Winter and Wellness | Raechel Pefanis (Part Two)

The stigma around mental wellness issues contributes to the feeling of shame many individuals and professionals hold in regard to advocating for resources and help. Moving forward, we need to think of mental health and overall, physical health as inseparable—because they are.

Workplaces have an ethical imperative to encourage and provide mental health support for their employees. Workplace cultures that prioritize inclusivity, including mental wellness, lead to better work output and happier workers. Investing in mental health resources is beneficial for the health of your organization and your bottom line.

Raechel Pefanis is a certified professional coach, certified CBT EMDR therapist, instructor and supervisor. Raechel is a leader at Red Maple Coaching and Counseling and this week, is joining Dr. Melissa Horne for a second feature in our next episode of Just One Q.

Raechel offers 6 key actions employers and individuals can take to better support their mental wellness this winter:

• Prioritize having fun, even if in reimagined ways
• Distinguish your daily “likes” from “wants” 
• Work on your sleep hygiene 
• Get a mental health professional in your corner
• Minimize your bubble to eliminate toxic people
• Find the right language and safe space to communicate your needs

More so now than ever, employees are thinking about how to protect and preserve their mental health. Many organizations have successfully pivoted toward remote workspaces and environments. The next step is to improve the warmness of our teams as we head into colder months.