Mental health literacy and why it matters
Review the concept of mental health literacy and its vital link to understanding and promoting good mental health.
Explore how shared experiences, environment, and practical strategies shape mental fitness and team resilience.
About this Talk
Mental fitness isn’t just an individual pursuit. It’s a collective effort. As we navigate the complexities of life, our day-to-day experiences at home and at work shape our mental health in meaningful ways. Each person’s outlook is influenced by their environment, leading to a spectrum of emotions. Good mental health is about cultivating the ability to embrace pleasant emotions more frequently while learning to navigate challenges with resilience.
Life is unpredictable, and stress is an unavoidable part of the journey. The difference in mental well-being often lies not in the stressors we face, but in how we choose to cope with them.
In this engaging session, Dr. Howatt shares his 3 E’s model for mental well-being — Experiences, Expectations, and Environment — a practical framework that provides a roadmap for enhancing mental fitness and fostering a supportive team culture. Attendees will explore the concept of mental health literacy, examine how environment can either charge or drain well-being, and leave with practical strategies for strengthening resilience individually and as a team.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Attendees leave with practical, evidence-based skills they can apply immediately.
Review the concept of mental health literacy and its vital link to understanding and promoting good mental health.
Explore how the environments we work and live in can either support or undermine mental well-being and resilience.
Understand how Experiences, Expectations, and Environment interact to shape mental fitness and inform a practical approach to well-being.
Leave with practical strategies for strengthening mental fitness and fostering a culture of collective resilience within your team.
SESSION BREAKDOWN
The session opens by exploring mental health literacy and the concept of mental fitness, establishing why collective well-being matters and how our environments and experiences shape our day-to-day mental health.
Participants are introduced to Dr. Howatt's framework of Experiences, Expectations, and Environment, and examine how each element influences mental well-being and resilience at the individual and team level.
This section equips attendees with actionable approaches to strengthen mental fitness, navigate stress more effectively, and contribute to a supportive team culture.
Your Speaker
Ph.D., Ed.D.
Dr. Bill Howatt is an internationally recognized authority on workplace mental health with more than 30 years of clinical experience supporting employers, HR teams, and psychological safety initiatives. A researcher, author, and practitioner, he is known for delivering evidence-based, highly practical insights that help organizations build healthier, more resilient workplaces.
Dr. Bill is the former Chief of Research, Workforce Productivity, at The Conference Board of Canada, and the former Chief of Research and Development, Workforce Productivity, at Lifeworks. He has created the senate approved Certificate in Psychologically Safe Leadership and Certificate in Management Essentials, Pathway to Coping and Mental Fitness through the University of New Brunswick. Dr. Bill is the Chair of the CSA Technical Committee on the Management of Impairment Standard, CSA Technical Committee Member for the Psychological Health and Safety Standard and is a member of the CSA Strategic Steering Committee for Occupational Health and Safety. Dr. Howatt completed his B.Sc. Physical Education, B.A., M.Ed. Counseling Psychology, M.Sc. Clinical Psychology, and his Ph.D.s in Counselling Psychology and Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Ed.D., He also completed a Post Doctorate Behavioral Science, University of California, Los Angeles, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. Dr. Howatt openly shares his personal challenges with mental health and neurodivergence in his recently published book, Stop Hiding and Start Living: How to Say F-it to Fear and Develop Mental Fitness. He is the author of over 50 books and 500 articles, including a regular column with Talent Canada, OHS Magazine, The Chronicle Herald, HR News Canada and The Globe and Mail. His approach to workplace mental health is not only evidence-based, but also grounded in lived experiences, making it both practical and relatable.
KEEP EXPLORING
Let’s discuss your needs and find the perfect fit to bring wellness to your team.
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