I spent 8 summers riding around on a gator working for the City of Saskatoon.
Every season, I used up all of my sick time due to my mental health challenges. However, I never knew how to talk about my mental health struggles with my supervisors, and my supervisors struggled to have that conversation with me.
Recently, I was able to have that conversation and a whole lot more. After delivering few keynotes to the City of Saskatoon employees, the supervisors gave themselves permission to participate in a talking circle.
In the circle, nobody is above and nobody is below. We are all the same.
I watched the proverbial masks slowly disappear, and each individual was able to share their own challenges related to mental health.
There were a lot of tears and a few laughs, but most of all we connected at a human level.
We left the circle feeling seen, heard, and supported.
Thank you Brendan, Jacquie, and Bernadette for giving your team permission to be vulnerable, and for strengthening this conversation.
