In this special episode of the Education Matters Podcast, host Jason Buccheri is joined by Mental Health Summit founder Dr. Gina Cherkowski to reflect on last year’s gathering and explore what’s ahead for the 2026 Mental Health Summit in Banff. Together, they share powerful insights from educators, leaders, and students on how schools can meaningfully support mental health, well-being, and belonging.

The conversation highlights the importance of caring for educators, fostering emotionally safe learning environments, and strengthening community connections. The episode also features an in-depth interview with keynote speaker Dr. Kimberly Schonert-Reichl, who unpacks the research behind social-emotional learning, stress contagion in classrooms, and why mental health must be a foundational part of education.

Register for the 2026 Mental Health summit here!

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Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Episode Introduction And Mental Health Summit Partnership

[00:01:19] Welcome Back With Dr. Gina Cherkowski

[00:02:24] 2026 Mental Health Summit Dates And Keynote Highlights

[00:03:35] Emotional Regulation And Supporting Educators

[00:04:04] Schools As Safe Spaces For Mental Health

[00:06:03] Supporting Student Mental Well-Being

[00:07:10] Living With Intention And Wellness

[00:08:05] Belonging As A Foundation For Learning

[00:09:49] Community, Connection, And Mental Health

[00:12:02] Mental Health As A Shared Community Responsibility

[00:13:38] Men’s Mental Health And Breaking Stigma

[00:15:50] Why Schools Must Lead Mental Health Support

[00:17:47] Early Intervention And Emotional Education

[00:19:54] Personal Mental Health Stories And Resilience

[00:22:05] Stories As Healing And Youth Voices

[00:24:06] Introducing Dr. Kimberly Schonert-Reichl

[00:25:45] Growing Up Curious And Learning Early

[00:28:19] Teachers Who Shape Our Lives

[00:30:30] Social Emotional Learning And Life Success

[00:32:27] Research Linking SEL To Academic Outcomes

[00:36:07] Supporting Teachers To Support Students

[00:38:15] Stress Contagion In Classrooms

[00:40:33] MindUP Program And Neuroscience

[00:44:57] Reimagining Schools With A Magic Wand

[00:47:05] Open-Access SEL Research Journal

[00:48:20] Reimagining Education Systems

[00:50:33] Gratitude, Mentorship, And Collaboration

[00:51:44] Global Research Forum Announcement

[00:53:53] 2026 Summit Reminder And Closing Reflections

[00:54:39] Land Acknowledgement And Final Credits