Rethinking Well-Being: Moving from Individual Wellness to Understanding what it means to be “Well in the World”

This guest blog is written by Giles Barrow, Associate Coach at Integrity Coaching as well as a Teaching & Transactional Analyst. Giles explores the theme of reframing the conversation from “well-being” to “being well in the world”.

“I’ve recently had a series of conversations with school leaders that have left me reflecting on the trouble with well-being. Originally introduced with good intentions—to acknowledge how positive working environments can support staff mental health—well-being has almost become the proverbial cuckoo in the nest. Perhaps, with hindsight, we should have anticipated this. There’s a risk in prioritising individual needs within a culture that increasingly views personal autonomy as the pinnacle of human fulfillment. “Be careful what you wish for” comes to mind. When individual desire and personal well-being become the focus, separated from what might be collectively desirable and sustainable, we find ourselves in tricky territory.

The Rise of Well-Being Initiatives in Schools

It was, I think, Theresa May’s government that initially pushed the well-being agenda in the public sector, with the introduction of mental health “first aiders” and other para-professional roles in schools. The policy aimed to address a dual crisis: on one hand, the escalating pressures on child and adolescent mental health services; on the other, the growing struggle with teacher retention. But by addressing only the symptoms, these well-being policies may have actually accentuated the very issues they were meant to resolve.

The Problem of Individualizing Well-Being

Over the past decade, well-being advocacy has oversimplified the complex relationship between mental health and systemic issues. By focusing on well-being as primarily an individual responsibility, we often overlook the larger systemic factors that impact mental health and resilience in schools. When well-being becomes a narrow, individual pursuit, it can limit opportunities for the kind of radical social change that might benefit everyone. The well-being “bandwagon” can actually shut down conversations about how we might collectively build healthier, more equitable environments.

Reframing the Conversation: From “Well-Being” to “Being Well in the World”

What if, instead, we reframed our understanding of well-being? I’m interested in shifting the conversation from “well-being” to the idea of “being well in the world.” I borrow this phrase from social philosopher Hannah Arendt, who wrote after the Second World War about the human challenge of “making a home in the world.” Her reflections, influenced by the atrocities committed by highly educated individuals during the Holocaust, led her to explore what it means to live meaningfully, even in a world that doesn’t always align with our ideals. For Arendt, and perhaps for us today, “being well in the world” requires that we learn to exist within our communities and surroundings, even when they don’t mirror our own desires or expectations. This is part of what it means to be educated, and indeed, to be a grown-up.

Education’s Role in Teaching Connection Over Autonomy

Classrooms are among the first spaces where children are encouraged to become the best versions of themselves, to fulfill their potential and develop autonomy. It’s a noble objective, often reinforced with the phrase “children are our future.” However, there’s a shadow side to this when it leads individuals to view themselves as the center of the world, rather than as part of it. A well-rounded education should teach not only personal growth but also what it means to live in relation to others, to recognise that our well-being is intertwined with that of the community.

Shifting the Focus of Well-Being in Schools

Returning to the well-being conversation in schools, it might be more productive to shift our focus. Instead of seeing well-being as a purely individual pursuit, we might start by asking questions like:

• How much emotional and psychological security can we reasonably expect in our workplaces?
• Who carries the emotional labour of ensuring others’ well-being?
• How can we strive to “be well” in relation to others in this specific place and time?

These questions open up a broader dialogue, one that invites us to consider not only our own well-being but also our responsibility to foster environments that support everyone’s ability to be well in the world.

Rather than seeing well-being as something that can be “solved” on an individual basis, we might consider it a collective endeavour—a shared journey towards creating spaces where everyone has the opportunity to thrive”.

As an Associate at Integrity Coaching, Giles has been a regular coach working with Headteachers and senior leadership teams for many years. He was also involved in the early stages of developing and delivering our Race, Identity and School Leadership (RISL) programme, facilitating the conferences on the theme of love in education.

Giles is a Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst, has a PGCEd, a Post-Grad Certificate in SEN, a Masters in English Literature and a Masters in Education. He recently completed his PhD in Educational Philosophy. To find out more about Giles and our team, visit our Meet the Team page.

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