Whats up Happier Dentist family, today, I think its important to touch on the ever so important topic of our emotional, social and psychological wellbeing - which in a nutshell is our mental health.
It's been a "hot topic" as of late, but doesn't mean this is a new thing for dentists to experience. We've all heard the statistic about dentists having a high rate of suicide. Today we talk with a licensed therapist who deals with mental health scenarios in the work place.
Addressing the stigma of talking about it in our communities can be an important step before seeking the appropriate person that will really help us navigate through a potentially difficult time. For the Asian doctors out there like me, we add another complex element of factors that can drastically affect our mental health, which is racism. That definitely deserves a listen as it seems to be a very relevant issue for many of us and can affect our day-to-day.
Our mental health affects us as a leader in the office or as an employee and can bleed into other areas of our lives. We can and should include more discussions in the office surrounding mental health and be more proactive to remind our team that resources and support exist.
Navigating COVID in the dental environment in 2021 and beyond can be more manageable simply by staying a bit more connected to the pulse of your team members and Jeanie talks about how building rapport with your team can help them feel more comfortable to talk with you about certain things, strengthening the bond you have with them.
Disclaimer - we are talking about mental health, including the reference to suicide, anxiety and depression.
Find out more about our guest, Jeanie Chang!
Resources concerning mental health in the Asian Community