Current Trends in IECMHC: A National Study in Partnership with Mental Health Consultants on the Role of Consultee Stress and Wellbeing in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
At Indigo Cultural Center, we have been hearing from infant and early childhood mental health consultants across the country about the increasing stress and trauma experienced by the early childhood educators they support. We wanted to better understand what consultants are holding, how this impacts their own well-being, and what supports they need to feel held themselves. Through a national survey of 229 consultants and seven focus groups with 46 consultants, we heard a consistent message: early childhood educators are navigating immense personal and professional stress, shaped by workforce challenges, systemic inequities, and an increasingly difficult sociopolitical landscape (e.g., racism, terrorizing immigration practices). Consultants are holding these experiences alongside early childhood educators, often while navigating many of the same challenges themselves. This relational work is meaningful, but it can also take an emotional and physical toll.These findings invite all of us to think more deeply about how we care for the people doing this important work.
