    1h 16m
  5. Maurine Molak

    21/11/2025

    Maurine Molak

    Educators, we're gifting you the Oxygen for Educators keepsake magazine. Opt in here: https://forms.gle/AmdrpsnP1GNKXEag8   SUMMARY After losing her 16-year-old son David to suicide following relentless cyberbullying, Maurine Molak turned her grief into advocacy. She has led the passage of groundbreaking laws protecting children from online harm and now champions federal reform through the Kids Online Safety Act. Her story is one of heartbreak, courage, and a mother's determination to protect every child. CONTACT CONGRESS TO HELP PASS THE KIDS ONLINE SAFETY ACT HERE ( https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-congress-passkosa )   David's Legacy Foundation ( davidslegacy.org )   EMAIL: info@davidslegacy.org    Parents SOS ( https://www.parentssos.org/ )      ************************************************************************************************ Oxygen for Educators is proudly sponsored by Tacky Box. Follow on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/oxygen-for-educators/id1775510846  Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2i21QueuqVqmEPmI7gzFfQ?si=1bef3354bff2402c  Follow on Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/podcast/Oxygen-for-Educators/B0DKL68DLX?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp  Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEdbuPy-L7p4RZKZ_VWKCXwK_j8vbjZF2&si=7SHeSWZRllrseygs  Website: https://www.tackybox.com/podcast  Thank you to our sponsor, Tacky Box! Website: https://tackybox.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tacky_box/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTackyBox/  X: https://x.com/thetackybox  Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thetackybox/

    1h 26m
  6. Radical Hope Update

    14/11/2025

    Radical Hope Update

    Educators, we're gifting you the Oxygen for Educators keepsake magazine. Opt in here: https://forms.gle/AmdrpsnP1GNKXEag8   Before Radical Hope resumes in the new year, Michelle offers a moment of reflection and gratitude. Drawing from The Small Work in the Great Work by Victoria Safford, she honors educators who keep showing up with heart and humanity, even when things are uncertain, and reminds us that the smallest acts often become the great work.   ************************************************************************************************ Oxygen for Educators is proudly sponsored by Tacky Box. Follow on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/oxygen-for-educators/id1775510846  Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2i21QueuqVqmEPmI7gzFfQ?si=1bef3354bff2402c  Follow on Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/podcast/Oxygen-for-Educators/B0DKL68DLX?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp  Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEdbuPy-L7p4RZKZ_VWKCXwK_j8vbjZF2&si=7SHeSWZRllrseygs  Website: https://www.tackybox.com/podcast  Thank you to our sponsor, Tacky Box! Website: https://tackybox.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tacky_box/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTackyBox/  X: https://x.com/thetackybox  Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thetackybox/

    5 min
  7. Oxygen Replay - Dr. Maricela Helm

    07/11/2025

    Oxygen Replay - Dr. Maricela Helm

    Coming early 2026: Get your FREE copy of Oxygen for Educators magazine — radical hope delivered straight to your home, no strings attached. Opt in here. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdj3tz0r6L2KIAJJ5dTnzx3CfXka2fqTHfUqHDlqtqo_96cCg/viewform?usp=header    SUMMARY  What if the secret to transforming a school isn't a new program, but a new perspective? In this re-released conversation, Dr. Maricela Helm—now Executive Director of Student Services at Whitehouse ISD—shares how shifting from discipline to relationship, and from pressure to presence, changes everything. She and host Michelle Kinder explore how mindset becomes freedom, joy becomes evidence of system health, and the most powerful learning happens when kids see the adults around them as fellow learners. Revisit this episode for the reminder we all need midyear: the connection you build today is shaping the world your students will lead tomorrow.   💌 Don't forget to claim your free subscription to the new Oxygen for Educators magazine, packed with interviews and reflections to keep you grounded all year long. Opt in here.     CHAPTERS  00:00 — Welcome + Magazine Announcement 02:17 — Why We're Re-Releasing This Episode 04:49 — Introducing Dr. Maricela Helm 06:50 — Early Career & Finding Purpose 10:37 — The Heart of Principalship 12:26 — Mindset as Freedom 16:17 — Let Kids See Your Hard 19:54 — Redefining the Discipline Department 22:11 — Systems, Predictability & Belonging 24:31 — Restorative Circles That Actually Work 28:47 — Building Community Agreements 33:50 — Responding to Crisis with Humanity 35:14 — How Education Has Evolved 39:48 — Kids Today: Capable and Emotional 41:15 — "Right Now, You're Great" 43:10 — Leading Leaders with Empathy 45:07 — Joy as a Leadership Indicator 47:53 — The Truth About Bullying Work 49:54 — Self-Care as a Mindset 53:39 — Closing with Gratitude 58:38 — Reflection with Michelle & Chris 01:01:57 — Perspective and Freedom 01:04:01 — Silver Lining Exercise 01:05:25 — Play, Perspective, and Purpose 01:06:16 — Letting Students See Imperfection 01:07:58 — Final Reflections and Takeaways   ************************************************************************************************ Oxygen for Educators is proudly sponsored by Tacky Box. Follow on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/oxygen-for-educators/id1775510846  Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2i21QueuqVqmEPmI7gzFfQ?si=1bef3354bff2402c  Follow on Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/podcast/Oxygen-for-Educators/B0DKL68DLX?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp  Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEdbuPy-L7p4RZKZ_VWKCXwK_j8vbjZF2&si=7SHeSWZRllrseygs  Website: https://www.tackybox.com/podcast  Thank you to our sponsor, Tacky Box! Website: https://tackybox.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tacky_box/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTackyBox/  X: https://x.com/thetackybox  Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thetackybox/

    1h 26m
  8. Radical Hope: How to Stay Steady When Everything is Shifting

    31/10/2025

    Radical Hope: How to Stay Steady When Everything is Shifting

    Coming early 2026: Get your FREE copy of Oxygen for Educators magazine — radical hope delivered straight to your home, no strings attached. Opt in here. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdj3tz0r6L2KIAJJ5dTnzx3CfXka2fqTHfUqHDlqtqo_96cCg/viewform?usp=header    SUMMARY  We're zooming out for a big-picture view of the Radical Hope series so far, what patterns are emerging, what ideas keep echoing, and what it all adds up to. Michelle Kinder walks us through five simple but powerful themes: safety, awareness, compassion, flexibility, and attention. This isn't just reflection for reflection's sake, it's a roadmap for staying steady, even when everything around us is shifting. 💌 Don't forget to claim your free subscription to the new Oxygen for Educators magazine, packed with interviews and reflections to keep you grounded all year long. Opt in here.     CHAPTERS  00:00 Introduction to Radical Hope 01:03 The Cycle of Inner Work   ************************************************************************************************ Oxygen for Educators is proudly sponsored by Tacky Box. Follow on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/oxygen-for-educators/id1775510846  Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2i21QueuqVqmEPmI7gzFfQ?si=1bef3354bff2402c  Follow on Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/podcast/Oxygen-for-Educators/B0DKL68DLX?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp  Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEdbuPy-L7p4RZKZ_VWKCXwK_j8vbjZF2&si=7SHeSWZRllrseygs  Website: https://www.tackybox.com/podcast  Thank you to our sponsor, Tacky Box! Website: https://tackybox.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tacky_box/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTackyBox/  X: https://x.com/thetackybox  Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thetackybox/

    31 min
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About

Oxygen for Educators explores the overwhelming demands placed on today's educators, often leading to burnout and emotional exhaustion. As anxiety, depression, and behavior incidents rise among students, kids need more, and the adults in the building are overextended and under-resourced. This podcast features inspiring interviews with educators, administrators and counselors making a difference in the lives of countless students. In each hopeful conversation, we acknowledge hard truths and real challenges while simultaneously mining for light-lift, high-impact ideas, practices, and solutions. *Oxygen for Educators is proudly sponsored by Tacky Box®. Follow on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/oxygen-for-educators/id1775510846 Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2i21QueuqVqmEPmI7gzFfQ?si=1bef3354bff2402c Follow on Audible: https://www.audible.co.uk/podcast/Oxygen-for-Educators/B0DKL68DLX?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp Subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEdbuPy-L7p4RZKZ_VWKCXwK_j8vbjZF2&si=7SHeSWZRllrseygs Website: https://www.tackybox.com/podcast Thank you to our sponsor, Tacky Box! Website: https://tackybox.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tacky_box/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheTackyBox/ X: https://x.com/thetackybox Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thetackybox/

Information

  • Creator
    Michelle Kinder, M.Ed., LPC & Chris Kent Phelps | Produced By: Katie Worden
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    53
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    Oxygen for Educators