Psych Health and Safety Podcast USA

In this episode, Dr. I. David Daniels will talk to Dr. Jim Feng, a mission-driven serial entrepreneur who founded Phyxable Inc. Phyxable is an end-to-end virtual pain and prevention platform that uses machine learning, augmented reality, and gamification to coach people out of pain while empowering them with tools to produce better performance. Alongside his Chiropractic degree, Dr. Feng is also a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and Medical Acupuncturist. He has directed medical teams for world championship and Olympic Level competition in mixed martial arts and wrestling. This episode is the first in a series that will focus on how people cope with being exposed to psychosocial hazards in the workplace. Often, workers become acquainted with a physical therapist in the aftermath of a workplace injury. This practice is also known as physiotherapy. This conversation will include a variety of strategies that Dr. Feng uses to help people address everything from chronic pain to high Caliber athletic competition, including telemedicine, virtual physiotherapy, and medical technology platforms. Dr. Feng believes that attention to the mind and body are both essential components to addressing psychosocial hazards in the workplace in the pursuit of a safe and healthy work environment.

In this episode, Dr. I. David Daniels will speak with Sandra Jean, a Human Resource Executive and a Licensed Attorney. She is also the author of the best-selling book “Human Resources: A Practical Guide on Effective Workplace Management” and founder of the Jean Consulting Group. Too often, when HR professionals are consulted about workers’ mental and emotional health, it is because there is a problem that has occurred or a worker is having some mental or emotional issue that people leaders are unable to address. Attorneys are consulted when an employee is threatening or has filed a legal action or an employer has taken an employment action that the worker sees as not in their interest. Based on her Labor and Employment Attorney practice and experience as a Human Resources Executive, Sandra Jean has been involved at both ends of these conversations, including representing labor unions and companies in human resource-related legal matters and negotiations. Ms. Jean will share several tips regarding how an organization can be psychologically safer for workers while at the same time being productive and profitable for employers by focusing on the relationship between the organotin and the human being that is a part of the organization. Both goals are achievable before she is asked to defend or initiate legal action to achieve the same ends.

Michael Flynn, a Cultural Anthropologist, discusses the impact of 'in-groups' and 'out-groups' on physical and psychological safety. He explores the importance of recognizing assumptions, challenging outdated systems, and reshaping cultural norms. The podcast also discusses power dynamics in work environments, the interconnectedness between diversity, equity, inclusion, and safety, and strategies for addressing employee issues while maintaining authenticity.

In this episode, Dr. I. David Daniels speaks with a former litigator and firefighter, Shannon Sedlacek, about how her experience in two extremely high-pressure occupations has prepared her to assist and coach others in their efforts at high performance in high-pressure situations. While progress is being made, there are and will be for a while to come high-pressure environments that produce high levels of stress that need human beings to be successful. These humans need the tools to be able to withstand these high-pressure situations. So where can we go? Enter Shannon Sedlacek. She was a competitive athlete before finding the same kind of competitive energy when she became a corporate lawyer in a prestigious law firm. While the work was stimulating, she decided she wanted to be someone other than the person the profession would have required her to be. In her late 30s, she decided to become a firefighter. Despite several setbacks and challenges, she completed a career that included a promotion as the first female fire lieutenant in the history of the city she worked in, and she is now a corporate coach for organizations and individuals seeking high performance in situations where high stress is the norm.

Chris Linton, risk and compliance professional, discusses the importance of both leading and lagging indicators in creating a safe culture. He explores the integration and differences between risk management and safety activities, as well as the challenges of safety and risk management conversations within a business environment. The podcast also touches on the changing work environment and the need for organizations to adapt. Overall, it emphasizes the importance of valuing human capital and integrating psychological considerations into safety and risk management.

LISTEN TO PART TWO OVER AT THE PSYCH HEALTH AND SAFETY IN CANADA PODCAST! 😁 In this episode, Dr. I. David Daniels speaks with special guest Kim MacDonald, who hosts the Psych Health and Safety Canada Podcast. Kim is a Certified Workplace Psych Health & Safety Advisor & Trainer, and the CEO of 13 FACTORS. 13 FACTORS is a workplace psychological health and safety learning and development and coaching company. This mission-driven business focuses on changing workplace mental health impacts, climate, and psychological health and safety culture. We use science-backed, peer, and evidence-based research in all our work, product development, and delivery. This not only be the continuation of our celebration of the first year of the USA podcast but a wide-ranging conversation about psychological health and safety in the first of a two-part "crossover" episode that will conclude on the Psych Health and Safety Canada podcast. Kim will share her background in psychological health and safety as the host of the Canada podcast, some of the more impactful aspects of the show, and her experience in the profession. Having joined the global podcast family through the encouragement of founding host Mary Ann Bayton, Kim carries on the tradition of rich conversation with guests from across Canada and will be a guest on the USA podcast for the first time.

This episode marks one year since the start of the Psych Health and Safety USA podcast and again features a conversation with Joelle Mitchell and Jason van Schie, the co-hosts of the original Psych Health and Safety podcast in Australia. In a unique conversation, Jason and Joelle talk with Dr. Daniels about the last year of the USA podcast and some of what he’s learned over the year. They also fill him in on some of what has been going on “down under” relative to Psychological Health and Safety.

Experts Kahlilah Guyah, Ken Clayman, and Dr. Allessandria Polizzi discuss ISO 45003, a guidance standard on psychological health and safety at work. They cover topics like the importance of hazard recognition, understanding psychosocial risks, cultural bias surrounding mental health, proactive prevention, addressing psychosocial factors, and positive developments in workplace mental health.

Dr. Darryl Hill, responsible for safety and security in a company with nearly 60,000 employees, discusses creating a culture of growth, the connection between psychological safety and traditional safety management systems, expanding incident reviews, the impact of electrification on bus noise and employee behavior, and prioritizing employees for better customer experience.

Michael Coplen, former Division Chief of Safety Policy and Promotion at the Federal Transit Administration, shares his experience in researching safety culture and safety management systems. Topics discussed include psychological health and safety, rail industry experiences, the impact of psychosocial hazards on behavior, staff shortages and sleep deprivation, considering human needs in challenging environments, and the importance of safety during national safety month.