5 Ways to Talk About Mental Health in the Workplace
"You are not your struggles; you are your strength."
—Mental Health America
Mental Health, How to Talk About What's Unsaid
The mental health stigma, and why you do not have to carry the first conversation alone. There's a version of "I'm fine" that everyone at work has said at least once this year. Yours might have been last Tuesday. What's underneath it is a specific conversation, the one where you tell someone what's actually going on with your mental health. Here's the strange part: most people around you would be glad to hear the real answer.
In a February 2026 poll of more than 2,000 full time employees, 3 in 4 said this kind of conversation about mental health belong at work. But 48% said they would worry about being judged if they actually had it.
Read those numbers together and you get the whole problem.
While many may think the conversation belongs at work. Almost nobody wants to be the one who goes first. That gap isn't a personal failing. It's a room full of people all waiting for someone else to make it safe. Which is exactly what your benefits already exist to solve. You do not have to be the one who breaks the silence unsupported. There are people whose entire job is to make that first conversation easier and safer than guessing your way through it with a coworker.
Why this day and week matters: September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, part of National Suicide Prevention Week — a reminder that the quieter check-ins, not just crisis moments, are what close that gap between "this belongs somewhere" and "I don't know how to say it."
If something heavier is going on, don't wait to reach out:
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Call or text 988 anytime, free and confidential.
Crisis Text Line — Text HOME to 741741.
Outside the U.S.: findahelpline.com
Your EAP — usually free, confidential counseling through your benefits.
You don't need the right words or a diagnosis to use these resources. Showing up uncertain is enough.
If you're a manager or trusted colleague, the highest-leverage move this week is small: name your EAP out loud, mention you've used mental health benefits yourself, or ask someone how they're really doing.
The 48% aren't wrong to sense risk — that pattern shifts one ordinary conversation at a time, and it doesn't have to start with the person who's struggling.
Source: 2026 NAMI-Ipsos Workplace Mental Health Poll, fielded January 27 to February 2, 2026 among 2,153 full-time employees at companies with 100+ employees.
5 Ways to Talk About Mental Health in the Work Place
1. Professionals Exist For Exactly This
The conversation doesn't have to start with a friend guessing what you need.
Your EAP and your employee resource groups are built for this moment, not saved for emergencies. Using them is not a bigger step than talking to a coworker. It's often an easier one.
A trained professional knows what to ask and how to hold what you tell them. That makes it a safer place to start than putting the weight on someone who is figuring it out as they go.
2. It Doesn't Go On Your Record
The 48% who worry about being judged are usually picturing the wrong kind of paper trail.
Talking to your EAP is confidential. It does not go to your manager, it does not go in a performance file, and no one at the company sees that you called.
If the fear of being judged is the thing stopping you, that fear is pointed at the wrong door. The one that's actually safe from it is the one you have not tried yet.
3. Say What You Want From the Conversation
The reason these talks go sideways is usually that nobody said what they were for.
"I don't need you to fix this, I just want someone to know" saves everyone 20 minutes of advice you didn't ask for. If you want more than that, a professional through your EAP is trained to help you get there.
If you do want something concrete, say it at the start instead of 10 minutes in.
4. See Someone Struggling? Say Something
You are not diagnosing anyone. You're telling them you noticed, and you can hand them something more useful than concern.
Say what you saw, not what you think it means. "You've been quieter in standup the last two weeks" opens a door. "Is something wrong with you?" closes it.
If they want more than a conversation with you, offer them something real. "Our EAP is confidential and free, want the number?" is more useful than leaving them to find it alone.
5. Don't Wait For It To Feel Bad Enough
Most people put off reaching out because they assume someone else needs the help more.
There is no bar you have to clear first, and your EAP doesn't have one either. "Nothing is wrong exactly, I'm just running on empty" is enough of a reason to use it.
Waiting until things feel undeniable means having the conversation at the hardest possible moment, with the least energy to have it. Earlier is easier. That's the whole trick.
Resources If You Don't Have an EAP
Everything above assumes some kind of safety net — but not everyone has one through work. If you're unemployed, between jobs, or without insurance, here's where to start instead:
Right now, free, no insurance needed:
SAMHSA National Helpline — 1-800-662-4357, 24/7 treatment referral and information
Ongoing, low-cost care:
Congruence Counseling Group - Offers a sliding scale for NC residents
Open Path Collective — therapy sessions between $40–$80, no insurance required
Community mental health centers — usually income-based fees; find yours at findtreatment.gov
University training clinics — supervised, low-cost sessions through psychology and counseling grad programs
If you've recently lost coverage:
Medicaid — eligibility often shifts with job loss; worth checking even if you weren't eligible before (healthcare.gov)
NAMI chapter locator (nami.org) — free support groups and local referrals
Peer support, non-crisis:
Warmlines (warmline.org) — trained peer listeners for "I just need to talk" moments
NAMI HelpLine — 1-800-950-6264, information and support
Your Team Doesn't Need a Crisis to Deserve Support
At Topia, we believe workplace wellbeing should be practical, accessible and built into the employee experience, not something people reach for only when things have already gotten hard.
Our workplace wellness workshops and executive wellness coaching give teams and leaders a space to name what's actually going on, and practical tools to do something about it before it turns into burnout. Coaching works best as a regular conversation, not an emergency one.
Ready to elevate your workplace wellbeing strategy?
Try the Burnout to Breakthrough Workshop
You already know the signs. Low energy, short fuse, that feeling of running on empty before the day even starts. This workshop walks you through what's actually driving it and gives you a real plan to work with.
Check In with Leslie
Explore Topia's Mental & Emotional Wellness Coaching On-Demand
At Topia, we approach well-being through a *wholistic lens—integrating mental, physical, emotional, and occupational health into the natural flow of work and everyday life.
At times the easiest way to reset your day is simply to take a moment to ground yourself.
This week, join Leslie Stevens, M.Ed., LCMHC — Coach, Licensed Therapist, and Co-founder of Congruence Counseling — for a guided Mental & Emotional Wellness Coaching session built around one simple goal: slowing down long enough to name what's really going on.
Whether you're in a stretch of high stress, noticing early signs of burnout, or just want an honest read on how you're doing, this session offers a supportive, accessible space to take stock — anytime, anywhere.
And the clarity doesn't have to end when the session does. Carry it with you into whatever comes next.
Explore Topia’s 820+ on-demand wellness video library, including:
Mind-Body: Tai Chi, Yoga, & Pilates Classes
Mindfulness & Wellness Coaching
Nutritional Coaching Classes
Cultural Movement
High-Intensity Interval Training Classes
Mental and Emotional Wellness Coaching
Topia Talks Conversations To Elevate Your Well-Being *Wholistically
Join a class, explore a workshop, and take one intentional step toward lifelong well-being.
-The Topia Team
Elevating Health, Happiness and Performance
Topia — the Google-backed, all-in-one digital wellness & HR platform tackling global burnout and the future of work. Our 24/7 on-demand library delivers 800+ globally relevant classes, coaching, and customizable workshops
Incorporating digital wellness platforms into the workplace is not just about keeping employees healthy—it’s about fostering a culture that prioritizes well-being and performance.
Topia offers businesses a unique opportunity to elevate their workplace culture, reduce stress, and improve productivity through our hybrid wellness solutions. Invest in your employees' well-being and transform your workplace today!
Schedule your Topia Leadership Coaching or
Comments