As someone who started their career in police psychology, I've always been deeply interested in understanding how high-risk professions impact mental health. Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Simon Hatcher from the University of Ottawa about his fascinating research on police suicide and what we can learn from it to help other high-risk industries. Our conversation revealed some critical insights that can benefit workplaces across various sectors.
As a mental health advocate working with numerous employers, I frequently encounter organizations that underutilize one of their most valuable resources: their Employee Assistance Program (EAP). In my recent conversation with John Levy, president of CCA, we explored how companies need to shift their perception of EAPs from being just another employee benefit to viewing them as strategic partners in workplace wellbeing. This paradigm shift is crucial because when employers limit their understanding of EAPs to just providing therapy services, they miss out on a wealth of opportunities to improve their organizational health.
Welcome to a special year-end episode of Headspace for the Workplace, where we take a moment to reflect on the past year, celebrate milestones, and plan for an even more impactful 2025. As we close out 2024, we honor a deeply personal milestone: twenty years since the suicide death of my precious brother, Carson. His memory continues to guide my mission to foster transformative change in workplace mental health and suicide prevention.
This year has been a testament to the power of lived experience, collaborative leadership, and actionable strategies in reshaping workplace culture. Here’s a look back at some of the key moments that defined 2024
I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Dr. Pierluigi Mancini, a stalwart in promoting mental health awareness for the Spanish-speaking workforce. As we delved into the intricacies of mental health care and its accessibility, it became strikingly clear that we must move beyond mere translation and token gestures. Instead, we need a comprehensive strategy that acknowledges and integrates cultural and linguistic diversity. Dr. Mancini aptly put it: recognizing cultural cues can be the key to mental wellness at work. This underscores the necessity for organizations to train their supervisors and HR teams in detecting nuanced expressions of mental distress that might not conform to Western paradigms.
Morra Aarons-Mele is a renowned voice in the realm of leadership and mental health, bringing a fresh perspective to how executives and professionals can embrace and channel their anxiety to become resilient, impactful leaders. Known for her thought-provoking podcast, The Anxious Achiever, Morra redefines the relationship between mental health and success, advocating for a balanced, mindful approach to leadership.
