Mental health is no longer a topic limited to individual counseling sessions; it now occupies a strategic role in school administration. The rise in cases of anxiety, difficulties with emotional self-regulation, conflicts, and burnout among students and education professionals highlights the need to broaden our focus on the well-being of the school community.

For psychologist and CEO of Universo do Psi Escolar, Aldynne Fernandes, the challenges faced by schools reflect social changes that have directly impacted the day-to-day reality of education. 

"We have observed a significant increase in mental health-related issues. Among students, there are more cases of anxiety, difficulties with emotional self-regulation, self-harm, distress stemming from social relationships, excessive screen time, learning difficulties associated with emotional issues, and a rise in school conflicts and violence," he says.

According to her, the situation is also cause for concern when it comes to educators."It's hard to walk into a school and not find teachers and educational staff who are emotionally exhausted. There are frequent reports of chronic stress, feelings of helplessness, sick leave, and difficulties in dealing with students' social-emotional needs," she points out.

The psychologist argues that school psychology needs to take on a preventive role. "School psychology has the mission of serving as a bridge within the school. We need to shift the focus from purely remedial interventions to ongoing efforts to prevent problems and promote mental health. This involves strengthening social-emotional skills, providing continuing education for educators, supporting administrative teams, and developing strategies that foster healthier school environments,” she explains.

Aldynne Fernandes will be one of the speakers at the Bett Nordeste Conference in Recife. Photo: courtesy of the organizers.

Aldynne points out that this work benefits the entire school community through the involvement of teachers, administrators, students, and families, with the goal of establishing protective factors that reduce risks and promote the holistic development and well-being of everyone.

New NR-1 broadens the focus on psychosocial risks

The update to Regulatory Standard No. 1 (NR-1), which now requires organizations to identify, assess, and manage psychosocial risks in the workplace, also applies to educational institutions. For Aldynne, the change represents an important step forward in recognizing that the emotional well-being of professionals should be part of occupational safety and health policies.

"The update emphasizes that it is not enough to focus solely on physical, chemical, or ergonomic risks. Now we must also consider aspects of work organization that can compromise workers' emotional health," he says .

Among the factors that warrant attention in schools, she cites excessive workloads, long working hours, interpersonal conflicts, violence, communication breakdowns, limited autonomy, a lack of opportunities for others to be heard, and a lack of institutional support.

"School administrators need to incorporate mental health as a strategic pillar of school management. The first step is to identify the risk factors present within the school’s environment and, based on that, implement preventive measures, strengthen leadership, invest in ongoing professional development, and create permanent channels for listening and follow-up," he explains.

The regulation requires schools to engage companies specializing in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), and school psychology plays a complementary and indispensable role.

"The psychologist does not replace the company responsible for occupational safety and health, but plays a significant role in identifying psychosocial factors, participates in institutional assessments, and develops strategies that promote quality of life, engagement, and well-being in the school environment," Aldynne points out.

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From Prevention to Building a Culture of Care

In practice, the work of school psychology goes beyond identifying risks. According to Aldynne, ongoing monitoring makes it possible to develop initiatives that can emotionally strengthen the entire school staff.

"After the organizational assessment, we were able to plan interventions such as ongoing training, emotional resilience workshops, listening groups, leadership support, conflict mediation, and strategies to improve the organizational climate and communication," she explains.

She emphasizes that these initiatives should involve all of the institution's staff in order to foster an institutional culture that values the entire school community.

Finally, Aldynne notes that the mandatory requirements introduced by NR-1 may accelerate a shift in institutions’ attitudes. “For many years, caring for teachers’ emotional well-being was viewed as a cost, when it should have been understood as an investment. Emotionally healthy teachers have a better quality of life, perform their work more effectively, and contribute directly to a more welcoming school environment. The legislation reinforces this responsibility and expands the opportunity to make this care a priority.”

The psychologist will be one of the speakers at the Bett Nordeste Conference, which will take place on August 19 and 20 at the Recife Expo Center in Pernambuco. She will participate in the program with a presentation titled “Educating Means Understanding People: Why Psychology Is Essential in Contemporary Schools.” Registration must be completed here. 

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