Thread by @tleam

First sessions at #ptw19 #intro19 getting started. Checking out the “Grow” track focused on biz and science. First track?

“Removing the Stigma: Creative Solutions for the Mental Health Crisis”

#PTW19 #Intro19 - Really glad I picked this session. Jessica Picket is talking about the importance of mental health care for first responders with a focus on secondary effects of incident response.

“It’s the elephant in the room that no one talks about”

#PTW19 #Intro19 - this topic of secondary effects is a big one that we don’t discuss much in the tech sector. Responding to incidents impacting critical technology has a real impact on our psychological wellbeing and relationships. We should talk about this more.

#PTW19 #Intro19 - That said, talking about mental health can be tough. Asking someone "if they're ok" can be really difficult, so be brave.

"Are you ok? Say that, because it's better than saying nothing" - Tonya Ladipo

#PTW19 #Intro19 - Opinion: so far the conversation seems to be directed towards reacting to potential mental health issues in the workplace. Prevention is critical as well. Build a culture where folks can 'take a breather' and signal when burn-out and stress are overwhelming.

#PTW19 #Intro19 - Chatted with Jessica and Tonya after the talk about proactive measures to minimize psychological duress on a team responding to incidents. Critical: onboarding and maintenance. Be upfront, provide training, and put mechanisms in place to do team healthchecks.

#PTW19 #Intro19 - big thanks to @TheLadipoGroup and Jessica Pickett from @rpmsols for enhancing the hallway track and chatting with me. I can't emphasize this enough: we aren't talking about mental wellness in technology enough.

Just realized I didn't get tags out there for everyone involved in the "Removing the Stigma" talk. Big thanks to @Mitch_Vidovich, @jessicataryn00, Russ Micoli, @TheLadipoGroup , and Christopher Molaro