Kintsugi Heroes
Derek Rogers · 40 min
A health and wellness educator who taught others how to thrive found himself secretly drowning in burnout and depression — and his journey back reveals exactly what most of us are never taught about keeping ourselves well.
You don't have to be in crisis to call.
Derek Rogers spent nine years as a teacher in a Melbourne community school, working with vulnerable teenagers while raising two kids as a single father. When his principal noticed his passion for staff wellbeing, Derek left teaching to start his own health and wellness business from home. What happened next caught him completely off guard: the thing that was supposed to fulfil him became the thing that broke him.
Without realising it, Derek had removed every single element that kept him well. He stopped playing sports, stopped seeing his mates midweek, stopped doing the things he loved. Working alone from his spare room, he spiralled into depression so quietly that he almost didn't notice it happening. He convinced himself he just needed more sleep, more rest. It took an online depression screening and a reluctant visit to his GP to make it real. The score was 24. His psychologist helped him see what he'd done: he'd cut out fresh air, exercise, and connection with the people he belonged to, then wondered why he felt flat and numb.
When Derek rang three mates to reconnect, only one understood. That friend showed up at his house, took him out for coffee in the sunshine, then came back the next day to drag him out to play golf. Those two simple acts, something as basic as fresh air and a mate who knew what he needed, turned the tide.
Years later, when Derek found himself burnt out again after a stressful move to Queensland, his business coach asked him a different question: what does your spirit need? Derek gave himself permission to rest for four days at the beach. On the Monday morning, a CEO texted offering work. Derek had finally learned the lesson that most people are never taught: how to keep yourself well is the same three things every time, and taking care of yourself first isn't selfish. It makes you better able to be there for others.
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Kintsugi Heroes · Registered Australian not-for-profit · kintsugiheroes.com.au ↗