In this episode, Ashley and Andrea explain which feelings and actions may indicate that a change in how you do your work would benefit your mental health and increase your productivity. They spell out exactly who qualifies for reasonable accommodations and give several examples of specific workplace adjustments that benefit people managing a mental health disorder. To wrap up Part I, they discuss using the interactive process to find a solution acceptable to the employee and business.

While you may not know the phrases "interactive process" or "reasonable accommodations" you've seen them in action. The most common way this appears at work is when someone takes a leave of absence to have surgery and comes back on "light duty" or with restrictions for a few weeks. Prior to the surgery, the employee discusses the need for time off with their manager (Interactive Process) and addresses any changes to how they will perform job tasks upon return (Reasonable Accommodations).

The same process applies to employees seeking accommodations due to mental impairment. 

In Part II, Ashley and Andrea describe the steps involved in acquiring and implementing an accommodation at work. *Spoiler alert* in order to receive a reasonable accommodation under the ADA, you must disclose your disability.  

This topic is huge and heavily regulated. If you want to know more, check out these trusted resources: 

Ask JAN - The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is the leading source of free, expert, and confidential guidance on job accommodations and disability employment issues. 

US Department of Labor - Office of Disability Employment Policy

EEOC - Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Check out Ashley and Andrea's newly redesigned website and buy a copy of There's an Elephant in Your Office! (Major credit cards, debit cards, and PayPal accepted.)

Hire them to train your workforce on how to identify and support employees experiencing poor mental health. Send them a message at [email protected].

Find them on social - Instagram @elephantinyouroffice; FB @elephantinyouroffice

Ashley and Andrea welcome special guest, Audrey O. Newsome, to the show. Audrey spent 30 years working for the Department of Veteran's Affairs - first as a social worker, then an EAP counselor, and finally in the Equal Employment Opportunity division. Once she achieved a leadership position, Audrey had to figure out how to successfully manage her employees and her own mental health disorder, depression, at the same time. 

In this episode, Audrey talks about the "Four Ps" she used to help employees struggling in their jobs, the power of music, the gift of laughter, and the magic wand she kept in her office. Audrey also shares thoughts on the barriers faced by many African Americans who need mental health support. (Yes, church is one of them.)

Audrey's lived experience closely follows the recommendations in There's an Elephant in Your Office. If you haven't ordered a copy of the book yet, take advantage of a sale in honor of Mental Health Month. $15 for the book plus free shipping. Visit www.elephantinyouroffice.com to purchase, and select local pick up during check out. (All major credit cards, debit cards, and PayPal accepted.) 

Hire us to train your workforce on how to identify and support employees experiencing poor mental health. Send us a message at [email protected]

Find us on social - Instagram @elephantinyouroffice; FB @ASJexplains

In Part 2 of our conversation with Jeanine and Noelle, we hear about some good things that came out of 2020, like finding a therapist, learning how to communicate that you need something, and watching as the rest of the world discovers what small business owners have known for years - how hard it is when your work and home lives meld into one.

Andrea shares her thoughts on how we successfully transition back into face-to-face work settings, and Ashley has a suggestion for leaders on how to help employees who are struggling to regain balance. 

How to buy Noelle's original ceramics and other super cool stuff:

Visit Full Circle Gifts and Goods - a small business bringing you a unique gift shopping experience. Noelle & Scott Horsfield invite you to stop by their shop in Huntington, W.V. or buy merch from their website. Find them on Instagram @fullcirclegiftsandgoods.

Jeanine is starting a program in the Buffalo, NY area called "Women R"

It's a way for women to build connection and community. Stay tuned for more details.

Check out Ashley and Andrea's newly redesigned website and buy a copy of There's an Elephant in Your Office! (We accept all major credit cards, debit cards, and PayPal.)

Hire us to train your workforce on how to identify and support employees experiencing poor mental health. Send us a message at [email protected]

Find us on social - Instagram @elephantinyouroffice; FB @ASJexplains  

In this episode, Ashley and Andrea are joined by two amazing women, Jeanine and Noelle. The group discusses how COVID upended their plans for 2020 and specific ways they have tried to cope. For Noelle, that meant transforming her community-based small business into an online retailer while caring for her aging parents and managing her own chronic illness. Jeanine tried her hand at working full time from home while helping the kids do remote school and her husband follow constantly changing regulations for the small business he started at the end of 2019. 

Whew! That's a lot to balance! And the exact reason to focus a spotlight on Amazing Mammoths. (As a reminder, Amazing Mammoths are employees being crushed by the weight of external stressors. They have great difficulty coping with a particular source of stress.) 

Have a listen to Part 1 of this conversation and feel inspired, comforted, and seen as Jeanine and Noelle share details of their journey through a rough year.

and come back for Part 2!  

How to buy Noelle's original ceramics and other super cool stuff:

Visit Full Circle Gifts and Goods - a small business bringing you a unique gift shopping experience. Noelle & Scott Horsfield invite you to stop by their shop in Huntington, W.V. or buy merch from their website. Find them on Instagram @fullcirclegiftsandgoods.

Jeanine is starting a program in the Buffalo, NY area called "Women R" 

It's a way for women to build connection and community. Stay tuned for more details. 

Check out Ashley and Andrea's newly redesigned website and buy a copy of There's an Elephant in Your Office! (We accept all major credit cards, debit cards, and PayPal.)

Hire us to train your workforce on how to identify and support employees experiencing poor mental health. Send us a message at [email protected]

Find us on social - Instagram @elephantinyouroffice; FB @ASJexplains

A year into the coronavirus pandemic, more people than ever are dealing with poor mental health. The CDC and Mental Health America have recently released studies that show the significant, but not unexpected, rise in people experiencing anxiety and depression. Are you one of those people? Maybe you live or work with someone struggling with their mental health. 

In this first episode of Season 2, Ashley and Andrea talk about Amazing Mammoths and adjustment disorder. To refresh your memory, an Amazing Mammoth is a person having difficulty coping with or adjusting to a particular source of stress. This could stem from something straightforward like the loss of a job or a loved one or be more complicated, like trying to navigate a global pandemic. Regardless of the source, the external stressor causes the person to have symptoms similar to clinical depression. That includes inability to focus, having trouble completing tasks, isolating, and looking more disheveled. 

When we went to work and saw people on a regular basis, it was a little easier to tell when someone was withdrawing or having a tough time dealing with something because you saw it evolve over time. Once the world went virtual, our context clues disappeared making it harder to know who was struggling.

During this podcast, Ashley and Andrea teach you how to recognize an Amazing Mammoth and provide examples of how coworkers, businesses, and the C-suite checked in with each other while being virtual. They also talk about coping skills and how alcohol and online shopping seemed to fill a void for many people who lost their support systems. 

Check out our newly redesigned website and buy a copy of our book, There's an Elephant in Your Office! (We accept all major credit cards, debit cards, and PayPal.)

Hire us to train your workforce on how to identify and support employees experiencing poor mental health. Send us a message at [email protected] 

Find us on social - Instagram @elephantinyouroffice; FB @ASJexplains

Just how depressed are you? In this episode, Ashley and Andrea provide a free resource to help gauge the level of anxiety or depression you're feeling. They also give you new vocabulary words so you can pinpoint emotions and realistically address them. Finally, they share the actions you should take if you want to make it to 2021 with your sanity intact. 

Spoiler alert: drink water and prioritize sleep are at the top of the list!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Feeling Wheel, Gottman Institute  

MHA Mental Health Test

Buy the book, There's an Elephant in Your Office, on our website elephantinyouroffice.com or on Amazon. Hire us to train your workforce on incorporating mental health into all kinds of businesses. Find us on social - Instagram @elephantinyouroffice; FB @ASJexplains

In this episode, Ashley and Andrea put forth the radical idea that reasonable accommodations are good for business! More specifically, they define psychiatric disability and explain how people living with mental health disorders qualify for accommodations at work under the ADA - Americans with Disabilities Act. 

They also provide lots of examples of what a reasonable accommodation for mental health looks like in the business setting. 

Andrea shares a word of caution about trying to address accommodation issues without the help of your HR staff.  Ashley explains why she sits behind the copy machine at work.  

If you are a manager, owner, HR professional, or employee who wants to learn more about mental health and ADA laws, ask JAN. The Job Accommodation Network (referred to as JAN) is the leading source of free, expert, and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues. https://askjan.org/ 

Buy the book, There's an Elephant in Your Office, on our website elephantinyouroffice.com or on Amazon. Hire us to train your workforce on incorporating mental health into all kinds of businesses. Find us on social - Instagram @elephantinyouroffice; FB @ASJexplains 

Thumbnail image credit: BSIP / Universal Images Group / Getty Images. nZ4GRSbGcDwacqG20k81

Is your workplace "posi-vibes only!"? Are you reminded on a daily basis to "just choose happiness" or "be more grateful - other people have it worse than you?"

Although they seem harmless on the surface, these phrases are really dismissive attempts to ignore a person or situation. When taken too far, they can create a culture of toxic positivity.  

In this episode, Ashley and Andrea talk about "toxic positivity" - what it means, where you find it, why it's especially harmful to people experiencing poor mental health, and what to do about it. 

They share helpful tools to identify and address your real emotions, acknowledge struggle while maintaining progress, and one simple question to help your employees feel heard.  

Resources and sources mentioned in the episode:

Buy the book, There's an Elephant in Your Office, on our website elephantinyouroffice.com or on Amazon. Hire us to train your workforce on incorporating mental health into all kinds of businesses. Find us on social - Instagram @elephantinyouroffice; FB @ASJexplains

The year 2020 is pretty much a dumpster fire. What are you supposed to do?! In this episode, Ashley and Andrea share examples of what they are doing to maintain sanity and offer great ideas from our listeners. 

Join the conversation. What's keeping you together amidst pandemics, no school, work from home, and social unrest? 

Buy the book, There's an Elephant in Your Office, on our website elephantinyouroffice.com or on Amazon. Find us on social - Instagram @elephantinyouroffice; FB @ASJexplains

What is BIPOC? Can I say "trans" without offending people? How many letters are supposed to be in LGBTQIA and what do they all mean?! 

In honor and recognition of Pride Month, Black Lives Matter, social justice, and minority mental health, Ashley and Andrea devote this podcast to highlighting the unique struggles faced by people who identify with multiple marginalized identities and talk about ways we can all be better allies.* 

Learning the language is an important first step if you want to engage in conversations about race, disparities, and justice. Ashley uses the UC Davis LGBTQIA Resource Center Glossary to define several words that keep popping up in the news and which ones are most appropriate to use.  

Andrea shares the Project Implicit website and the quizzes you can take to uncover your hidden biases about race, gender, age, disability, and more. There's also a 21 Day Racial Equity Challenge where you do one action to further your understanding of power, privilege, supremacy, oppression, and equity each day for 21 days. If you love checklists, definitely try Dr. John Raible’s Checklist for Allies Against Racism. Read through the checklist to get a feel for what constitutes ally behavior on the part of anti-racists, and think about how often and how consistently you do any or all of them. 

Other great resources: 

The Angry Black Woman: The Do’s and Don’ts of Being a Good Ally 

The White Ally Toolkit/Ally Conversation Toolkit helps anti-racism allies do their part in the fight against racism by empowering and equipping them with best practice communications skills based on listening, storytelling, and compassion.  

Racial justice educator and writer Debby Irving, on her website, gives us "a small sampling of what the racial justice community has offer." 

Safe Space Radio: Talking to White Kids About Race & Racism. 

MHA and NAMI have all the data you want related to Prevalence of Mental Health Conditions in Specific Populations. 

The Netflix documentary, 13th, reviews the Thirteenth Amendment and analyzes the criminalization of African Americans and the U.S. prison boom. 

If you want to donate, here's a list of Black Lives Matter and Black Lives Matter LGBTQ charities who need support.  

*Ashley and Andrea 100% recognize their privilege as white women and want to connect people with the experts and tools they need to engage in important conversations.  

Buy the book, There's an Elephant in Your Office, on our website elephantinyouroffice.com or on Amazon. Hire us to train your workforce on incorporating mental health into all kinds of businesses. Find us on social - Instagram @elephantinyouroffice; FB @ASJexplains