Lindsay Schiess: Why Better Leaders Start With Better Self-Awareness

What if some of the biggest problems inside a workplace could be addressed before they become burnout, conflict, disengagement, or a resignation letter?In this episode of Mental Health Momentum, Silicon Slopes Director of Mental Health Awareness and licensed psychologist Dr. David Morgan sits down with Lindsay Schiess, LCSW, therapist, speaker, University of Utah instructor, podcast host, and founder of Rise with Purpose.Lindsay has spent her career studying a deceptively simple question: What helps some people move through difficult experiences and grow, while others become stuck?That curiosity eventually led her from an early interest in broadcast journalism into mental health. She discovered that she didn't just want to hear people's stories, she wanted to understand human behavior and help people change their stories.Today, Lindsay brings those lessons beyond the therapy office and into workplaces, helping leaders, teams, and organizations understand how emotional health affects communication, relationships, resilience, and performance. And one of her biggest lessons is surprisingly practical: You can work on problems proactively, or you can clean them up later. Either way, you're going to spend the time.Lindsay and David explore why people often wait until they're overwhelmed before seeking help, why mental health progress can be harder to recognize than physical progress, and why an outside perspective can help us see patterns we simply can't recognize when we're in the middle of them.The conversation also moves directly into the workplace. Lindsay explains that many of the same problems she encounters in therapy, particularly communication breakdowns and disconnection, show up inside organizations. Her work with businesses is designed to address those issues earlier, giving people tools to build healthier environments before problems reach the breaking point.In This Episode, You'll Learn:Why self-awareness can make us better leaders, partners, parents, and colleaguesWhy mental health deserves the same intentional investment we give physical healthHow an outside perspective can reveal patterns we can't see ourselvesWhy communication and disconnection are both personal and workplace problemsHow resilience helps people navigate difficult experiences and changeWhy proactive investment in workplace mental health can be easier than repairing burnout and conflict laterHow leaders can create healthier, more connected teamsWhy the hardest personal work can also produce some of the most meaningful changeAs Lindsay puts it, the real work doesn't end in a therapy session or leadership training. It shows up when you return to your family, your employees, your relationships, and your everyday life.