Is There a Difference Between Wellbeing and Wellness at Work?

Today my 11 year old daughter used the term "self-care" to try to convince me to take her to a store. She said she needed some things for her self-care. I wondered if she really understood the concept. I tried to gently probe but she shut down the conversation. Interestingly enough, an American Psychology Association (APA) article popped up in my thread with the very topic.

Here is the link, https://www.apa.org/monitor/2024/09/therapy-misspeak .

Ensuring Proper Usage of Psychological Terminology in the Workplace

In today’s workplace, the use of psychological terminology has become increasingly common. While this reflects a positive shift towards greater mental health awareness, it also brings challenges related to misinformation and misunderstanding. Here’s how we can ensure proper usage of these terms to build better communication and support within the workplace.

1. Education and Training

Workshops and Seminars: Organize sessions led by mental health professionals to educate employees about the correct usage of psychological terms.

Resource Materials: Provide accessible materials like brochures or online resources that explain common psychological terms and their proper contexts.

2. Promote Accurate Information

Internal Communications: Use company newsletters or intranet platforms to share articles and insights from reputable sources, like the APA article on therapy-speak.

Guest Speakers: Invite psychologists or mental health experts to speak about the importance of accurate terminology and its impact on mental health.

3. Encourage Open Dialogue

Safe Spaces: Create an environment where employees feel comfortable discussing mental health without fear of judgment or stigma.

Feedback Mechanisms: Implement systems where employees can provide feedback on how mental health topics are addressed within the company.

4. Lead by Example

Management Training: Ensure that leaders and managers are well-versed in mental health terminology and model appropriate usage.

Policy Development: Develop and enforce policies that promote mental health awareness and proper communication practices.

5. Utilize Technology

E-Learning Modules: Offer online courses that employees can take at their own pace to learn about mental health terminology.

Apps and Tools: Use mental health apps that provide accurate information and resources for employees.

6. Regular Review and Updates

Stay Current: Regularly update training materials and resources to reflect the latest research and best practices in mental health.

Feedback Loop: Continuously gather feedback from employees to improve and adapt your mental health communication strategies.

The Good: “It’s Not Gatekeeping”

Empowerment Through Language:

Using nuanced terms can help individuals better understand and communicate their feelings, strengthening relationships and self-awareness. For example, expressing feelings of “betrayal” rather than just “anger” provides more clarity.

“At root is the wish to understand one’s experience and to have a way to describe intense or unfamiliar emotions. So for the most part, I think it can be an effective way to try to communicate a subtle internal experience.” — Lisa Damour, PhD

The widespread use of mental health terminology reflects a reduction in stigma around mental illness, encouraging more people to seek help and support.

Language helps people find communities and identities, especially in online spaces, which can be particularly beneficial for those with neurodivergent conditions like ADHD or autism.

“Everybody deserves access to information that can help them understand their life better and be happier or improve their relationships.” — Erin Parks, PhD

The Bad: Misinformation and Misunderstanding

Misusing terms can lead to stagnation in personal growth and deepen divides in relationships. For instance, labeling a disagreement as “gaslighting” can prevent constructive dialogue.

The proliferation of inaccurate information, especially on social media, can lead to misunderstandings about mental health conditions and treatments.

“With the advances of technology, anybody can share information about anything and everything, and there’s no direct relationship [between] the accuracy of what’s being shared and how rapidly it spreads.” — Taisha Caldwell-Harvey, PhD

Over-Diagnosis: Increased awareness can sometimes lead to misinterpreting normal distress as psychiatric problems, which can exacerbate issues rather than resolve them.

“We need to be careful not to coddle people, our employees, our students too much and still challenge them to face those difficulties rather than always the solution being ‘you have such-and-such diagnosis; therefore, you’re exempt from this thing.’” — Kostadin Kushlev, PhD

Empowerment Through Language

Strengthening Relationships and Therapeutic Benefits

Empowerment through language can significantly enhance relationships and personal growth. Being able to articulate specific emotions like “victimized” or “betrayed” fosters better understanding and empathy in relationships. Additionally, journaling about specific emotions such as “grief” and “shame” can be more therapeutic than simply noting general feelings of “bad.” This nuanced approach to expressing and processing emotions can lead to deeper self-awareness and improved emotional health.

Decreasing Stigma

The increasing use of mental health terminology signifies a cultural shift towards reducing stigma and fostering greater acceptance of mental health issues.         

This shift is crucial as it encourages open discussions about mental health, making it easier for individuals to seek help without fear of judgment. Higher health literacy plays a significant role in this process; when people are more informed about mental health, they are less likely to stigmatize those experiencing mental health challenges. This increased understanding and acceptance lead to a greater willingness to seek help, ultimately promoting better mental health outcomes for everyone.

Personal Wellbeing vs. Wellness at Work

Although personal wellbeing and wellness at work are closely linked, they can be identified as distinct areas. Personal wellbeing encompasses all aspects of an individual’s life, while wellness at work focuses on our experience solely in the workplace. Each area impacts the other.

Personal Wellbeing: This is multi-dimensional and encompasses being comfortable, healthy, or happy in various aspects of our lives. Our work, financial, physical, community, social, and mental health are all interconnected elements that contribute to overall wellbeing.

Wellness at Work: This relates to creating a workplace culture focused on employees’ holistic experiences within the workplace, including environment, physical and mental health, social interactions, workplace culture, and diversity.

“Workplace culture refers to the unspoken norms, values, and behaviors that shape the working environment within an organization and the unwritten rules that dictate ‘how things are done around here,’ beyond what is stated in company policies, mission statements or employee handbooks.”

The Interconnection

The unfortunate loop of workplace stressors impacting home life can result in a negative spiral, affecting overall wellbeing in both areas, and vice versa. While an organization can support individual wellbeing with initiatives like financial literacy training, community engagement opportunities, and mindfulness programs, wellness at work aims to remove or mitigate hazards of psychological harm, similar to how organizations approach physical harm, by implementing a risk management framework.        

By addressing both the positive and negative aspects of therapy-speak and understanding the distinction between personal wellbeing and wellness at work, we can foster a more informed and supportive workplace environment. How do you think your team would respond to these initiatives?

How Psychologists Can Improve Public Understanding and Help HR Become More Effective

Creating accessible resources such as guides, articles, and videos can help demystify psychological terminology. These resources can be shared through company intranets, newsletters, and during onboarding processes to ensure all employees have access to accurate information.

Psychologists can offer consultation services to HR professionals, helping them navigate complex mental health issues and terminology. This support can empower HR to address mental health concerns more effectively and create a more supportive workplace environment.

Working with HR, psychologists can help develop policies and frameworks that promote mental health awareness and proper use of psychological terms. This includes implementing risk management strategies to mitigate psychological harm in the workplace.

By integrating these strategies, psychologists can enhance public understanding of mental health terminology and help HR departments become more effective in supporting employee well-being. This collaborative approach can lead to a healthier, more informed workplace where everyone feels valued and understood.

Additional Credits:

Navigating the difference between wellbeing and wellness

Amendments to WHS Regulations put mental health on equal footing with physical safety

How to harness the power of therapy speak

Further reading

Tips for starting, or growing, an ethical social media presence Medaris, A. Monitor on Psychology, April/May 2024

Are we talking too much about mental health? Barry, E. The New York Times, May 6, 2024

The rise of therapy-speak Waldman, K. The New Yorker, March 26, 2021

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