Schools & Education

Working Well for the People Who Care

You pour everything into others. Julia gives you the tools, language, and permission to pour something back into yourself. Science-based, heart-led, and genuinely useful.

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Keynote Speaker of the Year 2025 · Educator of the Year 2023 · VSA International Breakthrough Speaker of the Year 2024

"A powerful mix of humour and strategy. One of the best wellbeing sessions we've had."

Ravi Naidoo, Principal  ·  TOD

For Educators & Carers
Lead Well. Teach Well. Be Well.

Julia Grace's favourite audiences are educators and the people who help everyone else. They spend all day filling everyone else's cup — and they're ready for a positive, practical, and realistic wellbeing message.

Julia's 30 years in the classroom and lived experience with depression and anxiety mean she genuinely gets it. Neuroscience in plain language, practical tools for immediate use, and enough humour to make the learning effortless.

86.6% of NZ education professionals are at high risk of burnout.
Prof Jarrod Haar, Massey Business School, 2024

Julia Grace presenting to a packed room of educators
30 Years in Education
1,000+ Keynotes & Presentations
5 Continents Presented On
What You Get
Your team will leave with
✓
Simple tools to regulate stress and beat burnout
✓
A clear understanding of their own role in their wellbeing
✓
A proactive support framework (Jelly Buddy) ready before it's needed
✓
Practical strategies to support struggling colleagues and students
✓
Language to talk about mental health without awkwardness
✓
One habit they can start before they've left the carpark
Session Structure
Three ways to go deeper
Core Session
Be Kind to Your Mind
The foundation. A practical, neuroscience-informed session giving staff real tools for the staffroom and the classroom — understanding what happens in the brain under pressure and what to do about it.
  • Stress, burnout, and the Wobbly Point
  • In-the-moment regulation tools
  • Co-regulation strategies for dysregulated students
  • Building a proactive Jelly Buddy network
Optional Module 1
One Degree of C.H.A.N.G.E.
Small habits, real impact. Turns insight into action — building simple, sustainable habits that work in busy school environments without adding to the load.
  • How small changes reduce overwhelm
  • Building habits that actually stick
  • Systems that work in busy school schedules
  • A clear plan to start immediately
Optional Module 2
ER: Early Responders
Supporting your people early, without the awkwardness. Equips staff to recognise when someone is struggling and respond with confidence using the See, Say, Support framework.
  • Recognising early signs of anxiety and distress
  • What to say without making it weird
  • Building a kete of support options
  • Referral pathways that actually get used
Flexible Delivery
Built to suit your school
Core Session
45–60 mins
Keynote or workshop setting
Core + 1 Module
75–90 mins
Interactive workshop
Full Workshop
2–3 hrs
Full or half-day PD format

Suitable for: Staff PLD, Teacher-Only Days, Support Staff, Kāhui Ako Clusters, BOT, Community Groups, Medical Staff, Carers, Volunteers

What Principals Say
Heard from the room
"Julia's words continue to echo through our staff long after the event."
Darren Milligan, Principal, Wyong College NSW
"Every person left with new tools and simple steps to make their lives better."
Working Well Conference Organiser, Auckland
"I can't recommend Julia highly enough to other schools looking to invest in the wellbeing of their teams."
Principal, Belmont School, NSW Australia
"Courageous, entertaining, unforgettable. Julia made wellbeing land."
Principal, Wellbeing Conference
Curriculum Alignment
NZ Curriculum links

Key Competencies

Managing Self, Relating to Others, Participating & Contributing

Learning Area

Health & Physical Education — Strand A: Personal Health & Physical Development

Hauora

A Māori philosophy of wellbeing encompassing taha hinengaro, taha tinana, and taha whānau, each influencing and supporting the others.

Achievement Objectives

Personal growth — assess health needs and identify strategies for wellbeing across the lifespan. Positive attitudes — adapt skills in challenging situations. Interpersonal skills — manage change in relationships.

Looking to build deeper capability? Ask about certified Mental Health First Aid (Youth) training for your staff — equipping adults to support young people in mental distress. Find out more about MHFA →

Book Julia

Ready to bring Working Well to your school?

Julia is available across New Zealand and internationally for staff PD days, cluster events, teacher-only days, and education conferences.

Get in Touch Download Info Sheet