SPECIAL EPISODE: How Traveling Workforces Can Prevent Suicide Through Lived-Experience Leadership with Fran Valenzuela

SPECIAL EPISODE: How Traveling Workforces Can Prevent Suicide Through Lived-Experience Leadership with Fran Valenzuela

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.

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After the Unthinkable: Workplace Suicide Postvention, the First 48 Hours & Peer Support with Dr. John Gaal

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After the Unthinkable: Workplace Suicide Postvention, the First 48 Hours & Peer Support with Dr. John Gaal

When a suicide, overdose, or traumatic death happens in the workplace, the response in the first 48 hours can either stabilize the organization or unintentionally increase harm.

Yet most workplaces have no clear postvention plan.

In this Headspace for the Workplace conversation, Dr. John Gaal brings together lived experience, labor leadership, and research to explain why postvention is the missing leg of the three-legged stool of workplace mental health: prevention, intervention, and postvention.

Drawing from decades of workforce development, construction industry data, and peer-reviewed research, this episode explores:

  • What actually helps people in shock

  • Why EAPs are often underutilized in crisis

  • How trained peer supporters serve as “mental health first responders.”

  • Why partnerships — not silos — save lives


We talk about what leaders must do when the unthinkable happens.

Year in Review: Workplace Mental Health, Leadership, and Hope

Year in Review: Workplace Mental Health, Leadership, and Hope

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.

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The Neuropsychology of Absence -- Why True Time Off Is a Strategic Advantage at Work with Daniel Oates

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The Neuropsychology of Absence -- Why True Time Off Is a Strategic Advantage at Work with Daniel Oates

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.

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The High Cost of Silence: The Business Case for Workplace Suicide Prevention with Tara Adams

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The High Cost of Silence: The Business Case for Workplace Suicide Prevention with Tara Adams

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.

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SPECIAL EPISODE: He Carries the Business, We Both Carry the Weight: How Job Strain Impacts Families and Fuels Work-Related Suicide Risk

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SPECIAL EPISODE: He Carries the Business, We Both Carry the Weight: How Job Strain Impacts Families and Fuels Work-Related Suicide Risk

In this emotionally resonant episode of Headspace for the Workplace, Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas talks with Dr. Colleen Saringer, a psychologist, 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.

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Beyond Zero Injuries: How Positive Reinforcement Creates Psychologically Safer, Mentally Healthier Workplaces with Bill Sims Jr.

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Beyond Zero Injuries: How Positive Reinforcement Creates Psychologically Safer, Mentally Healthier Workplaces with Bill Sims Jr.

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.

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Mental Health on the Frontlines: How Situational Awareness Builds Resilient Leaders with Alex Willis

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Mental Health on the Frontlines: How Situational Awareness Builds Resilient Leaders with Alex Willis

How Can Situational Awareness Boost Mental Health at Work? 

“Leaders who read the room fearlessly transform tension into trust.” – Alex Willis

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.

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Heroes Are Also Human: Mental Fitness and Culture Change in High Intensity Industries with Brandon Evans

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Heroes Are Also Human: Mental Fitness and Culture Change in High Intensity Industries with Brandon Evans

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.

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Meeting People Where They Are -- Adapting Mental Health Strategies to Workplace Culture with Monica Kramer McConkey

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Meeting People Where They Are -- Adapting Mental Health Strategies to Workplace Culture with Monica Kramer McConkey

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.

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Lorna Breen’s Legacy: Why Policy Change Saves Lives at Work with Corey Feist

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Lorna Breen’s Legacy: Why Policy Change Saves Lives at Work with Corey Feist

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.

We discuss:

  • How do workplace policies impact employee mental health?

  • What is the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, and what do they do?

  • Why do doctors and professionals fear seeking mental health care?

  • How can changing credentialing and licensing questions improve workplace wellbeing?

  • What lessons from healthcare can apply to mental health policies in other industries?

  • What are the most effective workplace mental health policy changes?

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What Executives Can Learn from the 12 Steps About Healing, Humility, and Hope at Work with Brad Anderson

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What Executives Can Learn from the 12 Steps About Healing, Humility, and Hope at Work with Brad Anderson

What Can the 12-Step Recovery Model Teach Us About Leadership?

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.

Going Upstream: What Leaders Can Learn from Proactive Mental Health Promotion with Scott LoMurray

Going Upstream: What Leaders Can Learn from Proactive Mental Health Promotion with Scott LoMurray

What does upstream suicide prevention look like in the workplace?

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.

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From Rock Bottom to Rock Solid: Building a Sober, Stronger Workforce with Dave Argus

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From Rock Bottom to Rock Solid: Building a Sober, Stronger Workforce with Dave Argus

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.

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Lost in Translation: Why Mental Health & Safety Resources Must Speak Everyone’s Language with Loretta Mulberry

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Lost in Translation: Why Mental Health & Safety Resources Must Speak Everyone’s Language with Loretta Mulberry

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.

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Psychological Safety Is a Leadership Strategy – How to Create Cultures Where People Thrive with Dr. Charlie Cartwright

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Psychological Safety Is a Leadership Strategy – How to Create Cultures Where People Thrive with Dr. Charlie Cartwright

“It’s easy to show up for others on the sunny days; people need us during the storms.” – Charlie Cartwright

Episode Description

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 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.

Two Big Takeaways

  1. Ask the primary question often.
    (Tune in to find out what it is, and why it unlocks trust.)

  2. There’s a four-letter word that connects us to ourselves and others.
    (And no, it’s not what you think. Charlie breaks it down.)

“When things get heated, pause and be curious.”

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Trauma, Work, and the Courage to Stay Connected: Building a Trauma-Informed Workplace with Eli Embleton | Ep 69

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Trauma, Work, and the Courage to Stay Connected: Building a Trauma-Informed Workplace with Eli Embleton | Ep 69

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.

Leaders Go First: How Executive Vulnerability Transforms Workplace Mental Health with Adam Nemer | Ep. 68

Leaders Go First: How Executive Vulnerability Transforms Workplace Mental Health with Adam Nemer | Ep. 68

What happens when a C-suite executive speaks the quiet part out loud about mental health?

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.

Now the founder of Simple Mental Health, Adam consults globally with companies to foster mentally healthy workplace cultures where stigma is dismantled, vulnerability is normalized, and leaders are empowered to lead with compassion and courage.

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Trends from Mental Health America’s Workplace Mental Health Report: EAPs Aren’t a Security Blanket—Trust Is the Real Game Changer with Suzi Craig | Ep. 67

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Trends from Mental Health America’s Workplace Mental Health Report: EAPs Aren’t a Security Blanket—Trust Is the Real Game Changer with Suzi Craig | Ep. 67

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.

Episode Highlights:

Mental Health America’s 2024 Mind the Workplace report gathered responses from nearly 4,000 employees across 21 industries—and the results are in: psychological safety, not just access to resources, is what makes or breaks mental health at work.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Why traditional Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are not the catch-all solution we think they are

  • How trust and transparency in leadership are the most predictive drivers of workplace well-being

  • What forward-thinking companies are doing beyond compliance to build a thriving culture of support

  • Why mental health strategies must be “baked in”, not bolted on

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When the Worst Happens: A Roadmap for Workplace Postvention with Alison Clements | Ep. 66

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When the Worst Happens: A Roadmap for Workplace Postvention with Alison Clements | Ep. 66

What Is Workplace Postvention?

Postvention refers to the planned support provided to individuals and teams impacted by a death due to suicide. For many organizations, especially those supporting high-risk or vulnerable populations, suicide loss is not just tragic — it can also be traumatic. Yet, most workplaces are not prepared.

In this episode, I chat with Alison Clements, a psychologist in private practice and Adjunct Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia. Alison has spent the last six years partnering with 22 diverse workplaces from teams of 100 to 57,000, to co-design tailored postvention toolkits. Her internationally published model is now being adapted for major institutions, such as the UK National Health Service.