Combating Burnout
A champion of social-emotional learning (SEL), Debra Giunta creates spaces for teens to find their authentic selves.
Debra Giunta
Debra and I met at a female co-working space in Chicago back in 2019 shortly after I started my business. I was immediately struck by her poise and by how articulately she spoke about her background, passions, and businesses. We immediately found a common connection with the performing arts.
Over the last 15 years, Debra has founded four separate organizations drawing on the same mission: using social-emotional wellness programming to support skill building, development, and well-being in youth and young adults. Her curriculum has included partnerships with Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Park District, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Chicago Children’s Museum, and the Chicago Opera Theater.
Self-Care Leads to Big Success
Following our conversation, Debra has spent the last three years growing each of her organizations and, in turn, providing a powerful impact on the students and communities they serve. From expanding The Brainchild Collective with additional programming and new employees to the recent launch of Prismatic Movement’s “The Turning Point Fund” (an opportunity for our Chicago-based corporate partners to invest in providing direct education services in local schools while simultaneously activating their own employee development programs), Debra’s innovative programming continues to become more profound with time.
“We are better humans when we can be our full selves in our work.”
Debra’s Top 3 Tips for Combating Burnout:
At the end of each day, ask yourself: Did I show up as the person I want to be?
When working in a team, be real, human, and vulnerable.
Find ways to share your gifts within a community.
A few of my favorite insights from Debra
0:00 - Introduction
3:16 - What is The Brainchild Collective
5:01 - Self-care for teens
6:26 - Teens and social media anxiety
8:32 - Looking at work as self-care
9:43 - Being deliberate with networking
11:43 - Causes of burnout
14:20 - Testing and listening to find success
15:45 - Working flexibly as a team
16:41 - Getting clear on what's essential
19:22 - Bringing your full self to work
22:21 - Helping teams be accountable to each other
24:01 - Finding energy in times of uncertainty
25:22 - In the moment mindfulness
27:31 - Staying grounded in today
About Debra
Debra Guinta has spent her career as an advocate for the arts and a leader of education companies that specialize in social-emotional development. Her programs reach 6,000+ students per year through partnerships with schools and community spaces throughout Chicago and beyond, with pop-up programs in Austin, San Francisco, New York, and Los Angeles. In 2019, she partnered with the US Embassy in Sarajevo to bring entrepreneurship education to young people throughout the Balkan region. An active participant in the Chicago female entrepreneurship community, Debra was named to Crain’s Chicago 2020 Notable Entrepreneurs. She is a founding board member of the Illinois Dance Education Organization and a winner of the GoodCity Chicago Women’s Innovation Award.
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