Bell Let's Talk Day 2025
Workplace mental health is an essential topic we cannot afford to overlook. This year, Bell Let’s Talk is celebrating mental health by shining a spotlight on Youth Mental Health.
Every year, Jeddy Wellness has had the privilege of hosting events, workshops, and webinars for Bell Let’s Talk Day. This year, I (Sumana Jeddy) am collaborating with Furkhan Dandia—a passionate mental health advocate and therapist and Jeddy Wellness ambassador—to write this blog for Bell Let’s Talk Day 2025.
While youth mental health is not our area of expertise, we recognize its profound impact on parents and caregivers. We want to support the community of parents and caregivers who read our blogs and follow our content. Our aim with this blog is to share actionable strategies to help them care for themselves while supporting their most precious asset—their children.
Understanding Parenting Challenges
Parenting is often described as one of life’s most rewarding experiences. Yet, it is also a journey filled with challenges, responsibilities, and emotional complexities. For parents navigating their mental health struggles while raising children, the journey can feel isolating and overwhelming. This is why the establishment of mental health support groups specifically for parents is not just beneficial but essential. Parenting while dealing with mental health challenges adds a unique layer of difficulty. Balancing personal well-being with the demands of parenting can create a sense of guilt, fear, or inadequacy. Many parents fear judgment or worry about being perceived as “unfit” if they openly discuss their struggles. As a result, they may suppress their feelings, leading to heightened stress, burnout, and a cycle of emotional strain that impacts both them and their children. This shared humanity is essential to building mental health support systems, especially in the workplace.
"Throughout the years, I have heavily relied on groups to navigate complex life situations. It is easy to feel isolated and alone when we are mired in difficulty and do not know where to turn. A workplace may not be conducive for us to share our struggles, nor would they have the tools, which can further perpetuate the issue and create more loneliness.”
The Importance of Groups and Peer Support for Parents in the Workplace
Creating a workplace culture of wellness involves six domains of cultural influence:
- Leadership Support
- Shared Values
- Norms
- Touch Points
- Social Climate
- Peer Support
We’ve discussed these in detail in our previously published white paper, Strategies for Creating a Culture of Health and Wellness (2024).
Peer Support (and groups) is particularly crucial for helping parents and caregivers Here’s why it matters:
- Reduces Isolation: Knowing others face similar struggles fosters a sense of belonging and reduces loneliness.
- Normalizes Mental Health Discussions: Hearing others openly discuss their mental health encourages parents to do the same, breaking stigmas.
- Offers Practical Solutions: Group members often share strategies and resources that have worked for them, providing practical advice.
- Provides Emotional Support: A support group’s collective empathy and understanding can be profoundly comforting and healing.
- Foster Resilience and Connection: Connections formed through peer support groups can extend beyond the group setting, creating long-lasting relationships and a network of allies who understand the unique demands of parenting while working.
How Workplaces Can Support Parents and Caregivers
Workplaces play a crucial role in supporting parents and caregivers, particularly those with children facing mental health challenges. The lack of flexibility in the workplace can add unnecessary stress to parents already balancing work and caregiving responsibilities. Without the ability to adjust their schedules, take necessary time off, or work remotely, parents may feel overwhelmed and unable to provide their children’s care. Many large corporations are asking employees to return to full-time in-person work and removing remote work options, further limiting flexibility. By embedding flexibility and fostering a supportive culture, workplaces can create an environment where employees feel seen, valued, and able to perform at their best.
Here are three key types of flexibility that workplaces can offer to parents with children struggling with mental health:
Location Flexibility
Remote work reduces commuting stress and helps parents manage caregiving responsibilities like therapy sessions and medical appointments. For parents of children with mental health challenges, the ability to work from home is vital for balancing work and caregiving.Leave Flexibility
Stigma-free personal or family leave policies allow parents to address urgent family needs without career concerns. For parents of children with mental health issues, this flexibility is crucial in managing crises or providing emotional support.Schedule Flexibility
Flexible work schedules enable parents to attend therapy appointments, school events, or medical meetings. For parents of children with mental health struggles, this flexibility ensures they can prioritize their child’s needs while maintaining their work responsibilities.
As we continue to address mental health in the workplace, it’s essential to remember the power of flexibility. Offering adjustments—whether in location, leave, or schedules—can significantly improve the well-being of parents and caregivers. By enabling these changes, we support their mental health, foster resilience, and create an environment where they can thrive.
Our Call to Action
Mental health is as critical as physical health; parents should not have to navigate these challenges alone. Communities can help parents thrive as caregivers and individuals by advocating for and supporting the creation of mental health support groups. Investing in parents’ mental well-being is an investment in the future, as healthier parents raise healthier, more resilient children.
Championing this shift in our workplaces and supporting parents in balancing professional and caregiving responsibilities will strengthen and sustain our communities.
Mental Health Resources
- Affordable Therapy: Explore Alli.io for budget-friendly therapy options.
- BetterHelp Discount: LinkedIn Premium members get discounts on BetterHelp for accessible online therapy.
- Owl Pod Therapy (Alberta): Accessible therapy services though Owl Pod with a referral from your family physician.
- Man Therapy: A unique initiative for men’s mental health. Visit Man Therapy for stress management tools with a humor-filled approach.
Written By: Sumana Jeddy and Furkhan Dandia
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