April is Stress Awareness Month, an observance dedicated to increasing public awareness about the causes and cures for today’s stress epidemic. In this blog, I want to explore the meaning of stress, what contributes to it, how to recognize it and som…
Over the past two years, workers’ resilience has been repeatedly tested and challenged. As a result, many are stronger, more agile, and more adaptive than ever before. At the same time, many workers are drained and reeling from the toll of grief, los…
In the U.S., April 4-10 marks National Public Health Week, which aims to educate policymakers, practitioners and the public about topics that are important to improving the health of our nation. Among the issues to be highlighted this year is menta…
The concept of resiliency has captured the attention of mental health professionals around the globe. And for good reason. Resiliency is our emotional fitness, or ability to bounce back from, cope with and adapt to adversity. Think of that old saying…
In a recent case, I helped an injured employee overcome anxiety and return to work. It turned out that going back to work was its own kind of cure. Ryan was off work due to a lower back injury. His claims examiner contacted me becau…
Stress in the workplace is a public health issue that the World Health Organization called the “health epidemic of the 21st century.” According to the 2013 Stress in the Workplace national survey by the American Psychological Association, 65% of U.S…
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has gotten a lot of national attention lately due to several disturbing events on military bases. However, PTSD is not limited to veterans and those who have been exposed to war. It is a complex disorder that can…
The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) research paper on Stress in the workplace highlights the costly impact of stress and mental health issues on workplace injuries and illness, including higher risk of injury, medical treatment, lost time f…
Imagine a young father of two (Jim) who goes to work one day and sustains a minor back injury. He sees a doctor and is told he can work, but could not lift over 25 pounds. Jim’s employer would not take him back unless he could perform all essential…
$317.5 billion – it’s a figure that gets employers to sit up and take notice. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this is the total for direct and indirect costs of treating mental health disorders annually. Numbers l…
Over the past few years, awareness has grown significantly about stress in the workplace. Ask any employee – at any company – and at any position if they have ever felt stressed on the job and they will tell you unequivocally, "yes." In fact, it's s…