Whitney Fishburn
Supporting Employees who are parenting children ...

You probably offer your employees some form of health benefits. But is your benefits package robust enough to fully support your employees’ range of total health needs if they are to be fully present at work and resilient? 


One often overlooked area of employee support is for parents of children with mental health concerns. A survey published earlier this year by Lyra Health found that over half of the more than 1,900 U.S. workers surveyed support a child with a mental health concern. Yet, the survey also found that “worker confidence in their employer-provided resources for their kids’ mental health is lagging behind companies’ investments in this area.” 


This gap can mean your employees aren’t able to devote the time and attention necessary for peak performance, costing both you and them in the long run. 


“Having a child with an untreated mental health issue is going to take parents out of the workplace. Their mind and energy will be elsewhere,” says Kendall Browne, PhD, senior program manager of Workforce Transformation at Lyra Health.

Supporting Employees who are parenting children in mental health crisis
Whitney Fishburn
Navigating the Aftermath: A Therapist's ...
Whitney Fishburn
Unsung Heroes: Honoring Mental Health ...

November is National Family Caregivers Month, a time to highlight the vital yet often unacknowledged role of caregivers. For those who support loved ones experiencing mental health challenges, this month is an opportunity to honor their dedication, recognize their struggles, and empower them with resources.

Unsung Heroes: Honoring Mental Health Caregivers During National Family Caregivers Month
Mens Mental Health, mental health, suicide prevention
Whitney Fishburn
Veterans in the Spotlight: Under-Addressed ...

Veterans’ Mental Health: Where We Need to Focus

Veterans face unique mental health challenges that too often go under-addressed, from military sexual trauma and transitional stress to the long-term impact of PTSD. These experiences don’t just affect mental well-being—they can shape every aspect of a Veteran’s life, from personal relationships to reintegration into civilian roles. Yet there is reason to be hopeful: today, more than ever, there’s a focus on empowering Veterans as community and workplace mental health leaders. With evolving peer support programs and resources designed to remove cultural and financial barriers, we’re seeing real progress in providing accessible, culturally competent mental health care. By positioning Veterans at the forefront of these initiatives, we can harness their resilience and leadership, creating stronger communities and workplaces while ensuring they receive the support they deserve.

Veterans in the Spotlight: Under-Addressed Mental Health Challenges and Effective Resources
Whitney Fishburn
The Papageno Effect: Harnessing Positive ...

Earlier this year,  I attended the European Symposium on Suicide and Suicidal Behavior (ESSSB) in Rome. One of the plenary presentations by Prof Thomas Niederkrotenthaler, of the Medical University of Vienna,  illuminated the powerful impact of the “Papageno Effect” on suicide prevention. 

The Papageno Effect: Harnessing Positive Storytelling for Hope and Recovery in Suicide Prevention

Sally Spencer-Thomas

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ANNOUNCEMENT: First National Guidelines for Workplace Suicide Prevention: A Call to Action for Workplaces to Make Suicide Prevention a Health Priority

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ANNOUNCEMENT: First National Guidelines for Workplace Suicide Prevention: A Call to Action for Workplaces to Make Suicide Prevention a Health Priority

Today on World Mental Health Day, the American Association of Suicidology (AAS), American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), and United Suicide Survivors International (United Survivors), announce their collaboration and release of the first ‘National Guidelines for Workplace Suicide Prevention.’ These Guidelines — built by listening to the expertise of diverse groups like HR, employment law, employee assistance professionals, labor and safety leaders, and many people who had experienced a suicide crisis while they were employed — will help employers and workplaces become proactively involved in suicide prevention in the workplace. Employers ready to become vocal, visible and visionary and who are ready to take the pledge to make suicide prevention a health and safety priority visit WorkplaceSuicidePrevention.com.

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What If They Say “Yes” to the Suicide Question? Four Responses That Make a Difference

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What If They Say “Yes” to the Suicide Question? Four Responses That Make a Difference

What if you ask someone if they are thinking about suicide, and they say, “yes”? What do you say?

Often when people express daunting thoughts about suicide they expect to be judged. They anticipate that others will react in negative ways such as fear, anger, minimizing, or shaming. When they hear a genuine expression of gratitude, often they are put at ease. This honoring response creates a safe space to move into next steps. Starting here is starting from a place of dignity and respect...

5 Take-Aways from the International Association for Suicide Prevention World Congress in Kuching, Malaysia

5 Take-Aways from the International Association for Suicide Prevention World Congress in Kuching, Malaysia

The International Association for Suicide Prevention World Congress took place in Kuching, Malaysia, with over 600 delegates from over 50 countries present. The theme was “Preventing Suicide: A Global Commitment from Communities to Continents." Here are the five themes I’d like to share with you...

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Reasons You Should Be Concerned about Suicide in the Animal Welfare/Medicine Industry

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Reasons You Should Be Concerned about Suicide in the Animal Welfare/Medicine Industry

...One example of a “caring for others” profession is veterinary medicine and animal welfare. Animal rescue professionals and veterinarians fit Thomas Joiner’s model of why people die by suicide: Constant exposure to death and feelings of hopelessness lead to an acquired ability for lethal self-injury, and they have access to lethal means in the form of drugs.

People are often drawn to the demanding professions because of their love of animals, but they soon discover that a large part of the job involves ending the lives of beloved pets and otherwise health animals. In fact, vets come face-to-face with death at five times the rate of physicians. Both veterinarians and animal rescue professionals are witness to the agonizing situation of pet owners choosing to have their companions euthanized because treatment is too expensive or too difficult or because breeding was uncontrolled and the family has become overwhelmed....