Book Review Yes, You Can Talk About Mental Health At Work by Melissa Doman

I want to give a special thanks to Laura Sebright from Trigger Publishing for sending me the book, Yes, You Can Talk About Mental Health At Work By Melissa Doman for review.

256 pages

About the Author

Organizational Psychologist, Former Clinical Mental Health Therapist, & Author

Melissa has spoken, presented, and consulted for international, national, and local organizations and Fortune 500 companies across industries and around the world, including clients like: Estée Lauder, Salesforce, Siemens, Janssen, Charlotte Tilbury, Bumble and bumble, Legal & General, and more. She has been featured as a subject matter expert by the BBC, CNBC, digital publications, local television shows, international and national conferences, summits, and mentoring programs. After a decade of fieldwork, Melissa compiled all of her training, experience, and expertise into her new book: Yes, You Can Talk About Mental Health at Work…Here’s Why (And How To Do It Really Well). She is also a prominent thought leader in the United States, United Kingdom, and the European Union. She’s lived abroad in England, Australia, South Korea and traveled to 45+ countries, and calls upon her global experiences to inform how she works with companies around the world. To learn more about Melissa and her services, visit: http://www.melissadoman.com

ENDORSEMENTS:

“This book will challenge your thinking. Whether you’re a CEO or have just embarked on your first few weeks in the working world – or anything in between, this book is for you. It’s intensely practical, with clear and concise pointers to help us all on our journey with talking about mental health at work. Informative and thought-provoking, this book is a must-read.”

— Jonny Combe, UK CEO, PayByPhone

“With compassion and authority, Melissa addresses the real issues and barriers of why people aren’t comfortable sharing about mental health at work, and how to overcome those fears. She highlights so clearly that everyone has mental health, just as we have physical health, and the importance of vocalizing this similarity.”

— Julie Cassidy, Director of Sales East, North America, Bumble and Bumble

“This book is a timely and powerful resource for leaders at all levels that are seeking to truly impact their teams at a deeper level with authenticity, empathy and genuine care for their mental wellbeing. Leading organizations recognize that to truly transform their systems, workforce and, ultimately, profitability, they need to allow for courageous conversations about mental health. Melissa does a great job of outlining actionable steps that are practical for such a complex topic that impacts all of us.”

— César A. Lostaunau, Director of Growth Markets/D&I at CENTURY 21®

“I’ve been working in the people space for more than 20 years. When I began my career, talking about mental health in the workplace was just not done. Two decades later, I had hoped we would normalize the discussion. We’re not there yet, but with Melissa’s book, we might get there. This is a playbook for how to have some of the most difficult discussions imaginable at work. And, it just may help you help to change the world of work.”

— Tracie Sponenberg, Chief People Officer at The Granite Group

“This revolutionary book removes the guesswork and minimizes the uncomfortable nature of having conversations about mental health at work. Melissa leverages her clinical expertise and research-based evidence to provide practical guidance for creating psychologically safe workplaces. After reading this book, I felt informed and empowered. This book will forever change the stigma and negative narratives associated with mental health in the workplace. It should be required reading for Human Resources Management courses.”

— Ricklyn Woods, SHRM-SCP, Owner of Ricklyn Woods HR Coaching + Consulting

Blurb

This timely and practical book is for any employee, manager or leader who wants to understand mental health at a deeper level, and learn how to talk about it really well in the workplace.

Taking a realistic approach through research, stories of lived experience, and applied techniques that anyone can use, this approachable book covers a variety of crucial areas, including:

How we bring our beliefs and experiences around mental health and mental illness into the workplace
The importance of understanding how the language we use, consciously or unconsciously, impacts our interactions with others
Ways to manage the challenges around having mental health conversations at work
Step-by-step ‘how-to’ conversation guides, alongside practical tools
Concrete tips on ways to action this education, individually or at a team level

After reading this book, you will feel empowered and equipped to have constructive, meaningful conversations about mental health in your workplace.

My Thoughts

Talking about mental health at work is not something I’ve ever felt comfortable with, even with my most trusted managers. I spent my career battling mental illness yet told no one, it’s not just the stigma around mental illness but the fear of the information being held against you in some way.

This book is a great tool for anyone who manages people on how to keep the lines of communication open and create a comfortable work environment.

Everyone faces a mental health challenge at some point in their life, and it affects our entire life including our work life. Some conversations are easier than others and having a tool to help prepare you for those sensitive subjects is critical to being a good manager.

Melissa takes her real-world experience, gives you a step-by-step guide on conversations you may encounter, and provides you with the tools to have deep meaningful conversations about mental health in the workplace.

This is a must-read for every people manager, from the start of your career to being a veteran manager.

Trigger Publishing

TriggerHub.org is the first mental health organization of its kind. We are bringing mental health recovery and balance to millions of people worldwide through the power of our books.

We have built a first-class resource of curated books produced and published in-house to create a unique collection of mental health recovery titles unrivaled in quality and selection. We work with experts, psychologists, doctors, and coaches to produce our books, but we also work with real people looking to share their stories to reach out to others and provide hope, understanding, and compassion. These brave authors also aim to raise awareness of mental health’s “human” face and its impact on everyday lives.

Melinda

Looking for the Light

@lookinglight