blooming minds MAY 2020
issue 15
BUILD AN ARMY TRACEY WESTERMAN
FUNCTIONAL IMPACTS IN THE WORKPLACE
WOMEN HELPING WOMEN ONLINE
LEADING POSITIVELY THROUGH CHANGE
HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE YOU’RE CONCERNED ABOUT
HIKING AND CONNECTING WITH REFUGEES THE MESSY MIDDLE WHERE TO NOW? DEVELOPING PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING AT WORK
Our Resources BLOOM! MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING BY TASHA BROOMHALL
Available in paperback or ebook format. This book debunks some of the common misunderstandings around mental health and mental health issues and provides practical strategies for you to use to support your own mental health as well as support those around you.
$22 INC GST
A YEAR TO BLOOM – 52 WEEK JOURNAL BY TASHA BROOMHALL
Feeling stressed? Overwhelmed? In a funk? Need some support for your mental health? This guided 52 week journal will give you practical ideas and guidance to enhance your wellbeing through two strategies. Each week a new journal activity will encourage you to continue actively enhancing your mental health. You can choose from two different formats – a printed A5 journal or weekly emails delivered straight to your inbox.
BLOOM! AT WORK! A MENTAL HEALTH GUIDE FOR LEADERS BY TASHA BROOMHALL
Available in paperback or ebook format. This book will provide knowledge about the relevance of mental health issues, a brief overview of common mental health issues and possible functional impacts and a range of proactive strategies and resources which may assist both the employee and the organisation.
$25.00 INC GST
LIVE CONSCIOUSLY AND BLOOM – SELF REFLECTION JOURNAL BY TASHA BROOMHALL
The personal reflections journal provides a guiding hand in reviewing your values. Based on these values you will then set daily intentions and cultivate your gratitude. Carrying out those two simple steps each day can make an incredible difference to your life.
$24.20 INC GST
$17.60 INC GST
Mental Health Champions Program Boost your leaders’ skills and all employees’ wellbeing to help them thrive through challenging times. Combining eLearning, coaching and resources, our Blooming Minds Mental Health Champions™ program enables organisations to create a peer-driven, self-sustaining mental health and wellbeing culture. For your people. With your people. This program enables organisations to identify current psychological safety issues with a tailored education and development program. The program helps your organisation to: • Develop skills through eLearning mental health education sessions. • Recognise and manage mental health skills in the workplace. • Champion psychological health and safety best practice. • Nurture a workplace health and wellbeing culture that everyone owns. • Minimise psychological risk and reduce mental health costs on your balance sheet.
Mental Health in the Workplace for Leaders, eLEARNING COURSE This course delivers an overview of common mental health problems, reasonable adjustments, privacy requirements and balancing people needs with business needs. This course is delivered as four self-paced online assessed modules with individual assessment of learning. Each module has videos, recorded lessons, support notes and an assessment.
To discuss your organisation’s needs, please contact us to set up a meeting.
Our e-Magazines N OV E M B E R 2 0 1 5
ISSUE 1
J A N UA RY 2 0 1 6
ARE YOU A HUMAN BEING OR A HUMAN DOING?
CREATING A CULTURE OF POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF... ATTENTIVENESS
IT’S TIME TO REFLECT
BY DRIVING CONSCIOUSLY YOU NOT ONLY MINIMISE ACCIDENTS BUT ALSO CAN HELP KEEP YOURSELF CALMER IN THE PROCESS
APRIL 2016
BEING CULTURALLY SMART IS THE NEXT BIG THING
AGEISM IN THE WORKPLACE
5 SIMPLE STEP TO ASSIST YOU IN ENHANCING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
“OVER 25% OF AUSTRALIANS AGED OVER 50 EXPERIENCED SOME FORM OF PREJUDICE“ MAREE WHACK DETAILS 7 STRATEGIES TO REDUCE AGEISM IN THE WORKPLACE
ONE STEP AT A TIME WITH JULIE MEEK
APPRAISING PERFORMANCE
APPLYING THE 4 STAGES OF CHANGE TO CREATE THE RIGHT HABITS TO BETTER PERSONAL PERFORMANCE
RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS TO STRANGERS, LOVED ONES AND OURSELVES
O C TO B E R 2 0 1 6
BRANT GARVEY
DEALING WITH THE STRESS OF PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT REVIEWS WITH NARELLE DI TRENTO
I N T E R V I E W
RIO OLYMPICS BOUND ATHELETE TALKS ABOUT ATTITUDE AND RESILIENCE
HORTICULTURAL THERAPY
A MENTAL HEALTH STRATEGY MAP FOR ORGANISATIONS
RENEE GARDINER DISCUSSES NOURISHING THE MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT THROUGH GARDENING
INCLUDING: AWARENESS RAISING, SKILL BUILDING AND BEHAVIOURAL INTEGRATION
FINDING YOGA
QUIZ
SOPHIE BUDD’S
GROUP YOGA TO HELP YOU DEAL WITH MENTAL PAIN
ARE YOU STRESSED OR BLOOMING? A PERSONAL SURVEY TO “CHECK-IN” WITH YOURSELF
GROWING CHANGE
LETS TALK ABOUT IT
BY RENEE GARDINER
CONSTRUCTIVE MENTAL HEALTH
HAVING THAT IMPORTANT CONVERSATION ABOUT SOMEONES MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING; BM DISCUSSES THE 3 VITAL ASPECTS
THE BUDDY SYSTEM
KHANH NGUYEN, THE GENERAL MANAGER AND DIRECTOR OF CIVCON, CIVIL AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT, EXPLAINS HOW A YOUNG AND RAPIDLY EXPANDING COMPANY IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IS ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF EMPLOYEE MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING.
PLUS...
CHEF SOPHIE BUDD’S RAW INDULGENCE
ISSUE 4
CQ
A BLOOMING GREAT 2016
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: SNACK RIGHT WITH NUTRITIONIST AND DIETITIAN, JULIE MEEK
CHRISTMAS KINDNESS ADVENT CALENDAR
OVER 6000 LAUGHTER YOGA GROUPS AND CLUBS WORLDWIDE ARE PROVING LAUGHTER REALLY IS THE BEST MEDICINE
J U LY 2 0 1 6
HOW TO PROVIDE POSITIVE LEADERSHIP IN CHANGING TIMES
NICK MAISEY - BEFRIEND SHANNA CRISPIN- HI THERE GORGEOUS BETTY KITCHENER - MHFA ALICIA CURTIS - 100 WOMEN PETER SHARP & JAE WEST - THE LIBERATORS
SIMPLE MANGO MOUSSE
YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING IS NO LAUGHING MATTER...OR IS IT?
ISSUE 3
LEADING POSITIVELY THROUGH CHANGE
ARTICLES AND INTERVIEWS WITH TASHA BROOMHALL
SO NOW THAT WE’RE ALMOST IN DECEMBER, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE LIFE YOU HAVE LIVED THIS YEAR?
WE TALK TO AN INTERNATIONAL WORKPLACE RELATIONS EXECUTIVE, ANDREW DOUGLAS, WHO IS LEADING HIS ORGANISATION BY EXAMPLE
ISSUE 2
AGENTS OF CHANGE
FINDING 4 NURTURING AND NOURISHING THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOURSELF EACH WEEK
MAKING REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS IN THE WORKPLACE
JULIE MEEK
OVERCOMING BARRIERS @ WORK
SHOW SUPPORT AND MEET YOUR OBLIGATIONS AS LEADERS
BY PETER DHU
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ISSUE 5
J A N UA RY 2 0 1 7
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blooming minds
blooming minds
ISSUE 6
AM I OK?
AN IMPORTANT QUESTION TO ASK, NOT JUST DURING MENTAL HEALTH WEEK.
GETTING HELP A PERSONALISED WELLBEING PLAN
TO TELL OR NOT TO TELL ...
EMPLOYEE DISCLOSURE: YOUR RIGHTS AND RESONSIBILITIES
AUSTRALIAN WORKPLACE SURVIVAL GUIDE
COMMON ISSUES PEOPLE FROM CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS EXPERIENCE IN AUSTRALIAN WORKPLACES
Q & A WITH BLUEBIRD
The Small Things A FAMILIES DEDICATION TO INCREASING SUICIDE AWARENESS
INTERVIEW WITH AMANDA STEPHENSON
POLICY & PROCEDURE CREATING A CULTURE OF POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH
one day seminar
MENTAL ILLNESS in the workplace
WORKPLACE MENTAL HEALTH FOR LEADERS SEE PAGE 16 FOR DETAILS & REGISTRATION
HOW CAN WE REDUCE THE EFFECTS OF STRESS?
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blooming minds Special Workplace Edition
CREATING A CULTURE OF POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING
OCTOBER 2018
ARE YOU A HUMAN BEING... OR A HUMAN DOING?
START WITH GOVERNANCE 13 REASONS WHY SUICIDE SHOULD NOT BE A TABOO TOPIC
DO WE NEED TO STOP TALKING ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS?
SEPTEMBER 2018
PERTH ACTIVE DEPRESSION SUPPORT GROUP HOW TO MANAGE CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS AND STAY WELL YOU, ME, WE
NEURO MYTHS & HACKS MAKING REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS IN THE WORKPLACE
FEBRUARY 2019
issue 12
issue 10
HAVE YOU GOT THE GUTS?
NEURO MYTHS & HACKS CURIOUSER & CURIOUSER
HOW MUCH POISON HAVE YOU DRUNK THIS YEAR? BORN TO SING MENTAL DEXTERITY &
An interview with Martin Meader; Writer and Choir Musical Director
THE OTHER F-WORD
WANT TO BLOOM IN 2019?
CYCLING WITHOUT AGE A HOLE IN HER GENES An interview with Dr. Jodie Fleming
Talking About Mental STUCK INTO SUBSTANCES?
HELPING THE HELPERS
An interview with Alanagh Godderidge, Coordinator of Sorrento Trishaw
Health Issues at Work… IS YOUR ORGANISATION MERELY TICKING THE MENTAL HEALTH BOXES?
LOOKING AFTER YOURSELF & OTHERS WHEN TEMPERS FLARE
WORKPLACE CONTINUUM OF MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING
WHAT TO DO NEXT
STEPS
TO
HELP
YOU
BLOOM
NEED A FRIEND?
Issue 15 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
Tasha Broomhall DEPUTY EDITOR
Janet Stevens WRITERS:
Tasha Broomhall Julie Meek Michael Prince Kelly Ho RESEARCHER:
Kelly Ho
PHOTOGRAPHERS:
Craig Broomhall Jessica Gately As labelled DESIGNER:
Photo: Jess Gately
Craig Broomhall
Blooming MindsŠ 2020 All Rights Reserved. We encourage you to share the content of this e-magazine with others who you think may be interested, however to comply with copyright please ensure that information is only shared in its full form and with the credit given to the authors. The information, opinions, suggestions and ideas contained in this publication are based on the experience of the contributors and research information which is believed to be accurate but not infallible. All effort has been made to render this information free from error or omission. Whilst written and presented in good faith, Blooming Minds and the contributors assume no responsibility or liability for any loss or damage caused directly or indirectly from this information. The material cannot substitute for appropriate professional opinion, which would take into account individual factors, specific situations, environmental conditions or circumstances likely to influence actions taken or avoided at any time. Please be advised, this presentation provides general information only, and should not be seen as professional advice specific to any particular situation, problem or person. If you require assistance for mental health issues please contact your medical practitioner or call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Contents 6 TASHA’S UPDATE 8 BUILD AN ARMY 10 THE MESSY MIDDLE 12 ACHIEVING A BALANCED RESPONCE 14 POSSIBLE FUNCTIONAL IMPACTS IN THE WORKPLACE 16 HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE YOU’RE CONCERNED ABOUT 19 CARING FOR THE CANCER CAREGIVER 20 HOLDING SPACE AND LISTENING LOUDLY WHEN SOMEONE IS DISTRESSED 22 WHERE TO NOW? DEVELOPING PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING AT WORK 24 HIKING AND CONNECTING WITH REFUGEES 26 WHAT’S UP, DOC? 28 WOMEN HELPING WOMEN ONLINE 30 MEDITATION 32 GIVE AND RECEIVE WELCOME 38 PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY & WELLBEING FOR REMOTE TEAMS 40 LEADING POSITIVELY THROUGH CHANGE
www.bloomingminds.com.au
Tasha’s Update
W
e shy away from talking about class in Australia. Yet it is there, lurking in workplaces, in media, and in social interactions. I heard someone say last week that Covid-19 doesn’t discriminate based on social class. This isn’t the whole story. There is class division amidst the global pandemic. You’ve seen the images of people driven by fear and uncertainty panic shopping (groceries, medicines and now alcohol!). These are individualist approaches. This disadvantages people on low incomes, people relying on public transport who can only buy what they can carry, people who are frail or disabled who struggle to get to the shops regularly, and those people who chose not to panic buy. Empty shelves do not only affect the disadvantaged, but the impacts may be felt by them more strongly. If you can’t get ingredients for a meal from the supermarket, you can order restaurant takeaway and still get a good nutritious meal. If you can afford it. This is an impact of social class. It’s not only in buying groceries and medicine where there is social disparity. Many organisations are asking or mandating that their employees work from home. Working from home is already the norm for some but it can take a while under optimal circumstances get used to working from home. Even when you have the time, the physical space, and all the required equipment, it takes time
Photo: Craig Broomhall
to adjust. Under current circumstances it can be overwhelming. Not everyone has the space at home to dedicate to work, nor the required equipment and not all workplaces are able to quickly afford unbudgeted remote access equipment. This can be an impact of social class. Many jobs are not possible to do from home. Truck drivers, medical staff, cleaners, supermarket cashiers, and schoolteachers are all either challenging or impossible to do from a distance. Some of these roles (other than medical professionals) are those which are least socially valued in usual circumstances. This is evident by the pay and working conditions of these positions however these are clearly essential roles. Furthermore by not providing adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) to these workers, we are indicating that some of these lives are dispensable. This is discrimination of social class. There are impacts which are beyond social class. Covid-19 doesn’t check your bank balance before infecting you. The attitude with which we face challenges is dictated by character, not by class. There has been a tsunami of shock reverberating across Australia as many organisations adapt to evolving physical distancing measures, close doors and let go of staff. For many, the loss of income will have immediate impact. Some will access their financial reserves and the impact will be delayed. For others, with
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the economic support packages of government, their lifestyle will be affected, but they will not be in hardship. Some are moving from distress and reaction and are now sharing their silver linings of how much more time people have to cook and craft and reconnect with their families. This is true for some, but will not be the experience for all. For some, home is not a safe place to be stuck. For some home is already under immense pressure of too many people living in too small a space with limited resources to meet everyone’s needs. Resilience is not dependent on class. Resilience can be developed in times of challenge. Those whose lifestyle will be dramatically affected may be struggling to see how they will get through this. They don’t need to look back to the days of their grandparents during The Great Depression, or war times, to learn how to cope. Those who are already living on the poverty line, or who remember the days when they did, already have long tested skills to adapt their lifestyle and menu to limited resources. The impacts may shake up your world, but your new norm may be what someone else is already living. You might learn a thing or two about coping from them.
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Be classy. Be kind
in need. Class doesn’t dictate kindness. Behaviour can be contagious – think of panic buying. Share examples of acts of kindness to encourage others to do the same to spread a pandemic of connection and compassion. Significant research indicates that when we receive support, we do better at facing challenges. However, the support we provide to others has a bigger impact on how we cope than the support we receive. This is an opportunity to connect, show kindness, compassion and support our own mental wellbeing while we’re supporting others. Be classy. Be kind. I hope you enjoy this edition, and as always, I’d love to hear your feedback and insights. Email me at info@ bloomingminds.com.au May you bloom,
Tasha
Want some more ideas on how to help yourself bloom? Watch here.
Kindness and compassion transcend class. Growing up in poverty I observed those who had nothing often shared the most. My Granny lived in poverty for all her life, yet always shared with someone else
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By Tasha Broomhall
Photo courtesy of Tracey Westerman
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djunct Professor Tracy Westerman, a proud Nyamal woman from the Pilbara region of Western Australia, recently shared with us her perspectives on mental health and wellbeing, and her work. Tracy’s leadership to agitate individuals and organisations to help her build an army of Indigenous psychologists is gaining traction. A/Professor Westerman was awarded Western Australia’s Australian of the Year in 2018. She was recognised for spending over two decades working to reduce the burden of mental ill health and suicide in Aboriginal communities. Indigenous Australians experience high levels of psychological distress at almost three times the rate of non-Indigenous adults1 with standardised death rates of 38.1 suicide deaths (for men) and 10.3 suicide deaths (for women) per 100 000 of population4. Contrasted for non-Indigenous Australians with suicide death rates of 18.6 (for males) and 5.7 (for females) per 100 000 of population5. Western Australia has consistently recorded the highest death rate for Indigenous Australians between 2009-20184. While studying for her degree in psychology Dr Westerman noticed the significant gap between the Western worldview and the Indigenous worldview and the monocultural perspective entrenched in psychology. There is a disconnect between the mind and body and a lack of acknowledgement of alternative worldviews or spirituality. Dr Westerman referred to “cultural bound phenomena” where cultural syndromes can mimic mainstream mental health diagnoses. A lack of understanding of a person’s cultural worldview compromises assessment. For that reason, Dr Westerman has developed a cultural mapping tool, the Acculturation Scale for Aboriginal Australians. The client must inform the treatment; the practitioner must have an understanding of, for example, kinship as opposed to a nuclear family and obligations surrounding cultural lore. It’s an understanding which has applications not only within psychology, but in the broader community, in families and workplaces. Dr Westerman argues that any Aboriginal person should be able to walk into any service provider in the country and receive best practice. Some services may have the clinical ability but lack cultural competence, conversely incredible cultural services don’t have the clinical capabilities, and this is exacerbated in remote areas. The lack of cultural competency training at universities is something Dr Westerman is working on, ensuring that her training is embedded in universities across Australia to achieve a minimum standard of cultural competency. Something else Dr Westerman is focusing on is building an army of Indigenous psychologists, something which has received a lot of attention and energised the possibilities of what can be done.
Dr Westerman describes herself as a natural optimist and gets frustrated by the negativity so frequently associated with Indigenous issues. Upon hearing the conclusions regarding the lack of specialist services in remote areas from the Fogliani inquiry in October 2018, Dr Westerman got in touch with Vice Chancellor Deborah Terry at Curtin University to donate $50,000 of her own money to set up an Indigenous psychology scholarship program in her name. The first five recipients of this scholarship all have remote and rural connections and represent the beginnings of Dr Westerman’s army of Indigenous psychologists. A number of businesses have signed on as donors, some taking up the option to provide a scholarship to a student (~$10,000) which allows them to sponsor a student through to graduation. Dr Westerman ran a fundraising concert in Sydney last year with Concert for Life and the Sydney Philharmonic Orchestra and is excited to announce that they’re doing the same in Perth this year. The date is tentatively set for September 10, World Suicide Prevention Day and rumour has it that some pretty big names have signed up! Dr Westerman states that it’s a great way for people to support the project, just come along and hear a great concert, or donate some cash if they feel like it! Another project the inexhaustible Dr Westerman has recently launched is the Westerman Jilya Institute for Indigenous Mental Health which aims to build capacity around the all of the gaps in Indigenous mental health and suicide prevention. The idea behind the project is that it be a research area of excellence that will ensure we have a reality where people don’t struggle anymore around what constitutes best practice. It will examine everything around education, mental health and suicide prevention at a level never before seen in Australia. Currently the Institute is looking for partnerships and funding to sustain its critically important work. Dr Westerman argues that our greatest responsibility is to the most disadvantaged, the most vulnerable. Education is the key in exposing people to Aboriginal culture and to the true history of the nation. Dr Westerman takes great pride in the world’s oldest living culture, a beautiful and incredible culture, and taking it to Australia and the rest of the world. References [1] Dudgeon, Pat; Walker, Roz; Scrine, Clair; Shepherd, Carrington; Calma, Tom; Ring, Ian . (2014). Effective strategies to strengthen the mental health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Canberra: AIHW. [2] Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2018). Intentional self-harm in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. [3] Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2018). Intentional self-harm, key characteristics.
Listen to our Blooming Minds podcast to hear the full interview with Adjunct Professor Westerman.
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The Messy Middle By Tasha Broomhall
Photo: Ian MacLeod
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ur global society is collectively experiencing a health pandemic with a tsunami of economic and social consequences. There is a strong desire by many to get life back to normal. Today I had a client predict that within 5 weeks their large organisation will ‘be back to normal’. Despite some movements towards the easing of physical distancing restrictions, the desire to ‘get back to normal’, whilst understandable, is not reasonable.
for the other. Indeed focusing solely on one will likely have detrimental effects on the other in the invisible and unseen impacts. Predictions of an increased risk of suicide and mental health issues can be used as an argument to get the economy moving. Getting it moving too quickly however, exposes more to the second wave and risks losing sight of the benefits this recalibration has afforded some.
The predictions from many medical experts is that we’re currently working through (or coming out the other side of) the first wave of infections, but that there is at least a second wave to come. A return to normal could undo the work that has been done to flatten this first curve. Beyond the infection risks of returning to normal, there are mental health and relational risks.
The adrenalin of rapid reaction got us through those first few weeks. Some are enjoying the majority of the changes and some are now experiencing change fatigue. Online meetings have a different energy exchange (you give more energy and tend to receive less) and this can prove exhausting. Working from home might give you more time for exercise, cooking and time with family. It can also be lonely for some, can make it hard to stay focused and can bleed your working hours into your personal time leading to longer hours and no sense of distance from work.
Organisations and employees were forced to quickly adapt to the restrictions, some losing jobs, some businesses and jobs going into hibernation, and many employees adapting to working from home, some while juggling children who were also kept home. If an organisation had tried to design and implement such a significant change program as to get all employees working from home, it would have been a 2-year planning process involving thousands of meetings and layers of contingencies plans. Yet many organisations and employees managed it in under two weeks. The notion that the trust these employees placed in their leaders to recalibrate their working conditions, and in some cases, upend their lives, would be repaid with a push to return to normal, risks ignoring the investment and benefits employees have experienced. Working from home does not work for everyone, but many have proven they can make it work. In my conversations with a number of employees, they have had some challenges, but they have also experienced some benefits and they don’t want to lose these with a return to normal. We need to acknowledge that we have changed, and our expectations and our awareness of the possibilities have changed. We are now able to co-create a new normal. We need to stop thinking in terms of ‘or’; either we work in the workplace, from home, and start thinking in terms of ‘and’; we can work some days from home and some days from the office; or some employees work from home, and other employees work from the office. Our options at this stage are not binary. The options for every business, and every individual in that business, will not be the same. The options are complex and require flexibility and curiosity. We can be conscious of the economic and health risks, both physical and mental. We do not need to sacrifice one
We are through the initial reaction stage and we are now in the messy middle. The temptation is to regain some control and go back to normal, but that ‘normal’ no longer exists. We need to be able to stand solidly together in the now; to consider what have been the benefits of the imposed changes? What have been the surprises? What have been the challenges? Then we need to identify what steps we can take to overcome the challenges and co-create the future while maintaining the benefits. We redesign the future together. This is not the time to get busy ‘doing’. This is the time to pause, to be, to consider, to listen to each other and to plan together. There has been talk about the trauma, the grief and the distress people are experiencing from the individual impacts of the Covid-19 restrictions. There is another possibility after such significant events though; posttraumatic growth (PTG). This is where, through challenges, we are able to thrive. Some of the factors which enhance PTG are acceptance of the situation, rather than fighting with the reality, and social support. Now is the time to connect with ourselves and each other. To celebrate that we have recalibrated quickly. To accept that we do not know what comes next. To connect together to design the future, in our families, our workplaces and our communities. Now is the time.
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Achieving a Balanced Response By Tasha Broomhall
Photo: Bekir Donmez (Unsplash)
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ssential to developing a culture of positive psychological wellbeing is a team of leaders with the skills and confidence to recognise and appropriately respond to mental health issues in the workplace. Unfortunately many leaders state that they know nothing about mental health issues, or that they’ve never known anyone with a mental disorder. This can result in perceptions based on stereotypical community and media representations which have a negative effect on the psychological wellbeing of employees, which in turn has a negative impact on productivity and staff retention. There are, however, leaders who acknowledge that they can identify when their employees are possibly experiencing mental health issues. Leaders who can identify a range of symptoms which get their attention and make them concerned, yet they often say that they don’t know how to deal with these issues. While they don’t want to ignore an individual who seems to be having problems, they also don’t want to intrude on that individual’s privacy. They are sometimes reluctant to performance manage if the performance is affected by mental health concerns, and yet they still need to balance the organisation’s needs. Many report feeling stuck and clumsy in these situations. It is important to understand that: • Not all people with mental health issues will experience symptoms or functional impacts which are obvious to others. • Not all employees with mental health issues will require workplace adjustments. • Not all employees will want to disclose their mental health issues in the workplace. • A person’s mental health issues may fluctuate in terms of symptoms and functional impacts, as such employer’s responses need to be flexible. • Employees with mental health issues do not always require time off work to recover. Many can continue to work well while recovering. • The type of treatment that a person chooses for their mental health issues is just as individual as the experience of the mental health issue itself. Respect a person’s right to self‐determination. • A mental health issue is not an intellectual disability.
• Mental health issues are common in our community and as such you will likely have some employees with mental health issues without ever knowing it. • Stigma and misunderstanding of mental health issues is still common in our community, and organisations can make people reluctant to disclose their experiences and to seek help. Fostering an environment of respect can assist with this – mental health needs to be spoken of in preventative and responsive OSH terms, in the same way as physical health. So how do we achieve a balance? How do we manage the human needs of employees along with the employer’s business needs? Importantly, it is unlawful to discriminate against an employee because of mental health issues? Employers are required to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to support the employment of people with mental health issues. The key is for leaders to understand what this means in practice. Leaders need to develop the skills to: • Understand their roles and responsibilities to respond to mental health issues in the workplace. • Understand the possible functional impacts of common mental health issues. • Know how to minimise psychological injury risks for their employees. • Be equipped with the skills to have appropriate conversations with employees if they are concerned about an employee’s mental health. • Have the skills to develop and implement reasonable workplace adjustments as required. Organisations are obliged to create psychologically safe workplaces which includes minimising psychological injury risk and responding appropriately to mental health issues when they arise. Leaders can not do this in isolation. They need to be appropriately trained and supported to meet these obligations. This is an edited extract from the book Bloom! At Work, written by Tasha Broomhall. The book is available for purchase here.
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Possible Functional Impacts in the Workplace By Tasha Broomhall
T
his list is not exhaustive and equally, for some individuals, there will be no functional impacts in the workplace. It is also important to note that the impacts shown below may be present yet have nothing to do with mental health issues. They may be related to other work or life circumstances. If you notice any of these possible indicators and you are concerned about an employee, be careful not to assume that they are experiencing a mental health issue. Instead have a conversation with the employee about what you have observed.
Photo: Alex Kotliarskyi (Unsplash)
These indicators in themselves do not mean that an employee is experiencing mental
health issues. It is when the symptoms are pervasive, long lasting and are affecting the employee’s functioning that it may have more impact. If signs are observed and are of concern these can be appropriately addressed with the employee, and assistance may be needed to prevent the issue developing further. Seek support from your Human Resource or Safety team, as well as from an employee counselling service your organisation contracts. This is an edited extract from the book Bloom! At Work, written by Tasha Broomhall. The book is available for purchase here.
FUNCTIONAL IMPACTS
SOCIAL IMPACTS
PERSONAL IMPACTS
Lack of focus
Not engaging with others
Erratic
Social withdrawal
No confidence in areas where they previously have been confident
Difficulty making decisions
Discord with colleagues
Focused internally
Task overdrive
Unapproachable
Need to control/ be perfect
Avoidance of work
Micromanaging other staff members
Excessively tired
Accidents (not following safety protocols)
Unusually argumentative
Lack of concentration
Morale issues
Reduced productivity
Seeking extra support
Absenteeism
Overly reactive emotionally Very over-confident Physical signs such as headaches Increased substance use
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Employers have a responsibility to manage workplace health and safety while planning and implementing responses to the Covid-19 pandemic. This includes both physical and mental health. Leaders have an important role to play in workplace psychological safety and yet, may not know how to identify and manage psychological safety risks. CREATING A CULTURE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY REQUIRES ORGANISATIONS TO: •
Identify possible psychological safety risks
•
Assess the likelihood of those risks
•
Identify and implement appropriate controls.
Photo: Unsplash
IDENTIFY & MANAGE POSSIBLE COVID-19 IMPACTS FOR YOUR WORKFORCE
Photo: Jess Gately
Psychological Safety & Wellbeing Tool
Psychological injuries can have significant impacts on the wellbeing of your workforce and are some of the most expensive and time-consuming workplace injuries. The Psychological Safety & Wellbeing Tool is customised for your organisation & includes: •
A GUIDE for workplaces on WHAT and HOW to communicate psychological safety responsibilities to all leaders
•
A CHECKLIST for leaders to complete psychological safety checks with their teams
•
An ELECTRONIC RESOURCE PACK of: 6 VIDEOS for leaders and employees to support psychological wellbeing, a GUIDE to Working with Remote Teams, and a RESOURCE LIST of recommended supports
BOOK IN A CALL WITH US TODAY TO DISCUSS YOUR NEEDS info@bloomingminds.com.au
The Psychological Safety & Wellbeing Tool has been developed by our Director Tasha Broomhall MSc (Psych) and our team of specialists. Tasha Broomhall is the Director of Blooming Minds and has been providing mental health and wellbeing programs throughout Australia for 17 years. Tasha’s work has been recognised with the ICCWA Suicide Prevention Award in WA and as a finalist in the national LiFE Awards for Excellence in Suicide Prevention, for initiatives in workplace mental wellbeing.
bloomingminds.com.au
Tasha Broomhall
Blooming Minds works with organisations to enhance positive mental health cultures. Positively engaged employees are more productive and innovative, maximising their discretionary efforts.
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Having a Conversation with Someone You’re Concerned About By Tasha Broomhall
Photo: Harli Marten (Unsplash)
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any leaders report that they notice a change in the behaviour of employees, yet do not know how to talk about mental health issues openly and respectfully. Sometimes these leaders say nothing because they are afraid of saying the ‘wrong’ thing or are worried they will offend the person. This sometimes means that they don’t connect with and offer help and support to employees who really need it. Approximately one in five adults will experience mental health issues in any given year 11, and 45% of adults will experience clinical levels of a mental illness in their lifetime18. With such high prevalence this is an important conversation skill set to have. If an employer observes a change in the behaviour or mood of an employee, they need to consider if it is something ongoing and determine if it is impacting on the employee’s functioning at work. It is important to approach the person to talk about these concerns openly and respectfully before implementing any change to work duties or tasks. There are three components to having this conversation appropriately in the workplace. In summary these are: •
Don’t diagnose
•
Do with, not to
•
Approach them sensitively
•
Approach them sensitively – time, place, language
Neither of you should feel rushed, nor likely to be interrupted. Choose a time when you are able to dedicate your full attention to the person and you can listen and connect with them. Early in the workweek and early in the work shift are ideal. This will enable you time to initiate the conversation and if necessary take a break and come back together to finish the conversation either before the employee leaves work for the day or later that week. Choose a private place to talk, and where possible, take it away from the central hub of the workplace. This should include privacy before and after the meeting, so consider a room or area with more than one entry or exit point. The language you use is critical. You have the best chance of engaging positively with the person if your language is respectful and non-judgmental. Inappropriate language can increase stigma and prejudice. It can also increase misunderstanding and feed negative stereotypes, making a vulnerable person feel more isolated, misunderstood and hopeless.
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When we observe changes in an employee and are concerned about how they are doing, it can be a sensitive conversation. Many leaders say they are concerned about being intrusive in raising their concerns. This simple approach can help.
STEP 1. FRAME IT Before you have the conversation with the employee consider whether your observations and concerns are related to their work performance or to their personal wellbeing. This will then determine the boundaries and likely outcomes of the conversation. If your issue is of personal concern only, you can choose to raise your concerns with the employee yet do not go further if the employee does not want to discuss the issue with you. If your observations are indicating a work performance issue you need to frame the conversation as being related to professional concern. You are providing the employee with the opportunity to raise any issues that may have affected their work performance, and if they do so then you will discuss possible adjustments with them. However, if they choose not to discuss any contributing issues (such as personal or mental health problems), you will still need to deal with the performance issues.
STEP 2. “I’VE NOTICED ...” Describe what you have noticed which has led to these concerns. Keep your observations objective and measurable – you should not be attempting to give the employee a diagnosis or simply be stating your own judgements and opinions. Outline the observed change in their behaviour or simply say, “I’ve noticed ...” Only focus on their behaviour, and not your interpretation of what this behaviour might mean.
STEP 3. “HAVE YOU NOTICED …?” Asking the employee “Have you noticed ...?” or “Is that true for you?” or “Is there something going on with that?” gives them an opportunity to connect with you if they choose to do so. It helps the employee to clarify if you are on the right track, or if there is some other reason for their behavioural changes.
STEP 4. “ZIP IT!” The final step in the process then involves you not saying anything: “Zip It!” Many people find this the most difficult stage of the process, but it is vital that you let the employee find, organise and relay their thoughts to you, if they so choose. You sometimes need to be silent for twice as long as you think is socially appropriate in order to allow the employee to catch up to you with their thoughts, and to decide what they are willing and comfortable to disclose in this situation.
Photo: Jonathon Borba unsplash
Your goal is not to diagnose or therapise your employee. It is to talk about your observations and get their feedback. You may be totally off track. What you’ve observed may have nothing to do with mental health issues, however, if you’ve observed behaviours of concern and you raise them respectfully with the employee, and they are experiencing mental health issues, then they may feel more comfortable disclosing these to you. You can then come to a shared understanding. You may be the only person in their life who has respectfully reached out to offer support. If they do require any supports in the workplace this conversation can certainly help you to discuss options for supporting them while at the same time managing the organisation’s needs. For example: FRAME IT – Personal 1. ‘This has nothing to do with your work performance, however, I have noticed a few things lately and I’m wondering if you’re doing ok?’ 2. ‘I’ve noticed … x y z (observable/measurable). I was wondering if you’ve noticed a pattern with this as well, and if there might be something behind it?’ 3. ‘Have you noticed?’ Or ‘Is that true for you?’ or ‘Is there something behind that for you?’ Your intention here is to engage the person in the conversation with you. 4. Zip it! OR FRAME IT – Professional 1. ‘I want to discuss a few things with you that I have observed lately. This is related to your work performance, however I want to offer you support if you need it before we deal with the performance issues.’ 2. ‘I have noticed a few things lately and I’m wondering if you’re doing ok?’ 3. ‘I’ve noticed … x y z (observable/measurable).’ 4. ‘I was wondering if you’ve noticed a pattern with this as well, and if there might be something behind it?’ This is an edited extract from the book Bloom! At Work, written by Tasha Broomhall. The book is available for purchase here.
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Caring for the Cancer Caregiver
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By Kelly Ho
hen a person is diagnosed with cancer, it impacts not only their life but also the ones they love. Upon the initial stages of finding out, the assigned caregivers are often shocked and frightened by the news. This can lead to immense stress and perceived pressure placed upon the immediate community, especially the primary caregiver1. Emotional distress can stem from the feeling of being underprepared for the role as well as a lack of confidence in how to care for their loved one. It is common to give up your own needs and focus on your loved ones during this difficult period and the increased stress levels can have profoundly negative effects on the caregiver’s mental health2. It is possible, however, to alleviate some of the stress felt when caring for your loved ones with the following tips3.
Talk about it It is okay to feel that your responsibilities are overwhelming you. Talk to someone who you can open up to about your feelings, whether this be a person in your inner circle, or a counsellor. Here are some services that provide support to cancer patients and their caregivers. Cancer Council: 13 11 20 or www.cancer.org.au Cancer Australia: www.canceraustralia.gov.au Carer Gateway: 1800 422 737 or www.carergateway. gov.au/cancer Young Carers Network: www.youngcarersnetwork. com.au
Find time for yourself
Negotiate a work schedule Being a caregiver can be a full-time job that you have to juggle alongside your paid work. To balance this, you may need to take time off work. Talk to your employer about arranging more flexible working conditions as well as the impact that your role as a caregiver will have on your job. Consider speaking to a social worker, psychologist or financial counsellor to discuss your options and financial situation. Know that you’re not alone When a loved one is receiving cancer treatment, it can be a struggle to balance caring for them and doing daily tasks. Remember your support circle and don’t hesitate in asking family members or close friends to help you with tasks like driving the kids to and from school, cooking, cleaning, or walking the dog.
If you would like to read more about the experience of living with and caring for someone with cancer, we highly recommend the book A Hole in My Genes by psychologist Dr Jodie Fleming. This memoir provides an insightful look into the frightening difficulties a person is faced with when living with cancer as Dr Fleming tells her story from the perspective of a health professional, primary carer and patient. You can buy a print or eBook copy of A Hole in My Genes here.
References [1] Nijboer, C., Triemstra, M., Tempelaar, R., Sanderman, R., & van den Bos, G. A. (1999). Determinants of caregiving experiences and mental health of partners of cancer patients. Cancer, 86(4), 577-588. [2] Kent, E. E., Rowland, J. H., Northouse, L., Litzelman, K., Chou, W. Y. S., Shelburne, N., ... & Huss, K. (2016). Caring for caregivers and patients: research and clinical priorities for informal cancer caregiving. Cancer, 122(13), 1987-1995.
Photo: Mona Eendra (Unsplash)
While caring for someone, you may find that your personal activities are cut back. This does not mean that you should stop doing them altogether. Regularly taking time off to look after yourself can do wonders for your mental health. This can be anything from taking a nap, going out for a jog, a relaxing hobby or something else that you enjoy.
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Holding Space and Listening Loudly When Someone is Distressed By Tasha Broomhall
Photo: Joshua Ness (Unsplash)
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n times of stress and anxiety different people react in different ways. Some may prefer to process their feelings internally, whereas others look outwardly for support. When someone shares a problem with us, many of us jump in with solutions or look for silver linings. If the person does share information with us about what they’re experiencing, how we listen and offer support is critical.
3. EXPLORE OPTIONS
Hearing someone’s bad news may feel distressing and uncomfortable. We want to reassure them. It’s tempting to want to make them feel better about the situation so we might try to rush them to a resolution; we want to tell them it’ll be ok; that this is an opportunity in disguise. This can risk the person not feeling heard; their reaction not being validated. In doing so, we risk disconnecting with them at a time they may need our support most. Before opportunities can be seen to arise out of a challenging situation, there are many emotions to be processed, possibly grief, anxiety, panic, worry, distress.
When they are ready to explore their options for moving forward, hold that space with them and discuss a range of possibilities. Consider the pros and cons of each option. If they are struggling to identify any for themselves, consider offering three options you can identify and see what, if anything, resonates for them.
To help support someone, instead of glossing over their emotional reaction or rushing them towards feeling positive, this simple four-step process can help us to communicate more effectively: 1. ACKNOWLEDGE We need to acknowledge that their reaction (fear, sadness, rejection, etc.) is real for them. Acknowledge that their reaction is true and valid. Hear it. Don’t try to tell them they’re over-reacting or that it’s not that bad. You can’t control how someone else feels.
Allow the time for them to explore the options which suit them. Encourage them not to make rash decisions though bear in mind that some pragmatics might be worth considering. Some people will need support with the pragmatics of what to do immediately.
4. PLAN FOR ACTION When they are ready to test out some of the options, plan for action with them. They may or may not need your support with this. Engage as appropriate for the boundaries of your relationship, respecting their decisions. This approach is about being respectful and acknowledging the individual; allowing them to go through the emotions they are feeling and work through their options in their own time and way; offering support where you can. Our goal is to connect with people and connect them with supports. When we listen to people our goal is to listen and validate that what they’re experiencing is real for them, and to do with them, not do to them.
2. EXPRESS EMPATHY Express empathy for their feelings. Tell them you are sorry for their distress; or sorry they are sad; that you are sorry they are feeling overwhelmed. You are not telling them they are right or wrong for how they feel, simply empathising that how they feel is real for them and therefore important.
This is an edited extract from the book Bloom! at Work, by Tasha Broomhall. The book is available for purchase here.
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Where to Now? Developing Psychological Wellbeing at Work By Tasha Broomhall
T
o develop a positive mental health culture, organisations need to acknowledge the issues, make commitments to improve their knowledge, and facilitate skill development to ensure that employees can take responsibility for their own mental health and wellbeing. Organisations need to strive to meet their legal and moral obligations to support employees battling with mental health issues, and not cause them harm through ignorance or ineptitude.
Photo: Jon Tyson (Unsplash)
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Developing a Positive Mental Health Culture Do you want to improve your organisation’s mental health culture? Consider the following actions: 1. Start by giving your organisation a mental health check up: • How big is your risk of psychological injury? (see suggestions over the following pages to assist with this) • What measures can you identify which indicate risk? Absenteeism, disputes and complaints, morale issues, worker’s compensation claims (stress), EAP usage, etc. 2. Assess your organisation’s mental health culture: • Do your supervisors and managers know how to recognise and respond to mental health issues? • Do your employees know how to prevent their own risk of psychological injury? 3. Develop an organisational plan for minimising psychological injury and managing mental health issues in the workplace. • Include a clear organisational policy, procedure and accountabilities. This should include: • Steps for non-discrimination in recruitment and employment;
• Suggestions for reasonable adjustments for any functional impacts; • Protocols for confidentiality; and • Suggestions as to how to engage the employee in the planning and implementation of their individual supports. • Ensure that all employees with supervisory or management roles are confident in the implementation of the policies and procedures and that they can be advocates for improving the workplace mental health and wellbeing culture.
4. Implement this plan with appropriate education and training for all employees and monitor your organisation’s mental health culture annually, or sooner if warranted by circumstance. The goals of these programs are to reduce stigma and increase employees’ capacity to support others experiencing mental health issues, as well as to enhance their own mental health and wellbeing. Education and awareness raising can be achieved through many techniques such as: • Workplace posters • Information on the organisation’s intranet • Lunch and learn sessions with guest speakers • Participation in events such as Mental Health Week • Articles in newsletters • Formalised in-house stigma busting and skill building training programs Such techniques are most effective when implemented with a multi-modal approach. This is an edited extract from the book Bloom! At Work written by Tasha Broomhall. The book is available for purchase here.
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Hiking and Connecting with Refugees By Tasha Broomhall
Photo: Mark Illchuk
Photo: Neil McCulloch
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ating back to ancient times, connecting with the natural world has been a recommendation for boosting one’s wellbeing. There are many benefits from spending time in nature: • It promotes positive mental health • It reduces stress levels and arousal - decreasing heart rate and cortisol levels • Negative emotional states like loneliness and anxiety are experienced more positively when outside in a natural environment • Connecting with nature is easy to do, cost-effective and produces the greatest levels of effectiveness in improving wellbeing.
The First Hike Project (FHP) is a community movement which takes newly arrived refugee youth out on all-expenses-paid overnight hiking and camping adventures and are 100% volunteer-run. Neil McCulloch, an avid hiker himself, was surprised to learn that some newly arrived refugees to Australia were not familiar with the concept of hiking and camping as recreation. Neil saw an opportunity to provide social connection and started the First Hike Project with a group of friends who were also hikers. He easily found others who were willing to dedicate spare time towards introducing these new arrivals not only to the pursuit of hiking but also in extending a warm welcome to Australia. Neil has seen firsthand the benefits to individuals. ‘We’ve actually been very surprised by the positivity and eagerness of these youths to hit the ground running in this new country they call home. We’ve conducted preliminary surveys and have found the level of positivity about the future and the value they hold on their lives is extremely high (sometimes shadowing the Australian kids themselves) and we have seen this time and again on our hikes.’ ‘I do wish that everyone has the opportunity to meet someone who has come to our shores as a refugee and to see for themselves that we are all the same and are dealing with much the same issues in one way or another.’ The First Hike Project began in Perth two years ago, and through social media support they soon had requests for new groups to be started in other areas. There are now five groups established around the country with plans for two more this year. Expansion relies on successfully attaining grants, so there is significant work to be done to enable expansion. Neil is excited by the success of the project. ‘There have been some surprising learnings to come out of the whole project. We’ve had employment opportunities open up for some
participants as a result of meeting ordinary Australians with the usual connections you have in your home country, we have seen the use of our National Parks increase after the participants get introduced to this resource literally on their doorstep with friends and families joining them, we have seen the desire for us to run longer hikes be pushed by some of the fitter participants and this is something that we are eagerly pursuing. Not only that but we have seen some really amazing friendships start within the volunteer groups where like-minded folk have met each other through our project who didn’t know each other prior to volunteering with us.’ For people who wish to get involved and support the project, the FHP team are always open to more volunteers to help plan events. There are opportunities to volunteer for show-and-tell type events at schools and TAFEs, to run sausage sizzles, to guide hikes, to provide support vehicle assistance, or admin help. For the FHP to continue, they are seeking donations, both from individuals and from organisations. As well as smaller donations, there is the opportunity to sponsor a specific hike by donating the cost of a complete hike (currently $1000). Reference Capaldi, C. A., Passmore, H.-A., Nisbet, E. K., Zelenski, J. M., & Dopko, R. L. (2015). Flourishing in nature: A review of the benefits of connecting with nature and its application as a wellbeing intervention. International Journal of Wellbeing, 5(4), 1-16. doi:10.5502/ijw.v5i4.449
Bio – Neil McCulloch “I have been an immigrant and know how hard it is to assimilate or find your place in a new country. Owing to the amount of times locals have helped me out of a tricky spot or directed me to something I would have missed without them during my travels, I feel that First Hike Project is my way of giving back and being that person for others now. I’ve always loved hiking and have had the opportunity to do this in so many locations around the world (thanks to my gap decade) and just love the serenity and space that being in nature provides. Now that I have a family it is harder to get out there as often as I’d like so it’s nice to be able to activate others to use this resource that is freely available in this beautiful country.”
To explore volunteer opportunities, contact Neil on neil@firsthikeproject.org.au. To support the ongoing work of The First Hike Project donations can be made through their website at https://www.firsthikeproject.org.au
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What’s up, Doc? By Tasha Broomhall
Photo: Jonathon Borba (Unsplash)
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hen you visit your doctor, and run through your list of symptoms, you’re not likely to be thinking about how your doctor is feeling - about their mental health.
systems are still lagging behind. We can train our doctors to be resilient but they can only be as resilient as what their environment allows.”
As a society who relies on our doctors however, their mental health is something that should be getting more attention. We rely on doctors to diagnose our illnesses, to help our children get better, and to help us to manage chronic health conditions. And it seems many doctors are pretty good at looking after their physical health but what about their mental health?
When considering the risks to medical practitioners’ mental health Dr Newman states that it is a combination of factors such as the vicarious trauma experienced in treating sick and dying patients; the demands of modern medicine in a society which requires a high level of care 24 hours per day and the long shifts this entails; the personality type often attracted to medicine being someone who is driven and intelligent and used to pushing themselves; the ever present shadow of medico-legal risks of practice; the urgency of care and low cost pressures; and the stigma within the profession, which all contribute to the effect.
A 2013 report from Beyond Blue found that doctors reported significantly higher rates of psychological distress and higher rates of suicide attempts than the Australian population in general and higher than other Australian professionals. Discussions with both junior and senior doctors reveal similar stories of the pressures they experience. Working in high care roles, with long hours, and managing crises with limited resources, can lead to high levels of ongoing stress for medical professionals. Many report that their workplaces not only don’t support them at times of mental health issues, but in many cases they feel stigmatised and even blatantly discriminated against. Some report that the understanding and compassion which is shown to patients is not offered to colleagues and that instead the workplace culture is to “get over it” and to ignore or bully people into more acceptable behaviour. Health professionals often report that they are not confident in responding to the functional impacts of a colleague’s mental health issuesand not comfortable having the conversations about mental health concerns with colleagues that they habitually have with patients. Despite years of training and dedication to excellence, doctors are, after all, still humans working in a field that is incredibly pressured. This pressure can be a strong breeding ground for emotional distress. Sarah Newman is a General Practitioner and a board member of The Doctors’ Health Advisory Service Western Australia (DHAS WA) and the AMA Doctors in Training Committee (Co-Chair of Welfare Sub-Committe). Dr Newman says “It is known in medicine that we have a risk around practitioner mental health and tragedies like… the fact that we’ve lost so many junior doctors to suicide in recent years is distressing to our profession, however is anything changing to minimise the risk? Not quickly enough.” “There is a lot of focus on getting medical practitioners to increase our insight into the emotional toll in what we do, to build our resilience and coping strategies, but the
Often the management staff in medical practices, like in many professions, are promoted because of their clinical skills. They may not have the necessary skills to perform the human side of their role – managing people. A focus simply on patient needs and administrative requirements is not enough. Managers, as in all workplaces, must know their roles and responsibilities in recognising and responding to mental health issues in the workplace. They need to know what is legally required to ensure that they are not discriminating against staff because of mental health issues. They need strategies to approach and address staff with mental health issues, know how to have the conversations with staff and how to develop reasonable workplace accommodations or adjustments for mental health issues. From a systemic level, medical institutions who want to improve their mental health culture, the wellbeing of their practitioners, and ultimately safeguard patient care, should consider an audit of their own processes and systems. Do they promote a culture of positive mental health and wellbeing through leadership awareness, commitment and accountability around employee mental health? Do they have preventative structures in place such as appropriate rostering to minimise onerous fatigue, access to leave entitlements and programs to nurture the skills of leaders to appropriately manage mental health risks when they arise?
We rely on our doctors to help make us well. Don’t we want and need them to be well too? 27
Women
Helping
Women ONLINE
Photo: Kobu Agency (Unsplash)
By Tasha Broomhall
Photo: Eric Ward (Unsplash)
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eople who experience low self-esteem and poor views of their body image can become obsessed with altering how they look, posing a risk for unhealthy behaviours regarding eating and exercising habits.1 Across the world, 1 in 5 students miss school because they feel that they don’t look good enough. 31% of teenagers don’t participate in class to avoid drawing attention to their appearance.2
Lexy’s dream now is that the HerHelp App will be downloaded on everyone’s phone, however ‘for now I’m growing at a stable pace which I’m happy with! I think the most important thing about empowering women is if we all get together and empower each other together we can touch so many people’s hearts!’
Most forms of social media young women use are predominantly image-centric3 where much of the content promotes society’s perceived ideal of thinness4. Exposure though social media use is linked to negative body image in women.5
Approximately 50% of young women say they are dissatisfied with their physical appearance.6 Lexy McDonald created HerHelp, an interactive platform which aims to support young women, and others of all ages, through daily struggles when she was aged just 17. Lexy says ‘Throughout my schooling I noticed teenage girls can really struggle - whether it be body image or being bullied. I believe a lot of this comes from social media. Instead of waiting for a platform to be made for me to share my positive message to help these girls I decided to make my own.’ HerHelp was released in July 2019 with the aim of empowering women to embrace who they truly are, as opposed to trying to live up to social expectations. The platform includes a networking forum which allows the users to communicate and share advice on events they experience daily. People are able to express who they are and provide extra support to people who may be struggling with confidence, bullying, relationships, studying, goal setting and/or health and wellness. Lexy built HerHelp to create a safe space where girls could go online, initially sharing her own story, though to date more than 50 girls have shared their stories as well. In the first six months HerHelp had over 1000 users with some people interacting on a daily basis. Lexy has now spoken at events and engaged in radio interviews. Celebrating the connections that HerHelp is creating Lexy says ‘It is definitely proving effective so far. I’ve had hundreds of direct messages from girls telling me how much the app has helped them!’ Lexy’s initially humble goals have been exceeded. ‘I told myself going into it that even if I helped one girl this app is worth it. So to have thousands of girls in the last few months using it and telling me it’s been beneficial for them is just incredible!’
Lexy McDonald launched the App “HerHelp!” in July of 2019. It’s an interactive platform which is available on both the App Store and Google Play with an aim to encourage, guide and support young girls through daily challenges. Download HerHelp on the Apple Store or Google Play and follow on Instagram @ herhelpco! References: [1] National Eating Disorders Collaboration. (n.d.). Body Image. Retrieved from https://www.nedc.com.au/eating-disorders/eating-disordersexplained/body-image/ [2] The Butterfly Foundation. (n.d.). Butterfly Education for Young People. Retrieved from https://thebutterflyfoundation.org.au/our-services/ education/for-young-people/ [3] Perloff, R. M. (2014). Social media effects on young women’s body image concerns: Theoretical perspectives and an agenda for research. Sex Roles, 71(11-12), 363-377. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-014-0384-6 [4] Fernandez, S., & Pritchard, M. (2012). Relationships between selfesteem, media influence and drive for thinness. Eating Behaviors, 13, 321–325. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2012.05.004 [5] Fardouly, J., Diedrichs, P. C., Vartanian, L. R., & Halliwell, E. (2015). Social comparisons on social media: The impact of facebook on young women’s body image concerns and mood. Body Image, 13, 38-45. https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2014.12.002 [6] Grabe, S., Ward, L. M., & Hyde, J. S. (2008). The role of the media in body image concerns among women: A meta-analysis of experimental and correlational studies. Psychological Bulletin, 134(3), 460–476. https://doi. org/10.1037/0033-2909.134.3.460
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Meditation By Julie Meek
I have tried a handful of times over the past twenty years to embark upon meditation. I have tried introductory courses several times and each time finished the course feeling no more competent than before. So far, the well-known benefits of this age-old practice have well and truly eluded me. It is obvious to me now that one does not embark upon or tackle meditation like an exercise program. It is a ritual or routine which requires time and practice. Considering that people have been meditating for thousands of years, perhaps it’s not surprising that I haven’t been able to master it in a couple of decades. The definition of meditation depends on the form you are practising, however many forms involve training your mind to focus and achieving a state of being and awareness. The Australian Teachers of Meditation Association says ‘in its broadest and most universal definition, meditation is a discipline that involves turning the mind and attention inward and focusing on a single thought, image or feeling.’
breath, counting and mindfulness. Although many people may associate meditation with spiritual practice, in a practical sense it is attentional practice. If, like me, you have found meditation to be challenging, there is good news to be found. In my research on this topic I have discovered that meditation doesn’t need to be lengthy and many have suggested that simply focusing intensely in a concentrated way for 30-60 seconds is better than trying to maintain focus over a long period of time, while your mind wanders here, there and everywhere. Interest in maximising performance has been gaining momentum for a while but there is no doubt that times are changing. Amidst the incessant demands that we are subject to each day, people are more interested in things that bring balance, focus and harmony. Meditation is one of those things.
It is well documented that many successful people make meditation part of their day and in fact find it essential not just to their health but for developing their ability to focus on the truly important things in their personal and professional lives. Meditation helps develop skills in:
• Knowing what your mind is paying attention to; • Working out where your mind’s attention needs to be focused; and • Maintaining attention on what you want your mind to be focusing on. The difficulty with developing focus is not just the external distractions in our lives but also the internal chatter of our minds. It is very difficult to sit and keep your mind focused on a single thing when automatically your attention is often drawn to replaying the past, worrying about the future and other negative thoughts. Feeling relaxed and focused is a quickly acquired positive side-effect of meditation but it can also help develop mental strength, resilience and performance. Experts in this centuries-old practice have various methods of meditation including focusing on the
A nutritionist and dietitian, Julie Meek is one of the most respected sports’ dietitians in Australia with over 15 years’ experience in public, sports’ and corporate nutrition. www.juliemeek.com.au
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Building Buoyancy: Coping with Stress and Change Go beyond resilience and thrive, whatever life throws at you. Rising stress and anxiety levels affect our quality of life, relationships and general health and wellbeing, as well as workplace morale and productivity. This psychological self-care course helps you actively develop emotional buoyancy. You’ll learn strategies and techniques to manage stressful situations, stay calm under pressure, bounce back from adversity and find balance in life. You’ll learn how to apply the five-step model of buoyancy to your life and: • Look at mental health holistically and understand the mental wellbeing continuum. • Develop mental dexterity and manage thought patterns that affect wellbeing. • Develop stress agility and master stress management techniques. • Go beyond resilience and live a values-based life. • Nurture positive relationships and psychological wellbeing. This six-week eLearning course includes a copy of the BLOOM! Mental Health and Wellbeing eBook and a 12-month subscription to our A Year to Bloom eJournal.
GET STARTED LEARNING HERE , OR CONTACT US FOR GROUP BOOKINGS.
As part of Blooming Minds’ ongoing support of key charities, we commit to donating $10 from the sale of each Building Buoyancy eLearning course to charity. We have chosen 4 charities that are each working to help create the kind of world we wish to live in: • 100 WOMEN • CARAD • JILYA • SIRENS OF SILENCE After checkout, participants will be asked which charity you would like to support and we will donate the total each quarter.
This 6-week online course includes: • weekly video lesson • weekly self-reflection activity • weekly meditation to download • links to additional recommended resources; Bloom! Mental Health and Wellbeing and 52 week eJournal
Our eLearning programs have been developed by our Director Tasha Broomhall MSc (Psych) and our team of specialists. Blooming Minds works with organisations to enhance positive mental health cultures. Positively engaged employees are more productive and innovative, maximising their discretionary efforts.
b l o o mi ng mi nd s.c o m .au
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Give and Receive
Welcome By Michael Prince
Photo: Shutterstock
H situations?
ow do you show up in new, challenging or uncertain
How might the simple practice of hospitality transform how you show up and what happens next? The title of this piece is the first of eleven “Touchstones” used to create a safe, hospitable ‘container’ for Courage & Renewal retreats based on Parker Palmer’s work. Together they create a trustworthy conversation space where there is no fixing, saving, advising or correcting each other, where we support each other to listen to our inner teacher. Sounds delicious, attractive and unusual? It is and it works. After some 5 years experiencing such life-giving space, I’ve begun experimenting with taking these Touchstones beyond retreats into daily life and work.
“People learn best in hospitable spaces. In this space we support each other’s learning by giving and receiving hospitality. “ From Circle of Trust Touchstones
https://courageway.org/wp-content/ uploads/2019/01/Courage-Way_ Touchstones_Circle-of-trust-2019.pdf
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I noticed my default behaviour was to be guarded; nervous, uncertain, lacking confidence, overly concerned with what others might think of me. This was the opposite of how I wanted to be; a perfect form of self-sabotage. As I observed my ‘defended’ pattern, I recognised its origin in our legitimate fundamental human concerns to belong; to be liked and respected by others. I traced its source to early childhood and the schoolyard. Like many, I grew up often feeling different to my peer groups, rarely part of the ‘in crowd’, leaving me uncertain about showing up in new situations. I learnt to be ‘on guard’ against the perceived likelihood of ridicule, attack and rejection. I learnt to compare myself to whoever I’m with; who’s in/out, superior/inferior, better/ worse, etc. Depending on my unconscious assessment I’d feel more or less confident in myself. These interrelated patterns stopped me, of course, from simply showing up and being my authentic self. What of this rings true to your experience? How does the practice of hospitality (giving and receiving welcome) support me to shift such deeply entrenched patterns? You’ll notice these patterns are generated by my own inner conversation. In the first instance, this bears no relation to what’s actually happening externally. I’m assuming the other person’s intention, projecting my ungrounded fears onto them, generating a self-fulfilling prophecy which dictates how I show up. As an alternative, whenever I notice the old patterns being triggered, I practice sidestepping them by intentionally choosing to give and receive welcome firstly to myself AND secondly to the person(s) with whom I’m interacting: • For myself: I give myself a moment of silence, time to breathe and become comfortable in my own skin in the new situation. I acknowledge any feelings of nervousness as normal and don’t give myself a hard time about them. I allow time to gather my thoughts
and choose my intention. • For the Other: Instead of starting guarded, I choose to practice treating others as I want to be treated. I assume others will be open and welcoming of me rather than the opposite, especially if they experience this from me. I assume their best intention until I receive specific evidence to the contrary. More often than not this is a simple, effective mental, emotional and physical circuit breaker allowing me to show up differently, setting off a positive self-fulfilling prophecy rather than a negative one. I remain, of course, a work in progress, depending on the day or moment. But as Victor Frankl said, ‘Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.’ Practising this gift of hospitality is part on my ongoing journey toward welcoming and accepting my full humanity, my own flawed magnificence as described by neuroscience. I will never be free of my habitual, reactive responses, they are deeply engrained neural pathways. I can, however, become better at noticing these patterns earlier and earlier, so they do myself and others less damage, and I am choosing, practicing and entrenching new, more life-giving patterns like ‘giving and receiving welcome’.
Photo courtesy of Michael Prince
Setting ‘giving and receiving welcome’ as a daily intention can, and frequently does, make a significant difference to how the interactions of any day unfold. Let me explain. Some years ago, I began noticing a long held, unconscious pattern in how I showed up to new situations that I expected to be challenging, uncertain or uncomfortable. For me, this can be turning up to large networking events where I don’t know many people, a job interview, or running a workshop for an executive team I’ve not worked with before, and so on.
Michael Prince is a coach, speaker and facilitator who is passionate about Courage Work: Unlocking courageous, wholehearted leadership. He creates safe, trustworthy spaces for people to reconnect “soul with role”; who they are with what they do.
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DEVELOP YOUR MENTAL HEALTH KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS. ANYTIME. ANYWHERE. Our eLearning courses and resources provide a wealth of workplace mental health and psychological wellbeing insights, lessons and strategies you can explore at your own pace. The COVID-19 pandemic and economic slowdown are disrupting all our lives and businesses. It’s a testing time. But it’s also an opportunity for selfreflection and self-improvement. Our eLearning resources can help you and your workforce take stock and come back stronger than ever.
Building Buoyancy: Coping with Stress and Change Go beyond resilience and thrive, whatever life throws at you. Rising stress and anxiety levels affect our quality of life, relationships and general health and wellbeing, as well as workplace morale and productivity. This psychological self-care course helps you actively develop emotional buoyancy. You’ll learn strategies and techniques to manage stressful situations, stay calm under pressure, bounce back from adversity and find balance in life. You’ll learn how to apply the five-step model of buoyancy to your life and: • Look at mental health holistically and understand the mental wellbeing continuum. • Develop mental dexterity and manage thought patterns which affect wellbeing. • Develop stress agility and master stress management techniques. • Go beyond resilience and live a values-based life. • Nurture positive relationships and psychological wellbeing.
e-journal
This six-week eLearning course includes an e-copy of the BLOOM! Mental Health and Wellbeing book and a 12-month subscription to our A Year to Bloom e-journal.
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Workplace Mental Health for Leaders The skills and tools leaders need to recognise and address mental health issues. Designed for leaders, this four-module eLearning course teaches you how to recognise common mental health issues, meet your legal obligations to your employees and balance the needs of your people with the needs of your business. You’ll learn how to: • Recognise the symptoms and effects of common mental health issues in the workplace. • Fulfil your responsibilities when responding to mental health issues in the workplace. • Develop strategies to approach and address employees with mental health issues. • Design reasonable workplace adjustments for employees with mental health issues.
Choose from two versions of the course, with the option of individually marked assessments and feedback that ensure you’re able to apply your learnings in your leadership role and work.
The Mental Health Champions program Turn mental health from a cost centre to a profit driver. Combining eLearning with a five-day training program, our Blooming Minds Mental Health Champions™ course enables organisations to create a peer-driven, self-sustaining mental health and wellbeing culture. For your people. With your people. We tailor the program to suit your organisation and create a team of 50+ in-house mental health champions – champions with the skills, knowledge, ongoing support and resources they need to:
ex p e r i e n c e
mental disorders
every year
AND 5 IN 5 CAN ACTIVELY SUPPORT THEIR MENTAL WELLBEING
• • • •
Recognise and manage mental health issues in the workplace. Deliver workplace mental health awareness sessions. Champion psychological health and safety best practice. Fulfil your organisation’s psychological health and safety obligations. • Nurture a workplace health and wellbeing culture that everyone owns. • Minimise psychological risk and eliminate mental health costs from your balance sheet. For more information about our eLearning courses and resources, including the COVID-19 licence extension for our Mental Health Champions program, call us on 0409 922 155 or email info@bloomingminds.com.au.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT ANNA EAMES info@bloomingminds.com.au 0409 922 155 TO PURCHASE https://bloomingminds.com.au/shop/
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Connectedness Schedule in time to maintain positive social connect ions with those who nourish your soul (have a cup of tea via phone or skype with a friend or colleague; take your own cup of tea and sit outside to chat with a neighbour) and connect with yourself – yoga, journaling & meditation can be great for this.
Time in nature Try to spend a minimum of 2 hours per week sensorially engaging with nature (i.e. shoes off, smelling, seeing, hearing being engaged & being still in nature).
Nutrition
5 strategies for less stress while physical distancing ©Blooming Minds 2020
Try to increase intake of plant based & nonprocessed foods; drink more water; reduce alcohol (never use it to numb st ress). Try to be more mindful when making food choices & while eating.
Movement Try to increase your daily movement to build overall fitness, and improve your sleep, mood & energy cycles. If you're not very active, start by increasing your activity levels with 10 minutes of movement at a time. You can go for a walk, or search online videos of an activity you’ve always wanted to try; yoga, Tai Chi or a boxing class
Sleep hygiene Try to get 1 hour's sleep for every 2 hours awake; stick to set bedt ime & wake up times; create a calming sleep environment; stop device use at least 45 minutes before bed. Keep your usual sleep cycle (don’t stay up all night watching movies!).
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5 strategies for less stress while Physical distancing It can be tempting to hurl ourselves through life, one commitment after another, ignoring self-care. You may've heard people cry, ‘I don’t have time for self-care!’ It can feel like an extra chore to fit into an already bulging schedule.
Instead, reframe & internalise self-care as the basis for how you live. Use these ideas to help you habitualise self-care. Tick each activity once completed & track what you naturally do, & work to increase the areas you wish to improve.
©Blooming Minds 2019
Have you done your 5 this week?
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Psychological safety & wellbeing for remote teams
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orking remotely will be a new challenge for many people. Social connection is incredibly important to cohesive work practices and focussing on social connection while physical distancing is important. For leaders who aren’t used to managing remote teams, it’s important to develop the skills to engage, and strategies to stay connected. Psychological safety at work requires, trust, connection, and open communication. The following ideas aren’t designed to be used all at once! Rather, these are for you to consider which might meet your teams needs and support them at present. It is a good idea to engage your team in the design of how they wish to be connected, bearing in mind that not everyone will have the same needs or preferences, so stay flexible. If your team/ team member is new to working remotely… Recognise the individual needs for connection and the varied life circumstances which may make it hard for some people to work from home. Be respectful
and compassionate about these differences. Have a discussion with each team member about how they are finding working remotely and listen to their responses. Be mindful that if they express a negative experience, or a different one to yours, to still listen carefully, without dismissing their experience or jumping in with solutions. Some useful questions may be: • What’s been the biggest CHALLENGE about working remotely for you? • What’s been the BEST thing for you? • What’s been the biggest SURPRISE? Talk these questions through and if they feel that their experience is different to others, maintain confidentiality and explore the similarities and the differences. Work together to consider solutions for the challenges and to identify what can be done to maintain the positive outcomes.
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Techniques to engage your team.
GOAL: Maintain social connection and motivation • Work against the clock – log onto to your video conferencing with a colleague and set an agenda for what tasks you each wish to complete and then focus on your own tasks, working against the clock. Check in at the end to ensure you’ve both achieved what you set out to do. • Phone check-in beginning & end of day – go for a walk, put your headphones in and have a general phone check in to start or end the day. • Lunch together online – set a lunch hour and invite everyone on your team and other teams to pop on for a casual drop-in lunch hour via your video conferencing system.
GOAL: Maintain everyone’s focus during online meetings • Start with a few minutes check in & catch up before getting into the agenda. • Start & finish on time. • Don’t overdo it - not every conversation has to be a video meeting. • Make sure everyone is clear about the focus for the meeting.
GOAL: Fun ways to engage team members and to keep energy and creativity high during a meeting: • Bring your pet to work day – if team members don’t have a pet they could bring a stuffed animal, a photo of a previous pet, or an image of an aspirational pet. • Frock up Friday – instead of free-dress Friday at the office, invite all team members to don their finest gear. • Scavenger Hunt – give staff a riddle to solve which directs them to a household item. • Bingo – as well as generic items that are likely to occur in a video meeting, you can also customise Bingo cards for your team.
Some basics to get right when working with remote teams: • Talk with your employees about what work hours they are able to work. Often working remotely allows for flexible work hours, but as when working in the office, it’s important to communicate work hours to ensure that we are able to manage expectations & workflow. Agree on check-in times during the day and week. • For those employees who are new to working remotely liaise with them about whatever technological support they may need to reduce their stress levels. • Trial different ways to stay connected & be flexible with what works for different people.
GOAL: an ‘ice-breaker’ to give team members an opportunity to bring something of themselves to the meeting to build relationships.
A word of caution!
• Either before the meeting send a message asking team members to come prepared with the following, or during the meeting put up a slide which gives instructions to:
Be aware that if your meeting is with your work team, your organisation’s values and code of conduct will still apply. Ensure all team members understand this and respect these boundaries in what they share of themselves.
• Bring the oldest thing in your house • Bring the cutest thing in your house • Bring your most prized possession that you’d run back in and grab if there was a fire • Bring something that will surprise us about you (keep it G Rated and legal!) • Bring us three red things from your house
If you would like help to assess psychological safety and wellbeing for your team, Blooming Minds can help. Contact us today.
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Leading Positively Through Change During times of change, leaders can fall into the trap of simply communicating the WHAT is happening and WHEN it is happening of organisational change processes. This pragmatic approach often fails to recognise the humans (the WHO) involved in the process of change. When this happens, it can lead to employees feeling either disconnected from, or possibly disruptive to, the process. Positive leadership requires both acceptance and understanding of emotional needs during change, as well as the strategies to support these. Positive leadership focuses on the WHO – the people – involved in change processes, maximising their engagement, and benefiting from their involvement. How can leaders achieve this? There are 5 key elements to focus on:
1. Values Values-based leadership is not only important during times of organisational change, it is important ongoing in creating positive workplace cultures. That said, during times of change, leaders should aim to articulate the rationale, the decision-making process and the determined actions, based on the organisation’s values. This requires that leaders themselves can first articulate what the values are, identify behaviours which are aligned with those values and celebrate when they observe these in action. They should also be able to identify non-aligned behaviours and engage curiously when they notice these.
2. Model of Responses to Change
Source: Adams et al (1976) As cited in: Surviving change; L.Leahy & N.Chamberlain, 2008
The Adams (1976) figure outlines possible emotional reactions to change. We need to understand that through times of change our experiences will be different; we will progress through the change reaction curve at different paces 2. Model of Responses to Change and some individuals will not experience every emotion whereas others may stay with one response for a lot longer than their colleagues. When we have different responses to our peers, it can increase our sense of disconnection therefore make The Adams (1976) figure outlines possible emotional reactions to change. it harder for people to workWe collaboratively and to progress the change initiatives.
need to understand that through times of change our experiences will be An important element of leading others through change is having self-awareness different; we will progress through the change reaction curve at different and self-leadership. Know where you are on the curve and equip yourself with paces and some individuals will not experience every emotionsupports whereasto help you transition as required. appropriate others may stay with one response for a lot longer than their Onepeers, strategy suggested by Leahy and Chamberlain is to describe these possible colleagues. When we have different responses to our it can reactions to change to employees, and to invite them to reflect on where they increase our sense of disconnection therefore make harder areitat in the reaction cycle; to discuss the differences with where each of them for people to work collaboratively and to progressare; thehow change they can get their needs met, and how they can support others. initiatives. 3. Strategies to Manage Stress
An important element of leading others through In her famous TED talk on stress, psychologist Kelly McGonigal argues that rather change is having self-awareness and self-leadership. than trying to calm down your pounding heart when stressed, you instead view Know where you are on the curve and equip the stress reaction as your body getting ready for the challenge; giving you the yourself with appropriate supports to help you energy to deal with the issues. Your pounding heart is preparing you for action and faster breathing is getting more oxygen to your brain so that you can think more transition as required.
clearly. She determines that how you think about stress matters. A Harvard University study was conducted which asked one group of participants to rethink their bodies’ response to stress. The group who positively reframed their stress responses experienced far fewer negative effects from stressful situations than the control group.
One strategy suggested by Leahy and Chamberlain is to describe these possible reactions to change to employees, and to invite them to reflect on where they are at in the reaction cycle; to discuss the differences with where each of them are; how they can get their needs met, and how they can support others. www.bloomingminds.com.au
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3. Strategies to Manage Stress In her famous TED talk on stress, psychologist Kelly McGonigal argues that rather than trying to calm down your pounding heart when stressed, you instead view the stress reaction as your body getting ready for the challenge; giving you the energy to deal with the issues. Your pounding heart is preparing you for action and faster breathing is getting more oxygen to your brain so that you can think more clearly. She determines that how you think about stress matters. A Harvard University study was conducted which asked one group of participants to rethink their bodies’ response to stress. The group who positively reframed their stress responses experienced far fewer negative effects from stressful situations than the control group. We recognise that for many uncertainty and change can elicit stress responses. However, we can use the opportunity to demonstrate and encourage people to positively engage with proactive stress management strategies so that they are able to take positive actions rather than feel overwhelmed. There are many different stress management models. The key is to find positive, helpful strategies and to use them proactively. If an employee is experiencing a high stress response which is distressing to them, or that is impacting on their functioning or wellbeing, then recommend that they seek specific individual support from your EAP provider.
4. Positive Mental Wellbeing Building positive mental wellbeing proactively can help sustain us through periods of distress and uncertainty. There are many ways to do this. Shawn Anchor conducted a program with KPMG employees in the lead up to tax time. The employees were instructed to choose one of five activities designed to improve positive personal mental wellbeing: 1. Jot down three things they were grateful for; 2. Write a positive message to someone in their social support network; 3. Meditate at their desk for two minutes; 4. Exercise for 10 minutes; or 5. Take two minutes to describe in a journal the most meaningful experience of the past 24 hours.
The participants chose an activity to do each day for three weeks. The participants and a control group, who had not done the daily activities, were then assessed several days after the training concluded to evaluate their general sense of well-being, their level of engagement and if they were depressed. The experimental group results demonstrated significantly more improvement on all scores than the control group, and this difference was maintained when both groups were tested again four months later. Shawn Achor concluded in the research that happiness had become habitual. Helping your employees to access resilience and positive wellbeing skills can be a fundamental step in helping them to manage their mental wellbeing proactively. Could you introduce a program to help your employees build positive psychological wellbeing?
5. Effective Relationships and Supports Positive relationships between colleagues can assist with morale and can equip employees better during periods of stress and change. Achor, Ben-Shahar and Stone identify social support as the primary predictor of happiness during high stress. Their research suggests that while the support a person receives is important, the support they give is an even more important factor in sustained engagement and happiness. • How can you increase supports and model this for others? • How can you increase supports for each other and increase the sense of belonging and connectedness within your team, and to the broader organisation? References L. Leahy & N. Chamberlain, “Surviving Change”, Strategic HR Review, Vol 7, No. 6, 2008 Deci, E. L., “Effects of Externally Mediated Rewards on Intrinsic Motivation”, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 18; 1971 “Positive Intelligence”, S. Achor, https://hbr.org/2012/01/positiveintelligence K. McGonigal, TED talk, https://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_ mcgonigal_how_to_make_stress_your_friend
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Testimonials I would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to you on a job well done…your presentation was informative, thought provoking and interesting. Students who attended the course were impressed by your professionalism and knowledge. Comments such as, “you have no idea how much this has helped me”, “I learned how to handle stress more effectively and how to recognize it”. These comments attest to your level of ability in delivering the material. Students were left with a lasting impression that they will take into their future careers. Thank you A. Watkins, Notre Dame University
I was hooked from the beginning to end. I was continuously learning new stuff about how I can help others and myself.
Very practical and informative course. Excellent way to upskill front line leaders in mental health management in the workplace. Received feedback from other participants that this should always be offered to new supervisors. Great job. J. Bruce, Human Resources, Cliffs
Practical tools and advice to identify and manage mental illness in the workplace in a way that supports the individual and the business needs. Excellent presentation, good examples, entertaining. C. Bam, Manager, Department of Commerce
F. Mitchell, CSO, Workpower Inc.
Tasha’s style in training is excellent. Her balance between evidence-based theory and practical strategies means you leave the workshop with key actions and inspiration to improve employees’ mental wellbeing
Tasha is knowledgeable and entertaining. Learning is easy with her. S. Eccleston, Tech Advisor, Water Corporation
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F. Peters, HR Policy Advisor, ECU
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