Send us a textEver wondered how much your boss affects your mental health? According to research shared by Rebecca Reed, founder and CEO of Siendo, your manager has roughly the same impact on your well-being as your romantic partner—and potentially more influence than your therapist!
Rebecca's extraordinary journey from corporate banking to mental health advocacy began when she witnessed rampant burnout in the financial world. Taking an unusual approach to learning more, she worked weekends on mental health wards while maintaining her banking career during the week. The stark contrast between supporting someone attempting suicide on Sunday and returning to workplace arguments about mail merges on Monday crystallized her mission to create psychologically safer workplaces.
At the heart of workplace well-being is psychological safety—the environment we create where people feel secure enough to speak honestly, challenge ideas, and seek help when needed. Our nervous systems constantly scan environments for threats, and in workplaces where deadlines and performance pressures dominate, many employees register their surroundings as "unsafe." The result? Silence disguised as agreement, suffering behind closed doors, and untapped potential.
Rebecca shares practical strategies managers can implement to nurture psychological safety, emphasizing that true listening—holding space for someone's pain without rushing to fix it—is a rare and valuable skill. Her Mental Health First Aid training equips people to support others through crises while building everyday communication skills that strengthen relationships.
The conversation takes a touching turn when Rebecca discusses her newest initiative, MentalFlex, designed for parents' mental fitness. Throughout her journey as a mum, having experienced postnatal depression and years of navigating the stress experienced around having a son who experienced frequent bouts of illness while growing up, she recognized the need for better mental health support for parents. Not only do parents need the support directly themselves, but it's also vital for their children. Research shows that children mirror their parents' nervous systems, and so even when we think we're hiding our anxiety, children absorb these emotions without having language to process them. By regulating ourselves first, we provide healthier emotional blueprints for our children.
Whether you're leading a team, supporting colleagues, or raising the next generation, Rebecca's insights will transform how you think about mental wellness and its ripple effects through communities. Listen now to discover how small changes in how we communicate can create psychologically safer environments where everyone thrives.This podcast is a proud member of the Mayday Media Network. If you have an idea for a podcast and need some production assistance or have a podcast and are looking for a supportive network to join, check out maydaymedianetwork.com. Like what you hear on the podcast? Please Like, Follow Subscribe and share our social media for more uplifting, inspirational and feel-good content.FacebookInstagramLinkedInTikTok Support the show
