Podcasts about mental health moments

“Students will often refer to voice lessons, to choir rehearsal, as therapy. I felt that there was something to that. I wanted to make the connection between individual therapy and voice lessons and group therapy and the choral rehearsal. What is it about the choral organism that becomes a space that can be therapeutic? I found a lot of commonalities in group and individual counseling and what we do.”Dr. Sarah J. Graham was just promoted to Professor of Music at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho, where she teaches courses in music, humanities, ethics, and conducts the Concert Choir. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Whitworth University, a Master of Arts in Classroom Teaching and English from Pacific Lutheran University, and both a Masters and Doctorate in Music Conducting from Michigan State University. She is currently finishing a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling through Capella University in Minneapolis. Dr. Graham has been teaching for over thirty years, twenty of which have been in higher education. Much of her current work has to do with mental health and teaching pedagogy. She recently spent her sabbatical working on an internship in counseling and compiling a 15-week guide for incorporating “Mental Health Moments” into the classroom. At LC State, Graham is a co-founder of the Black History Experience, and a member of the President's Campus and Community Commission. She lives in Lewiston with her daughter and their Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Henry.To get in touch with Sarah, you can find her on Facebook (@drsjg) or Instagram (@drbooncha) or email her at sjgraham@lcsc.edu .Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace HudsonPodMatchPodMatch Automatically Matches Ideal Podcast Guests and Hosts For Interviews

How can empathy affect the mental health of ourselves and others? Learn more about empathy and how utilizing it can improve the mental health of us and those around us. This episode we are joined by Bellin Health Licensed Behavior Health Therapist, Hannah Bauer and Health & Wellbeing consultant, Linda Golik.

‘Dance Moms' diva Abby Lee Miller sits down with Dr. Phil to share her past, her prison time, and what's next for the reality tv star. She's been called tough, controversial, and at times, downright unfiltered. But now, Abby Lee Miller is sitting down with Dr. Phil to face the questions everyone's been asking. How did a dance career turn into a prison sentence? What's the real story behind her public feud with former students and colleagues? And after everything, is she ready for redemption—or is the ‘Dance Moms' diva still calling the shots? Find out in this compelling one-on-one interview! Thank you to our sponsors: Jase: com | https://jase.com | Promo Code: PHIL Beam: Visit https://ShopBeam.com/DrPhil and use code DRPHIL for up to 40% off. Dr. Phil's "Mental Health Moments" in this episode are brought to you by Michaels®, your destination for everything to create anything.  

Dr. Phil meets two mothers, Suzie and Deana, who say they have struggled with obesity until the miracle GLP-1 shot helped them to lose weight. Now they want their teens, 14 year old Jeremiah and 16 year old Demi, to do the same. Should children be on the GLP-1 drug for weight loss?  Gynecologist Dr. Jaime Seeman says absolutely not.  Plus, body positivity activist, Virgie Tovar says teens on weight loss drugs are more likely to develop an eating disorder.  Thank you to our sponsors:Dr. Phil's "Mental Health Moments" in this episode are brought to you by Michaels®, your destination for everything to create anything. Preserve Gold: Get a FREE precious metals guide that contains essential information on how to help protect your accounts. Text “DRPHIL” to 50505 to claim this exclusive offer from Preserve Gold today.  

Dr. Phil sits down with bestselling author and clinical psychologist, Dr. Jordan B. Peterson, to discuss his latest book, "We Who Wrestle with God, Perceptions of the Divine." Dr. Peterson discusses how he guides readers through the ancient, foundational stories of the Western world, all while analyzing the Biblical accounts of rebellion, sacrifice, suffering, and triumph that stabilize, inspire, and unite us culturally and psychologically. Find out why Dr. Peterson believes this book can truly change people's lives. Thank you to our sponsors:Beam: Visit https://ShopBeam.com/DrPhil  and use code DRPHIL for up to 40% off. Tax Network USA: Visit https://TNUSA.com/DRPHIL or call 1-800-958-1000. Dr. Phil's "Mental Health Moments" in this episode are brought to you by Michaels®, your destination for everything to create anything.  

Dr. Phil is taken by NYC Mayor Eric Adams on an evening tour of the Herald Square and West 4th Street subway stations, where Hizzoner and McGraw explore the mayor's PATH initiative, which provides resources to assist homeless and mentally ill individuals in leaving the streets. Dr. Phil and the Mayor, along with his dedicated response team, the NYPD and the initiative's Sr. Advisor, also travel on the subway and to various locations to highlight the problem New York City is facing and how they're attempting to fix it. The PATH initiative combines homelessness outreach professionals and law-enforcement. Follow along as they show how they have helped more than 1500 on house New Yorkers in the subway system and connected almost half of them to vital services. Thank you to our sponsors: Beam: Visit https://ShopBeam.com/DrPhil  and use code DRPHIL for up to 40% off. Tax Network USA: Visit https://TNUSA.com/DRPHIL or call 1-800-958-1000. Dr. Phil's "Mental Health Moments" in this episode are brought to you by Michaels®, your destination for everything to create anything. Greenlight: Visit https://greenlight.com —it's the easy, convenient way for parents to raise financially smart kids and families to navigate life, together.     

Why do we have success with some behaviors in our lives but struggle with others? Learn more about "behavioral resilience" from Bellin Health Behavior Health Therapist, Micaella VandenBoom and Health and Wellbeing Consultant, Linda Golik and how you can make it work for you!

What is shame and how does it affect our emotional and mental health? Bellin Health Behavioral Health Therapist, Hannah Bauer helps us unpack how this emotion can connect to our health and wellbeing.

Do you feel like someone in your life does not support your growth and happiness? Sometimes known as a "crab bucket" that that feel threatened may try to hold us back. Learn more on this segment of Mental Health Moments with Bellin Health Licensed Behavior Health Therapist, Hannah Bauer and Micaella VanderBoom and Health and Wellbeing consultant, Linda Golik.

MENTAL HEALTH MOMENTS: This week Phil takes us back to basics with Mental Health 101, talking about Mental Health Awareness Month and Week. Phil also gives a special shout out to a courageous young woman in his life.NEW MUSIC PODCAST: This episode, our Music Director Cristina chats with Elisa Rose and Songsbury about their new single "Didn't Think It Could Be You," and shares Matt Von's latest release "Still in My Heart."

Some current research tells us that being lonely has the health impact of the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Hear from Bellin Health Licensed Behavior Health Therapist, Hannah Bauer on what to do if you or someone you know is impacted by loneliness.

Mental Health Moments: Join Phil in some reflection and perspective. Pulling from his own stories, Phil hopes to provide comfort to the listener and whatever it is they might be struggling with. New Music Podcast Music Director Cristina shares new music from Vancouver based singer and songwriter Kiara DiPietro, and from Toronto songwriter and producer QUESTLOVE.

How does a child's mental health differ from those of an adult? What kind of help can a child get if they are struggling. Hear more from Bellin Health Behavior Health Therapist, Hannah Bauer, and Community Health Worker, Melissa Viste.

Phil looks back into 2023 bringing back into the spotlight some of the highlights, interviews and challenges touched on throughout the podcast.We are only a few weeks into 2024 and we have had some big releases. Fresh off of her Golden Globe appearance Jennifer Lopez released "Can't Get Enough," and on Friday Ariana Grande dropped "Yes. And?" But, that doesn't mean we are leaving great tunes from 2023 behind. After playing the song "If I Die Today" for thousands of people from across Canada, musician Brett Matthews officially released the song last Fall.

How do we set boundaries so that we can take care of ourselves and be the best version of ourselves? Learn more from Bellin Health Intensive Outpatient Program RN and Case Manager, Amanda Abegglan.

"Decoding Mental Health Moments with Montoyia McGowan on Bougie Black Therapist Podcast"Description:Join host and therapist Montoyia McGowan as she delves into the intricacies of panic attacks and anxiety attacks in this thought-provoking episode of the Bougie Black Therapist Podcast Show. Gain valuable insights as Montoyia breaks down the distinctions between the two, helping you understand and navigate these challenging mental health experiences.In this episode, Montoyia provides expert guidance on recognizing the signs, coping mechanisms, and seeking support for those who may have encountered these overwhelming moments. Whether you're personally familiar with these episodes or supporting someone who is, this episode promises to be a valuable resource for your mental well-being journey.Subscribe now for a dose of mental health wisdom and join the conversation on the Bougie Black Therapist Podcast, where Montoyia McGowan brings a unique perspective to the intersection of mental health, culture, and everyday life.

Mental Health Moments: With the holidays just around the corner. Phil looks at some ways the holidays could impact one's mental health! New Music Podcast: In this episode, you'll hear brand new holiday music from local artists Julianne Hobby and Mattie Leon, as well as from Juno award winners Walk off the Earth!

What is a growth mindset and how can it benefit us and our mental health? Learn more here from Bellin Health licensed Behavior Health Therapist, Pam Baranczyk.

Mental Health Moments:The news has been very heavy lately, and our feeds are flooded with awful stories from the Middle East. On this episode on Mental Health Moments, Phil dives into how negative the news can be and the guilt you feel turning it off.New Music Podcast:Music Director Cristina shares new music from Carina B., Jules and F.Y.D.I.

Is there a benefit to the stresses in our lives? This session of Mental Health Moments, we are joined by Bellin Health Licensed Therapist Pam Branczyk to discuss how to reframe our stressors to something that can benefit our health.

This week Phil highlights how being a content creator or consumer can impact your mental health. He looks at three creators in particular from different parts of the world with different challenges to do with their content and the lives outside of creating content. Music Director Cristina Lavecchia speaks with and shares new music from Maple musician Domenic Nesci and Joseph Cumbo from the rock band Sonic X.

Back to school can bring a variety of emotions for children and parents. In this episode we hear from Dr. Tiffany Born, Licensed Bellin Health Psychologist on how to help our children mange the challenges of today's world.

In this episode of Mental Health Moments Phil looks into the concept of Imposter Syndrome.  What are the causes and how do we address it. New Music Podcast: Music Director Cristina Lavecchia speaks with and shares new music from Markham rock musician Jonathan Panetta and Toronto alt-pop singer, songwriter and producer QUIETLOVE.

What do Paul Shaffer, Maureen Forrester and Nick St. Nicholas from Steppenwolf have in common? They are all highlighted in the book "Musicians Under the Radar: 36 Notable Canadian Jewish Performers." Our Music Director Cristina Lavecchia chats with its author David Eisenstadt.

We know that ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) can affect the health and wellbeing of children for the rest of their lives, so early intervention is key. A mentoring program in Green Bay Wisconsin is helping connect high risk kids with mentors to help children have a positive influence in their lives. Troy Streckenbach, Brown County Executive shares the vision of this long lasting program along with Bellin Health Licensed Behavior Health Therapist, Charles LaTorre.

This week on Millennial Balance, Afua and Shaliza discuss one of the biggest issues for millennials: finances and saving for the future. We really should've invested in property instead of spending time on the playground. Chartered Financial Analyst Rajat Soni joins the show to offer some advice to those who are feeling lost and don't know where to start when it comes to personal finances.  This week on Mental Health Moments Phil dissects the concept of male body positivity. He looks at how men feel about their image, what we can do to support one another and as always shares some personal insight in hopes of sparking conversation.

This week on Mental Health Moments, Phil dives into the neurodivergency known as ADHD. He looks at the definition, what challenges it presents people, and most of all the stigma around the diagnosis. Music Director Cristina Lavecchia shares "Ships On An Ocean," a brand new song from Toronto indie-rock band Jane's Party. Award-winning singer, songwriter and producer Chris Birkett speaks with us about receiving MPP Chris Glover's Community Recognition Award for his song “Everyone Deserves a Home”. Lastly, we honour the late Gordon Lightfoot who passed away on May 1st. His final album will be released on July 14th.

Do you struggle with trying to be perfect? If you feel like the only way to be successful is to be perfect, this podcast is for you. Learn how Alie Spitzer overcame her drive to be perfect and how you too can learn to let go of the impossible.

Each day during the Month of May Dr. Crystal will be sharing brief Mental Health Moments. In today's episode she will be discussing the link between trauma and mental disorders.

This week on Mental Health Moments, Phil dives into the concept of perspective and its impact on one's mental health. How things can look one way to you, and be completely different to another. A conversation you won't want to miss. Our Music Director Cristina Lavecchia shares new music from Markham-based artists Carina Bianchini and Ali Shah, and Ottawa-based artist Jessica Pearson and the East Wind.

The effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are connected to outcomes of mental and physical health and the overall health and wellbeing of our communities. Learn more here with Bellin Health Licensed Behavior Health Therapist, Charles LaTorre, and Population Health Team Leader, Jody Anderson.

Join us for Part 3 of our series on addiction in our community. This time we focus on addictive behaviors. We welcome special guests Bellin Health Licensed Therapist, Mark Ditloff, and Dr. Bonnie Nussbaum, Owner of Empowerment Coaching Alternative and Holistic Health Services.

In this episode of Mental Health Moments, Phil's guest is his dad, Jean-Marc, who discusses his 13 years of sobriety and the mental health implications of alcohol. Afua and Shaliza are joined by Fayola Benjamin, tiktok creator who has gone viral for her 30-second Black History lessons on the platform. Fayola discusses her experiences as a black woman in Canada and why she thinks researching and sharing these stories is so important.

We continue to discuss addiction on our community and Bellin Health's part in treating patients. Sara Long, licensed mental health and AODA therapist joins us for the discussion and explains Bellin's treatment plan.

This week on Mental Health Moments, Phil McCabe is joined by radio host turned author, Erin Davis. Phil and Erin dive into the complexities of grief, and how we "reclaim joy" after losing a loved one. They also discuss if time really does heal all wounds.

On this episode, we welcome Mandy Suthers, Executive Director of the DarJune Foundation, an organization working to help fight addiction in our community.

• Preferential treatment, alienation, challenged and grateful" those are some of the themes that come up this week on Mental Health Moments as Phil dissects the mental health impacts that stem from growing up with a physical disability. • Music Director Cristina Lavecchia speaks with 14-year-old Thornhill-based artist Sabrina Barreto about her new holiday release "Christmas Together."

• Millennials love their coffee, especially when it's aesthetically pleasing. Afua and Shaliza are joined by Brian Leonard AKA Barista Brian, who has racked up over 30k followers on Instagram for his latte art, and has even made coffee for Meryl Streep, Viola Davis and Selena Gomez! • This week on Mental Health Moments, Phil turns 31 which sparked the topic of conversation of expectations vs reality. Joined by Shaliza Bacchus, Phil discusses the idea of outside influences putting pressure on you to meet their expectations even if you're content. As well, the two dive into social media and the illusions of success and beauty and much more!

• Mental Health Moments, Phil explores the phrase "its okay to not be okay". What does it mean? is it actually helpful? Do people believe it when they hear it? Did you know there's a Korean TV show by that name? Hoping to give off some positive vibes, Phil closes with Bob Marley's One Love. • Music Director Cristina Lavecchia speaks with local artist Christian Currie about his new release "Bad Dream" and his upcoming first-ever live show on November 23rd with Toronto-based artist Sam Lapro. christiancurrie.com to get your tickets!

Recently the U.S. Surgeon General released framework to guide mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. This discussion featuring Bellin Health Licensed Behavior Health Therapist Charles LaTorre, Population Health Team Leader Jody Anderson, and Health & Wellbeing Consultant, Linda Golik highlights the areas and what companies can do to take action step in the areas of the framework.

• Mental Health Moments: With the world seemingly glued to their phones, Phil talks to CMHA York South Simcoe about the impact on one's mental health. Together, Phil and Dr. Christine Courbasson, a clinical psychologist, dissect seeing the world through instagram filters, being dialled in 24/7, and the positives she sees in social media. • Millennial Balance: It's all about girl power this week! Afua and Shaliza are joined by Mila Lucia, Executive Vice President, Human Resources and Social Impact at Green Shield Canada, who speaks about the importance of female leadership and representation in the workforce.

The number of us taking meds to cope with stress has jumped 34% since the pandemic.  HealthCall's Lee Kelso talks with psychotherapist Nancy Colier who says your brain can't stop thinking and loves negative thoughts.  How can you take control?    Author Lori Miller joins the conversation to share key points from her book, 31 Days of Mental Health Moments. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join us for the FINAL interview in our Mental Health Moments series featuring psychiatrist, author and farmer Drew Ramsey and Student Ambassador Sreeya Pittala on behalf of the nonprofit organization Bring Change to Mind! Drew and Sreeya bring their unique perspectives to the conversation about mental health, share guidance for supporting high school students experiencing challenges, and tips for creating space to share feelings. About Bring Change to MindBring Change to Mind is a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging dialogue about mental health, and to raising awareness, understanding, and empathy. They create multimedia campaigns, curate storytelling movements, and develop youth programs to encourage a diverse cultural conversation around mental health. Actress & activist Glenn Close co-founded Bring Change to Mind in 2010 after her sister, Jessie Close, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and her nephew, Calen Pick, with schizoaffective disorder.

Join us for the second-to-last interview in our Mental Health Moments series featuring a conversation between Ben and Partnership to End Addiction  president, Fred Muench. Together the pair discuss engaging with loved ones struggling with substance use, how to talk to your children about drugs and alcohol, and the Partnership's work empowering families, advancing effective care, shaping public policy and changing culture.

As we continue our Mental Health Moments campaign into June, Ben Chodor sits down with Adi Segal, CEO of Hapi, a self-care app that helps people feel heard and understood by providing active listening as a service. To-date, Hapi has provided more than one million minutes of listening! Together, Ben and Adi discuss the power of active listening, the importance of finding someone to talk to, and following your dream with intention. About HapiHapi is a self-care app that helps people navigate through day-to-day life challenges by providing active listening as a service. The service is on-demand, 24/7, real time with a real human, over an internet call, and it's 100% anonymous.

In our last episode with Dr. Nora Feldpausch, we brought up the idea of Mental Health Moments. It's been awhile since we've checked in in that department, so this week's episode is about taking a moment and checking in with ourselves. We share some of the ways we each take stock of our own moods and frames of mind, and some things that help us get back on track when we notice we're slipping. Maybe there's something in here that will speak to your heart and help you ask some questions of yourself if you feel like you're drifting. Thanks for listening!

FETC 2022 - Kristy Custer - Dr. Kristy Custer is the 2018 Kansas Principal of the Year who has led her school to two National School of Character awards and a National Dropout Prevention Crystal Star Award. As the VP of Educational Innovation at the High School Esports League, Dr. Custer cowrote Gaming Concepts: A video gaming curriculum for schools. The first-of-its-kind curriculum embedded Mental Health Moments into individual lessons which focus on the mental health determinants of self-efficacy, life skills, and self-esteem. Social Media Username(s) @kgcuster --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/edutechguys-conference/support

SUMMARY While Part 1 of this podcast targets trailblazing research and regulatory approaches to workplace mental health, Part 2 chronicles the evolution of organizational policies, practices, and programs at two very different and unique organizations. Join Quentin Steen (CLAC Labour Relations Representative) and Trever Amendt (AECOM Site Safety Lead, Energy Operations & Maintenance in Lacombe, Alberta) as they share their personal mental health stories and their groups' commitments to building cultures of compassion with strong leadership, workplace-wide peer support, regular training, and ongoing employee communication and engagement. They also touch on the impacts of stigma and the challenges and opportunities presented by COVID-19. TAKEAWAYS This podcast will help you understand: The evolution of workplace mental health policies, practices, and programs in both union (CLAC) and engineering (AECOM) environments Union approach focused on cooperation rather than confrontation Corporate culture that cultivates employees' social and emotional well-being The importance of authentic peer support throughout organizations Types of training needed to optimize workplace mental health Impacts of COVID on workplace mental health What's been learned from COVID that will guide future polices, practices, and programs Return-on-investment for businesses that do workplace health and safety right Types of stigma existing in various workplaces   SPONSORS WorkSafeBC is a provincial agency in British Columbia, Canada that promotes safe and healthy workplaces for more than 2.3 million workers. Serving more than 230,000 employers, WorkSafeBC's services include education, prevention, compensation and support for injured workers, and no-fault insurance to protect employers and workers. WorkSafeBC is committed to creating a province free from workplace injury or illness. By partnering with workers and employers, WorkSafeBC helps British Columbians come home from work safe every day. CLAC is the largest independent, multisector, national union in Canada, representing more 60,000 workers in almost every sector of the economy including construction, education, emergency services, healthcare, retail, service, transportation, manufacturing, and more. CLAC has 14 member centres in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and BC, along with 25 active, independent, affiliated locals. Based on values of respect, dignity, and fairness, CLAC is committed to building better lives, better workplaces, and better communities.  AECOM is a global engineering firm whose infrastructure services for public- and private-sector clients include transportation, water, energy, and environmental projects. Employing about 87,000 people, AECOM was ranked #1 in Engineering News-Record's ‘2020 Top 200 Environmental Firms,' and named one of Fortune magazine's ‘World's Most Admired Companies' for the sixth consecutive year. Transforming the ways it works through technology and digital platforms, AECOM leads the engineering world in environmental, social, and governance solutions… leading to the Ethisphere Institute naming it one of ‘2021 World's Most Ethical Companies.'   RESOURCES National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace and the resulting Case Studies Research Report Addressing the mental health effects of COVID-19 in the workplace: A guide for workers Managing the mental health effects of COVID-19 in the workplace: A guide for employers    Guarding Minds@Work   Antidepressant Skills@Work    Psychological Health and Safety: An Action Guide for Employers    Mental Health Commission of Canada    Canada's Workplace Mental Health    Canadian Mental Health Association    Government of Canada/Mental health in the workplace      Wellness Works Canada        Wellness Together Canada: Mental Health and Substance Use Support provides free online resources, tools, apps, and connections to trained volunteers and qualified mental health professionals.      Workplace Mental Health Playbook for Business Leaders (CAMH)     Workplace Mental Health Research     Deloitte research reveals significant return on investment for workplace mental health programs.   GUESTS  Quentin Steen Quentin Steen is a Labour Relations Representative with the CLAC labour union, who works out of the Kelowna Member Centre and specializes in the transportation, manufacturing, and healthcare sectors. He is also the CLAC Provincial Member Education Coordinator for BC and facilitates numerous workshops for various signatory companies and shop stewards working in BC. Being a certified Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) instructor for the Mental Health Commission of Canada, Quentin is passionate about delivering the MHFA course because of his experience with mental health issues, personally and professionally. Quentin's personal life's mission is to educate others about mental health issues and provide them with the tools/skills they need to recognize changes (possible signs) to the mental well-being in self and others, to help those who may be in a mental heath crisis by offering comfort and support, and to reduce the stigma that surrounds mental health in our workplaces and society.  Phone: 250-868-9111 Email: qsteen@clac.ca Website: www.clac.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clacunion Twitter: https://twitter.com/clacunion Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/quentin-steen-23249326/ Trever Amendt Trever Amendt has been the Site Safety Lead for AECOM at the NOVA Joffre Plant in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada for five years. AECOM is the capital projects group on site and completes all project-based work, including pipefitting, electrical, iron work, insulation and scaffolding. AECOM made mental health its number one priority in 2020, and it became an even greater priority when COVID-19 hit in March of last year. To that end, Trever has an open door on site and is always ready to listen to what someone is going through to support them and build trust. The Mental Health First Aid course he took from CLAC in 2019, opened Trever's eyes and gave him a new desire to support and be there to help people when it comes to their mental health. Trever has a real passion for organizations that support people with addictions: the Dream Center in Calgary and Teen Challenge in Allan, Saskatchewan. Red Deer, Alberta is just raising money to redesign a building downtown to start a Dream Center. These centers address the physical, mental, and spiritual components of addiction.  Phone: 780-983-4966 Email: trever.amendt@aecom.com Website: www.aecom.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AecomTechnologyCorporation Twitter: https://twitter.com/aecom   HOST Jo de Vries is a community education and engagement specialist with 30 years of experience helping local governments in British Columbia connect with their citizens about important sustainability issues. In 2006, she established the Fresh Outlook Foundation (FOF) to “inspire community conversations for sustainable change.” FOF's highly acclaimed events include Building SustainABLE Communities conferences, Reel Change SustainAbility Film Fest, Eco-Blast Kids' Camps, CommUnity Innovation Lab, Breakfast of Champions, and Women 4 SustainAbility. FOF's newest ventures are the HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Summit and HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Podcast. Website: Fresh Outlook Foundation Phone: 250-300-8797   PLAY IT FORWARD The move toward optimal workplace mental health becomes possible as more people learn about the challenges, successes, and opportunities. To that end, please share this podcast with anyone who has an interest or stake in the future of workplace mental health and wellness. FOLLOW US For more information about the Fresh Outlook Foundation (FOF) and our programs and events, visit our website, sign up for our newsletter, and like us on Facebook and Twitter.   HELP US As a charity, FOF relies on support from grants, sponsors, and donors to continue its valuable work. If you benefited from the podcast, please help fund future episodes by making a one-time or monthly donation. Quentin Steen, Trever Amendt Interview Transcript You can download a pdf of the transcript here. The entire transcript is also found below: INTRO  0:10 Welcome to the HEADS UP! Community Mental Health Podcast. Join our host Jo de Vries with the Fresh Outlook Foundation as she combines science with storytelling to explore a variety of mental health issues with people from all walks of life. Stay tuned! JO  0:32 Hey, Jo here. Welcome to part two of our podcast on workplace mental health, where we'll build on what we learned in Part 1 about trailblazing research and regulatory approaches. This time around, we'll explore groundbreaking union and business solutions thanks to our co sponsors WorkSafe BC, CLAC, and AECOM. You'll meet Quentin Steen, Labor Relations Representative at CLAC, a Canadian labor union, and Trevor Amendt, Site Safety Lead for AECOM, Energy Operations & Maintenance at the Joffre chemical plant in Lacombe, Alberta. First, let's meet Quentin from CLAC, which represents more than 60,000 workers in almost every sector of the Canadian economy. Based on values of respect, dignity, and fairness, CLAC aims to build better lives, better workplaces, and better communities. The union also helps members reach their full potential by finding their own versions of everyday greatness. Hi, Quentin... thanks for joining us. QUENTIN  1:41 Thank you so much for the invite. It's my pleasure, Jo. JO  1:45 Can you give us an overview of CLAC's approach to mental wellness, and how that differs from that of other labor unions?  QUENTIN  1:56 I'm sure most of the unions out there are tracking some of the similar directions, but CLAC has been a labor union who's pretty proud of their progressive labor relations model, like a collaborative approach between the employer, employee, and the union. It's built on cooperative versus confrontational encounters... we've always believed that it's the most effective model when dealing with workplace issues. And among some of these issues, for sure, is the physical and mental safety and well-being of workers in the workplace. And it all sort of started with us in terms of the weight of this, about three-and-a-half or four years ago. It became a national mandate for the mental health of our CLAC staff and our shop stewards, where we made a huge investment into it. So, this mandate included things like working with our signatory companies in their management to address mental health safety of their employees at the workplace. In CLAC, we have a My Health & Wellness department where you can go to our CLAC website where our members can get the knowledge and tools they need to take charge of their own health and well-being by adopting good habits and a healthy lifestyle, and they can live a better and perhaps a longer life. This site is very interactive, and it's got like several health and wellness tools... like mental health is a specific area. Substance-use case managers are part of that, to financial wellness, workplace wellness. We also have EFAP programs like a lot of companies do, where we have an Employment and Family Assistance Program... that's what it stands for... where we have resources that are available to our members and their families to reach out for free. And they receive confidential help. If they or their loved ones are struggling, then we encourage them not to hesitate on that. We also have a quarterly magazine called The Guide that includes mental health articles and resources for our members and is really ramped up since the pandemic outbreak. Those are sort of our approach the some of the things that are kind of in our toolboxes that we provide for our members and how our organization looks at it. We're very aggressive with it. We think it's really important. We easily put it on par with the physical safety and wellness and well-being of employees at the workplace. Absolutely, one hundred percent. JO  4:14 Quentin... you're a labour relations representative with CLAC. Tell us about the mental health-related work you do specifically. QUENTIN  4:23 I've had a recent change in my role from not just rep but where I do that 50% of my role, but also the other 50% is member education coordinator for BC. Part of my role as the coordinator, and has actually been as a rep for the last three years, is providing Mental Health First Aid courses to our signatory companies, to our staff, and to our stewards. And I've done I think, in the last few years about 23 or 24 in total, and these Mental Health First Aid courses are designed by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and basic courses are about 12 hours. So over two days, generally speaking, and then a blended virtual course that came online as of the pandemic, that's about eight hours. And I deliver these courses throughout BC and Alberta. Part of my role, too, in the last year-and-a-half has been creating Mental Health Moments. And that started of course with the onset of the pandemic, when I was tasked to write Mental Health Moments that were published on a weekly basis to our membership and staff about 60,000 people plus, and now they're published monthly. And they hit a variety of different subjects. The reason I started writing them is because I realized at the beginning of the pandemic, that once the virus comes and goes, or it's no longer on our minds because we've had these vaccinations, and herd [immunity], really what we're left with is really going to be the damage that's caused to our mental health. And so, I started seeing it in our representatives and I asked our national office if I could begin to write some articles for our reps, and they took that and decided it needs to be published to the rest of our membership. And we've gotten a lot of responses from a lot of people sharing their stories. And so that's been very, very great part of my journey in this last year-and-a-half in my role. JO  6:14 And I think in this difficult time, people are just craving that kind of information. QUENTIN  6:20 Oh, absolutely. The reality is, what I've seen anyways, from my perspective, the pandemic did a few things. And I would kind of categorize that impact on three different types of or kinds of experiences out there. The first being someone who has never had mental health-related issues, and they might be anxious, and they might worry from time to time, but never a diagnosable thing. And then all of a sudden, three weeks, four weeks, four months into it, they're now sitting across from a therapist or an EFAP program, and they're talking about an anxiety disorder. And then there's other people that have had them lying in the weeds, like myself for years, but I just kept myself busy, or didn't pay attention to it, or sort of deflected it, or pretended it wasn't there. And with the pandemic, I mean, it just bubbled to the surface for so many people. And then the third category of people, like where I'm at right now, where I have two diagnosable mental illnesses that I've lived with for most of my life. They've just been amplified... I've had to really dig down and really learn how to manage them in the middle of this pandemic, much differently than maybe prior to the pandemic. It is affecting people. JO  7:32 Thank you for being so vulnerable about that. Can you share your story? QUENTIN  7:37 Absolutely love to. I'm 51 years old. And my personal journey with mental health issues goes way, way back. I just didn't realize how far back the rabbit hole really went. But like I said, one of my diagnosable illnesses is clinical depression. I had it from early childhood into adulthood. It was seasonal at first... September was the start of new school year or work year, or January... the start rebooting of that. So, it would come like that, and it was kind of like this cloud that would come over me. And then it started to develop in a year-round in about 2008. It was nonstop, and some weeks were worse than others. Some of the darkest times I battled with suicidal ideations. In fact, those go back to grade four, where I first tried to take my life by suicide. And fortunately, I'm still here. In 2012 it got really bad for me, and those ideations came back again, and I had to pull over to the side of road, while I was traveling between two different cities, and call for help. I didn't realize that I had a clinical depression, until actually I took our Mental Health First Aid course, about five years ago, or four years ago. The irony of this all is I'm married to a former therapist, and three of my friends out of the top four are therapists. And so, they've known this for a long, long time. But like they said to me, you know, you weren't ready to hear it. And so when you're not ready to hear you just shut everything down. So that was kind of ironic the way it came about. I also have an anxiety disorder that I believe just comes from my being an infant... I was adopted... and at an early age I spent my first number of months going between wet nurse to wet nurse. And one particular time I was dropped on my head on the cement sidewalk, and that just changed my brain, physiologically, from that day forward. I didn't know that was an issue, until like I said, about 15 years ago when I was in therapy, and it was brought up as something that that's actually a big impact. And then into early childhood, my attachment issues that come from the adoption, like abandonment, emotional depravations, where the need to feel loved, significant, valued, like us all. But that just added to the anxiety part of it. In the early school years, I was bullied horribly physically because I was adopted. We're from a low-end family, and I was really the runt of the school. And emotionally, for sure, the bullying continued where, you know, I was always picked last or assigned to a group, which is even worse, because no one would pick you. And then it increased into high school where I was routinely held down by a group of guys that were popular, and jocks, and in woodwork shop, for at least by Grade 10 year anyways, and pinned to a table at some point during the class and they poured linseed oil down my throat until I threw up. Then I was sent to the principal's office because I was the troublemaker. And then it just continued on like that throughout high school and I even had a cancer scare. And so, I developed a phobia of death, which added to my anxiety. And then to my adult years was just even harder, in the sense that I made these vows that I would never, ever get rejected or bullied again, which, if you look at life, those are ridiculous, right? Because it happens every time we turn around. But those vows actually turned into my curses, and my default setting... my racket as a human being, I like to call it... is to get big, loud, critical, and overwhelm people. You know, in the midst of that, I developed panic attacks, too. And they started back in 1999. And I occasionally still have them. Last one happened to me was in Costco. And all that to say, though those are my issues, I've learned how to manage them much more effectively now that I know what they are, and how I function inside of them, and how I function with them. I've had a lot of therapy in the last number of years, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, to look at my attachment issues, my anxiety and panic attacks, and ways to deal with that neurofeedback, which is a recalibrating of your brain, Alpha-Stim, which was a big step in adding to my Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. I've taken a lot of education and emotional intelligence in why I do the things I do. And then type theory, understanding my personality type. There's been this very robust sort of knowledge that I've gained once I understood what was in front of me. That's kind of my story. I don't think they'll ever go away... I don't expect them to. But that's not the issue. For me, the issue is, how do I function with them? They're part of my life, and they are who they are, and I am who I am. So, how do I learn how to manage them? That really is the issue, not hoping and wishing they would go away, because that's probably not going to help. JO  12:37 Thank you so much for sharing so many very personal experiences. Quentin. One of the things I'm learning through this podcast is just how resilient people can be. And those stories of resilience, and your particular story of resilience, are not only so informative, but inspiring. And people like yourself, they tend to take what they've learned about themselves, and then move that into an area where they can help other people who have similar challenges. I'd like to know, how has your personal experience helped you better understand and serve CLAC members who are struggling? QUENTIN  13:24 That's a great question. Well, let me start with this. One in five Canadians live with a mental health issue... and that figure only actually includes people seeking treatment. And you know what Joanne, I would say the last three years in my classes, it's more like one in three… it's not one in five, I think it's more like one in three. But that's just from what I've seen. And almost 50% of people will develop a mental health illness in their lifetime. Psychological health problems and the illnesses are the number one cause of disability in Canada, according to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety in 2016 survey. The Mental Health Commission of Canada, as well as the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, report that one in five workers experience fatigue, sleeping problems, headaches, and anxiety, and 23% of workers experienced physical health problems caused by stress, anxiety, or major depression, and 20% of all sick leaves are related to mental health. So, nationally, in Canada, an estimated 35 million workdays are lost to mental health conditions amongst our 10 million plus workers. That's astonishing. So, it's not fake. It's real. JO  14:34 Well, not only that, but also the impact on our economy. They say that the impacts of mental health on our economy are at least $55 billion a year. And by the year 2030, or 40, I believe, they expect it to be more than $300 billion a year. QUENTIN  14:55 Yeah... so it's not going away. So, because it's not going away, then my next thing is… it's about promotion. And what I like to say in my discourse with people, whether it's the workplace or wherever else... and what I actually alluded to earlier.... that it's entirely possible to be diagnosed with a serious illness or disorder, and then learn to live with your life, coping well with it and have a positive mental health about it. So, my mental health issues, like I said, might never go away, but it's how I learn to manage them that can make all the difference in terms of a person's resilience. JO  15:26 How has your personal experience helped you serve your members better? QUENTIN  15:32 I just teach them what I know. The reality is that it's a part of my personal mission in life to educate others of the prominence and importance of addressing mental health issues, not just in our society, but in our workplaces... in providing them with the skills and tools necessary in the way that I can, because I got to stay in my lane. I'm not a professional therapist, or a doctor, but I have a lane. And my lane is to be able to help our workers in our workplaces recognize the changes, or possible signs, of the decline of mental health, well-being in their selves first, and then maybe others around them. And then to assist those who might be in a mental health crisis by offering the proper comfort and support. And that's a key. And then probably one of the biggest things outside of that... and connected to this, and sort of the driver of it... is helping reduce the stigma that surrounds mental health in our society and workplaces. And it's there, and it's big. JO  16:29 Thanks, Quentin... we'll dig deeper into that a little later, but now let's bring Trevor from AECOM into the conversation. AECOM is an award-winning infrastructure consulting firm of planners, designers, engineers, consultants, and construction managers. Its Energy Operations & Maintenance Division provides best-in-class maintenance, turnarounds, construction, and fabrication services to North American oil, gas, and chemical industries. Hello, Trevor, and thanks so much for being here. TREVER  17:04 Thanks a lot, Jo. I'm very excited to be part of this conversation with you and with Quentin. Just a side note... Quentin has become probably one of my biggest mentors in the last year-and-a-half. His attitude towards mental health and the way he opens up people is just huge for me. So, thanks again. JO  17:20 You are a site safety lead for AECOM, which is an international engineering firm... which I mentioned earlier. Can you tell us a little bit about your work?  TREVER  17:32 I'm a safety professional here at Joffre NOVA Chemicals. We're about half-an-hour from Lacombe, [Alberta]. We deal with a lot of different trades out here... we've got pipe fitters, iron workers, electricians. And then we have a couple of CLAC groups with our insulators and scaffolders. We have a multiple trade group that does a lot of projects on site, deals with a lot of different, stressful environments... a lot of stuff that can go wrong, day to day. People is a key to our industry. Having people fit for duty, making sure that they're healthy, when it comes to the physical and mental state of their body and their mind, is so important to us. It's really changed I think, too, in the last couple of years of how we support people. We look at them in a different way. And I really put a lot of the onus onto the Mental Health First Aid course that we started two years ago that really changed the way we look at [being] fit for duty. JO  18:22 I understand that AECOM is zealous in its approach to optimizing mental health for its 47,000 workers around the world. What does that look like from your perspective, as the site safety lead in Lacombe? TREVER  18:39 Whatever safety I can give to somebody... when it's procedures, policies, site safety rules... if they're not fit for duty, and they're not healthy to come in, we can achieve that. We just had a milestone last week Wednesday, we've done a full year without any incidents, no injuries, no first aids. And through a time of COVID, it's a huge announcement... it's exciting to have that happen on our site. We've had so much diversity, so much isolation, where people come to work, go home, go to grocery store, go to the mall... there's not much left to do outside of that. We've really tried hard to make sure that people still feel that they're getting that support. Digging deeper… when you see someone who looks off, or just isn't firing on all cylinders, so to speak, that's such an important thing that we don't just push them off or put them in a corner. I like to talk to individuals and find out how they're made inside, and what they like and dislike... how they're wired. Every individual is created in a special unique way, and that's the message I give in every orientation. So, of course the safety guy sits there and 90% of people think the safety guy is just going to pump safety and policies and procedures. But the first interaction I get with every worker... if it's a subcontractor or it's an AECOM person on site... is just that individuality of each person, so we understand that we build that relationship right from the ground level... so they feel that respect built right away, they feel that connection built right away. So, you start that relationship. My safety director, Dale Hartery, he always talks about hand on shoulder... that's one of his favorite lines. That's something I really try to show to people when they come in, it's very clear in our company to see that right from our VP, down to all our corporate, our site managers, and all our safety that work in the service industry. One of the biggest things we use is our human performance tools, that gives them the tools to see obvious things that can cause things to go better, to help them slow down. It gives them triggers to do what's right and not be rushing, not be causing something to cause an accident or an incident on site. We give them the tools that we put in front of them, the traps too, that could cause things to go wrong. So, we make it very clear, you know what, these are common things, stuff that cause problem, but it gives them that opportunity to see what's right. And then of course, we have all the different organizations in our company, through HR, through Morneau Shepell, through the counseling groups, that we can help them to treat anything that's going on. It's not just the physical things that go wrong. It's more the internal, the mental stuff, the mental health issues that people have, that now we can put them into the right place to get that help and get treatment. And I like what Quentin said earlier, a lot of things that we deal with in life, if it's a mental health issue, they don't go away. We need to treat them and figure out a way to manage them. And I think AECOM is getting way better at managing this part of mental health and being able to deal with it. JO  21:36 That's amazing. Trevor, you too have a personal story with mental health challenges. Can you share your story? TREVER  21:43 AbsoluteIy. Mental health challenges, feel like it's part of who you are. It's part of your fiber of your being. And sometimes it's so embedded, you don't know what it is. I grew up on a mixed farm Saskatchewan, had seven siblings, and we all had a part to play on the farm. When I was about 11 years old, my brother Emile, who was 18, passed away from cystic fibrosis. He was born with this disease, and it goes after your digestive and you're breathing. When he passed away, I had to grow up in a big hurry, and I was by no means ready for it at that time. And now I had to take over responsibility for the farm, I was the next person up to do the work and didn't really understand why. Wasn't a lot explained to me why I needed to step up. My dad wasn't very understanding with this specific issue and didn't have time for me to make mistakes along the way. After about five years of trying to figure out where I belonged, I ended up quitting school and moving out... basically running away. We never talked about things at home when it came to how we were feeling or going through. Usually there was a lot of hollering with teaching... very physical aspects to life. There was no point to make mistakes, I guess. When you made mistakes that wasn't looked on as a learning experience. When I can look back on things now, my mental health, my own issues were never dealt with. It was embedded so deep inside me that I never got a chance to talk to anybody about it, And I thought that was a dark part of my life that I didn't dare bring up. My opinion of mental health at that time was someone who was born with the physical disorder. You talk about stigma! To me, mental health wasn't something that you could even have in everyday life. It wasn't something you could deal with. And, in my opinion, it couldn't be corrected or dealt with. This was a huge stigma. I went to drinking and smoking fairly heavy, and at 14 basically became an alcoholic. I didn't know how else to deal with what was going on inside, didn't feel like it was going good enough for my own family, and really struggled for the next seven to eight years with where I belonged and what I should be doing. Feeling like I wasn't good enough really drove me to always try and be the best at anything I tried to accomplish, and not in a good way. I would go on to different jobs and different work jobs, and if I would learn a task, or a school, I would drive until I could be better than anybody on that site. Failure, when I did make a mistake, wasn't a learning experience. So, it basically crushed me. So went from getting into drinking and heavy smoking, into basically working every second of my life. I felt the more I could work, the better I would feel and wouldn't have to deal with those internal mental health embedded hurts and hang-ups which were just always there gnawing at me. I had a son at the age of 19. We were both in the party scene and didn't want to grow up and take care of responsibility. We got married before the baby was born and I ended up working away, of course...  workaholic... work before anything else, and she got into an affair and left me basically a year after the baby was a year old. After a couple of years of back and forth with our son trying to figure out where we could be in life... again, I was working like crazy because I thought that was the way to fix everything. I met a great young lady who had her life together. She was beautiful and really smart young lady who was going to college at the time, taking care of her two young boys. The moment we went on a blind date, set up by one of our cousins, I stopped smoking and drinking all the same night... so I got rid of something that was really causing a problem. This felt like the right thing to do. A year later we were married. As soon as we started out, my mom started to dictate how we lived and especially picked on my new wife, Cindy... on how she was doing everything completely wrong. My old hurts and hang-ups kicked in, and I went straight back into a workaholic... the stress of life knocked me down again. And I hadn't figured out a way to deal with my own mental health, and didn't dare talk to Cindy about it because, again, this was something that I thought you didn't dare bring out... you didn't talk about. And the stigma to me was, this has no value, I've got to somehow bury that and move on. Cindy and I now have been married for 24 years, and it's because of her love and patience and perseverance that have taken us this far. And I have to say very clearly, a year-and-a-half ago, when I went through this Mental Health {First Aid] course, there was so many things that opened my eyes to my own mental health issues that I dealt with. And Cindy and I... she's had an opportunity to see a part of me 23 years after we were married that she'd never seen before. The vulnerability that I've been able to bring to her has changed our marriage. And by no means is it 100%... there's still lots it has to be dealt with, but it's amazing. And what I've gone through in my life, I turned 50 this year, so I'm not quite caught up to Quentin yet, but passion for mental health and people, who I rub shoulders with every day, so not just at work... works very important... but anywhere I go. So, through COVID a big thing I always tried to do if I was out shopping, I keep my eyes up and I try to get eye contact. And if you just say, "Hello, how's it going?" You could just feel that isolation and the hurts of people. We couldn't rub shoulders. We can't hug anymore. We can't shake hands. But man, whatever I could do to show people that you care, and the expressions and the excitement, sometimes in people's voice to get that interaction was just amazing. JO  26:49 You both exemplify the power of vulnerability with the stories that you've shared. Quentin, first, when you're dealing with people in your union who are struggling with mental health challenges, do you share your story? And if so, how does that help those people? QUENTIN  27:09 It's funny that you should say that because when I first started mental health courses, teaching them, I was with a very good friend and colleague at the time, Dave Phillips, who is a family therapist for 30 years. My wife actually worked underneath him in Abbotsford. I remember getting into the weeds of it the very first time and feeling very nervous, because the initial platform was to our entire staff. And I'm about to open my life up in front of my colleagues, which means... and again, attached to stigma... what are they going to think? Here's a guy who's like completely unstable, and should we actually think about promoting him? Or should keep an eye on him? Or maybe we should send someone to visit all these things that kind of going through my brain. And so, the very first course I did, after we were debriefing, Dave just said to me, "Quentin, you got to jump in with both feet, man." I said, "Dave, you know my story, we're very good friends, and I'm not comfortable. What will people think?" He's like, "What have you got to lose? We're not just talking about you, we're talking about other people, and they can learn from your narrative." Your narrative is nothing to run from. It's everything for you to embrace and walk into. I do that... I am not afraid of speaking my story. I'm not afraid of saying I have clinical depression...that I have anxiety disorders... that I get panic attacks every so often. And sometimes I feel like I'm losing my mind. Some days are better than others. Not every day is filled with rainbows and ponies. For me, it becomes very vital that the first sort of entry into mental health is me, at least telling my story when I'm given the opportunity to. And so, every class, I start with my story, and then I turn it over and say, "Why are you here?" Jo, you would not believe the reaction that people have, once you step into that arena and say it's okay to tell me and to tell us, and for you to vocalize who you really are, and where you're really at. And it's amazing. There are people in there that in my 23 classes across the last number of years who have said to me, "I'm going to say something I've never said... I have bipolar." Or, "I live with schizophrenia." That's the first words out of their mouth. I'm telling you right now, Jo, there was a time, and not too long ago, where that was never your entering comment. And so, at the workplace, do the same thing... exactly what Trevor does. I try to maintain eye contact, and I know I can feel it when something's off. I don't necessarily ask a lot of questions, but I do take the opportunity to talk about, "Man looks like you guys got a pretty difficult job here. That must be really wearing on the brain. I know what it would do for me." I think those type of things, just to recognize what they're experiencing and what they're feeling. For me, it's an essential critical step. If you don't have that step, if I'm not sharing my story, my narrative... and my narrative doesn't have to work for everyone, it's not about everyone, it's about me.... but when I do that, it changes the environment. It lightens the air, and it allows people the permission to say, "You know what, things aren't really great... haven't been for a while. Here's what I'm dealing with." JO  30:27 What it does is it really engages people emotionally. And that's where things really start to happen. A personal example of mine is, when I was initially fundraising for the HEADS UP program, I would talk to people about what the program was and what our objectives were, and what our plans were. But when I shared my story of chronic anxiety... and like you, I have an anxiety disorder... when I share that story, people would lean into me. I could see their body language change and their interest in what I was talking about, just increase exponentially. I agree that that vulnerability is so critical. Trevor, how have you found the use of vulnerability to either help or hinder your work? TREVER  31:23 So, first off, when I did this course with Quentin, and I've been in safety now for seven years, but we did this course a year-and-a-half ago, we sat down at the course, I'll be very honest, I was pretty nervous. I was a little stressed about where's this was going to go. I've never gone through that before. Like Quentin said, he tells a story right from the beginning. It's like it knocks your socks right off. And everybody in the room, their eyes are wide open, and they want to speak, it just opens the room. He's not asking them to speak, he's not telling them to speak. People want to tell him their story and open up.  The vulnerability he gives to people… it's such a huge reaction. And I've been involved now with two of his courses, we did that one and three of us from our site went. And then we had a full course here on site with a very mixed group. And it's a true story. Like he says, it's real life. This is real, this isn't something made up. And people, just they want to tell their story. I had so many texts and phone calls that da, ye did it here on site, they couldn't believe that this is actually something that was happening. It opened up such a new part to our site that we've never had before. And it's still there. After COVID, we've had trouble getting training back, but it's slowly coming again. But for me, on a daily basis, this year not as much because we're a lot slower. But in 2019, we had 200 people on site, and almost on a daily basis people would come down and sit in my office, and some would be in tears when they show up... some would be having stresses going on. They would say, "You know what... this is what's going on in my life... this is what's happening at home... this is what's happened to me... my wife isn't doing good... my wife got cancer... I had a family member pass away." And they understand that because I've opened up with my story, what's going on in my life, that they can come to me and say, "Hey, this is what's going on." And they feel like I'm going to be able to either direct them, or just listen to what they have to say. And it completes them for that day. And either I give them the right that they should go home, or they should take a break. It's just that conversation. I don't tell them it's okay. But they have that feeling that now I've been able to open up. And it's part of a treatment that they feel good about, hey, somebody listened. I'm by no means a counselor. But that feeling they get when they leave, it is really good. JO  33:35 They feel they're not alone. And I think that's huge. And particularly during the time of COVID when people are feeling so isolated, people are feeling lonely. That sharing of stories and emotions, and solutions, and all of that great stuff becomes an antidote for isolation and loneliness. And people just realize that they're not alone. TREVER  34:04 I know when COVID hit last year, we had a quite a big group on site. And, of course, we had the COVID payments come from the government, and it was quite a disaster to start off. And I became an in-between person working with HR and payroll, trying to get these ROEs done and trying to get people paid. And some of them it took sometimes a month to almost a month-and-a-half to get there first cheque. And the stress that was caused by that was something we haven't seen for a long time because it happened so quick. The government wasn't ready. And there was a lot of dotted I's and crossed T's that weren't done. So, it took a long time to get people the right help they needed, just financially. So, to be part of that really helped to build a lot more relationships and build a lot more respect for people to be part of that. Again, it had to do with financial, but sometimes they'd be on the phone for 45 minutes just talking to somebody, just taking the time to listen and see what I could to just support that person, and it built again relationships. To me, really, relationship is so important with any mental health issues people are having, because then they feel comfortable to be vulnerable. It's just such a big key. QUENTIN  35:08 Not only that, but going, hey, you know what, no matter what the issue is, not only are there resources, but I can have a preferred future. I don't have to live under the weight of this. I can learn it is manageable. And for some disorders, some mental health issues are harder than others, you can live with them. And there's many examples out there of normal people living with significant issues, learning to manage them, and having good mental health, even though they have a significant mental health issue. JO  35:40 That's just such a good point, Quentin. And I know that, Trevor, you mentioned earlier about how every one of us is unique. And that's why every one of us needs to have a very special management plan. And for me, that includes medication, getting good sleep, good nutrition, regular exercise, support from my family, and my friends. As this unfolds in front of you, you will learn what those management strategies are for yourself. QUENTIN  35:56 And some work better for others. For me, I check all those boxes off too, Jo, maybe in different ways, but those are the boxes that I use as well. What's comforting is to know that there are resources, and that there is a way through these weeds, and that's a God send. When somebody in front of me not only feels comfortable telling me their story about issues they're dealing with, but also how they're dealing with it, that goes a long ways. TREVER  36:43 I understand that there's treatment, I think when that's the key. When you bring on the course, yes, now they have a mental health issue that they've been dealing with their whole life, or it's just come to light, like you said. Now it's out there, but all of a sudden, there's a way to treat this that they never knew was possible before. It's not just being open and vulnerable, but going through whatever avenue we can give them to get that treatment and living a normal life, still having that mental health issue. We talked about Speak Up when it came to mental health, quite a few years ago, and it was so short lived, that there wasn't really any help for it that we could see. And now, with this Mental Health First Aid course that we do, that you've been running for the last year-and-a-half, the treatment is there. We're treating this Mental Health First Aid course just like first aid when it comes to physical injury or when you're born with something that's physical. Stigma, we talk about. We take that away now and say, "You know what, it's no different than going to the doctor when you have cancer, or you've got anything that you have to deal with through life." At certain ages, as men, we've got to go ahead and get tested to make sure we don't have cancer for colon, all these different wonderful fun things we get done. But that's part of life on the physical side. Now we show up and say, "Hey, mental health is the same way. We've got to treat it just like physical illness or injury." And we can live life healthy, dealing with and treating our mental health. And I think that's something when we did these courses, people came out of it, looking at it saying, "Wait a minute, this isn't just some dark thing that we have to hide and put in the past. It's something we need to bring out and talk to people about to help them." But then we can treat this because it's a condition. It's real. It's a fibre of our being. We are born this way, or something pushed us that way. But it's part of our life. I think that's the exciting part of bringing mental health out the open is the treatment side of it. Because now we can help people. And because they have this mental health issue doesn't mean they can't live a healthy life, a good life, and be involved and do all the normal things that everybody else is doing, because we can take care of that. I'm so excited about the learnings I have for mental health. QUENTIN  38:42 There's no discrimination with mental health. It doesn't care who you are. It doesn't care how your status... doesn't care about your sexuality. It doesn't care about your worldview. It doesn't care about your ethnicity. It doesn't care about your social or economical background. It doesn't care, your gender, your religion, it really doesn't. There's no discriminatory pieces to this. It goes after everyone. It's a predator. It's a predator, though, that we not only know more about than ever before, but we're naming it more than we ever have. And we're calling it out. And we're saying, "Enough is enough. You've wreaked havoc long enough. And this is where I draw the line." And we can help people draw the line and go, "That's it." It's like Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings, when he's being chased by the fire demon, and he's across this bridge and he slams down his staff and he says, "You shall not pass." That's the picture of a resilient person who understands the issues, who has the resources and support and goes, "That's it. You have a corner… you stay in that room. That's all I'm giving you. You do not have access to the rest of my life, the way that you have in the past. I am the one, you are not." If we can deliver that, however it is that we do, not only will our workplaces transform, but our families, our relationships, our community, and most of all, with ourself... empathy for self, love for self, compassion for self. When we make those things available to us, even with significant mental health issues... that it's not a character defect, that it's not a problem with whatever it is with me, that there's nothing wrong with me... but when I can actually give myself the permission to feel those things and to accept those things, that is then much easier to give out.  JO  40:39 Wonderful input, thank you. I'd just like to step back for a minute. Quentin, in the union environment, how has people's interest in, and response to, mental health challenges changed over the years you've been doing this work? QUENTIN  40:57 Trevor and AECOM is a classic example. It's the acknowledgement that there's been this increased level of acceptance that mental health issues are real and common, and they're here to stay. And then it's a subject that's influenced lawmakers, HR departments, policies, lunchrooms. It's not as demonized as it used to be, the ones we shall not speak of, that's gone. That kind of mentality is making a quick exit, and it's increased the resources around us to assist people. Those are probably the top markers. JO  41:33 You both mentioned stigma... and you really can't talk about mental health without discussing stigma. So, Quentin, I'm really interested to know how stigma manifests in your members' work environments. Nowadays, I know that great progress is being made, but what are you noticing that still has to be dealt with? QUENTIN  41:57 Let me back it up for a second and just set this as the foundation. The Mental Health Commission of Canada and the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety report that, nationally, an estimated, like I said...  35, and I refer to this early because it's really important... 35 million workdays are lost to mental health conditions amongst our 10 million plus workers. So, it's an estimated cost to Canadian employers of $51 billion [annually]. And like you said, Jo, it's going to just catapult after that. But this is the cost of direct services and loss of productivity. So, that's the stage it's on. What are the manifestations? Here's the ones that are most prominent, from my experience of what I've seen, is that there's this sort of denial and apathy... that, "I don't have an issue. It's not that big. Like, for years I didn't know I actually had an issue, or issues." I think language, there's stigmatizing words and ideas and statements and stereotypes and categorizations and interactions based on ignorance and insensitivity. Those are the two things... either you know, and don't care, or you don't know, at all. Not just language, but I just think of fear in general, that we fear what we don't know or what we don't understand.... ones we do not speak of. I think there's fear of repercussions. Actually, the Conference Board of Canada said that 65% of Canadian workers in the survey said they would not disclose a mental health problem to their employer for fear of repercussions, which could look like job loss or lack of promotion, or keeping an eye on somebody, you know, that little extra because you just in case they snap, or discrimination. A Health Canada survey said that 54% of people reported facing discrimination for their mental problems in the workplace. This is all workplace related. There's embarrassment and shame. [In the] Health Canada survey, 54% of respondents who met the criteria of anxiety-related disorders or mood-related disorders, or substance dependence, felt embarrassed about their mental health problems. And then there's a kind of dismissal. I found this astonishing when I came across this, but according to Benefits Canada, there's a survey that was done based on malingering rates in Canada's workplaces, which means you're faking it or exaggerating your issue, your workplace-related health issue. So, the national board for psychological safety in the workplace, they approximate that the malingering rate in Canada workplaces is about 15%, which means, Jo and Trevor, that 85% of the people that are expressing health-related or mental health-related issues are in fact not faking it. It's real. That's significant. But stigma goes, "There's Johnny again, got to pull the slack because he's got an anxiety disorder. Really, what it's code for is he just wants more time off." JO  44:53 So, before we go into how we're going to actually tackle these stigma-related issues, I just want to chime in with you, Trevor, about stigma within the energy industry. And I may be assuming too much, but it would seem to me that that's likely a male-dominated industry. And men in particular, have a hard time expressing their feelings. And perhaps there's the macho thing going on. Can you tell us about that? TREVER  45:28 Absolutely. I think that's a key thing. In oil and gas, especially in construction, it is still mainly men dominated. It's changed a lot in the last couple of years... you see a lot more women in this culture, in this industry... but it is still a lot of men. And I think, as men, we don't want to talk about this stuff. And we really single people out, we build even on a whole crew. You'll go into the lunchroom. and, you know, these guys work together, and all of a sudden Johnny's sitting over there, he's by himself, and yet he's a good worker out there. But there's something different about him that everybody has pushed him out. Or he does have anxiety issues, or things like that, that are slowing him down and he can't keep up with a group. And you see those guys singled out. And it's so important that when that happens for me, especially when I've been in safety, because I have this opportunity now to do that. Those are the people that I warm up to... those are the people that I want to find out their story. I don't want to use that to beat up the other crew. But I want to find out how I can start to deal with this, make it more open. So, everybody sees, you know what, there's nothing wrong with this person. They've got something they're dealing with, but you guys have to accept them for who they are. QUENTIN  46:35 It's really been helped out in the workplace... guys like Trevor and their companies and HR departments and management. There's lots of government legislation out there that helped minimize it in the sense that there's laws that govern the physical safety of the workplace. Those same laws also govern the mental health safety of each worker in their respective workplaces. Some of that stuff comes with other fines, or it could even include jail time. It's serious. We're not just making this up. There's laws that are helping us work through this issue. And like Trevor said, the idea that AECOM is actually celebrating it, normalizing it as a way that can help minimize stigma. Stigma is never going to go away, but the onslaught of further education continues to say, "Here's what's really going on. You break the ice behind here and this is the thing." Part of education for some employers also includes discipline, for those people that continue to be offenders by using these kinds of silos and stigmatizing phrases and sort of nasty behavior. There's discipline in the workplace for that, which is also governed by legislation, that a lot of contracts have 'respect in the workplace' articles, and what that looks like. And if you don't toe the line, this is what you can expect. So, all those things, I think, do help minimize stigma. But like I said, with mental health issues, I don't think stigma will ever go away. We can get the upper hand on it, which is what AECOM is working towards, which is what I'm working towards, but will never completely defeat it. It'll still be there to some extent because we're people, and it's a people thing, it's not some nebulous force. It's something that's part of who we are, unfortunately. JO  48:18 We heard from Trudy and Lisa earlier about key components of mentally healthy workplaces. And there were four primary ones. And this is where we bring part two of this episode into alignment with part one, we're going to talk about those four components... leadership, culture, peer support and training. Starting with leadership, Quentin, how does good leadership set the stage for a mentally healthy workplace?  QUENTIN  48:54 Buy-in at all levels. So, from the owner, to the manager, to the workers themselves, you have to have that buy-in. It starts with the owner. It starts with the CEO. It starts with whoever's at the top. If they own it, it's disseminated much better than if it's not. Proactive HR departments where they make progressive workplace policies, on things like bullying, harassment, or zero-tolerance policies... on behaviors that would stigmatize the workplace and its employees. There's occupational health and safety committees... them using their platform to make mental health an actual regular agenda item for the promotion, or the education, of mental health. And it's awareness. Things like celebrating Mental Health Day. There's the education thing like 'mental health first date' as Trevor's attested to a number of times. It's a powerful, powerful thing for education in the workplace. Education on what is bullying. I'm doing actually a course a couple of weeks from now talking about what is bullying and harassment in the workplace, and what it's not. Respect in the workplace is along the same kind of lines... respect for each other. And on site, companies that take toolboxes, they do their toolbox in the morning just to brief everybody. But some of those toolboxes now are starting to add in Mental Health Moments. That's another great place. And of course, I'm an advocate of proper discipline in the workplace. And what I mean by proper discipline is not just the discipline that's rendered, but it's how they arrive at what discipline we rendered. For instance, I've been advocating into our companies... to our signatories and HR departments... listen, you need to be adding mental health as part of the framing of your investigation. In other words, "Is there a potential mental health issue at play that we need to consider as a factor?" I can remember dealing with a health care unit... a company... and this person had patterns in absenteeism around Christmas for the last three years. This is a number of years ago, going back a number of years ago. And I asked the HR department, the directors, "Have you ever asked this individual why that is? Because you've made a bunch of assumptions here. And maybe there's something going on that we're not aware of?" They said, "I don't think that's my place." I said, "It is absolutely your place to ask." It's the same thing as if you suspect one of your employees might have an addiction to alcohol, you have to ask the questions… "Do you have a problem? Are you in need of assistance?”... these types of things. And I just said, “Listen, do you mind if I approach the individual and ask them?" And so, I did. And I said, "Hey, listen, I just came out of a meeting. They're concerned about this timeframe... every year for the last three years you take it off, or you don't bother phoning in, and then you just go to kind of AWOL." I said, "If there's something going on, that would help me explain the situation to them, that we might be able to reconcile this in a different way than just discipline. And this lady told me that, "Yeah, I'll tell you what it is... I have an anxiety disorder, and it peaks. And it started three years ago, when my aunt and my niece were coming to visit me, and they went through Rogers Pass and got in a head on, and both died instantly on impact. So, every year, the week before Christmas, my brain shuts down, and I can't handle it." I said, "Do you mind if I share this with the HR department, because this is significant, and we can get you help." Long story short, went in there and said, here's the reason. And what we ended up doing is that we're not going to discipline her, what we're going to do is you're going to give her a hall pass for the next couple of years. “We're going to give you the time off, just let us know if you need it. But we'll just make sure that you're off the schedule, so that you can work through this issue, not worrying about leaving us behind.” And within that two years, we also got her some help dealing with a cognitive behavioral therapist about her anxiety disorder  around it. You know what, two years later, different lady and learning how to manage it. And now it's like, every so often, every Christmas since then, maybe a day, if that at all, couple days, but a significant difference. That's what I'm talking about. That's very, very helpful. Or including mental health days as part of the definition of sick days. That's an important piece to put in there. And of course, I think, personally speaking, that the inclusion of personal days, either paid or unpaid, preferably paid into the collective agreement, covering off mental health days, including mental health days, like I said, as definitions of sick days. I think that's huge. I am a big advocate of that. JO  53:25 Trevor, what are AECOM leaders doing to build more mentally healthy environments for its workers? TREVER  53:33 I think a big thing with our leaders, for our VP Shawn Jubinville, he has made this such a big mission of his for the last two years to talk about mental health. So, it's coming down from above, to our corporate guys, to our site managers, to our project managers, to our directors. He is such a key part to our industry. And in that same breath, he's serving the people, coming to the same level so that servant leadership is so important, because then people feel like they can come to you. I've worked for a few different companies in my life, and usually a VP or a director, usually you feel like he's above you, he's so far away that you can't connect, or you can't contact him. When our VP comes to site, or he comes to talk to people, they feel open to talk to him. If they've got an issue, they want something resolved, they'll bring it up to him... he has such a good way to represent our company in that servant way. And it's so easy for me as a site safety, to serve the people here to show them that we want to take care of any mental health issues that come up. And Quentin talked about harassment, and people that get beat up, and we don't see it. They're getting harassed by words... are getting picked on. We've had quite a few different occasions on site where that came to my attention. And we do have the tools to discipline and deal with that very quickly, even quicker than sometimes an instant, because when it comes to harassment, and somebody is getting pushed to the side, getting bullied, we do not allow that. And you don't always get to see it right away, so that's where, when you come in as a servant, you come in at the same level as people, you don't come from above, it's easy for somebody to come over and say, "Trevor, this is what's going on, what do we do?"... because they're at a loss... they feel like they're up against the wall. We need to show anybody in our group that it's very important to speak up. JO  55:16 So, it looks like AECOM is doing a number of really incredible things to foster better mental health. What else could they be doing? You're down in the trenches doing this work every day. What else can they do to help in that move toward minimizing stigma and mental health issues? TREVER  55:38 I think a big thing is we just need to keep pushing and keep speaking up to make sure that our leadership hears that the sites need this. And the importance of it is the same as safety. It's the same as practices, procedures, all the stuff we deal with already this has to be pushed that same level. And I like what Quentin said, when it comes to benefits, we need to get sick days, we need to get things that support mental health, as well as they understand that this is something we need time to deal with. We need to pull away and take that break to recharge, reset, and get that special treatment.  QUENTIN  56:10 If I'm an owner of a company and I have a problem with absenteeism, or even presenteeism, it's a lot more cost effective, to be honest, to provide that in a contract, than for people to take two three weeks off and collect either medical EI or short-term disability. The numbers make sense from a fiscal

Welcome to Restoring Your Balance - Part 3. We are the Marigold Force. As Changemakers, we often crave having more balance but we don't know how to do it. Today, we dive into our One Good Thing - Every Day - No Matter What strategy. This is a tool that helps you acknowledge and accept what is currently happening while proactively deciding to create more balance by committing to doing more good things! Our bonus strategy this week is all about balancing out your anxiety. We dig into scheduling Mental Health Moments! Make sure to click the podcast link below to get all the links to what we talked about in this episode - including our One Good Thing - Every Day - No Matter What Guide. PODCAST: www.themarigoldforce.com/podcast BLOG: www.themarigoldforce.com/blog FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/themarigoldforce INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/themarigoldforce TWITTER: twitter.com/marigoldforce

Meet your host, Dr. Qualls and get ready for our 8-session series on crisis trauma and burnout in healthcare workers who are in the fight against COVID-19.