ISCRR Research Fellow Carmen Schroder attended the International Mental Health Conference on the Gold Coast in June, where she presented on practical strategies workplaces can use to address the emotional demands inherent in mental health work.
Carmen’s presentation explored the barriers to managing psychosocial hazards, including the narratives that shape perceptions of responsibility and what motivates action. She highlighted practical approaches at the organisational and team levels, as well as strategies to support individual-level behaviours that promote psychologically healthy workplaces.
The conference featured keynote presentations from Maureen Abbott (Mental Health Commission Canada), who explored how digital and AI-enabled interventions could improve access to mental health support while emphasising the importance of quality, trust and evaluation. Chris Oei and Keith Govias (EML) examined the impact of workplace microaggressions and a specialist return-to-work pathway pilot, while Sarah Walsh (The Health Effort) explored leadership as a workplace health intervention through the lens of emotional regulation and attachment theory. Professor Nickolai Titov (MindSpot) shared five essential habits for maintaining mental health and explained how neglecting them can increase the risk of depression and anxiety.
A recurring theme throughout the conference was the importance of collaboration, co-design and community. Across diverse settings and innovations, presenters emphasised that the strongest workplace mental health solutions are developed with, rather than for, the people they are designed to support.
Thank you to the Australian and New Zealand Mental Health Association for organising this event.