10 Oct Mental Health in the Workplace
Vera Michelle Lewis, Vice President of Development and Communications at the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), sits down with Megan Cummings-Krueger. They discuss mental health in the workplace, caregiving, and the transformative power of mentoring. Vera’s journey is deeply personal and professional, combining her nonprofit work with her personal experiences as a caregiver for her father, who battled Alzheimer’s.
The Importance of Mental Health: A Personal and Professional Perspective
Vera shares how caring for her father, while working in the mental health field, has shaped her outlook. Some key takeaways include:
- The need for caregivers to prioritize their mental health: Vera emphasizes how easy it is for caregivers to neglect their own well-being. She also discusses the importance of seeking help, using the analogy of putting on your own oxygen mask first before helping others.
- Addressing cultural stigmas in mental health: Particularly in communities of color, there is often resistance to seeking mental health support due to stigma. Vera encourages breaking down these barriers by seeking help without guilt or shame.
- Self-care and its impact: When Vera finally sought therapy, she discovered she was diabetic, an issue she had overlooked while focusing solely on caregiving. This experience led her to adopt healthier habits, demonstrating the interconnectedness of mental and physical health.
Mentoring Across Difference
Vera’s experience as both a mentee and mentor in the Menttium community has been transformative. Here are some lessons she shared:
- The value of mentorship across differences: Vera intentionally sought a mentor different from herself—a white male in a corporate setting—to understand “manspeak” and how to navigate corporate environments as a Black woman. She learned techniques like restating ideas during meetings to claim ownership and gain respect.
- The importance of vulnerability: Vera advises mentees to ask tough questions and be open to feedback, as this allows for the greatest growth. In return, she now challenges her own mentees to think critically and come to conclusions on their own, fostering independence.
- The power of giving back: Vera encourages leaders to mentor others, share their knowledge, and be present for their communities. She believes that leaders are defined not by their titles, but by the people they impact.
Lessons in Leadership and Resilience
Throughout her career, Vera has stayed intentional about helping marginalized communities and building strong partnerships. Some leadership lessons from Vera include:
- Consistency and focus: Vera stresses the importance of staying consistent with one’s goals and trusting that opportunities will arise.
- Building your tribe: She encourages individuals to surround themselves with people who will advocate for them when they’re not in the room and provide honest feedback.
- Learning from failure: Vera believes strong leaders embrace failure, learn from it, and move forward.
Mental Health, Mentoring, and Leadership
Vera’s journey reflects the power of intentional leadership and personal growth. By focusing on mental health, embracing vulnerability, and mentoring across differences, she continues to make a meaningful impact both in her professional life and the lives of those around her. As Vera highlights, leadership is not about titles—it’s about inspiring and supporting others. Her insights into caregiving, mentoring, and leadership offer valuable lessons for anyone looking to improve their mental well-being and professional development.
Recommended Resources
- Wellness Wheel: A DBSA tool for self-assessing mental wellness.
- Simon Sinek’s Leadership Books
About the Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance
The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance focuses on providing resources for individuals living with depression and bipolar disorder. The organization:
- Provides free support groups for caregivers, parents, and those living with mental illness.
- Focuses on youth support groups, teaching young people how to recognize and manage their emotions.
- Reaches out to BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities, offering non-judgmental support and valuable resources to those who might not typically seek help.
About Vera Lewis
In Vera’s role at DBSA, she collaborates with senior leadership and the board of directors to create and implement a development plan. She is also responsible for creating a strategy to build and strengthen partnerships on a national, state, and local level. Prior to this, Vera was Director of Development and Strategic Partnerships for five years at Age Options, a non profit that connects older adults with community based resources and options. Vera began her career in corporate America before entering the non-profit world in 2009. Vera received her bachelor’s degree in marketing at Loyola University in Chicago and her master’s degree from DePaul University.