In this episode of the Tech Ed Clubhouse Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Marialice Curran to unpack one of the most important—and most misunderstood—topics in education today: mental health.

What starts as a conversation about digital citizenship quickly turns into a powerful discussion about language, stigma, masculinity, school culture, and why mental health needs to be treated like physical health—something we actively train, track, and support.

Marialice shares her personal journey into the mental health space, her work with Same Here Global, and how a simple shift in language—from “us vs. them” to “five in five”—can completely change how schools, communities, and individuals show up for one another.

This isn’t a surface-level conversation. It’s honest, human, and long overdue.

• Why “1 in 5 have mental illness” is the wrong message

• The Same Here Global philosophy: five in five of us have mental health

• How language shapes stigma in schools and society

• Why mental health should be treated like going to the gym

• The “Gym for the Brain” model and what it looks like in schools

• Masculinity, vulnerability, and the unique mental health challenges men face

• How sports, coaching, and education intersect in powerful ways

• Why proactive mental health work beats crisis response every time

• Simple ways teachers can support students tomorrow—without new programs or mandates

Mental health isn’t something some people have.
It’s something all of us live on a spectrum with—every single day.

When schools change the language, normalize the conversation, and model regulation instead of compliance, everything shifts: culture, trust, and learning.

• Same Here Global: https://www.samehereglobal.org

• Contact Mary Alice: marialice@samehereglobal.org

• Instagram: @dr_mbfxc

• Same Here Scale App: Available via Same Here Global

• Teachers and school leaders

• Coaches and athletic directors

• Counselors and support staff

• Parents and caregivers

• Anyone who believes schools should be more human

If this conversation made you pause, reflect, or feel a little more seen—you’re not alone.

Same here.

If you enjoyed this episode, follow the podcast, share it with someone who needs to hear it, and leave a review—it helps more educators find conversations like this.

We talk a lot about fixing education.

But what if teaching isn’t broken?

In this episode of The Tech Ed Clubhouse, I explore the idea that we’re standing at the beginning of a Renaissance in education—a shift away from scripts, compliance, and performative engagement, and back toward the human craft of teaching.

Drawing parallels to the early Renaissance at the end of the Middle Ages, this episode unpacks:

• how schooling quietly became more about obedience than judgment

• why teachers are feeling tension between what they’re told to do and what they know works

• what the first Renaissance actually looked like before the masterpieces

• how today’s classrooms mirror that same uncomfortable, hopeful transition

• and where tools and AI fit—using the printing press as a guide

This isn’t a call for new programs or shiny tools.

It’s a call to reclaim professional judgment, trust human thinking, and teach like a Renaissance human—right now, even while the old systems are still in place.

If you’ve felt like something in education doesn’t quite fit anymore…
this episode will give you language for why.

After 32 years in the classroom, I’ve been thinking a lot about why teaching feels heavier now than it used to—even though we have more tools, systems, and strategies than ever before.

In this episode, I reflect on the invisible cognitive and relational work at the center of teaching: the constant judgment calls, the timing, and the real-time decisions that never show up on a plan or a platform but shape everything that happens in a classroom.

This isn’t an episode about tools or advice. It’s a quiet conversation about teaching as a professional, judgment-based practice—and why the weight teachers feel is often a sign of meaningful work being done.