Headspace for the Workplace with Dr. Sally: Helping Leaders Build Human-Centered Workplaces

In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I sit down with Jennifer Moffett, a senior technology leader who has spent over 22 years at PayPal, a national suicide prevention advocate with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, a volunteer leader on the Nebraska State Suicide Prevention Coalition, and a suicide loss survivor. We are covering one of the least-discussed parts of the mental health continuum at work: not identification, not crisis intervention, but what happens after. How do you return someone to work from mental health leave in a way that supports recovery rather than simply declaring it complete?Jennifer opens with a framing I use every time I talk about this with employers: silence is not neutral. When a manager is so afraid of saying the wrong thing that they say almost nothing, the employee reads that silence as avoidance, judgment, or indifference. The manager's discomfort becomes the employee's burden. Jennifer's 22 years at PayPal, and the deeply personal story of how they handled her own leave two weeks into her career after losing her stepfather to suicide, give her a grounded, firsthand view of what good reintegration looks like and what it produces in terms of loyalty, longevity, and genuine belonging.The episode is short, practical, and packed with things any manager can do next week. It covers how to prepare before the employee walks back in, how to have the return conversation humanely, how to co-create the reintegration plan rather than handing one down, how to manage the disclosure conversation with consent and collaboration at the center, and how to hold accountability without sacrificing the dignity that makes recovery possible in the first place. For more information on this episode go to Silence Is Not Neutral: How to Welcome Employees Back From Mental Health Leave With Dignity — Dr. Sally

In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I sit down with John Brown, a licensed marriage and family therapist, executive coach, and sports psychology specialist who works with early-career professionals, faculty, and athletes at Stanford University and in private practice. John brings a rare combination of backgrounds: years in corporate leadership at Apple, graduate training in therapy, and a practice that sits at the intersection of performance, identity, and wellbeing. Our conversation centers on one of the most urgent and misunderstood dynamics in the modern workplace: what happens to early-career high performers when the systems designed to support them quietly overload them instead. The opening framing of this episode matters: having a strong professional identity is genuinely protective. Research shows it reduces burnout, anxiety, and depression. But when professional identity becomes the only identity, when who I am collapses entirely into what I do, the same dynamic that drove success becomes a vulnerability. We see it in medicine, where identity misalignment produces anxiety and feelings of inadequacy. We see it in elite athletics, where overidentification makes transitions and setbacks hit harder. And we see it in the workplace, where the push-push-push culture targets the most motivated and capable employees first. John's practical experience as a manager at Apple and as a therapist working with the next generation of professionals gives him a clear-eyed view of what early-career employees actually need from their workplaces, and what they are no longer willing to tolerate. The episode delivers two immediately actionable takeaways for anyone managing early-career talent: shifting from the we to the me, and building relationships as the core infrastructure of team performance. For more information on this episode go to Are You What You Do? Supporting Early-Career High Performers Before They Burn Out — Dr. Sally

In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I sit down with Sonya Bohmann, Executive Director of the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP), an organization that has quietly become one of the most effective workplace mental health movements in the country. The opening framing of this episode is one I stand behind completely: construction, not tech, not healthcare, not corporate America, has led the way on workplace mental health. It has done something different, making mental health culturally relevant, tackling the hard stuff head-on, and figuring out how to scale it in ways that other industries have not yet managed.Sonya came into this role through a remarkable convergence of lived experience and professional calling. A sibling loss survivor who spent over a decade in construction leadership, she encountered the CIASP job posting twice in the same LinkedIn session and took it as a sign from the universe. Three years into what she describes as her dream job, she has transformed CIASP from a promising initiative into a model that other high-risk industries, oil and gas, manufacturing, mining, healthcare, and the service sector, are now looking to replicate.The episode delivers two immediately actionable takeaways for any organization looking to move beyond the performative wellness calendar and build something real: how to shift from awareness to genuine action at the individual, team, organizational, and industry level; and how to make mental health a 12-month-a-year conversation that doesn't rely on awareness month campaigns or crisis data alone. Sonya also shares the single simplest action anyone can take today to signal allyship and connect colleagues to help, an idea so low-barrier and high-impact it landed as the episode's mic-drop moment. For more information on this episode go to From Awareness to Action: How Construction Is Leading the Way on Workplace Mental Health — Dr. Sally

In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I sit down with Dr. Virna Little, co-founder and CEO of Zero Overdose, a national initiative bringing overdose safety planning into workplaces, healthcare systems, schools, and communities. Dr. Little and I share a long history through the Zero Suicide Initiative, which aspires to eliminate suicide deaths in healthcare systems. This episode brings that same upstream, systems-level thinking to one of the most urgent and underaddressed safety crises in high-risk industries: overdose. The statistics I share in the opening of this episode stopped my construction clients in their tracks, and they stop me every time: for every 1,000 people who die on a construction job site from physical injuries, approximately 5,000 to 6,000 are dying by suicide, and over 11,000 are dying from overdose. Overdose deaths are outpacing suicide deaths in the construction industry, and yet most workplace safety cultures still treat overdose as a reactive crisis, equipping job sites with Narcan but doing little to prevent the event that requires it. Dr. Little's work with Zero Overdose begins where Narcan ends. Working in rural community health centers, she saw firsthand how workplace injuries, particularly in construction, fishing, and law enforcement, created pathways into opioid dependence that were never adequately planned for at the point of injury. The episode delivers two concrete, immediately actionable takeaways: an overdose safety planning framework that can be integrated into any existing workplace safety culture, and a clear articulation of what leadership must do to make that planning real rather than aspirational. For more information on this episode go to Beyond Narcan: How to Build Overdose Prevention Into Your Workplace Safety Culture — Dr. Sally

In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I sit down with Alicia Scovill, President of Scovill Construction & Contracting Services, a veteran herself, and a construction workplace mental health expert. We open with a sobering reality: veterans in the United States die by suicide at rates higher than the general population, and most are working at the time of their death, or have immediate family members who are working. That makes the workplace one of the most cross-cutting systems available for veteran suicide prevention, and yet most organizations have no real strategy beyond hiring veterans and calling it a day.Alicia and I connected through the Construction Mental Health and Wellbeing Summit, where we co-chaired a leadership roundtable on construction mental health. In this episode, Alicia brings a unique combination of perspectives to the table: her own military background, her experience building and running a construction business, and the firsthand vantage point of having seen, from inside multiple organizations, the well-intentioned ways companies unintentionally cause harm to their veteran employees.The core argument of the episode is that veteran mental health at work is rarely about trauma or transition in the way most people assume. More often, it is about systems failures: unclear accountability, mismatched authority and responsibility, inconsistent communication, and the absence of the structure that helped many veterans survive and thrive in the military. Alicia and I walk through concrete examples, including a construction-specific scenario involving an estimator and a project manager, to illustrate exactly how these systems gaps create burnout and isolation for veteran employees, even when those employees appear to be high performers on the surface. For more information on this episode go to Systems, Not Slogans: What It Actually Takes to Build a Veteran-Friendly Workplace — Dr. Sally

In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I sit down with Mitch Wallis, the founder of Heart on My Sleeve and one of the world's leading experts on connection capability in the workplace. Mitch has worked with over 200 companies, most of them Fortune 500, across four continents, including Microsoft, KPMG, Lend Lease, and American Express, training more than 10,000 leaders on how to navigate emotional conversations without crossing into therapy territory. His work is rooted in a simple but radical thesis: connection is a capability (not a personality trait) and organizations that build it systematically will outperform those that don't. Mitch brings deep personal credibility to the work. First diagnosed with complex OCD at age seven, he later experienced depersonalization, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and nearly lost his life to mental ill health. His description of depersonalization - a condition he lived with undiagnosed for nearly 15 years - is one of the most clear and compassionate explanations of the experience available in a leadership context. It is also a reminder that the people sitting in your meetings may be navigating experiences far more complex and disabling than "stress and burnout."The episode delivers two concrete frameworks: the five-step ELSA-B model (Engage, Listen, Safety, Action, Boundaries) for navigating high-stakes emotional conversations at work, and the concept of "crossing the chasm" - the single mindset shift that separates managers who resent the people side of their role from leaders who understand it is the role. Mitch's core argument lands hard: 80% of a people manager's job is the relationship. The technical work is the other 20%. Until leaders internalize that ratio, they will keep doing the wrong things when their people need them most. For more information on this episode go to Stop Fixing, Start Leading: How to Show Up in Your Team's Hardest Moments — Dr. Sally

In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I sat down with psychologist, author, and organizational consultant Dr. Abby Medcalf who spent years working with executives in mergers and acquisitions to address substance use at the leadership level. The conversation centers on one of the most common and least-discussed dynamics in high-performance workplaces: leaders who are quietly reconsidering their relationship with alcohol and don't know why their efforts to change keep failing.Dr. Abby's own story adds weight to the conversation. She came into this work through recovery from heroin addiction in her early years, which led her from a planned legal career into counseling psychology, and ultimately into a PhD in organizational psychology. That combination of lived experience with addiction plus deep expertise in how organizations and leaders function, gives her a uniquely practical and compassionate lens on the culture of high-performance drinking and why it so often goes unaddressed.The centerpiece of the episode is the Motivational Wheel - a research-backed framework developed by Prochaska and DiClemente that maps how humans actually move through habit change. Dr. Abby walks through each phase (pre-contemplation, contemplation, determination, action, maintenance, and relapse) and identifies the single most common mistake leaders make when they slip back: jumping straight back to the action phase instead of returning to their why. The episode closes with a reframe that is both simple and profound: take action from inspiration, not from negative motivation. for more information on this episdoe go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/98

In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I sit down with Nick Freud, founder of Fellow Humans - a platform built on a simple but radical idea: the most powerful support a person can receive during a difficult transition isn't clinical expertise. It's lived experience wisdom from someone who has already walked the same path.Nick's journey into this work began when he hit clinical depression while running a successful education business and discovered firsthand how hard it is to reach out for help, even for someone who considers themselves open and authentic. What emerged from that experience was a recognition that most of us are navigating our hardest moments in unnecessary isolation, surrounded by colleagues and communities full of people who have already been through exactly what we're facing and are waiting to be asked.The conversation moves between the personal and the practical: why corporate culture systematically mutes the humanity in our working relationships, what it actually means to make someone feel seen (and why it's different from sympathy), and how leaders who model vulnerability create permission structures that ripple through entire organizations. Dr. Sally and Nick address the three objections leaders most commonly raise - "this isn't a therapy setting," "we'll be held liable," and "people will use it against me" - and offer concrete, low-barrier ways to introduce more human connection into even the most performance-driven workplace cultures. For more information on this episode go to There's No Panacea for Human: The Power of Connection During Life's Transitions at Work — Dr. Sally

This special episode of Headspace for the Workplace is produced in partnership with the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) Workplace Special Interest Group, co-chaired by Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas and Jørgen Gullestrup. It is part of an ongoing series examining work-related suicide - cases where workplace factors contribute, in whole or in part, to a suicide death - a topic that remains critically underdiscussed in most of the world.In this episode, Dr. Sally and Jørgen are joined by Liam O'Brien, Assistant Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), one of the most advanced voices in the world on psychosocial workplace regulation. Australia has recently implemented groundbreaking legal reforms that require employers to identify and control psychosocial hazards and critically, to notify regulators when a suicide or suicide attempt may have been contributed to by workplace factors. These are not wellness programs. They are legally binding safety standards.The conversation covers the architecture of Australia's regulatory framework, the ACTU's Mind Your Head campaign, the hierarchy of controls applied to mental health hazards, the employer education gap, and how the global suicide prevention and occupational health communities can partner to move this agenda forward. It is a fundamental challenge to the dominant narrative in most Western countries. Mental health at work is a personal responsibility and a compelling argument for treating psychological harm as a shared, collective, and legally enforceable workplace duty. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/96

In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I sit down with Aaron Witt, founder of BuildWitt, a people-first training and development company on a mission to build the construction industry's next generation of leaders. The conversation centers on one of the most persistent tensions in business, especially in high-pressure industries like construction: how do you drive growth, performance, and profit without burning out the very people who make it possible? Aaron brings a grounded, practical perspective shaped by years of working alongside hundreds of world-class leaders across the United States and around the world. His observation is consistent - leaders who take care of themselves first are consistently better equipped to take care of those around them. And teams that build genuine relationships before the chaos hits are far better positioned to weather it together.The episode also digs into the construction industry's complex relationship with grit, a cultural value that fuels extraordinary work but can quietly become self-destructive when it's the only tool in the toolbox. Aaron and I challenge listeners to expand their definition of what it means to be a strong leader, arguing that sustainable performance requires identity, connection, and intentional investment in people, not just grinding through. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/95

In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I tackle one of the most underestimated safety risks in high-risk industries: sleep deprivation driven by mental health. Drawing on my own experience with sleep disruption and the latest research, I explore how depression, anxiety, trauma, PTSD, and substance use disorders all compromise sleep quality and how that degraded sleep shows up on the job site as impaired judgment, slowed reaction time, emotional dysregulation, and microsleep incidents.Reframing fatigue, not as a personal failing or simply a function of hours worked but as a compounding symptom of unaddressed mental health strain, makes sleep disruption the “canary in the coal mine” for emerging mental health crises. I close with five actionable organizational strategies that move beyond individual sleep tips to address the systemic, design-level changes that actually reduce risk. https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/94

In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I am joined by my longtime colleague and friend Sarah Gaer to explore a concept that goes deeper than burnout: soul exhaustion. Sarah, co-author of the newly released Soul Exhaustion and Soul Care Workbook (with Cassie Kelly), brings both lived experience and decades of professional expertise to a conversation that is equal parts personal and practical.The episode examines how modern work culture quietly depletes the deepest part of who we are - what Sarah describes as the essence, the spark, the fire within. When that inner flame dims, it doesn't just affect productivity. It affects identity, connection, meaning, and ultimately mental health. Drawing on research interviews conducted in Copenhagen with suicidologists from around the world, Sarah reveals that soul exhaustion (when severe) closely mirrors the language used to describe suicidal despair. This episode moves the mental health conversation at work beyond surface-level wellness programs and into the territory of genuine, sustainable soul care. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/93

In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I am joined by Anne Moss Rogers - a nationally recognized suicide prevention advocate, keynote speaker, and brain tumor survivor who has channeled the devastating loss of her son Charles into a powerful career helping others heal. Charles died by suicide in 2015 at age 20 after struggling with depression, anxiety, and heroin addiction.Together, AnneMoss and I explore one of the most complex and hopeful concepts in mental health: post-traumatic growth. Unlike resilience (returning to baseline), post-traumatic growth describes the positive psychological changes that can emerge after profound trauma. It is not automatic. It requires intention, support, and the courage to move through a painful, messy process.The conversation is honest, warm, and deeply practical. We both speak from lived experience as suicide loss survivors who turned grief into purpose, and we challenge workplace leaders to see profound loss not as a productivity problem, but as a human opportunity for deeper connection, loyalty, and culture-building.For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/92

In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I sit down with Cheri Skelding, Clinical Director of Rocky Mountain Crisis Partners, to explore one of the most evidence-backed and underused tools in suicide prevention: caring contacts.Caring contacts are brief, non-demanding outreach moments, such as a text, a voicemail, or a handwritten note, that communicate to someone: “I see you. I’m here. You matter.” Simple as they sound, they carry decades of rigorous research behind them, including randomized controlled trials showing they reduce suicide risk by more than two times for people leaving psychiatric hospitalization.The conversation spans upstream prevention (building belonging before crisis hits), midstream support (reaching out during difficult transitions), and downstream follow-up (what workplaces can do after a mental health emergency). Cheri and I make the case that the most powerful thing an organization can do may not be an expensive program or an elaborate protocol. It may be a two-sentence text message sent at the right moment. For mre information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/91

In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I sit down with workplace wellbeing expert Laura Putnam to explore one of the most overlooked drivers of mental health at work: managers.We move beyond traditional mental health approaches—like EAPs and awareness training—and focus on what actually shifts culture: how leaders show up every day. Laura shares why workplace wellbeing is less about fixing individuals and more about improving “the water” employees are swimming in.Together, we unpack two powerful and practical strategies leaders can implement immediately:Creating a “safe harbor” within teamsUnderstanding how leadership style directly impacts mental wellbeingThis conversation is essential for leaders, HR professionals, and organizations committed to building psychologically safe, high-performing workplaces. For more information in this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/90

When a critical incident strikes a workplace — whether a natural disaster, an act of violence, a sudden death, or a large-scale social disruption — leaders are thrust into decisions that carry enormous human and organizational consequences.In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I speak with Jeff Gorter, Vice President of Clinical Crisis Response at R3 Continuum, about what effective crisis response actually looks like on the ground.Drawing from more than three decades of frontline crisis response, including responses to the September 11 terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina, the Las Vegas mass shooting, and other major disasters, Jeff shares practical insights on what helps people stabilize in the immediate aftermath of trauma and what organizations can do to support recovery over time. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/89

We say we are human beings, but most days at work, we live like human doings.Meeting to meeting.Task to task.Crisis to crisis.In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I sit down with “Dr. B,” a meaning-centered psychotherapist and logotherapist, to explore “A Void Dance,” the subtle but powerful ways individuals and organizations stay busy to avoid the uncomfortable truths at the center of our lives.When we suppress authenticity, avoid hard conversations, or stay focused only on productivity, the cost shows up as burnout, disengagement, moral injury, and psychological unsafety.This conversation invites workplace leaders to pause, reflect, and recenter work around meaning, not just motion. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/88

With the Super Bowl lighting up screens this weekend, football metaphors are everywhere. But beneath the bright lights and highlight reels is a quieter truth every great team understands: games are won in the trenches, by a defensive line that protects, communicates, and does its job together.In this timely episode of Headspace for the Workplace, Chris and Martha Thomas — parents, advocates, and founders of The Defensive Line — share how this metaphor was forged through both professional football and profound personal loss. Their son Solomon is an NFL defensive lineman, and their family also knows the devastating impact of suicide through the loss of their precious daughter and sister, Ella, who died at age 24.Drawing from life on and off the field, Chris and Martha offer a powerful and practical framework for workplace suicide prevention and mental health leadership. This conversation is about game plans, getting reps in, and shared responsibility, because when pressure is high and the stakes are real, protection doesn’t happen by accident; it happens by design. f=For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/87

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are among the most common workplace mental health benefits and among the most misunderstood.In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I am joined by David Nix, a nationally respected EAP leader with more than two decades of experience supporting the oil & gas industry, working on military bases in Iraq, and supporting remote oil fields in Alaska.Together, we explore the evolution of the EAP from quiet crisis hotlines for alcoholism into proactive, culture-shaping systems that support people, leaders, and whole organizations.Drawing on emerging research, including recent findings on modern EAP models and their effectiveness, this conversation challenges leaders to rethink what “good” EAP support actually looks like and how to ensure it truly serves their people. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/86

Fly-In Fly-Out (FIFO) work can quietly erode mental health, strain families, and elevate suicide risk if workplaces aren’t designed with human realities in mind.In this special episode of Headspace for the Workplace, we relaunch a powerful conversation from the IASP Work-Related Suicide Series featuring Francisco “Fran” Valenzuela, CRSP, a safety leader, lived-experience advocate, and systems-level change agent in the oil and gas sector.Fran shares how FIFO environments create a high-risk ecosystem shaped by isolation, long rotations, masculine norms, fatigue, and limited access to care—and how those same systems can be redesigned to protect lives, strengthen culture, and improve the bottom line. For more information on this episode go to sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace

In this special year-in-review episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I reflect on a year of advancing workplace mental health and suicide prevention across high-risk industries, global conferences, and organizational systems. The episode blends practical insights for leaders with candid reflections on burnout, leadership pressure, and what it takes to stay human while building cultures of care at work. for more infoemation on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/83

What if paid time off (PTO) isn’t a perk but essential health infrastructure?In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I sit down with Daniel Oates, a longtime construction leader at Flintco, to unpack the psychological, neurobiological, and organizational benefits of structured, work-free time away from work.Drawing from more than two decades in the construction industry and grounded in a robust body of mental health and neuroscience research, this conversation reframes time off as a strategic investment in worker resilience, safety, creativity, and long-term performance.Together, Daniel and I explore why simply offering PTO isn’t enough, why psychological detachment is the missing ingredient, and how leaders can design systems that allow people to recover truly, without guilt, fear, or career penalty. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/82

Silence around suicide and mental health in the workplace carries a steep price -- measured not only in human suffering, but also in productivity loss, legal exposure, reputational harm, and missed opportunities for early intervention.In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I sit down with Canadian guest Tara Adams, a leading voice in workplace suicide prevention, to unpack the business case for proactive, skills-based suicide prevention at work. Drawing on research, lived experience, and real-world implementation, Tara explains why organizations that invest in connection, competence, and care build stronger, more resilient workplaces.This conversation moves beyond awareness to action, exploring how everyday workplace relationships can become protective bridges to help -- earlier, more often, and with less fear. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/81

In this emotionally resonant episode of Headspace for the Workplace, Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas talks with Dr. Colleen Saringer, a former organizational health leader, speaker, and spouse of a construction business owner, about one of the most overlooked realities of workplace mental health: the spillover of job stress into family life. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/80

Most workplaces measure safety by one number: injuries. But what if some of the real drivers of safety are invisible?In this episode, I sit down with Bill Sims Jr., one of the National Safety Council’s “Top 10 Global Keynote Speakers” and the author of the widely acclaimed book Green Beans & Ice Cream: The Remarkable Power of Positive Reinforcement. Bill has spent more than 30 years designing more than 1,000 behavior-based positive reinforcement systems for companies like Coca-Cola, Disney, DuPont, Siemens, Orkin, and many others. Together, they explore how “Zero Injuries” is the wrong target and how shifting to Zero At-Risk Behaviors can transform both physical safety and psychological wellbeing in high-risk industries.This conversation connects the dots between behavioral science, recognition, culture change, and mental health, offering leaders a roadmap for building workplaces where both bodies and minds are safe. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/79

In safety-focused industries, leaders are trained to identify physical hazards before they cause harm. But what if those same situational awareness skills could be used to support mental well-being? In this energizing episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I sit down with Alex Willis, a former NFL player and founder of Leadership Surge, to explore how organizations can apply the core principles of safety awareness—such as real-time assessment, micro-adjustments, and field communication—to improve team well-being, reduce burnout, and build trust. For mor information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/78

What if we trained for mental fitness the same way we train for physical fitness?In high-intensity jobs like firefighting, healthcare, and construction, resilience is a survival skill. But the cultural story of “toughness” often silences the very people we count on to save lives.In this powerful episode, I chat with retired firefighter and mental health researcher Brandon Evans, founder of Fire to Light, to explore what it really takes to turn workplace wellness from just awareness into daily action. Using lived experience and global best practices, Brandon helps us rethink what it means to be strong, how to build psychological safety, and why incorporating mental health into our training routine—rather than just reacting to crises—must become standard practice. For more information on this episode go to sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/77

Ever wonder why some workplace mental-health campaigns land flat even when the intention is in the right place?In this episode, I sit down with Monica Kramer McConkey, an agricultural mental-health specialist who has spent three decades helping rural and blue-collar communities thrive. Together they unpack a truth many leaders miss: mental health efforts fail when we ask workers to enter our world instead of meeting them in theirs.Monica grew up on a Minnesota farm and knows the invisible weight carried by farmers, construction crews, and shift workers who rarely see themselves in corporate wellness brochures. She shows us that if leaders really want culture change, they need to slow down, listen first, and meet people where they already live, work, and gather. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/76

When it comes to workplace mental health, culture and self-care matter, but policy is the game-changer. In this episode, I sit down with Corey Feist, a healthcare leader who turned personal tragedy into national reform. After losing his sister-in-law, Dr. Lorna Breen, to suicide, Corey co-founded the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, leading a movement to remove systemic barriers that keep workers from seeking mental health care.Today, their advocacy has reached more than 1.5 million healthcare workers nationwide, influencing laws, licensing, credentialing, and insurance practices across the country. Corey shares why changing applications and legal protections is a matter of life and death.Policy is prevention. Listen in as Corey Feist makes the case that changing systems saves lives and learn how your organization can take the first step this quarter to remove barriers and protect your workforce. for more information on this episode go to sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/75

In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, I sit down with Brad Anderson, executive at IMA and proud leader in long-term recovery, to explore how the wisdom of recovery can transform workplace culture.Brad opens up about breaking through bias, navigating the paradox of anonymity, and showing how qualities like humility, accountability, and service to others are just as essential in boardrooms as they are in recovery rooms.The conversation digs into the leadership lessons embedded in the 12-Step model. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/74

Most workplace mental health efforts don’t start until someone is already struggling—crisis lines, EAP referrals, or stress leave. But what if we moved earlier?In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, Scott LoMurray shares upstream wisdom and shows how these same strategies can transform the workplace. Leaders will learn how to bake strength-building and trust into everyday leadership practices, and why focusing on culture and connection today prevents tomorrow’s burnout, turnover, and disengagement. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/73

What if your drug-testing program actually kept more people safe and employed? In this conversation, Dave Argus (Director of Operations, Karas & Karas Glass) shows how his team turned testing into early detection + a bridge to care, and why structured multiple-chance agreements outperform zero-tolerance for real-world safety and retention. In Dave’s words, “We don’t give up on them after they make a mistake — we get them more support.” You’ll hear how workers in recovery proactively request testing to catch slips before they “go over the waterfall,” and how clear guardrails, peer allies, and treatment partners make recovery part of safety, not separate from it. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/72

What happens when critical safety and mental health information is only in English? Imagine stepping onto a job site where you can’t fully understand your supervisor’s instructions, can’t ask questions without fear of embarrassment, and can’t connect with your coworkers because the language barrier feels like a brick wall. For many Spanish-speaking workers in high-risk industries like construction, this is reality. And the stakes impact mental health, safety, and survival.In the U.S. construction industry—and many other high-risk sectors—Spanish is often the first language for a large part of the workforce. Yet too often, training, safety manuals, and mental health resources are only available in English. The result? A growing number of workers face avoidable risks of injury, fatality, and even suicide. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/71

In our brain-based economy, where innovation and human connection drive success, psychological safety is no longer a “nice to have”—it’s mission-critical.This episode of Headspace for the Workplace features Dr. Charlie Cartwright, a nationally recognized leadership strategist and culture whisperer. We explore how workplace leaders can create environments where trust runs deep, communication flows freely, and people feel safe to show up fully, especially when things get hard.We unpack why psychological safety is the foundation of mental well-being at work, and the unexpected “four-letter word” that can transform your leadership approach. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/70

We don’t always recognize how trauma shows up at work. Sometimes it is hiding in the shadows. The quiet withdrawal. The anger that simmers just below the surface. The exhaustion that no amount of sleep can fix.In this moving and honest episode, Eli Embleton shares his story of how a life-threatening trauma in his family sent him down a path of depression, rage, and emotional disconnection. Work became his survival strategy, a place to avoid the pain, to push through, to appear “fine.” But under the surface, he believed he was a burden.What saved him wasn’t just time or treatment; it was connection. Through storytelling, community, and purposeful work, Eli learned the art of what he calls “muscular vulnerability” -- the ability to share pain with strength. Today, as Dream Manager at Zachry Construction, Eli walks alongside others with similar stories, helping people reach instead of retreat.In this podcast, we discuss:What are the signs of unresolved trauma showing up at work?How can workplace leaders support employees with trauma histories?If you’re a workplace leader, this episode is a guide to understanding trauma not as a personal weakness, but as a human experience that deserves compassion and care.For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/69

In this powerful episode of Headspace for the Workplace, Adam Nemer, former CFO and Operations Executive at Kaiser Permanente, shares how a personal collapse became a catalyst for healing, connection, and leadership transformation. Adam takes us through the moment he decided to “go first” by publicly sharing his struggles with undiagnosed depression and anxiety. That choice set a cultural shift in motion across his entire organization.for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/68

Listen now to this important episode with Suzi Craig, Vice President of Workplace Mental Health at Mental Health America (MHA), as we explore what really moves the needle in employee well-being. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/67

In this episode we tackle…·      What is workplace postvention, and why does it matter after a suicide loss?·      How is a suicide postvention protocol different from a workplace crisis response plan?·      How can organizations prepare for the emotional impact of suicide in the workplace?·      What are the key components of an effective workplace postvention plan?·      Why are most workplaces unprepared for suicide bereavement?·      How does Alison Clements’ evidence-based model improve postvention responses in high-risk industries?·      What are the long-term impacts of suicide exposure on staff, and how can leaders support recovery?·      How do you tailor postvention toolkits to fit different workplace contexts?·      What are the first steps to create a workplace suicide postvention policy?·      How can postvention strategies help prevent future suicides at work? for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/66

If you've ever been told to “suck it up,” “walk it off,” or “leave it at the door,” congratulations! You’ve had a front-row seat to emotional shutdown culture. One that’s usually recognized, reinforced, and modeled by top leadership. In this conversation, I talk with counselor and wilderness enthusiast Russell Peterson about how emotional avoidance, particularly in male-dominated, tough-it-out industries, stems not from weakness but from survival systems that overfunction. The good news? We can learn to steer fear productively... and finally ditch the myth that showing emotion makes us fragile.We unpack how to help leaders become culture shapers, not emotional bottlenecks. for more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/2025/5/27/65 

Join Jorgen Gullestrup with guest speaker Justin Geange, as they discuss work-related suicide. Hosted by the IASP Suicide and the Workplace Special Interest Group. Justin Geange is a survivor of a work-related suicide attempt who has since dedicated his life to supporting others. Now a Field Officer with the charity MATES in Construction, Justin shares his powerful story – exploring the circumstances surrounding his attempt, the lessons he’s learned, and how he’s using that experience to help hundreds of fellow workers. For more information on this episode go to  https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/a-lived-experience-perspective-a-construction-workers-story-of-work-related-suicide-and-survival

In this episode of Headspace for the Workplace, Dr. Sally Spencer Thomas chats with Michael Wright, a first responder and chaplain, about the importance of recognizing mental health challenges in the workplace. Listen in to discover how Michael's experiences as a paramedic inform his approach to mental health advocacy and why tuning into that "something ain't right" feeling can lead to meaningful intervention. They explore the concept of SAR disease and how leaning into compassionate curiosity can transform how we support our colleagues. Perfect for employers, leaders, and anyone eager to create a psychologically safe work environment. for more information on this episode gor to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/compassionate-curiosity-how-sar-disease-can-transform-workplace-wellbeing-with-michael-wright-ep-63

Discover actionable strategies for overdose prevention in the workplace in this episode of Headspace for the Workplace with Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas and guest Kristina Ewing. Learn how creative benefit planning and easy Narcan implementation can save lives and improve workplace well-being. Tune in for insights on addressing opioid addiction, mental health, and reducing stigma. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/recognizing-the-signs-mental-health-and-opioid-addiction-in-the-workplace-with-kristina-ewing-ep-62

 Dr. Sally Spencer Thomas interviews Dr. Simon Hatcher from the University of Ottawa about crucial insights from police suicide research and its applications to other high-risk industries. Learn about professional identity threats, effective ways to support struggling colleagues, and strategies for overcoming psychological barriers in workplace mental health conversations. For more information on this episode go to  https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/lessons-from-police-suicide-research-improving-mental-health-support-across-industries-with-dr-simon-hatcher-ep-61

Learn how to maximize your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) beyond basic benefits with John Levy from CCA. Discover strategies for turning your EAP into a strategic workplace partner to improve organizational culture, performance, and employee wellbeing. For mre information on this epid=sode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/the-role-of-eaps-in-creating-psychologically-safe-workplaces-with-the-president-of-cca-john-levy-ep-60

This week I am joined by Katie Huey, an expert in leadership and organizational development, whose personal journey through loss has fueled her passion for advocating compassionate workplaces. Together, we discuss the profound impact of complicated and disenfranchised grief on individuals and the workplace.For more information on this episode go to  https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/from-the-shadows-into-the-light-supporting-complicated-grief-at-work-interview-with-katie-huey-ep-59

I had the privilege of hosting Army Veteran John Cornelius, who shed light on the critical connection between firearm safety and suicide prevention. With alarming statistics—such as 82% of young people who die by firearm suicide accessing weapons from friends or family—John emphasized the importance of responsible firearm storage in creating safer homes. Drawing from his work with the Firearm Suicide Prevention Grant and personal experiences, he shared actionable insights for workplace leaders, from hosting gunlock distribution days to integrating educational sessions on safe storage. Particularly in high-risk industries like construction, these measures can bridge the gap between awareness and action, fostering a culture of safety to help prevent tragedies. For more information on this episode got to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/the-role-of-employers-in-firearm-safety-and-suicide-prevention-with-us-army-veteran-john-cornelius-ep-58

Welcome to a special year-end episode of Headspace for the Workplace, where we take a moment to reflect on the past year, celebrate milestones, and plan for an even more impactful 2025. As we close out 2024, we honor a deeply personal milestone: twenty years since the suicide death of my precious brother, Carson. His memory continues to guide my mission to foster transformative change in workplace mental health and suicide prevention. for more information in this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace

I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Dr. Pierluigi Mancini, a stalwart in promoting mental health awareness for the Spanish-speaking workforce. As we delved into the intricacies of mental health care and its accessibility, it became strikingly clear that we must move beyond mere translation and token gestures. Instead, we need a comprehensive strategy that acknowledges and integrates cultural and linguistic diversity. Dr. Mancini aptly put it: recognizing cultural cues can be the key to mental wellness at work. This underscores the necessity for organizations to train their supervisors and HR teams in detecting nuanced expressions of mental distress that might not conform to Western paradigms. For mor information on this episode go to  https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/investing-in-mental-health-services-for-spanish-speaking-workforces-with-dr-pierluigi-mancini-ep-57

My favorite takeaway from the episode was about why managing difficult emotions isn't a sign of weakness; it’s a strategic weapon. This is crucial for leaders who often feel the pressure and weight of expectations. Morra nailed it when she said that many leaders would rather admit to cheating on their taxes than confess to feeling anxious! It's time we shift that mindset and embrace anxiety as a part of leadership. We might just find that those struggles, the very things we've been trying to hide, are actually our hidden superpowers. I’m truly inspired by her work, and I hope you all found the episode as enlightening as I did. For more information on this episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/the-anxious-achiever-rethinking-the-relationship-between-your-mental-health-and-success-with-morra-aarons-mele-ep-56

I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Tim De Goey all the way from the Sunshine Coast of Australia, and, wow, did we dive deep into an important topic—workplace postvention. If you’re scratching your head on what that is, think of it as the action plan for when your workplace is rocked by a suicide, whether it’s a coworker, a family member, or even a retiree. We’re not talking about sweeping it under the rug; it’s about facing it head-on with empathy and a solid game plan. Tim shared some real gems, like breaking down the first crucial steps for workplaces to provide a safe space for people to grieve and process their sorrow. Can you believe that some places just try to march on like nothing’s happened? Yikes! We reviewed Tim’s concept of postvention having a "long tail," meaning support doesn’t just stop after the first few weeks. It’s about understanding that this grief journey isn’t linear and those poignant reminders and milestone events will crop up, hitting some colleagues harder than others. Tim shared practical advice from Standby’s toolkits that help workplaces navigate these rough waters with compassion and structure—think checklists and timeframes, people! It’s the little things, like lighting candles or a simple memorial, that can make a profound difference. The takeaway? Let’s not be afraid to talk about these daunting topics and create a nurturing environment for our work family. Trust me, it’s the conversations we need to have, not fear. So, let’s roll up our sleeves and build these supportive spaces, together! For more information on this episode go to  https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/headspace/long-term-postvention-strategies-for-the-workplace-with-tim-de-goey-ep-55