Minds Over Meetings
A Personal Perspective on Wellness in the Workplace
1. Edition December 2024
240 Pages, Hardcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
How to manage your mental health at work and create supportive environments for teams you lead
Drawing on popular influencer Kody Green's inspirational story as a diagnosed person with schizophrenia who succeeded in finding and maintaining a job across diverse industry sectors including production, distribution, office settings, and management, Minds Over Meetings: A Personal Perspective on Wellness in the Workplace provides practical strategies for fostering an understanding, empathetic, and supportive and inclusive work environment as well as self-care and coping strategies to help all professionals manage their mental health better at work.
Backed by the latest research findings in the field and emphasizing the vital role of open and honest communication, Green explores topics including:
* Finding available accommodations through employee assistance programs (EAP) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
* Retaining talent in the workplace by promoting education and fighting stigma
* Building relationships between friends and colleagues to strengthen teamwork
Minds Over Meetings: A Personal Perspective on Wellness in the Workplace earns a well-deserved spot on the bookshelves of all individuals seeking to thrive in the workplace through effective management of their mental health, along with all managers and business leaders seeking to create an open and supportive environment to improve worker wellbeing.
Part I Introduction to Mental Health in the Workplace 1
1 All About Me and My Diagnosis 3
2 Mental Health Versus Mental Illness: What Is the Difference? 15
3 Stigma at the Watercooler: Addressing Misconceptions about Mental Health at Work 23
Part II Being on the Job with Mental Health Issues 35
4 "Should I Tell My Boss?": Starting the Conversation 37
5 Understanding Accommodations and Your Rights 53
6 Unmasking and Setting Boundaries 67
7 Burnouts and Breakdowns: Seeing the Signs 79
8 Self-Care for the 9-to-5 Grind 93
9 Care Team, Assemble! 107
10 Sharing Stories and the Realities of Mental Health at Work 119
Part III Supporting Employees with Mental Health Issues 133
11 "Leave Your Problems at the Door" and Other Outdated Workplace Anecdotes 135
12 How Employers Can Improve Workplaces 145
13 How My Coworkers Made Work Possible for Me 173
14 From Surviving to Thriving: Stories of Success 179
15 Redefining Success in the Professional World 193
Appendix: Resources 201
Acknowledgments 205
About the Author 207
Index 209
--Dr. Kojo Sarfo DNP, Hollywood Mental Health Expert
"Kody's book is a wonderful blend of helpful resources and education paired with an infectiously empathetic perspective on mental health, both personally and socially."
--Nathan Shuherk, Nonfiction Book Influencer on TikTok and Instagram (@schizophrenicreads)
"Minds Over Meetings provides practical strategies for maintaining our mental health while excelling in our careers. With insightful advice on managing stress, starting tough conversations, and creating a supportive work environment, this book is an indispensable resource for anyone looking to thrive both professionally and personally. A must-read for employees and leaders alike, Minds Over Meetings is a beacon of wisdom in the complex world of workplace mental health."
--Kati Morton, LMFT
"Kody Green is a thoughtful and important voice and leader in the field of mental health. His own experiences in multiple workplaces as man living with schizophrenia are insightful and compelling. He has developed helpful and practical lessons for people who are neurodivergent in the workplace and well as for those who are leaders and HR professionals."
--Ken Duckworth MD, Chief Medical Officer NAMI,Author of You Are Not Alone: the NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health
"Kody, a well-known mental health advocate and member of the NAMI Wisconsin Board of Directors, writes from the voice of someone navigating the workplace while living with a mental illness. His insights speak to employers, employees and colleagues on how to increase empathy, awareness and improve policies to create a supportive and productive work environment.
Kody does and incredible job descripting from the voice of someone living with a mental illness, both positive and negative experiences of navigating the workplace and how the response can have an impact on one's path to recovery and self-care. Mind Over Meetings, addresses practical steps employers, employees, and colleagues can use to improve policies, increase awareness, and create empathy in the workplace to create a supportive yet productive environment."
--Mary Kay Battaglia, Executive Director, NAMI Wisconsin
