3 Things I Wish I Knew Starting Out

So, at a recent presentation I gave, someone asked me, “What would you have done differently to avoid burnout in public mental health?” That question stopped me in my tracks. I have had ideas and philosophical ponderings about what others can do to avoid the burnout they experience. But what led me to Sacrificial Helping…

How to Build Trust With Those Who Matter

As children, our initial instincts are to trust whole-heartedly, with naïve abandon. Our very survival requires that we have trustworthy caregivers to nurture us as we grow. However, over time disappointments and betrayals can build up, making us very cautious with our trust. “Do you trust me?” This isn’t a question we take lightly. So…

The art of talking to each other (from the archives)

Communication is one of the things that I believe everyone should get training in.  We need to communicate effectively to be successful in our relationships, in our jobs, and pretty much every aspect of our lives.  I am not talking about eloquence, I am talking about clearly communicating what you intend to communicate with another…

The 6 Steps to Diffuse Conflict (Even When it Seems Impossible) from the archives

When we hate conflict, it can feel horrifying to find an angry, dissatisfied customer yelling at us. In our personal lives, we yell back, shut down, give in, or whatever. But when we’re facing customers, we feel responsible to handle it better. Here are six steps to diffuse conflict in a different way: Take a…