Suicide Prevention

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Breaking the Mold -- How to Navigate Management and Mental Health in Male-Dominated Industries: Interview with Simon Tyler | Ep. 30

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Breaking the Mold -- How to Navigate Management and Mental Health in Male-Dominated Industries: Interview with Simon Tyler | Ep. 30

Join us as we explore the intersection of masculinity, mental health, and professional success in traditionally male-dominated industries. In this podcast, we delve into how leveraging strengths inherent in masculinity—such as collaboration, prioritizing safety, reciprocity, perseverance, problem-solving, courage, and honor—can contribute to creating healthier work environments and driving individual and organizational growth. From sharing stories of triumph to discussing practical strategies for promoting mental well-being, in this episode I interview Simon Tyler from Australia. He offers insights and inspiration for navigating challenges, fostering resilience, and unlocking the full potential of men’s mental well-being at work.

His two key takeaways:

  1. Management engagement through leveraging workplace strengths

  2. Mitigate psychosocial hazards related to job design

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SPECIAL EPISODE Work-Related Suicide -- An Occupational Health & Safety Perspective: Interview with Dr. LaMontagne & Dr. King | Ep 28

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SPECIAL EPISODE Work-Related Suicide -- An Occupational Health & Safety Perspective: Interview with Dr. LaMontagne & Dr. King | Ep 28

A growing focus in the media, policy circles, and research is emerging on the correlation between work and suicide. Specifically, a growing body of robust evidence links various psychosocial working conditions and job stressors to suicide. Diverse perspectives exist on the current state of evidence concerning causality and intervention, as well as the most suitable policy and practice responses. In this podcast episode, I interview two global experts who share their views from an occupational health & safety (OH&S) standpoint concerning work-related suicide, with a primary emphasis on the potential for working conditions to serve as modifiable risk factors or protective elements in the context of suicide among the working population.

We define work-related suicide as a suicide death that is entirely or partially connected to work or working conditions. We also consider the working conditions of the individuals who died by suicide.

We discuss:

  • How is work-related suicide defined from an OH&S standpoint?

  • What are the potential work-related contributors to suicide?

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Turning Pain into Purpose -- From Leadership Burnout to Mental Health Advocate: Interview with Justin Azbill | Ep. 24

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Turning Pain into Purpose -- From Leadership Burnout to Mental Health Advocate: Interview with Justin Azbill | Ep. 24

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports record increases in quit rates, emphasizing the urgency of addressing manager burnout.

…on one hand, stress and burnout among managers not only negatively impact organizational culture but also hinder their ability to foster employee engagement in a highly competitive labor market. On the other hand, the manager’s voice in the workplace mental health movement is essential to it’s success.

In this podcast, I interview Justin Azbill, the Director of National Environmental Health and Safety for Milwaukee Tool and we talk about his experiences with life-threatening burnout and how he turned that pain into the purpose of helping others. His two takeaways for addressing burnout:

  • Be proactive, not reactive.

  • Start and end on a positive note.

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Awareness to Action -- Getting a Quick Start on Building a Robust Workplace Mental Health Program: Interview with Steven Frost | Ep 18

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Awareness to Action -- Getting a Quick Start on Building a Robust Workplace Mental Health Program: Interview with Steven Frost | Ep 18

Raising awareness about mental health issues in the workplace is crucial, but it is not enough on its own. Taking action is equally important. Awareness alone does not create tangible changes or provide support for employees who are struggling. Workplace mental health program development should go beyond simply acknowledging the issue and actively work to implement strategies that promote mental well-being, reduce bias, and provide resources for support. By taking action, organizations can create a culture of care, where employees feel supported and empowered to seek help when needed. Action-oriented programs make a real difference in improving mental health outcomes and creating a healthier work environment for everyone involved.

In this interview I speak with workplace mental health advocate Steven Frost. Steven shares these three tips for a quick start to building a workplace mental health program are:

  1. Gain Leadership Buy-in: Messaging of unwavering support from key leaders empowers cultural shifts

  2. Develop a Diverse Team: Representative champion's voices must be heard. 

  3. Gather Resources: Upstream, midstream and downstream

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The Forgotten Survivors -- Co-workers Impacted by Suicide Loss: Interview with Robert & Terri Bogue | Ep 17

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The Forgotten Survivors -- Co-workers Impacted by Suicide Loss: Interview with Robert & Terri Bogue | Ep 17

Many workplaces are affected by the suicide death of an employee each year, especially considering that a large number of people who die by suicide are working-age adults. Even the suicide deaths of recently terminated employees can have a significant impact on their previous workplaces. The loss of a leader within an organization can cause chaos and trauma. Moreover, suicide deaths of family members, vendors, clients, and associates can also affect employees. Unfortunately, most workplaces are not prepared to respond to such deaths. Common models of grief and bereavement support often focus on returning to work quickly rather than providing meaningful support. It is crucial for workplaces to understand grief, trauma, and suicide contagion and develop effective strategies for supporting employees in the aftermath of a suicide death.

In this interview, I speak with suicide loss survivors Robert and Terri Bogue about workplace suicide grief and trauma and survivor guilt. They share these three tips:

  • Acknowledge survivor guilt. Address suicide directly -if someone talks about wanting to die, not wanting to be here, or gives away their prized things. – That’s all you can do. You’re not responsible for their decisions.

  • Meet people where they are in their grief. What do you do when families don’t want the employee’s death discussed as a suicide? Everyone grieves differently. They experience trauma differently. You can’t prescribe how they’ll grieve.

  • Actively build community after a loss. People will feel the loss of relationship. Create opportunities for them to fill that space.

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Your Money and Your Mind -- Enhance Well-being with Financial Fitness: Interview with Robert Khachatryan | Ep 16

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Your Money and Your Mind -- Enhance Well-being with Financial Fitness: Interview with Robert Khachatryan | Ep 16

According to the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, people with debt are three times more likely to experience suicidal intensity because of the debt. A study by Northwestern Mutual found that 44% of Americans states that financial worries were their #1 stressor, with about one in four stating like they felt depressed about money at least once a month.

Sometimes improving your mental health looks like going to a therapist; sometimes it looks like going to a financial mentor. What most people don’t realize is that many Employee Assistance Programs (“EAP”) have financial counseling services for this reason.

In this episode, I speak with Robert Khachatryan about financial wellness and its connection to mental health. He shares these take-aways:

  1. Provide the tools for financial preventative care.

  2. Create a financially safe space.

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Assess Your Stress -- Tactics to Increase Performance by Taming Tension: Interview with Dena Ali | Ep 15

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Assess Your Stress -- Tactics to Increase Performance by Taming Tension: Interview with Dena Ali | Ep 15

Is “stress” all bad?

No.

In fact if you didn’t have any stress in your life you would be bored — and may even feel a little purposeless. Humans need to be challenged mentally and physically. The good side of stress — or Eustress — is what helps us grow and even reach peak performance. It’s where we are thriving.

But sometimes our stress levels tip from Eustress to Distress. Unchecked distress can lead to other mental health challenges like exhaustion, burnout, and crises.

In this episode, I speak with Battalion Chief of the Raleigh Fire Department and founding member of North Carolina’s Peer Support Program, Dena Ali . We talk about the stress continuum and its impact on work performance, and how a powerful antidote for stress is something we often forget to do: PLAY!

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SPECIAL EPISODE What You Need to Know about the National Guidelines for Workplace Suicide Prevention: Interview with Dr. Jodi Jacobson Frey | Ep 13

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SPECIAL EPISODE What You Need to Know about the National Guidelines for Workplace Suicide Prevention: Interview with Dr. Jodi Jacobson Frey | Ep 13

Most workplaces agree that having a mental health program of some kind is good for their workers, and in turn good for their mission; however, most don’t know what to do besides get the benefit of an Employee Assistance Program. In this special extended episode, I speak with my right hand woman Dr. Jodi Jacobson Frey. Jodi and I co-chair the Workplace Suicide Prevention and Postvention Committee and have collaborated for almost 15 years on how best to support workplaces in developing a robust worker well-being culture. In this episode, Jodi covers these three takeaways:

  1. Take a good organizational look in the mirror

  2. Don’t just check a box

  3. Back it up — bring your plans to life

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Connecting the Dots - Inclusion and Mental Health Culture Change at Work: Interview with Dan Lester | Ep 12

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Connecting the Dots - Inclusion and Mental Health Culture Change at Work: Interview with Dan Lester | Ep 12

In this episode, I speak with the Vice President of Field Culture and Inclusion at Clayco, Dan Lester. Dan is also a tireless mental health advocate. In our conversation, we start to connect these workplace challenges in meaningful ways and get comfortable being uncomfortable.

Three takeaways:

1.    Work to see ALL of the people around you. Even the ones that push you out of your comfort zone.

2.    Get in the game. Behave until you believe. 

3.    Don't forget about yourself. You are the answer to your problems. 

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SPECIAL EPISODE from the International Association for Suicide Prevention: Work-Related Suicide -- How Do We Define and Measure?: Interview with Jorgen Gullestrup & Prof Sarah Waters | Ep 10

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International researchers and advocates from the International Association for Suicide Prevention’s Workplace Special Interest Group are working on a BIG idea.


What do we do when work kills?


How do we — as a global community — take urgent action in order to define, recognize, investigate and prevent work-related suicide?


What are “work-related suicide” deaths? Suicide deaths that are caused in part or in whole by work-related factors.


The IASP Workplace special interest group has highlighted the need to move the workplace focus in suicide prevention from seeing the workplace as simply the venue where interventions can occur but also a place and a connection that interacts with individuals’ suicidal intensity.  What happens when there is a causal link between workplace and suicidal intensity is it enough just to identify individuals and treat or should the workplace itself be treated.  This podcast episode discusses the suicide prevention benefits of acknowledging suicide as a potential consequence of psychosocial hazards in the workplace.


While the workplace can offer a sense of purpose and belonging when working well, it can also be a place fraught with psychosocial hazards that increase distress and despair than can lead to suicide. Research shows that exposure to psychosocial job stressors including lack of autonomy, lack of variety, effort-reward imbalance, bullying and discrimination at work are linked to an elevated risk of suicidal behavior.


Historically, governments and employers have largely attributed suicide risk to personal and medical issues, but with this emerging research we must also acknowledge the workplace contribution. In this podcast I speak with world thought leaders Jorgen Gullestrup of Australia and Prof Sarah Waters of the UK about this paradigm shift and our need to define, measure and regulate suicide deaths related to work.


About Jorgen Gullestrup

Starting his career in the construction industry, Jorgen saw first-hand the impact of suicide on the workers, their families and friends. He also experienced suicide intensity first hand and decided to take action.


Jorgen founded the MATES in Construction program and within the first five years saw an 8% reduction in Queensland construction industry suicide rates was achieved.

Jorgen holds is Masters in Suicidology and was recently named the winner of the 14th Annual LiFE Award in 2018, recognizing excellence in suicide prevention. He serves as the Co-Chair for the International Association for Suicide Prevention’s Workplace Special Interest Group.


About Prof Sarah Waters

Sarah Waters is Professor of French Studies at the University of Leeds, UK. Her research focuses on work-related suicide in France and across the international stage and seeks to understand the complex connections that link contemporary working conditions with the extreme and subjective act of suicide. Her book, Suicide Voices. Labour Trauma in France was published by Liverpool University Press in September 2020.

In her book, Sarah examines testimonial material linked to 66 suicide cases across three large French corporations. She examines ‘suicide voices’ considering how workers themselves describe the circumstances that led them to such desperate extremes in the letters, emails and recordings they leave behind. Why at the present historical juncture do conditions of work push some individuals to take their own lives? What can suicide letters tell us about the contemporary economic order and its impact on flesh and blood bodies? How do suicidal individuals describe the causes and motivations of their act?

Alongside her research, Sarah actively campaigns to improve workplace legislation in order to recognise and monitor work-related suicides. She is part of the trade union Hazards campaign in the UK that lobbies the Health and Safety Executive

She lives in Leeds and is a mother of two teenage boys.


Show Notes

WORK RELATED SUICIDE OVERVIEW: https://research.iscrr.com.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/297147/Work-related-fatalities-Overview-of-work-related-suicide.pdf

https://www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/books/id/53177/

http://www.hazards.org/suicide/suicidenote.htm

http://www.hazards.org/suicide/suicidalwork.htm

https://explore.openaire.eu/search/publication?articleId=core_ac_uk__::50394fbea95b8d9643610cf2b5d43dae

https://www.jacobinmag.com/2014/11/capitalisms-victims/

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Employee Engagement & Workplace Mental Health: Interview with Joaquin Diaz | Ep 4

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Employee Engagement & Workplace Mental Health: Interview with Joaquin Diaz | Ep 4

Recruiting and retaining emerging talent is one of the biggest challenges facing employers today. Many try to sweeten the deal with higher salaries and impressive benefits, but one place that cannot be overlooked is the quality of mental health in a workplace. In this podcast, I interview Joaquin Diaz, the EHS Director for Skanska USA Building Inc. He shares their holistic approach to worker health and safety and the impact it has had on retention.

His top three tips for reducing resignation rates and cultivating workplace wellbeing:

  1. Change the conversation in your organization.

  2. Manage the flexibility needed to maintain a healthy workforce.

  3. Increase engagement about external and internal risk factors of mental health.

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Listen Bravely -- How to Help Friends and Co-workers Living with Suicidal Intensity at Work: Interview with Dr. Stacey Freedenthal | Ep 3

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Listen Bravely -- How to Help Friends and Co-workers Living with Suicidal Intensity at Work: Interview with Dr. Stacey Freedenthal | Ep 3

I have been surveying workplaces about their confidence and competence in supporting coworkers who are going through hard times. What I have found is that most people care deeply about the people they work with and have a strong willingness to help. I have discovered that many workplaces successfully show up for their employees when they have experienced a medical crisis for themselves or a family member or when there is a natural disaster, but when it comes to suicide, they get the “deer in the headlights” response.

Dr. Stacey Freedenthal is an associate professor of social work and a leader in the national conversation on suicide prevention. She knows what she’s talking about because she has lived through her own experiences with suicidal intensity. On this podcast she gives us tools on what to do if you are worried about a coworker who may be thinking of taking their life.

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Headspace for the Workplace -- Greetings from Dr. Sally | Ep 1

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Headspace for the Workplace -- Greetings from Dr. Sally | Ep 1

In our brain-based economy, we depend on fully engaged, mentally healthy teams. Organizations that have figured this out not only have a competitive advantage, they are awesome places to work. If you want to be able to recruit and retain emerging talent, this podcast will give you the tools that let them know their workplace cares about them.

Psychological safety goes beyond just a fear of making mistakes or suggesting new ideas — it’s really a deep feeling of trust. Psychologically safe environments are where people believe “you have my back” in all areas: when I am learning, when I feel different than others, and when I am having a very difficult time.

Psychologically safe and healthy workplaces actively seek to promote workers’ emotional health and prevent psychosocial hazards due to workplace factors.

Most people who die by suicide or overdose are of working age, making the workplace arguably the most cross cutting system for suicide prevention, addiction recovery and mental health promotion. And yet, workplaces are often underprepared and react rather than respond when faced with mental health emergencies.

Take a listen to the lessons learned and actionable take-aways to promote mental health and wellbeing and support people through tough times – at work.