10 Books Every Teacher Should Read to Protect Mental Health and Prevent Burnout

Teaching asks so much of us - our time, our energy, our emotions.

It’s one of the most meaningful careers in the world, but it’s also one of the most demanding. And if we’re not careful, the weight of it all can quietly build until we find ourselves exhausted, overwhelmed, and wondering how we lost the love we once had for the job.

I know because I’ve been there (you can read more about my journey from burnout to breakthrough here).

Protecting your mental health as a teacher isn’t a luxury - it’s a necessity.

One of the ways I stay grounded is through books. Books that don’t just offer strategies, but help me reconnect with why this work matters, and how to do it in a way that’s sustainable, hopeful, and human.

Here are 10 powerful books every teacher should read to protect their mental health, build resilience, and keep their love for teaching alive:

The Burnout Cure by Chase Mielke

A compassionate, practical guide that helps teachers reconnect with their purpose and avoid emotional exhaustion. Packed with realistic strategies for finding joy again in the classroom.

Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators by Elena Aguilar

More than a feel-good book, it’s a month-by-month framework for building real emotional resilience. A must-read for navigating the inevitable challenges of teaching without burning out.

Self-Compassion by Dr. Kristin Neff

Teachers are often their own harshest critics. This book offers research-backed strategies for being kinder to yourself, without losing your drive or standards.

The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog by Dr. Bruce D. Perry and Maia Szalavitz

Heartbreaking but essential. Understanding trauma is vital for supporting students and protecting yourself emotionally as a teacher in high-need environments.

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

An extraordinary exploration of how trauma shapes the brain and body. Vital reading for any educator working with vulnerable students or those who have been through trauma (or teachers carrying their own past experiences).

Permission to Feel by Marc Brackett

This isn’t just about managing emotions. It’s about truly understanding them, respecting them, and modelling healthy emotional intelligence in your classroom.

Dare to Lead by Brené Brown

Brené Brown brings her wisdom to leadership, and every teacher is a leader, whether we call ourselves one or not. Teaches brave conversations, vulnerability, and resilience.

Helping Children Succeed by Paul Tough

Research-based but incredibly human, this book reframes what really helps students thrive, and reminds teachers they’re planting seeds that go far beyond test scores.

The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor

Backed by positive psychology research, this book shows how happiness isn’t the result of success - it’s the cause of it. Full of small, actionable strategies to boost your mindset in and out of the classroom.

When the Adults Change, Everything Changes by Paul Dix

A powerful reminder that calm, consistent adult behaviour is the real gamechanger in managing classrooms, not endless punishments or exhausting power struggles.

Final Thoughts

Each of these books offers something different - psychology, science, compassion, strategy, and hope. But all of them are about something deeper: making sure teachers stay whole, healthy, and human while doing this demanding job.