The final episode in the three-part mini-series on mental health features my guest, agency leader, entrepreneur, and now mental health campaigner Michelle Morgan.
"I just cried and thought - I can't go on, I cannot go on, I can't do one more thing."
As a business leader, what do you do when struggling with your mental health?
And how do you deal with the stigma that still exists in the workplace around mental health?
"I got this throwaway comment - it's a bit awkward when you talk about your mental health to the business Michelle "
Behind the success of many leaders, there is a story of vulnerability and self-doubt. Michelle's story is one of a committed, high-achieving agency founder who, behind the success, was carrying deep feelings of shame and anxiety.
Ultimately, this culminated in a dramatic physical and mental burnout, leading to her step away from the business that had been her baby for nearly 20 years.
The workplace conversations and stigma that resulted from her mental health crisis were to play a big part in Michelle's future career direction.
Michelle is now an ambassador for the Mental Health First Aid organization, a mental health first aid instructor, and founder of Pjoys, a pyjama business born out of her mental health struggle.
In this episode, we talk about;
How a traumatic childhood where her father repeatedly left home contributed to feelings of abandonment and shame.
Despite her business success, how Michelle found it hard to put any boundaries around her work commitments.
The events that lead up to her burnout and diagnosis of clinical depression.
And finally, how her experiences are being put to positive use, promoting mental health in the workplace, in her new Pjoys pyjama business, and in writing a book to be published later in the year - titled "Own your Awkward.'
You can contact Michelle at Pjoys or through LinkedIn.
You can pre-order a copy of Michelle's book Own your awkward here
Once again, I would like to thank The Alliance of Independent Agencies, who are partnering with Turning The Tables on this mini-series.
The Alliance is an organisation that takes the mental health and wellbeing of people in agencies seriously. Their Wellbeing Action Group promotes the importance of creating safe environments and building people's resilience.
https://allindependentagencies.org/
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Episode Credits
Editor and sound engineer: Tim White email: [email protected]
Host: Simon Ratcliffe
Music:
Broken Elegance -Unconditionally
River Meditation - Audioautix
When I'm gone LiQWYD
Scott Buckley - Life is
AB5 Piano strings - Tim White
