Ep. 84 Mental Health & Leadership in Construction: Vee Holt on Real Support

Send a textMental health isn’t a weakness, it’s the foundation of strong teams and sustainable careers.In this Thrive in Construction Podcast episode, Darren Evans speaks with Vee Holt, Mental Health Trainer at St John Ambulance, who brings personal experience and professional expertise to the vital topic of mental health in the workplace.From overcoming their own struggles with anxiety and depression to training hundreds of professionals across industries, Vee shares practical strategies for creating cultures where people feel safe, supported, and able to thrive, particularly in high-pressure sectors like construction.Key Highlights:- Lived Experience & Professional Expertise: How Vee’s personal journey from university dropout to mental health trainer shaped their mission to support others.- Recognising the Signs: How to identify when you or a colleague might need support—long before a crisis hits.- Breaking the Stigma in Construction: Tackling the “tough guy” culture and empowering workers to speak up without fear of judgement.- Active Listening & Empathy in Action: The skills every manager needs to serve, not fix, when supporting mental health.- Preventing Burnout & Building Resilience: Why reflection, connection, and daily habits are crucial to long-term wellbeing.- Suicide Prevention & Courageous Conversations: Debunking myths, asking the hard questions, and providing life-saving support.This episode is a must-listen for leaders, managers, and professionals across construction and beyond who want to create healthier workplaces and support their teams effectively.If you want to see our other insightful podcasts, click here:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOHI_yaqB2U8KWbsfJDPCoYEfOh-TTnipFind us on:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0dDkxLWZ25nT0krYWaTiITApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thrive-in-construction-with-darren-evans/id1726973152YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTrzqei7gttB8WB5wM6hUpwLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/thrive-in-construction-podcast/Our Website: https://darren-evans.co.uk/Links:Vee Holt's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vee-holt-746a01129/St John's Ambulance LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/st-john-ambulance/St Jon's Ambulance: www.sja.org.uk#MentalHealthInConstruction #ThriveInConstruction #WorkplaceWellbeing #SuicidePrevention #ActiveListening #ConstructionCulture #StJohnAmbulance #MentalHealthMattersSupport the show