Dr. Brenda Gerhardt (she, hers)

Educational advocate and consultant.

[Merriam-Webster @MerriamWebster]

A herring is a fish.

When a herring is preserved by salting and smoking, it turns red and smells.

It's so pungent that it's a great diversion to distract hunting dogs from their trail.

Now, a ‘red herring’ refers to anything that diverts attention from the issue at hand.

[Paul Quinn @PaulQuinn1872]

Is your child ready to level up this summer? 🌟

The Early Talent Identification Program is back, offering five weeklong sessions designed to challenge, inspire, and develop academically gifted young minds.

📩 [email protected]
📞 [phone]
🔗 https://t.co/S6nvyrUFVK

[SKI @skiistiredasf]

East Tennessee State University unveils powerful new statues honoring the first 5 African American students who helped integrate the campus in the late 1950s.
Pioneers: Eugene Caruthers, Elizabeth Watkins Crawford, George L. Nichols, Mary Luellen Owens Wagner, and Clarence McKinney.
Their courage and legacy now stand tall for future generations. The statues, titled “The Path” by sculptor Austen Brantley, were unveiled on October 25, 2025. History remembered and honored. 👏🏾

[Dr. Bryan Pearlman #MaslowBeforeBloom @DrP_Principal]

A-Z of Improving Your Mental Health
By a therapist and former school principal

A – Ask for help
You do not have to carry everything alone.

B – Breathe
Slow breathing tells your brain and body that you are safe.

C – Connection
Healthy relationships heal more than most people realize.

D – Drink water
Your brain and body work better when you take care of the basics.

E – Exercise
Movement is one of the most underrated forms of emotional medicine.

F – Feel your feelings
Buried emotions usually do not disappear. They often show up somewhere else.

G – Give yourself grace
You are a human being, not a machine.

H – Hope
Hard moments are chapters, not the whole story.

I – Identify your triggers
Awareness creates choices.

J – Journal
Sometimes your mind calms down when your thoughts have somewhere to go.

K – Keep going
Even small steps forward still count.

L – Laugh
Laughter really can reset the nervous system.

M – Mindfulness
Come back to this moment instead of living only in “what if.”

N – Notice the good
The brain naturally scans for danger. Sometimes we have to intentionally look for beauty.

O – Open up
Vulnerability is not weakness. It is courage.

P – Protect your peace
Not every argument deserves your energy.

Q – Quiet your inner critic
Talk to yourself like someone you deeply love.

R – Rest
Rest is productive when your mind and body are exhausted.

S – Sleep
Everything feels heavier when you are depleted.

T – Take breaks
You do not have to earn rest by burning yourself out first.

U – Unplug sometimes
Your nervous system was not designed to absorb nonstop bad news and comparison all day.

V – Validate yourself
Your feelings are real, even if others do not fully understand them.

W – Walk outside
Fresh air, sunlight, and movement can help more than people think.

X – eXhale slowly
Long exhales help calm the stress response system.

Y – You matter
Even on the days your brain tries to convince you otherwise.

Z – Zero shame in healing
Everyone is carrying something. Healing is not embarrassing. It is brave.

Mental health is not about being happy all the time. It is about learning how to care for yourself through the hard moments too.

Please be gentle with yourself. You are doing better than you think.

#MentalHealth
#MentalHealthAwareness
#SelfCare
#Therapy
#Healing
#Anxiety
#StressRelief
#EmotionalWellness
#Mindset
#MentalHealthMatters
#TraumaInformed
#Mindfulness
#BurnoutRecovery
#SelfCompassion
#GrowthMindset
#WellnessJourney
#Psychology
#Therapist
#MentalWellness
#PanicAttack
#EmotionalHealth
#YouAreNotAlone
#InnerHealing
#HealthyMind
#Overthinking
#StressManagement
#Counseling
#MaslowBeforeBloom
#TeacherMentalHealth
#Wellbeing

[BlackHistoryStudies @BlkHistStudies]

“In a racist society it is not enough to be non racist. We must be anti racist.” — Angela Davis ❤️🖤💚

[Dr. Bryan Pearlman #MaslowBeforeBloom @DrP_Principal]

As the school year ends, please remember this:

Not every child is excited for summer.

For some students, school is the safest place they know.

It is where they get meals, connection, routine, encouragement, positive attention, counseling, friendships, structure, and adults who notice when something feels “off.”

So when behaviors increase this time of year, try to look deeper.

Some kids are not acting out because they are “bad.”

Some are anxious about losing the one place that felt predictable, connected, and safe.

The student becoming more emotional, angry, withdrawn, clingy, or difficult may actually be grieving the upcoming loss of community and support.

As a therapist and former principal, I’ve learned that behavior is often communication.

Sometimes it says:
“Will anyone notice me this summer?”
“Who will check on me?”
“What if I feel alone again?”

A little more patience matters right now.
A little more compassion matters right now.
A little more connection matters right now.

Never underestimate the power of:
“I’m proud of you.”
“You matter here.”
“I’ll miss you.”
“You made this place better.”

Some kids are counting down the days until summer.

Some kids are counting down the days until they lose the place that felt most like home.

#Teachers #Education #MentalHealth #SchoolCounselor #TeacherLife #TraumaInformed #MaslowBeforeBloom #SEL #ChildMentalHealth #SchoolPsychology #TeacherSupport #StudentSupport #KidsAreNotOkay #Compassion #Empathy #MentalHealthAwareness #SchoolLeadership #Educators #TeacherTok #EndOfSchoolYear #BehaviorIsCommunication #Parenting #ChildDevelopment #Therapist #FormerPrincipal #TeacherAppreciation #AnxietyInKids #SocialEmotionalLearning #EducationMatters #SchoolCulture

[Massimo @Rainmaker1973]

Death Valley National Park is experiencing its first major superbloom in a decade as of March/April 2026, driven by record winter rainfall (1.7 – 2.5+ inches) that transformed the desert landscape with vibrant carpets of yellow, pink, and purple flowers.
https://t.co/YgaHskYSlM

[Dr. Bryan Pearlman #MaslowBeforeBloom @DrP_Principal]

Fifty-four years ago, there was a tiny baby boy in an incubator, struggling to breathe. His lungs were not fully developed, and his parents were told there was a 50/50 chance he might not make it. Even if he did survive, they were warned that his lung problems might keep him from living a normal life.

But he made it.

As he grew up, life was not always easy. In school, he was the kid who could not sit still, could not focus, and struggled with reading and writing. Some adults saw the struggle before they saw the child. One teacher wrote on his report card that he would not be “college material.” Later, another teacher questioned how he could possibly qualify for a gifted program if he couldn’t read or write, and said he had “ants in his pants.”

Those words stay with a child. They sink in. They make a child wonder, “Is something wrong with me?” They make parents wonder, “Will my child be okay?”

But that little boy kept going.

He graduated high school. Then college. Then he earned two master’s degrees. Then a doctoral degree. He became a teacher, a school principal, a college professor, a therapist, an author of 10 books, and a keynote speaker who has presented across the country to more than 250,000 people about mental health, education, trauma, behavior, giftedness, and helping unique kids succeed.

That little boy was me.

So when I look at a child who struggles, I do not see a lost cause. I see a story still being written.

We have to be careful with the words we place on children. We cannot predict a child’s future from one hard season, one behavior, one report card, one diagnosis, or one struggle.

Children need adults who build hope, not limits. They need people who see possibility before problems. Because sometimes the child everyone is worried about is the very child who is still becoming something extraordinary.

[Anna Lulis @annamlulis]

Fernando Mendoza stayed home with his mom to celebrate being selected first overall in the NFL Draft instead of attending the in-person celebration

She has multiple sclerosis, causing her to be in a wheelchair.

This is what matters. Not trophies—family.

[Dr. Bryan Pearlman #MaslowBeforeBloom @DrP_Principal]

As a therapist, former school principal, and teacher, I can tell you this with my whole heart. What matters most in our work is not perfection. It is not the bulletin board, the test score, the email, the meeting, the drama, or the endless noise that tries to steal our attention. What matters most is people.

This work has always been about human beings. It is about the child who needs to feel safe. The student who needs one adult to believe in them. The colleague who is barely holding it together. The family who needs compassion instead of judgment. The hurting kid who is acting tough. The quiet kid who is slipping through the cracks. The overwhelmed adult who needs someone to notice. That is the real work. That is the sacred work.

For teachers, counselors, principals, and all caring adults, the challenge is not just doing the job. The challenge is protecting your heart and your focus from all the clutter, distractions, toxicity, and negativity that can slowly pull you away from your purpose. If you are not careful, the small stuff becomes the big stuff. The urgent replaces the important. The loudest voices drown out the most meaningful ones. And before long, you are exhausted from carrying things that were never supposed to define your mission.

Please hear this. Do not let the noise make you forget your why. Do not let toxic people make you cold. Do not let criticism make you question your calling. Do not let the clutter convince you that what matters most is getting everything done. In this profession, what matters most is not getting everything done. It is making sure people feel seen, safe, supported, and valued while you do what you can with the time and energy you have.

Come back to the basics. Love kids. Support people. Build trust. Stay calm. Be kind. Lead with compassion. Notice who is struggling. Protect your peace. Let go of what does not matter. Keep the main thing the main thing.

At the end of the day, people may forget the lesson, the agenda, the spreadsheet, or the perfectly worded email. But they will remember how you made them feel. They will remember who helped them breathe. Who believed in them. Who stayed steady when life felt heavy. Who chose connection over control. Who chose grace over ego. Who reminded them that they mattered.

That is the legacy of great educators and caring adults. Not perfection. Not performance. Presence. Love. Safety. Hope. Keep going. Your work matters more than you know.

#maslowbeforebloom

[Ebony Jade Hilton, MD @EbonyJHilton_MD]

Vaping was sold to us as the “safer” alternative. But the data tells a different story.
Lung damage. Heart disease. Nicotine addiction. And our young people are the most at risk.
Get the facts on Second Opinion w/ Dr. Ebony Jade Hilton on the #BlackStarNetwork Thursdays, 11AM EST

[Be A King @BerniceKing]

The U.N. resolution to formally recognize the trans-Atlantic slave
trade as the “gravest crime against humanity” was long overdue. Article: https://t.co/ZxoTjwvcwO

Millions of Africans were stolen, trafficked, and subjected to inhuman conditions across generations. This was not a moment in history. It was a vicious system. And its impact is still with us.

Kingian Nonviolence calls us to face truth without denial and to confront injustice at its root. We cannot move toward the Beloved Community without acknowledging the depth of harm and committing to the work required to address it, including reparations.

Acknowledgment is a step. Transformation must follow.

#Slavery #UnitedNations #MLK #BelovedCommunity #Nonviolence365

[Ohio State Wrestling @wrestlingbucks]

𝘽𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙩 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩. 𝙍𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧.

#GoBucks

[Yves ౨ৎ @yvessirae]

my classmate in med school studies for seven hours every evening and exercises daily. I used to ask him how did he manage it & he said, "I'm very disciplined". I met his wife yesterday, she told me how she cooked him three fresh meals daily, mowed their lawn, ran all errands, cleaned the house weekly, and handled all social plans. It made me wonder how many times "discipline" means a woman doing all of the other essential work that keeps a life going

[The Buckeye Takedown @BuckeyeTakedown]

Session 4

Great session for the Bucks!

Davino and Mendez both tough it out to advance to the finals!

Cannon, Paddy, and Kharchla achieve AA status as well!

Tomorrow, Cannon and Kharchla are alive for 3rd and Paddy will wrestle for 7th

7-2 in session 4!

[Big Ten Wrestling @B1GWrestling]

The first real meal for Jesse Mendez after #NCAAWrestling Champs will be a 🍔

@wrestlingbucks' two-time NCAA Champ earned a 4-1 decision to secure a spot in the 141 lbs Finals 💪

[End3of6Days9 (Helen) 🇺🇸 @end3of6days9]

This little girl is at a Washington Capitals game and she's super excited to see her favorite player, Brett Connolly.

Brett keeps trying to give her a puck, but her dad keeps giving them to his boys and completely ignores her.

You can see the disappointment all over her face 😔

Then Connolly notices… and surprises her with her own puck ❤️

Her whole face lights up — biggest smile ever.

Sometimes the kindest people aren’t the ones you expect.

[USA Wrestling @USAWrestling]

Session #1 in the books. A lot of the brackets held true, not too many upsets. 165 and 197 pounds had the most movement.

Penn State leads very early with 22.5 points. Iowa in second (15) and Ohio State and Oklahoma State tied for third (14.5)

Back on the mats at 7 PM (ET) on ESPN.

#D1WRnote | #NCAAWrestling

[Martin Luther King III @OfficialMLK3]

Today marks 8 years since police killed Stephon Clark, shooting him 8 times in the back. He was only 22 years old, unarmed, and in his grandmother’s backyard. The officers were never charged.

We remember his name. We remember his story. And we stand with his family as they continue to fight for justice and honor his legacy.

[Governor Tony Evers @GovEvers]

BREAKING: I just signed the bill to extend postpartum coverage for Wisconsin moms from a lousy 60 days to one full year after giving birth.

I promised I'd never stop fighting to make sure moms and babies had the postpartum care they need, and today, I delivered on that promise.