We all assess how we’re feeling physically on a daily basis and use that data to inform our decisions. (If our knee hurts, we don’t run that day.) But we don’t do that with our mental health. Despite the fact that it drives our physical health and the way we see the world, we tend to consider mental wellness a luxury rather than a foundational piece of our wellbeing.
Today, we’re joined by Alexa James, the Executive Director of the Chicago Chapter for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), an organization dedicated to providing hope and improving the quality of life for people affected by mental health conditions. A licensed clinical social worker with Master’s Degrees in Social Work and Child Development, Alexa has devoted her professional life to serving people living with mental illness as well as those impacted by poverty and trauma.
Alexa begins by explaining how biology, genetics and environment impact our mental health, offering insight into what a toxic community looks like and what we can do to create communities of wellness. She introduces us to the idea of proactively asking employees what accommodations they need to navigate stress and describes how she set the tone for her team by prioritizing her own mental health. Listen in for advice on using person-first language to talk about people living with mental illness and learn what YOU can do to remove the stigma associated with mental health.
