issues. After her bipolar disorder diagnosis in the late ’90s, the then- event planner was determined to keep it a secret, even adjusting her medication schedule with her doctor so no one would see her taking pills at work. And when she did eventually disclose, Bennett became hyper aware of her behaviour, determined not to do anything too crazy. “I was so worried that people would think I was having a manic episode that I even dressed as conservatively as possible—I wouldn’t even wear wacky socks! I was convinced that if anybody knew about my diagnosis, I would no longer have the reputation that I did.” SO WHAT CAN WE DO? Yes, we can all commit to trying to take care of our mental health— eating a healthy diet, getting exercise, committing to getting enough sleep (nearly impossible when an event is looming!) and seeking the support we need. “But when we’re not well, our trust decreases, our perception is skewed and we think we’re alone,” says Bennett. “And we’re not.” This is where organizations need to step up and support. Bennett left the planning industry years ago and now works as a partner at Mental Health Innovations, an organization determined to help companies do just that and create a “culture of caring.” Awareness campaigns don’t work, she says, and having clinicians come into a workplace to talk about mental health actually increases the stigma. So what does work? Rehumanizing workplaces. “It means being a human and putting your people fi rst. It means organizations ensuring that their managers and folks who have direct reports are trained up in being able to identify the indicators that might show that someone’s having some level of adversity in their life, and be able to have a conversation—to lean in and say, ‘Hey, how’s it going? What’s going on? How are you?’” It also means role modeling for your employees from the top down, says Bennett. “If leaders are saying, ‘I’ve got a therapy appointment later on this afternoon, I can’t go to that meeting,’ they’ve just told you something very important: I see a therapist to support my mental health. That’s an important step in creating a culture where it’s safe for everyone to say, ‘hey, I’m struggling.’” For more ideas, see “How to Help” on page 41. Peer support is another crucial piece of the puzzle and belongs in every workplace. “Peer support basically says, I’m somebody who has lived experience and I’m a little bit further along in my recovery,” says Bennett. “You and I can have a conversation about this, because there’s no power differential between you and I.” And confi dentiality is key. Just as Kelly did with her pandemic-era Zooms, at Event Minds Matter’s recent MPI TalkFest, Cardinale was determined to create a space where people felt safe to truly talk about how they were doing, and share their concerns. “The fi rst thing we did is advertise the fact that every conversation was completely confi dential and nothing would be recorded. We made sure to tell the attendees that you have the choice of being part of this conversation, or you’re welcome to just listen. And we found that everybody wanted to talk. We’ve opened up a river that’s going to turn into an ocean.” “If leaders are saying, ‘I’ve got a therapy appointment later on this afternoon,’... That’s an important step in creating a culture where it’s safe for everyone to say, ‘hey, I’m struggling.’” 42 | Ignitemag.ca | Spring 2023
