Feel how I did? In honor of National Mental Health Awareness month, take the advice of Los Angeles-based psychologist Yvonne Thomas, Ph.D., on how to bring up this all-too-important discussion with your higher-ups: Everyone’s reasons for needing therapy are different: while I sought a way of improving my outlook toward my family and love life, others might derive stress from body image or their toxic friend group. Whatever the cause, improving your mental state inevitably will change how you approach your job. That’s why Dr. Thomas suggests detailing these facts to your boss, as a way of illustrating how beneficial the experience will be holistically. “It is important to specify how you will be a better employee and a better colleague: such as that you will be more alert and energetic, have better concentration and focus, be more productive and motivated on the job, be an easier person for coworkers to get along with and beyond,” she explains. This doesn’t only make your case, but it gets to the heart of how your job is directly impacted by your headspace.
Yvonne Thomas Ph.D. is a Psychologist in Los Angeles. To read the full article “how to talk about therapy in the workplace” visit theladders.com