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Workplace Mental Health Courses That Work

Workplace Mental Health Courses That Work

20/05/2026

A manager freezes when an employee discloses burnout. A team leader spots conflict escalating but is unsure whether it is poor behaviour, work pressure or a psychosocial hazard. HR is fielding rising stress leave, while executives are asking for proof that any training investment will reduce risk and improve performance. This is where workplace mental health courses stop being a nice-to-have and start becoming part of core business capability.

For Australian employers, the conversation has shifted. Mental health at work is no longer just about awareness campaigns or a wellbeing week in October. It is tied to psychosocial safety, legal duties, leadership effectiveness, retention and the cost of preventable harm. The right course can strengthen manager confidence, reduce absenteeism, support early intervention and give organisations a clearer path from policy to practice. The wrong one can waste time, tick a box and leave the real risks untouched.

Why workplace mental health courses matter now

Most organisations already know poor mental health affects productivity. What often gets missed is how directly it affects operational performance. When people are mentally stretched, concentration drops, mistakes increase, conflict becomes harder to resolve and discretionary effort falls away. Teams can still look functional on paper while quietly underperforming.

There is also a compliance reality. Across Australia, employers are under growing pressure to identify and manage psychosocial hazards with the same seriousness applied to physical risks. That means job demands, poor support, bullying, traumatic exposure, low role clarity and poor change management are no longer abstract HR issues. They are workplace risks with legal, financial and cultural consequences.

Mental health training helps close the gap between intent and action. Policies matter, but they do not teach a supervisor how to have a psychologically safe conversation. A risk framework matters, but it does not help a senior leader recognise when workload design is driving harm. Capability is what turns good governance into consistent behaviour.

 

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What good workplace mental health courses actually teach

Not all training in this space is equal. Some programs stay at the level of awareness and never move into practical application. That can create short-term engagement without changing what people do on Monday morning.

Effective workplace mental health courses are built around role clarity. Executives need to understand governance, risk and organisational drivers. Managers need practical skills for recognising warning signs, responding to concerns, setting boundaries, supporting performance and escalating appropriately. Employees need language, tools and confidence to contribute to a safer culture, seek support early and look after their own resilience.

The best programs also connect mental health to everyday work design. That includes workload, change fatigue, conflict, remote work pressures, traumatic exposure, decision-making authority and team norms. This matters because many psychosocial risks are structural, not personal. If training only focuses on individual coping, it can miss the root cause.

A strong course should leave participants with usable frameworks, not vague encouragement. That might include how to prepare for a wellbeing conversation, how to document concerns, how to assess psychosocial hazards, how to support someone after a critical incident, or how to lead in a way that increases psychological safety without lowering accountability.

The commercial case is stronger than many leaders realise

Decision-makers do not need another generic pitch about caring for people. They need to know what changes when training is done well.

The commercial upside usually shows up in four places. First, there is risk reduction. Better trained leaders identify issues earlier, respond more consistently and are less likely to mishandle disclosures or overlook harmful team dynamics. Second, there is performance. Mentally healthy teams generally communicate better, recover faster from pressure and sustain higher engagement. Third, there is retention. People are more likely to stay where managers are capable, workloads are managed and support feels genuine. Fourth, there is cost containment through lower absenteeism, reduced presenteeism and fewer psychological injury claims.

That does not mean every course delivers immediate, cleanly measurable ROI. It depends on the starting point, the quality of delivery and whether training is reinforced by systems, leadership and follow-through. But organisations that treat mental health capability as a business discipline, rather than a one-off event, are typically in a stronger position across culture and risk.

What to look for before you buy

If you are assessing workplace mental health courses, the first question is not price. It is fit for purpose.

Start with the outcome you need. If your issue is low manager confidence, awareness sessions for all staff will not be enough. If your challenge is psychosocial compliance, a motivational wellbeing talk will not address it. If your workforce is exposed to trauma, you need delivery that understands trauma-informed practice, not just general stress management.

Then look closely at who is delivering the training. Subject matter credibility matters in this field. Providers should understand mental health, organisational systems, leadership behaviour and psychosocial risk, not only one of those areas. In practice, the strongest delivery usually comes from facilitators who can bridge clinical insight and workplace reality.

Format matters too. Self-paced learning can be effective for scale and consistency, but it rarely replaces discussion-based learning for managers handling sensitive situations. Workshops and masterclasses often produce stronger behaviour change because participants can practise language, test scenarios and receive feedback. For many organisations, the best model is blended – combining digital learning with live facilitation and practical tools.

Finally, ask how success will be measured. Completion rates are easy to report but weak as a business metric. Better indicators include manager confidence, changes in help-seeking, reductions in team-level risk factors, engagement trends, incident data and participant application back on the job.

Common mistakes organisations make

One of the biggest mistakes is buying a single course and expecting a whole-of-business result. Training can be powerful, but it is not magic. If leaders model unhealthy behaviour, workloads remain unreasonable and reporting pathways are unclear, even the best course will struggle to shift outcomes.

Another common error is treating all audiences the same. A frontline supervisor, a WHS lead and an executive team do not need identical content. Each group has different responsibilities, levels of influence and decision-making authority. Training is more effective when it is tailored to those realities.

Some organisations also avoid the harder topics. They are comfortable discussing resilience or self-care but hesitant to address bullying, role ambiguity, unrealistic deadlines or poor leadership behaviour. Yet those issues are often where the greatest risk sits. Good training does not sensationalise them, but it does not sidestep them either.

How to make training stick

If you want workplace mental health courses to drive real change, think beyond the session itself.

Training works best when it sits inside a broader capability plan. That includes leadership expectations, clear escalation pathways, psychosocial risk processes, communication from senior leaders and practical reinforcement after the training ends. A manager who learns how to have a supportive conversation also needs time, permission and policy backing to use that skill properly.

It helps to build momentum in layers. Start by identifying your highest-risk groups or greatest capability gaps. Managers are often the best place to begin because they shape daily experience so directly. From there, extend learning to employees, specialist teams and senior leaders with content matched to each role.

Case studies, scenario practice and post-training tools make a significant difference. People remember what feels relevant to their work. A childcare leader, a defence contractor and a corporate services team face different stressors and need examples that reflect that. Practicality is what turns information into changed behaviour.

This is also where specialist providers can add value. An experienced partner can help align training with psychosocial obligations, leadership capability and organisational strategy rather than delivering a disconnected workshop. For many employers, that is the difference between activity and impact.

A better standard for workplace mental health courses

The market is crowded, and that can make it hard to tell the difference between education that informs and training that transforms. A better standard is practical, evidence-based and designed around measurable workplace outcomes. It equips leaders to act earlier, supports employees more effectively and strengthens systems that reduce harm before it escalates.

For organisations serious about performance, culture and compliance, the question is not whether mental health training belongs at work. It is whether the training you choose is strong enough to change what happens in real conversations, real decisions and real pressure. That is where the value sits, and where better workplaces are built.

Workplace Mental Health Programs Australia

Workplace Mental Health Programs Australia

19/05/2026

A morning tea, a meditation app and an annual wellbeing webinar will not fix burnout, psychological injury risk or poor manager capability. That is the hard truth many leaders discover after investing in initiatives that look supportive but change very little. Effective workplace mental health programs that Australian organisations need are not built around perks. They are built around risk reduction, leadership behaviour, clear systems and practical skills people can use at work.

For HR leaders, WHS professionals and executives, that distinction matters. Mental health at work is now a business issue with legal, operational and cultural consequences. If absenteeism is rising, claims are becoming more complex, managers are avoiding difficult conversations, or teams are showing signs of fatigue and disengagement, the response cannot be symbolic. It needs to be structured, measurable and tied to how work actually gets done.

 

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What workplace mental health programs in Australia should actually do

A strong program should improve two things at the same time. First, it should reduce psychosocial risk by addressing hazards such as high job demands, poor role clarity, low support, bullying, poor change management or exposure to trauma. Second, it should build individual and leadership capability so people know how to respond early, confidently and appropriately.

That means the best programs do more than raise mental health awareness. Awareness has a place, but on its own it rarely changes behaviour. Organisations see better results when training is linked to manager capability, psychosocial hazard management, reporting pathways, leadership accountability and practical support systems.

This is where many initiatives fall short. A business may offer an employee assistance program, occasional wellbeing sessions and internal communications about self-care, yet still have leaders who do not know how to recognise early warning signs, teams overloaded by poor work design and no consistent process for managing mental health concerns. The program exists, but the capability does not.

Why workplace mental health programs Australian employers choose often miss the mark

The most common problem is treating mental health as a standalone wellbeing activity instead of an operational issue. When that happens, programs are often reactive, fragmented and difficult to measure.

A practical example is manager training that focuses only on empathy without covering role boundaries, escalation steps, legal obligations or performance conversations. Managers may leave with good intentions but little confidence. Another example is resilience training delivered into a workplace where workloads, staffing and expectations remain unrealistic. The message to employees becomes clear – cope better with a system that is not being fixed.

There is also a commercial risk in superficial programs. If an organisation cannot demonstrate that it has identified psychosocial hazards, trained leaders appropriately and taken reasonable steps to prevent harm, a glossy wellbeing calendar will not carry much weight. Australian employers need approaches that stand up operationally, not just culturally.

The components of a program that delivers results

The strongest workplace mental health programs usually combine several elements rather than relying on a single intervention. Leadership and manager training is often the priority because leaders shape workload, communication, team climate and the quality of early support. When managers know how to have mentally healthy conversations, recognise signs of distress, document concerns and escalate appropriately, the organisation is in a much stronger position.

Psychosocial hazard assessment is equally important. You cannot reduce risk you have not properly identified. This work should examine the specific pressures within teams, roles and operating environments rather than assuming every part of the business has the same exposure.

Employee education also matters, but it should be practical. Staff need clear guidance on how to maintain mental health at work, how to seek support early, how to support peers appropriately and what pathways exist if concerns arise. In higher-risk sectors, trauma-informed training and recovery capability may also be essential.

At a strategic level, policy, process and leadership expectations need to align. If a business trains people well but leaves reporting pathways unclear or does not support managers to act, momentum quickly stalls. The program has to connect the human side of support with the structural side of governance.

What good looks like for leaders and managers

Most workplace mental health outcomes are influenced by direct managers. That is why capability at this level is one of the highest-return investments an organisation can make.

Good manager training is not therapy training. It teaches leaders how to notice changes in behaviour, performance or interaction; start a respectful conversation; respond without overstepping; make reasonable adjustments where appropriate; and maintain accountability for work standards. That balance matters. Managers need confidence to be supportive without feeling they must diagnose, counsel or carry risk alone.

It also needs to reflect the real pressures managers face. In many organisations, leaders are promoted for technical competence and then expected to handle complex people issues with almost no preparation. If you want psychologically safer teams, you have to equip the people who run them.

Measuring ROI, not just participation

A program should not be judged by attendance numbers or positive feedback forms alone. Those metrics are easy to collect but they say little about business impact.

A more meaningful evaluation looks at indicators such as psychological injury trends, absenteeism, turnover, manager confidence, employee engagement, incident reporting, return to work outcomes and the maturity of psychosocial risk controls. Some changes are short term, such as better manager confidence and clearer escalation behaviour. Others take longer, including reductions in claims or sustained improvements in team climate.

This is one reason a staged approach often works better than a one-off campaign. Training can create momentum quickly, but lasting change usually comes when education is supported by assessment, leadership reinforcement, policy alignment and follow-up measurement.

One size does not fit every workplace

It depends on sector, workforce profile and risk exposure. A government agency, a childcare provider, a defence contractor and a growth-stage professional services firm may all need workplace mental health support, but the program design should not be identical.

High-exposure environments may need stronger trauma-informed capability, critical incident response planning and manager support for cumulative stress. Large distributed workforces may need scalable digital learning paired with targeted workshops for leaders. Fast-growing businesses often need to strengthen role clarity, change management and leadership foundations before they can expect wellbeing initiatives to land well.

This is where evidence-based tailoring matters. Generic content may be cheaper upfront, but it often underdelivers because it ignores the actual drivers of risk and performance in the organisation.

How to choose workplace mental health programs in Australia

Start by asking a simple question: what problem are we trying to solve? If the answer is vague, the program will probably be vague too. A better starting point is a clear operational issue such as rising burnout, low manager confidence, increased claims, poor team climate or the need to meet psychosocial hazard obligations more effectively.

From there, look for providers who can move beyond awareness sessions. The right partner should understand Australian workplace obligations, psychosocial safety, leadership capability and organisational systems. They should be able to explain how the program will reduce risk, improve performance and be measured over time.

It is also worth asking whether the training is delivered by people with genuine mental health expertise and practical workplace experience. Clinical credibility matters, but so does the ability to translate that expertise into usable tools for leaders, teams and executives.

For organisations that want a mature, scalable approach, Workplace Mental Health Institute is one example of a provider positioned around that model – practical capability, psychological safety and measurable organisational improvement rather than awareness alone.

The shift smart organisations are making

The conversation in Australia has changed. Leading employers are moving away from performative wellbeing and towards capability-based mental health strategy. They are treating psychosocial safety as part of governance, leadership and performance, not as an optional extra.

That shift is overdue. People do their best work in environments where demands are manageable, support is credible, leaders are skilled and systems are clear. When those conditions are present, mental health programs stop being a separate initiative and start becoming part of how the organisation operates.

That is the real opportunity for employers. Not to look supportive, but to build workplaces where people can perform, recover, speak up and stay well for the long term.

how good managers contribute

Psychosocial Risk: How Good Managers Contribute

19/05/2026

Psychosocial risk rarely starts with people.

More often, it starts with how work is designed.

For years, workplace pressure has been explained in simple terms:

“The team’s under pressure.”
“People are running on empty.”
“Tension’s building.”

And naturally, attention turns to the manager.

It’s a convenient explanation. But it’s also incomplete.

Because in many workplaces, the pressure people experience didn’t begin with a decision made this week.

It began with how the work was structured in the first place.

how good managers contribute
Photo by Diva Plavalaguna via pexels.com

Risk Builds Long Before It Becomes Visible

By the time a team feels overwhelmed, the system has usually been under strain for quite some time.

Not always in dramatic ways. Often in subtle ones:

  • New projects are added, but nothing is taken away
  • Urgent priorities become business as usual
  • Ownership is shared, but not clearly defined
  • Expectations shift without being reset

Individually, none of these seem catastrophic.

Together, they create friction.

And friction compounds over time.

People begin second-guessing decisions.
Work gets duplicated.
Deadlines tighten without anyone explicitly saying so.

That’s how psychosocial risk develops. Quietly, and cumulatively.

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Managers Don’t Create All the Pressure — But They Shape How It’s Experienced

Managers sit in the middle of the system.

They rarely control every input.
But they do influence how those pressures are translated into day-to-day work.

And that’s where risk is either amplified or reduced.

When priorities pile up, managers decide:

  • what gets pushed back
  • what gets protected
  • what gets deprioritised

When timelines compress, they decide:

  • whether urgency is absorbed or passed on
  • whether pressure creates clarity or confusion

When expectations are unclear, they decide:

  • whether to challenge the ambiguity
  • or cascade it downstream unchanged

These decisions happen every day. Usually under pressure. Often without full visibility.

And over time, they shape how work actually feels for a team.

This is how even capable, well-intentioned managers can unintentionally contribute to psychosocial risk.

Not through poor intent.
But through how pressure is interpreted and passed through the system.

The Real Driver Isn’t Just Workload

Excessive workload is an obvious risk factor.

But what drains people faster is ambiguity.

When priorities change but expectations don’t reset, people try to hold onto everything.

When accountability is shared but unclear, tension builds across teams.

When flexibility exists in theory but not in practice, fairness becomes difficult to interpret.

That creates cognitive load.

People spend more time trying to work out what matters than actually progressing meaningful work.

Decisions feel heavier.
Even simple tasks become mentally expensive.

And that’s where psychosocial risk accelerates.

Because it’s not only about how much work people have.

It’s about how much mental effort it takes to navigate the work itself.

Why Many Workplace Responses Don’t Stick

When psychosocial risk becomes visible, responses often focus on the individual.

More training.
More wellbeing initiatives.
More resilience support.

These things can help. But on their own, they rarely solve the underlying issue.

Because they don’t change the conditions creating the pressure.

You can’t train someone to function effectively inside constant ambiguity.

You can’t wellbeing-program your way through conflicting priorities.

And you can’t expect managers to absorb ongoing pressure indefinitely without it flowing somewhere else.

If the system remains unchanged, the same outcomes tend to repeat.

What Actually Reduces Psychosocial Risk

The shift is straightforward. But not always easy.

Stop treating psychosocial risk purely as a people issue.

Start treating it as a work design issue.

That means:

  • Making it clear what stops when new work begins
  • Resetting expectations when priorities change
  • Defining ownership clearly across teams
  • Equipping managers with practical capability, not just policy frameworks

So they can manage pressure in real time, not just theoretically.

When these conditions are in place, something changes.

Managers rely less on instinct and endurance.
Teams spend less energy compensating for system gaps.

Work becomes clearer. More sustainable. More manageable.

From Psychosocial Risk to Mental Capacity

Psychosocial risk isn’t only about preventing harm.

It’s about protecting people’s ability to think clearly, make sound decisions, and stay engaged over time.

When mental capacity is constantly depleted, performance becomes inconsistent, regardless of how capable the team is.

When it’s supported, performance stabilises.

Not because people are trying harder.

But because the system is no longer working against them.

A Better Question to Ask

It’s easy to focus on individuals because it feels immediate.

But most people are operating within the conditions the system creates around them.

So perhaps the better question isn’t:

“Who’s creating the pressure?”

It’s:

“How is the system shaping the way pressure gets passed on?”

Because once that becomes visible, the solution changes.

Not by demanding more from managers.

But by designing work in a way that creates fewer roadblocks in the first place.

toxic positivity

When Optimism Backfires: Understanding Toxic Positivity at Australian Workplaces

18/11/2025

Australian workplaces have long valued positivity, resilience, humour, and the classic “can-do” spirit. From the warehouse floor to corporate offices, maintaining an upbeat attitude has often been seen as a sign of professionalism and strength. But in recent years, organisations are discovering an unintended consequence: too much optimism can actually be harmful.

This phenomenon, known as toxic positivity, is gaining increasing attention in Australian industries as employers grapple with rising burnout, heightened psychosocial risks, and new WHS obligations to protect employees’ mental health.

This article explores what toxic positivity looks like in Australian workplaces, why it happens, the risks it poses, and how organisations can build a healthier, more psychologically safe culture.

What Is Toxic Positivity?

Toxic positivity occurs when workplaces promote a constant expectation of cheerfulness, gratitude, and “staying positive,” even when employees are dealing with genuine stress, uncertainty, or adversity.

It crosses the line from healthy optimism into harmful pressure when positivity is used to:

  • minimise legitimate concerns
  • dismiss negative emotions
  • avoid difficult conversations
  • preserve appearances rather than address issues

Common examples in Australian workplaces include:

  • “She’ll be right — it’s not that bad.”
  • “We’re all under pressure, just stay positive.”
  • “Let’s focus on the good things only.”
  • “Negativity won’t get us anywhere.”
  • “We don’t want complainers here.”

The intention may be good, but the impact is harmful — employees feel unheard, unseen, and unsupported.

toxic positivity
Photo by Yan Krukau via Pexels.com

Why Toxic Positivity Occurs in Australian Workplaces

1. The “No Worries” / “She’ll Be Right” Mindset

Australian culture encourages people to stay upbeat and not dwell on difficulties. While this national attitude can be supportive, it can also create environments where:

  • discomfort is brushed aside
  • vulnerability is discouraged
  • people avoid admitting they’re struggling

This cultural norm can unintentionally turn into pressure to “keep smiling” even when things are not okay.

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2. A Desire to Avoid Conflict

Australians often prefer harmony over confrontation. This sometimes leads managers and colleagues to use positivity to avoid discomfort, for example:

  • glossing over performance issues
  • ignoring tensions
  • giving superficial reassurance instead of tackling root problems

Conflict avoidance often manifests as toxic positivity.

3. Superficial Wellness Initiatives

Many Australian organisations have embraced wellness campaigns, gratitude challenges, and mindfulness posters.

But without meaningful structural support — realistic workloads, adequate staffing, healthy leadership behaviour — these initiatives can send the message:

“If you’re stressed, just try harder to be positive.”

This places emotional responsibility on the employee rather than the organisation.

4. Pressure to Demonstrate Resilience

The Australian workforce is proud of being tough, resourceful, and capable. However, the expectation to “stay strong” can silence people who need help.

Industries with high stress levels — healthcare, social services, education, hospitality, mining, construction, and emergency services — are particularly vulnerable to this culture.

5. Leadership Styles Focused on Motivation Over Reality

Some managers rely heavily on motivational messaging:

  • “Let’s keep our spirits high!”
  • “Think positive and everything will improve!”

While enthusiasm is valuable, excessive positivity can signal that only “good news” is welcome. Problems are ignored, and employees feel discouraged from speaking honestly.

The Cost of Toxic Positivity in Australian Workplaces

Toxic positivity isn’t just a cultural issue — it has serious consequences for employee well-being, team dynamics, and organisational performance.

1. Emotional Suppression and Burnout

When workers feel unsafe expressing difficult emotions, they begin masking stress.
Over time, this leads to:

  • exhaustion
  • disengagement
  • anxiety
  • higher turnover
  • reduced job satisfaction

Emotional suppression is a major contributor to burnout — now recognised as a psychosocial injury under WHS legislation.

2. Reduced Psychological Safety

Psychological safety is the belief that employees can speak openly without fear of judgment.
Toxic positivity erodes this by:

  • discouraging honest conversations
  • labelling concerns as negativity
  • creating a culture where only good news is acceptable

This has a powerful ripple effect on collaboration, innovation, and trust.

3. Stifled Feedback and Missed Problems

When negativity is discouraged, staff hesitate to:

  • raise risks
  • report issues
  • criticise inefficient processes
  • challenge unrealistic expectations

The organisation stays “positive,” but problems grow unnoticed until they become much larger.

4. Declining Mental Health

Repeatedly invalidating someone’s experience — even with good intentions — can worsen mental health symptoms.
Employees may experience:

  • frustration
  • isolation
  • shame
  • reduced coping ability

This is particularly dangerous in sectors already facing high stress levels.

5. Impact on WHS Compliance

With psychosocial hazard regulations now in force across Australia, employers must actively manage:

  • high emotional demands
  • inadequate support
  • organisational change stress
  • unresolved conflict
  • unreasonable job pressures

A culture of toxic positivity can contribute directly to these hazards — meaning failure to address it may put an organisation at legal risk.

How to Prevent Toxic Positivity in Australian Workplaces

1. Normalise All Emotions — Not Just Positive Ones

Encourage staff to share challenges without fear of being dismissed.
Leaders can model this by acknowledging struggle honestly.

2. Prioritise Psychological Safety

Create environments where speaking up about stress, mistakes, or discomfort is encouraged and rewarded.

3. Train Managers in Emotionally Intelligent Leadership

Leaders should learn to:

  • listen actively
  • validate emotions
  • avoid minimising feelings
  • respond with empathy rather than clichés

4. Balance Optimism with Realism

Instead of forcing positivity, leaders can say:

  • “This is tough, and it’s okay to feel stressed. Let’s work through it together.”
  • “What support do you need right now?”

5. Fix Structural Issues, Not Just Attitudes

Workload, culture, role clarity, fairness, and leadership behaviour matter more than motivational messaging.

6. Use Wellness Tools Responsibly

Well-being programs should support staff — not become a way to shift responsibility onto them.

The Long-Term Benefits of Addressing Toxic Positivity

When organisations move away from forced optimism and embrace emotional authenticity, they benefit from:

  • stronger trust
  • healthier teams
  • better communication
  • reduced psychological risk
  • increased productivity
  • improved morale
  • genuine resilience

Authentic positivity — grounded in honesty, empathy, and meaningful support — is far more effective than surface-level cheer.

Positivity is an Australian strength — but only when it’s genuine, balanced, and inclusive. When optimism becomes an expectation rather than a choice, it creates pressure, silences important conversations, and harms psychological safety.

For modern Australian workplaces, especially under strengthened WHS regulations, toxic positivity is a real issue that must be understood and addressed. The goal is not to eliminate positivity — it’s to create a culture where every emotion is validated and employees feel supported in both the highs and the lows.

Behavioural-therapy

What Is Behavioural Health and How Does It Differ From Mental Health?

25/05/2022

Behavioural health and mental health are often used interchangeably. But they do not mean the same thing. While they both revolve around the mind and its ability to function normally, they are different in definition and types.

Mental health deals with an individual’s ability to handle significant life stressors, work productively, and function in society. On the other hand, behavioural health revolves around the impact one’s habits have on physical and mental health.

This article delves into the significant differences between the two. By knowing what sets them apart, you will better understand your psychology and its role in your life.

Understanding Behavioural Health

Most people are familiar with mental health issues, as it is a common social topic backed by several campaigns to raise awareness. However, very few people know and understand behavioural health. Interestingly, the behavioural health concept has been around for over 40 decades.

Over time, the term’s meaning has changed, making more people mistake it for mental health. So, what does behavioural health mean?

Behavioural-therapy

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Behavioural health deals with how your daily mental habits affect your overall well-being, biological emotions, and behavior. Everything from what you eat to how you stay fit impacts your mental and physical health.

This is why behavioural health manifests in several ways. Also, several factors affect this condition, namely:

  • Trauma
  • Medication
  • Chronic health issues
  • Relationships
  • Diet
  • Alcohol and drug use
  • Exercise habits

Behavioural patterns are crucial in assessments conducted by healthcare professionals. For instance, a behavioural health therapist treating an anorexic person will first look at the behaviors that triggered their weight loss. The identification helps in developing treatment methods that address the core issues.

Examples of Behavioural Health Disorders

The following are examples of behavioural health issues:

Substance Abuse/Addiction

medicines

Data shows that about 21 million Americans have at least one addiction, but only 10% get treatment. Addiction is a severe disease that sometimes has fatal consequences. Unfortunately, people addicted to drugs or alcohol often fail to acknowledge their addiction even when it affects their relationships and causes health problems.

Common symptoms of this behavioural health disorder include:

  • Using the additive substance more than once daily
  • Spending money on the addictive substance even when unable to afford it
  • Driving under the influence
  • Experiencing withdrawal symptoms if you fail to consume the substance or after quitting

Addiction also affects one’s physical health and cognitive ability. If you are struggling with substance abuse/addiction, you will experience a lack of energy or a weight change.

Gambling

Gambling in moderation is socially acceptable behavior, as evidenced by the casinos in Las Vegas. However, the story is different when dealing with gambling addiction. Approximately 1% of the adult population in the U.S. has a gambling problem.

People with a gambling addiction feel an uncontrollable urge to buy lottery tickets, play slot machines at casinos, bet on sports, etc. The severity of the behavior varies, but if you have this condition, you will keep gambling despite financial, social, and legal consequences.

If you have a gambling problem, you will exhibit one or more of the following behaviors:

  • Obsession with any gambling type
  • Taking large and insensible risks when gambling
  • Skipping work or other commitments to gamble
  • Stealing money and selling possessions
  • Gambling to feel better about life

Sex Addiction

Sex addiction was excluded in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). This is because there remains controversy on the diagnosis of sex addiction as a mental health problem. But it qualifies as a behavioural health condition.

Sex addiction is a compulsive need to perform sexual acts to achieve the type of feeling or emotion a person with a substance addiction gets from drugs or alcohol. It negatively impacts a person’s mental and physical health, including relationships, life quality, and safety.

Common symptoms include:

  • Chronic, obsessive sexual thoughts and fantasies
  • Feelings of remorse or guilt after sex
  • Lying to cover sexual behaviors
  • Compulsive intercourse with multiple partners
  • Inability to control or stop sexual behaviors

Eating Disorder

Eating disorders qualify as behavioural and mental health conditions. Statistics show that it affects at least 9% of the population worldwide. Also, 9% of the U.S. population, or 28.8 million Americans, will have an eating disorder in their lifetime.

This condition causes severe health problems and, in extreme cases, death. Common eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, binge eating, and avoidant and restrictive intake disorders. Others are night-eating syndrome and purging disorder.

Understanding Mental Health

Mental health deals with one’s ability to relate with others, their environment, and develop skills in managing stressful behaviors. It revolves around social, psychological, and emotional health. As a result, it plays a crucial role in your overall well-being.

This is why there are several conversations on ways to manage one’s mental health effectively. Usually, this involves knowing how to manage personal relationships, deal with stressors, and embrace positivity.

So, no matter your age or stage in life, ensure you take active steps to protect your mental health. Failure to do this has long-lasting consequences that affect different areas of your life. You can, do the following to maintain your mental health:

  • Getting therapy and counseling
  • Following a healthy fitness routine
  • Staying in contact with friends and loved ones
  • Eating gut healthy meals
  • Dealing with relationship problems in a healthy and productive way

Some mental health disorders are moderately linked to behaviors like:

However, there are mental health problems that are strongly connected with behavior. These include:

Personality Disorders

A person with this ailment deals with thinking patterns and behaviors that stray from the norm and cause problems with their day-to-day functioning. Some of the common personality disorders are:

Symptoms vary from one to the next, and medical professionals classify them in different clusters.

Psychotic Disorders

People with this disease deal with abnormal thoughts and perceptions about other people. One common psychotic ailment is delusional disorder. These often result in delusions and hallucinations, and the person affected loses touch with reality.

This explains why people dealing with psychotic disorders see and hear unreal things. Early warning signs of these disorders include:

  • Feeling suspicious when with other people
  • Trouble differentiating between fantasy and reality
  • Withdrawing from family and friends

The Link Between Behavioural Health and Mental Health

Unhealthy habits tend to characterize most behavioural health disorders. But, since behavioural health problems usually co-occur with mental illness, it makes it hard to draw a line between the two.

For instance, anxiety disorder and borderline personality disorder are two conditions commonly diagnosed as a behavioural health disorder and a mental health illness. This is because the two share a common cause: trauma.

Also, constantly engaging in harmful behaviors like using drugs and alcohol might result in behavioural disorders and mental health conditions. These similar triggers make it harder to diagnose the two accurately. As a result, diagnosis is primarily subjective and conducted on a person-to-person basis.

Therefore, to effectively develop a treatment plan for behavioural health and mental health disorders, the medical practitioner must be able to draw a line between the two. Usually, they do this by asking specific questions related to your symptoms.

The Importance of Getting Treatment

At present, the gold standard for treatment plans for behavioural health and mental health problems is the collaborative approach.

Collaborative care focuses on improving the overall quality of care patients receive by ensuring that healthcare professionals work together to meet their physical and mental health needs. This treatment approach involves employing a team of experts to consider all the aspects of a patient’s wellbeing.

The treatment is multi-faceted and includes medical interventions, cognitive behavioural therapy, group counseling, etc. Collaborative care is particularly important when dealing with dual diagnoses. For example, where a person is experiencing mental health problems and has a substance use addiction.

So, if you are dealing with both disorders, yourself, together with a team of doctors and therapists using collaborative approach will endeavor to find the best possible treatment for you. This way, you get the help you need to live your best life. Ensure the healthcare provider you choose is compassionate with a stable and supportive environment.

Conclusion

Remember, regardless of how unwell you may feel now, recovery is probable and there are treatments that help you get better. But you are not alone. You can choose to surround yourself with a positive support system and engage in collaborative care. With commitment, discipline, and dedication you will succeed.

Want to know more about mental health, wellbeing, and resilience? Visit our extensive resource page to learn more.

Peter-Diaz-A-Bipolar-Story

A Story of Recovery from Bipolar Disorder

11/03/2022

This story of recovery is from none other than our CEO at WMHI, Peter Diaz.

He now travels the world, has a healthy and prosperous family, lives a pleasant life beyond survival, and works passionately towards his mission of bringing Mental Health Awareness to the world, helping as many people along the way as he can. But, his life wasn’t always like this.

Peter Diaz’ Early Life

Growing up he always had challenges with identity and belonging. He was raised in Germany but with Spanish heritage, he was always identified as the ‘Spanish kid’ and was bullied growing up. Back in Spain, he was identified as the foreigner- ‘the German kid’.

He was also raised in a strict religious family. That meant he didn’t get to mix well with the other kids because they were considered a risk to his inherited faith.

All this resulted in him feeling lost and unable to identify with the things around him when growing up.

Peter-Diaz-A-Bipolar-Story

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Bipolar Disorder Diagnosis

Later in his life, he was made the Minister of a church. Although he was good with his duties and was living a comfortable life, he didn’t find it fulfilling.

In this current state of life, he gradually started experiencing stomach issues and some mental disturbances which later became severe enough to the point that he was unable to perform his day-to-day duties.

Eventually, Peter was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.

He shares that at that time, he was relieved after hearing the diagnosis as now he had hope. He felt hopeful that something could be done about his situation. But, later he realized that getting a diagnosis and going to a mental health specialist is just the start and that bipolar disorder was a call to change his life drastically, and to discover parts of himself that had been hidden in an effort to ‘be a good person’.

In retrospect, he goes even further to say that he considers Bipolar Disorder to be his teacher.

Recovery From Bipolar

Peter´s seemingly perfect life situation at the time weren’t so perfect at all. The gravity of the whole situation was ‘behind the curtains’ as it were, ‘hidden from plain view’. Hidden from himself too behind a significant amount of denial.

In short, he was living the life he had created, he’d ticked all the boxes but didn’t feel it was him. He felt we was living someone else’s life.

At this point, even suicide became an option, even though it was one he didn’t really want to take. He decided that suicide was too final.

In his own words, “I had hit rock bottom and, I didn’t know it at the time but that was my advantage. So, I couldn’t fall any further and I couldn’t kill myself because of my kids. So, I decided I could only go up”. And so he did.

Steps to Recovery

In short, Peter became aware of all the things that weren’t really working for him, and that needed to change. And he took action to make those difficult changes.

He had to create a new identity. This time, an identity he could live with. And, he didn’t know really know what his interests were. So, first he had to discover himself and find things that were meaningful to him.

He was on a disability pension at the time and started working on himself. He started reading books which he just started as a ‘thing to do’, something to accomplish and teach him self-discipline, which now he sees were instrumental in helping him discover new and better aligned interests.

Later, he made the decision to invest in therapy, coaching and other personal and professional development activities.

He gathered strength and first faced the fact that, while he loves religion, the guidance and the lessons to be gained, he’s not a religious person in the institutional sense, and didn’t fit well in that context. He knew that changing that could mean losing friends and family members. But it was something that needed to be done.

Peter was right. It disrupted his life, his connections fell away and his relationship with his family was also affected. But, he forged ahead, regardless.

Some time later, one of his friends offered him the opportunity to become a support worker at a Mental Health Facility. Peter reluctantly and with some apprehensions, acted on the opportunity and went with it. That’s where he fell in love with mental health and helping people out of the throes of mental suffering.

Later he completed his degree from the Australian Catholic University in Social Work. From there, like one domino after another, he acted on the professional opportunities he saw in front of him and he is now living a life well and truly beyond his diagnosis.

He is completely free from any Bipolar Symptoms, feels better than he ever did, and lives a happy, fulfilling life.

His main message to the world is that recovery from Bipolar is not only possible but highly probable. And not just mere recovery, but living a pleasant and meaningful life beyond survival and he is a living example of what is possible.

He looks back at his diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder as a wake-up call to change his way of life.

Conclusion and More

Peter Diaz is an inspiration for anyone drowning in the ocean of their life situation.

He is an inspiration that recovery from Bipolar is possible. And not just living free of symptoms, but living a meaningful and happy life, no matter what challenge life presents you, is possible if you apply self-discipline and take charge of your situation. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.

Peter shares his experience with Bipolar Disorder in his own words, in the video here.

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Bipolar Disorder: Different Approaches to Recovery

10/03/2022

In this article, we will discuss what Bipolar Disorder is, the types of Bipolar Disorders, a bipolar diagnosis, is it possible to take charge of Bipolar Disorder, and the different approaches toward recovery from bipolar Disorder.

What is Bipolar Disorder

Put plainly; Bipolar Disorder is a series of life-disrupting cycles of extreme highs and lows.

The word “Bipolar” means two poles referring to the extreme high and the extreme low.

How is it different from what we call a “Mood Swing”? Bipolar Disorder is a type of Mood Swing.

Mood Swings are quick changes in one’s emotional state. In other words, you are not experiencing a reasonably constant emotional state.

Bipolar Disorder is when a person experiences mood swings that go from a very excited, energized, and often irritable emotional state to a sad, depressing, and lifeless emotional state in an unexpected time frame.

bipolar-disorder

Note: We are focusing on the emotional aspect of Bipolar as that’s how most people experience it, but the effects are often felt on a physical and mental level as well.

Generally, in Bipolar Disorder, the Highs are referred to as Manic Episodes, and the Lows are referred to as Depressive Episodes. In this article, we will be referring to them as simply “Highs” and “Lows” Or “High” and “Low”.

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Types of Bipolar Disorders

Now, let’s discuss the types of Bipolar Disorders.

Bipolar Disorders are of many types depending on the subtle nuances experienced by the individual, but there are primarily two types: Bipolar 1 and Bipolar 2

Both Bipolar 1 and Bipolar 2 Disorders are very similar; we can also loosely say that Bipolar 1 is a succession of Bipolar 2.

The main differentiator of Bipolar 1 and Bipolar 2 exists in the Manic Episodes.

If the Manic Episodes are severe enough to need hospitalization or some other person’s assistance, this is called Bipolar 1. In Bipolar 1, the depressive episodes tend to be more severe.

Using the Roller Coaster analogy commonly associated with Bipolar: “the higher you go, the lower you fall”.

Several other classifications are drawn based on the severity of the Disorder and the length of the periodic cycles, but these classifications are of lesser significance.

Do I Have Bipolar Disorder?

Mary Lambert, a Musician and a fellow Bipolar sufferer, says: “Even when I am in a very great, steady, stable place… I am clinically Bipolar so that always exists – darkness always exists.”

Ronald Bassman, a renowned Psychologist, says, “Too often when carrying a diagnosis, one is required to act more normal than normal, with ultra-sensitive antennas to subdue or hide signs that in others could be swiftly dismissed as benign eccentricity.”

In diagnosing people with mental health disorders, we ask for caution. The problem is that, while some people may benefit from a temporary diagnosis and allow them to seek help, labelling can have its problems. When we diagnose or label someone, a new identity of sorts is created. If we label and don’t take certain precautions, this could prompt the person with the label to live their whole life under its shadow. Hardly a recipe for success.

At the WMHI, we teach people to look past the label, have it as a reference point but not attach it to their identity.

One thing you can do right now is to ask yourself the following questions:

  • Are you experiencing extreme highs and lows that you can’t explain?
  • Are these extreme highs and lows distressing?

If the answer to both of these questions is “yes”, then all you need to know now is that you are experiencing overwhelming waves of highs and lows that are disrupting your life, and it’s possible to take charge of them.

The Different Approaches to Treat Bipolar Disorder

There are many different approaches to treat Bipolar Disorder, but all have the same aim of flattening the wave of extreme highs and lows into a manageable wave of highs and lows.

When basing our approach on Medicine, there are two methods:

  • Non-Medicinal: This is the approach that we discuss in our online courses. In a non-medicinal approach, we take charge of our thoughts and behaviors to help regulate our high-low waves.
  • Medicinal: The highs and lows are managed with medication, which tackles the problem chemically, making the emotions stable on a chemical level, resulting in stable thoughts and behaviors.

Depending on the severity of your Disorder, the best route could be a mix of a medicinal and non-medicinal approach. We recommend staying off the drug route if you can manage your highs and lows well since these have many side effects. PLEASE NOTE: if you are already taking medication, DO NOT STOP TAKING IT SUDDENLY. These are potent drugs, and you will need your doctor’s assistance to wean off them.

Based on how you decide to tackle your Bipolar, there are three options:

  • Working with a Psychiatrist
  • Working with a Psychologist or Mental Health Professional
  • Working on your own

A psychiatrist is a doctor that has specialized in mental health. In many countries, they are the ones that will be able to prescribe medication and provide you with medical support.

A psychologist or mental health professional will focus primarily on talking therapies that require no medication.

The Non-Medicine Based Approach for Bipolar Disorder

Two main Non-Medicine Approaches are ECT and CBT.

ECT or Electroconvulsive Therapy is a short-term treatment for any Major Depressive or Manic Episodes. ECT is a process of altering the state of the brain with the use of electric stimulation.

CBT or Cognitive Behavior Therapy is a long-term treatment for Bipolar Disorder. CBT works by regulating bad habits and replacing them with good habits.

A Mental Disorder is an accumulation of thoughts, habits, and emotions that work against a person and causes dysfunction and distress.

CBT involves identifying these destructive thoughts and behaviors and replacing them with constructive thoughts and s, which positively affects the emotional state.

More Help and What Now?

If you are still reading, it means that you are trying to look for ways to help others or yourself recover from Bipolar Disorder. Reading this far of the article is evidence of that, and we commend you for it.

Now, if you keep taking action, recovery is almost inevitable. Research shows that a significant number of people eventually recover with no lasting signs of mental ill-health.

At the WMHI, we provide videos and information that promote recovery. You can access some of these recovery-based videos and mental health & wellbeing articles here.

You can also check out this inspirational story of the CEO and the Co-founder of the WMHI, Peter Diaz, who has gone through Bipolar Disorder and came out stronger and happier than ever.

WMHI wishes you all the best in your recovery. Feel free to drop a comment down below or reach out to us at admin@thewmhi.com

Unleash-Your-Voice

Find & Unleash Your Voice

22/02/2022

The Never-Ending Search for Health and Agency at Work

When it comes to health in the workplace, most people immediately think of physical health, including preventing accidents, slips, falls, etc. However, research shows that worker´s mental health is just as important, if not more so, than their physical health.

For example, take an office worker who is supremely unhappy with their job. They’re so sad, in fact, that they become clinically depressed and have severe bouts of anxiety. They start showing up late, are disengaged on the job, and call in sick frequently. Some may even consider self-harm or harming their co-workers.

Most would agree this is an unhealthy situation. While physical health may be more readily observed, the fact is that employee´s mental health is just as vital to an organization as their physical health. The question then becomes; what can be done to improve the overall mental health of all employees?

There are of course, a number of different avenues to improving mental health, resilience and wellbeing. But one that is so often overlooked, but which is becoming ever so critical in the modern workplace, is the importance of Freedom of Expression.

Unleash-Your-Voice

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Freedom of Expression and the Mental Health Connection

In The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 10 declares that the right to freedom of opinion and expression is one of the fundamental human rights. Indeed, it may be the most essential human right, as freedom of expression ties deeply into the human psyche.

But what, exactly, is freedom of expression, and why is it so crucial to a person’s mental health? The answer lies in the fact that, while an employee is under the organization’s auspices for whom they work, they are expected to do their work and be productive. However, they are still an autonomous individual with their own opinions, beliefs, and values.

Freedom of expression is the right to express those opinions, beliefs, and values without fear of reprisal, oppression, and censorship. However, the challenge for an employer is to balance an employee’s individual right to expression with the organization’s values, rules, and expectations.

Employees Do Not Have a Constitutional Right to Free Speech

One of the most surprising facts for many people is that, while on the job, freedom of speech laws of the outside world don’t always apply. Even though some may disagree, as an employee, the right to freedom of speech is relatively limited. For example, an employee who publicly says or writes something inflammatory about the company can face legal charges.

Of course, the average employee is never going to do anything of the sort. Many enjoy their job,but, without the freedom to express themselves, languish at their jobs while anxiety and depression take their toll. That’s a problem that has with nothing to do with free speech but rather an employee feeling that their voice, opinions, and ideas have no value.

Methods to Empower Freedom of Expression

Giving employees the ability to fully express their ideas and opinions on the job isn’t something that happens naturally for most organizations. Frankly, it’s ingrained into most workers that “rocking the boat” isn’t a good plan (especially if they want to remain employed).

In the industrial age, we had a very different approach to work. People who got hired to work on a factory line, exchanged their time and physical labor for money. There was no need nor expectation that they would have an input into the systems or procedures. But now, we are no longer in the industrial age. Times are very different.

In the current pandemic/post pandemic workplace, more and more employees are re-evaluating their work and lives, with many opting out of the workforce entirely (heard of the Great resignation?). Those who remain are demanding greater flexibility, greater collaboration, and greater opportunity to contribute their perspectives and ideas in the workplace. At the very least, to be our selves at work. Many workplaces too, are providing support for the ´whole person´, recognizing that as human beings, the personal does impact the professional and vice versa.

For that reason, an organization must make a point of allowing their employees to express their ideas, needs, wants, and any problems they’re having on the job. This is a key element of a psychologically safe workplace. More importantly, action has to be taken that proves their opinions and ideas are being taken seriously. Below are a few excellent methods to do that, including:

  • Show That Speaking Up is a Positive, Not a Negative

Allowing employees the regular opportunity to give feedback without fear of reprisal is one of the best methods of allowing them to express themselves. The truth is, speaking up takes courage. Getting valuable feedback when that happens can be an incredible ego booster that keeps an employee engaged, happy and productive.

  • Create a Culture of Feedback in the Workplace

A quick online search for the term “feedback” will reveal millions and millions of results. Why? Because humans love giving their feedback about anything and everything, especially when they feel that they have something to add to the conversation.

This holds true in the workplace as well, where it’s guaranteed that many employees would love to give their feedback about a wide variety of work-related topics. The key as an employer is to provide them with an open forum to do just that.

This requires much more than a simple “Suggestion Box” on the wall, it is about communicating that the feedback is heard, genuinely considered, and acted upon in one form or another.

When your organization has a culture of seeking feedback and taking action on it, the response from employees is highly positive. One reason may be that, by allowing unfettered feedback, an employer (or manager) showcases their humility. This, in turn, elevates the status of the team member who was seeking feedback. The result is a standard of psychological safety that doesn’t just allow for freedom of expression; it actively encourages that expression on behalf of all employees.

  • Look at Complaints and Grievances as Important Data

It’s easy to see complaints and grievances as nuisances, especially if they aren’t particularly true or correct. On the other hand, if you look at the information provided as data, you can often learn valuable information that, in the end, helps the organization.

Indeed, many a positive change has come from an employee expressing themself about a negative situation. Without freedom of expression in the workplace, these positive (and frequently profitable) changes would never occur.

  • Employee Agency and Mental Health Are Closely Tied Together

By ´agency´ we mean personal agency – the sense of confidence that staff member has that they can influence, and make an impact on their world – in this case, the workplace.

At the end of the day, an employee’s agency and mental health while on the job are closely related. One compliments the other, with more fulfilled, engaged, and productive employees as a result.

For these reasons, giving all employees a voice is vitally important to an organization’s success. Yes, limits and structure need to be put in place, but the resulting changes will contribute to a workplace where mental health issues are low, and satisfaction levels are high. That’s a win-win situation for all involved.

In short, when an organization allows its employees to unleash their voice, the entire organization benefits. In the never-ending search for health and agency, freedom of expression in the workplace is a proven, profitable solution.

WMHI-WorkLife-Dec-2021

Read the WorkLife Magazine – The Freedom to Express

Psychological Safe Defense image

Learn To Survive And Thrive Despite Narcissists, Sociopaths And Psychopaths

08/09/2021

Have you ever had an interaction with someone that wasn’t quite violent or blatantly rude but left you feeling ‘off, rattled or shaken? What was going on there?

Have you found yourself falling for liars, con artists, or manipulators on more than one occasion? We have too.

What about psychopaths? Ever wondered if someone you know is a psychopath? Sometimes it’s essential to know.

We are seeing situations where people face more extreme and antisocial behavior- and master manipulators end up using them and pulling their strings.

Having delivered mental health and resilience training across the world, to organizations of all sizes and in all industries, and to individuals from all walks of life, we know very clearly that one of the things people struggle with most, in maintaining their health and wellbeing, is dealing with difficult people.

Everyday interactions and relationships with friends, family and colleagues can be tricky enough, even when everyone involved has the best intentions at heart.

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But more and more, we see more extreme antisocial behavior to the point where they could be dealing with psychopaths, sociopaths, and other master manipulators.

Suppose you are not prepared, not alert, or not equipped with techniques to deal with these people and situations. In that case, you could be at risk – sometimes physically, sometimes financially, but often psychologically too.

Therefore, for good mental health and so many other reasons, we need to build our awareness and understanding of people who may not have our best interests at heart. And develop a skill set to deal with these people, behaviors, and situations more effectively.

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We want to raise awareness and help people develop their psychological toolbox. We want good people to feel confident and in control when dealing with bad people out there – knowing that most people are good, well-intentioned people, but that, from time to time, they will come across dangerous people to their psychological and physical health. We also want them to know how to handle them.

We want to be aware and prepared to be able to:

  • identify different types of manipulators and understand their inner psychology
  • know how to spot other signs of manipulation and how to respond effectively to nip those in the bud
  • understand the dozen or so different strategies people can use in an attempt to shape your behavior, and how to neutralize them
  • look after your psychological safety and mental health effectively and securely when dealing with these people and their behaviors

So, what are some things you can do to protect yourself, your loved ones or your teams at work?

Well, here are four things you can do, in a nutshell (we go into more detail and more strategies in our Psychological Self Defense course):

  1. Spot it early and leave, but if you can´t go, then…
  2. Get clear and confident in your own beliefs and knowledge
  3. Don´t try to play their game. Don´t try to outsmart them or trick them, or play pretend to catch them out. You´re not likely to win.
  4. Communicate in a way that is very clear, firm and transparent.
  5. Don’t try to control their actions, but stay cool, calm, and collected no matter what happens.

There’s a lot to talk about, and it’s imperative we do. But it’s hard to put this much detail here in writing. That’s why we created the Psychological Self Defense course where people can discover the strategies, tools and skills, to better deal with difficult people and to develop a type of “psychological armor” to protect themselves and their team from harm.

This online course shows you how to spot the different types of manipulators, the signs of manipulation, the ten sneaky strategies they use to pull the wool over your eyes, and the best ways to respond to this manipulation.

We consider this essential knowledge for everyone.  Of course, suppose you’re a manager or supervisor. In that case, this is even more critical knowledge to protect the wellbeing of your team – and avoid the legal implications these types could create for your company.

Please, do yourself a favor and check out the Psychological Self Defense course

It could be the best thing you do this year.

Author: Peter Diaz
Peter Diaz profile

Peter Diaz is the CEO of Workplace Mental Health Institute. He’s an author and accredited mental health social worker with senior management experience. Having recovered from his own experience of bipolar depression, Peter is passionate about assisting organisations to address workplace mental health issues in a compassionate yet results-focussed way. He’s also a Dad, Husband, Trekkie and Thinker.

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