One of Canada’s leading psychological health and wellness experts believes building resilience in individuals and organizations is more important than ever because of the effects of the pandemic.
Dr. Joti Samra was the keynote speaker during the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board’s 23rd annual Compensation Institute, which occurred online from May 25 to 26.
Samra is the CEO and founder of MyWorkplaceHealth, a full-suite national workplace consulting firm, and clinic founder of Dr. Joti Samra, Psycho. & Associates, a clinical counselling practice.
Her research has contributed to the evolution and development of a national standard for psychological health and safety in the workplace.
The Saskatchewan WCB has signed a five-year strategic agreement with Samra and her MyWorkplaceHealth firm so that businesses can access the resources and tools there.
“We know that if we take a look at prevalence rates around mental health, if I was speaking to you pre-COVID, I would tell you that conservatively, one in five Canadian workers will deal with a diagnosable mental health issue every single year,” Samra told the Moose Jaw Express.
However, the pandemic has affected many people and affected every workplace in every sector, while the range of changes worldwide during the past year has affected almost everyone’s mental health, she continued. Experts now estimate that two in five Canadians — or 40 per cent — will deal with anxiety and depression, the two most common mental health issues.
Society needs to ensure that it is putting as much attention on psychological health and wellness as it does on physical well-being, Samra said.
Just as people should exercise, eat healthily, acquire enough sleep and drink plenty of water, they should also concentrate on areas for which they have gratitude and appreciation. This includes extending appreciation and thanks to others, pushing back against thoughts when we get “catastrophic in our worries,” engaging in good behaviours, unplugging from electronic devices, and attaining enough rest and sleep.
“I believe that resilience is ultimately about us bouncing forward and through adversity and challenge. It really is critical,” said Samra.
When situations are out of our control — the return to normal schedules, for example — we must do our best to accept that reality and have the courage, strength and intention to control the things we can, such as staying connected and having good sleep habits, she continued. We can also be mindful of the stressors we face by tackling them head-on.
One of the most prominent issues Samra has faced in her counselling practice has been how our work-home lives have collided during the pandemic. Our homes have now become workplaces, classrooms, watering holes, and gyms. She pointed out that many people feel isolated and lonely in these situations, especially if they’re single, living alone, or have gone through a recent separation, loss, or death.
“It also contributes to an elevated sense of burnout. We’re kind of always on … ,” she said. “It feels almost impossible for people to unplug from work, for example, or for people to feel like they’re getting a rest or break.”
Being forced into “restricted bubbles” also creates pressures on relationships, with research showing an increase in relational conflict, Samra continued. Data is showing that one-third of home environments will see physical, emotional, verbal, sexual or other types of abuse of kids and spouses.
The increase in domestic abuse is related to several factors, she added, including elevated stress levels, the quadrupling of anxiety, the doubling of depression, a 25-per-cent increase in alcohol consumption, along with financial insecurity and instability.
For more information about Dr. Joti Samra, visit https://drjotisamra.com.
