Headspace’s Post

According to the American Psychiatric Association, 73% of U.S. adults are anxious about the upcoming presidential election. Election news can be inescapable, which means stress and uncertainty can be felt during work hours, become the topic of workplace discussion, and lead to compounded anxiety. When leaders take on the responsibility of supporting their employees’ mental health, though, they provide a psychologically safe workplace that helps them head into election season with a stronger sense of resilience and preparedness. Learn how to set employees up for success with tips to help them cope with uncertainty: 

🤲 According to the Pew Research Center, nearly half (42%) of adults report using fertility treatments or know someone who has. 🤲 According to the National Library of Medicine, there are higher rates of stress, anxiety, and depression among IVF patients than in the general population. When you combine those statistics with the overwhelming rates of general work stress and burnout, the emotional toll on working professionals undergoing fertility challenges is tough to fathom. People often face unseen struggles in their personal lives, but the healthiest workplaces — those that lead with compassion — acknowledge that work and life are never truly separate, and professional support can be just as important for those personal struggles. For tools and techniques to support your mental health needs throughout the specific stages of your family planning journey, check out the Support For Your Fertility Journey collection in the Headspace app, free even without a membership. 🧡

While 1 in 6 adults experience fertility challenges and elevated levels of anxiety and depression as a result, less than half of employers offer fertility coverage for employees. Together with Carrot Fertility, we’re hosting a LinkedIn Live event to highlight how employers can better support employees navigating family planning journeys. Join Rosie Acosta, Meditation and Mindfulness teacher at Headspace, for a live, guided meditation, followed by a discussion moderated by Courtney Vinopal, Senior Reporter at Morning Brew. We’ll hear from Carrot Fertility Chief Medical Officer and Co-Founder Asima Ahmad, MD, MPH, FACOG, Accolade, Inc. Director of Benefits Mary Lasky, MBA Lasky, and Headspace Chief Clinical Officer Jenna Glover about why family planning and mental health support are crucial components of a modern benefits offering. Benefits leaders, don’t miss this event! RSVP at the link below:

Acceptance can be a form of self-compassion. Optimism can be a form of self-care. Practice them both.

What does being sooo mindful, sooo demure look like for you at work today? 😌

Fertility challenges can be just as time-consuming as they are personal. While it’s not essential to disclose your path to family planning with colleagues, it can be beneficial to discuss it with your leader to ensure you have the time to make it to your appointments and manage your mental health. Here are some prompts to get you started: 📩 “I’m currently in the midst of family planning, which will involve several medical appointments. I’ll do my best to make them outside of working hours, but I’d like to talk to you about my schedule’s flexibility.” 📩 “I’m currently seeing a family planning doctor, and this may mean some adjustments to my schedule and time off for appointments. I’ll do my best to minimize any disruptions, but I wanted to give you a heads up because I know that may not always be possible.” 📩 “I wanted to share with you that I’m currently undergoing fertility treatments, which means I’ll need to attend several medical appointments. I’ll let you know of any changes or needed time off as soon as possible.” For tools and techniques to support your mental health throughout your family planning journey, check out the Support For Your Fertility Journey collection in the Headspace app, free to all users with or without memberships. 🧡

Fertility challenges are some of the most isolating experiences someone can go through, and yet, one in eight Americans struggle to conceive and nearly half of Americans have either sought fertility treatment or know someone who has. It’s why we’re proud to be launching a mental health initiative entirely focused on supporting those in the midst of fertility journeys. Introducing our latest collection, created in partnership with Spring Fertility: the Support For Your Fertility Journey collection — completely free for members and non-members alike — full of guided meditations, mindfulness exercises, and a three-part docuseries with firsthand experience from our meditation teachers. In addition to this collection designed to help those on fertility journeys feel seen, heard, and supported, we’re proud to be providing an IVF grant to a member of the Headspace community to cover a cycle of treatment. In an effort to continue advancing the dialogue on the mental health toll of fertility challenges, we’re also proud to be partnering with Rescripted and Conceive. Read more about Headspace’s fertility support initiative:

Headspace Chief Purpose Officer Wizdom Powell,PhD, MPH, CMHC  delivered a keynote address at the 2024 APA Convention about masculinity and mental health for Black men. She argues that the single stories we tell in science, public policy, and clinical practice about masculinities position Black men and boys merely as problems to be solved. In an exploration of what society can gain when we recognize the humanity of underserved men and boys, Dr. Powell shared storytelling strategies to support the advancement of mental health equity for Black men. Thank you for having us, APA! https://lnkd.in/giVKhGS

Quick reminder: shut your laptop and enjoy your weekend.

You’re experiencing self-doubt not because you’re an imposter, but because you’re human.