THIS IS QUEENSBOROUGH
queenschamber.org
EXPERT ADVICE
MENTAL HEALTH & RESILIENCY IN THE WORKPLACE When the terrifying thought of a pandemic became our reality, lives around the world changed and a new normal would quickly replace the lifestyles and workspaces that we all had grown so accustomed to. Fear of the unknown replaced the complacency of the everyday. Anxiety replaced comfort. And the mental well-being of professionals across the board was forced out of the “unmentionable” and into the light. The world was not prepared for COVID-19, and many people suffered both physically and emotionally. TLC Virtual Resiliency (TLCVR) started in response to a direct call for help from professionals struggling emotionally during the pandemic and long after. TLC-VR promotes mental wellness by offering programming that adapts to the needs of educators, healthcare professionals, human services workers, and law professionals. TLC-VR has made it their mission to care for those who care for others. Developing resilient employees not only benefits them as individuals, but it benefits their families and the communities they serve, as well as your business. Research shows that resilient people are more motivated, pro-
Robert Goldman, J.D., Psy.D., is chief psychologist and co-CEO of TLC-VR.
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ductive, and efficient at their jobs. They are less susceptible to burnout and healthier, meaning decreased absenteeism, health care costs, and presenteeism. TLC Virtual Resiliency supports employees to not only survive but thrive in the extreme and accelerating stress of today’s workplace environment. TLC’s psychoeducational curriculum offers evidence-based techniques uniquely tailored to meet the changing needs of the company and individual users. The goal is to make professional support accessible, affordable, and convenient, so anyone who struggles with life’s challenges can get the assistance they need. And TLCVR programs go beyond immediate issues – as curricula are continually being evaluated for effectiveness – looking to the future of both the organization and the individual. These assessment results drive a custom curriculum and service delivery plan to help your employees on their path to resiliency and ensure your company’s success. The psychoeducational curriculum incorporates evidence-based techniques including: • Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy • Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy To better understand TLC-VR’s mission, The Resiliency Tree was created. The tree is divided into the Fear, Learning, Growth and Resilience zones. When stressful life events occur, the initial response is often fear, which leads us to tap into a set of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that create a perpetual negative cycle. At TLC-VR, the goal is to help your employees climb out of the Fear Zone and begin to learn life
skills, positive thinking patterns, and coping strategies to address current and future stressors. In the Growth Zone, the strategies that are taught at TLC-VR are practiced and form healthy habits. Content is offered to further guide healthy habits, healthy minds, and healthy communications. Ultimately, these healthy habits become part of a person’s character and create a paradigm shift. Life stressors are inevi- Mental wellness in the workplace has table, however a person in many benefits to the employer. the Resilience Zone views the danger within a crisis and turns it into an opportunity to grams. grow. As people enter the ResilTLC-VR was formed as a call to ience Zone, their work-life, home- action to offer support and resilienlife, and sense of self all have an cy education to frontline workers opportunity to blossom. and educators who were impacted Today, TLC-VR partners with by the pandemic. For many proboth private and public sector orga- fessional sectors, the long-lasting nizations and has seen a profound effects of COVID-19 are still an show of support from all walks of unknown. professional workspaces – localiBut in these ever-changing envities, schools, healthcare facilities, ronments, promoting mental wellelected officials – including a part- ness and resiliency education is of nership with CLE training pro- the utmost importance.
The Resiliency Tree is divided into four different zones.
