In this episode, I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Vicky Essebag, a relational communication specialist with extensive experience in both education and family therapy. Vicky has held roles as a teacher, guidance counselor, curriculum consultant, and vice-principal, and she is also a certified solution-focused coach and trainer. She is best known for her work in adapting Solution-Focused Brief Therapy to foster healthy, effective relationships within schools, organisations, and families.

In this episode, we explore the critical role of communication in schools and how it can be prioritised alongside academic curriculum to enhance staff wellbeing. 

In this episode, we cover:

• What solution-focused therapy is and how we can use it to solve problems within the workplace
• Why we should be prioritising communication and giving it just as much importance as the school’s curriculum
• How we can take more responsibility for how we communicate and respond to others
• How we can use backcasting or future orientation to reach solutions to our problems
• What communication actually entails beyond just talking and listening
• Why communication is especially important in school environments not just between staff but also between teachers and students.
• The differences between a leader and a manager
• The core principles that guide Vicky’s work with schools to support effective communication
• How leaders can prevent and manage conflict using Vicky’s framework for communication

About Vicky:

Vicky Essebag is a relational communication specialist and thought leader with a rich background in both education and family therapy. With experience as a teacher, guidance counselor, curriculum consultant, and vice-principal, Vicky has a deep understanding of schools and staff. She is also a certified solution-focused coach and trainer, widely recognised for her innovative approach to adapting Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) to enhance communication and relationships within schools, organisations, and families.

As a public speaker and consultant, Vicky has presented her expertise on a global stage, helping schools and organisations implement relational processes that foster wellbeing and success for all stakeholders. 

She is the founder of Relationspaces.com and the author of Relationspaces: A Solution-Focused Handbook for Parents, a guide that empowers parents to cultivate intentional, effective communication strategies that support the entire family.

Links and Resources:

Explore our Well-Led Schools Partnership Program: adriennehornby.com.au/school-partnerships/ 

Book recommendation: The Third Path: A Relationship-Based Approach to Student Well-Being and Achievement by David Tranter,  Lori Carson, Tom Boland 

Thank you so much for listening. I’m so honoured that you’re here and would be so grateful if you could leave me a review on Apple Podcasts or on your preferred podcast app, that way we can inspire and educate even more people together.

Connect with Vicky via:

Her Website: www.relationspaces.com

LinkedIn: @vickyessebag 

Facebook: @vickyessebagauthor

Instagram: @essebagvicky

More ways to engage with Vicky’s work:

Subscribe to her LinkedIn Newsletter: www.linkedin.com/newsletters/relationspaces-7086324196984705024/ 

Listen to her Podcast: A Call Across the Pond; Transforming Relationships at School, at Home and Beyond - https://relationspaces.com/podcast/

Youtube Relationspaces Power Bursts: @relationspaces

Read her book: Relationspaces:A Solution-Focused Handbook for Parents

Connect with me via:

My website http://adriennehornby.com.au 

Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrienne-hornby-a4126a205/ 

Email hello@adriennehornby.com.au