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Wellness & Well-being Highlights March 24th
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of Mar 24, 2025
This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog looks at how your hair stylist may play an important role your Mental Health—to how digital media is negatively impacting our youth—to the importance of neurodiversity in recruiting and hiring. This week I would like to take this opportunity to encourage readers examine the WSJ article on women and marriage.
The author, Rachel Wolfe, provides a variety of reasons why, in 2025, more and more women are going solo. She points to a number of shifts, including but not limited, a growing gender-related education gap, career opportunities, political affiliation, and how one defines a contemporary family. So, instead of settling for something less than, some women are doing their best to make the best of a lousy situation. As a result, Wolfe posits that more women are focusing on their friendships and careers vs dating and marriage.
To be sure, as per the article linked below, “A rise in earning power and a decline in the social stigma for being single has allowed more women to be choosy.” In fact, a couple of survey stats revealed:
34% of single women were looking for romance vs 54% of single men (2022) vs
38% of single women were looking for romance vs 61% of single men (2019);
…meanwhile…
48% of women said that being married was not too or not at all important for a fulfilling life vs 39% of men (2023) vs
31% of women said that being married was not too or not at all important for a fulfilling life vs 28% of men (2019).
The WSJ author further proclaims that, “The latest presidential election and the first months of the Trump administration have intensified this ideological rift.” As such, when it comes to romance, “…politics have become an expression of one’s core values about everything from economic inequality to bodily autonomy.”
Source: https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/relationships/american-women-are-giving-up-on-marriage-54840971?st=WXWbzu&reflink=article_gmail_share
Defining HOPE
Barbers & MH
Is Anxiety Good
Gen Z & Rising MH Behaviors
Friendships @ Work
2025: Women & Marriage
Is Your Relationship Fun?
Mental Illness / Treatments / Dumb Ideas
More on Measles Vax
US Public Health at Risk
CO’s Mushroom Experiment
Mexico & Harm Reduction
Update: Purdue Pharma & Bankruptcy
Canada’s Fentanyl Czar
Chicago: Guns & Drugs
Smartphone Addiction
Teens / Digital Media / MH
Teens & Half-Swiping
Aging & Heat
Maintaining your Exercise Routine
Inflammation & Exercise
Adult Daycare
Are Wellness Programs above the Law?
How to Fall Asleep Fast
Sleep & Creativity
Does Venting work?
Schools & Period Products
Healthy Teeth
Treating Cold Sores
Sports Betting’s Impact
J Oliver: Sports Betting
SMART & DEI
NHL Bargaining
March Madness: Are Office Pools Illegal?
Fed Govt & Labor Reform: FWFA
In the Land of Oz & Medicaid
Cutting Medicaid will Weaken HC System
Trump & Segregation’s Comeback
Ending Diversity in US Military Cemeteries
Fed Cuts are Piling Up, Slowing Services
Trump: Dismantling US Dept of Ed
Ed Cuts / Impact / Low Income & Rural
Workers: Feds Loss, States Gain
Vets Protest Trump’s Cuts
What’s New: VA Mortgage Program
DOGE’s Damage: Social Security
Managing ICE Visits
Pentagon nixes research
Military Musicians Step in After Cuts
Guide: Davis-Bacon & Prevailing Wage
Boeing / Whistleblower / Wrongful Death
DEA Agent / Mexican Cartel / Terrorist Suit
Overlooking Talent & Neurodiverse Workers
Students / AI / Cheating
Navigating Probate
Upcoming webinars, etc.:
Natural Disaster Resources
Gambling Addiction & Suicide
Update: MH & Construction (3/25)
Employee Financial Wellness (4/2)
Youth Sports & Head Injuries (4/15-16)
Youth MHFA (4/17)
Youth / Community / Prevention (4/18)
988 in Missouri (4/27)
Talk Saves Lives (4/28)
NOTE: The links provided above are for informational purposes only. None of these serve as a substitute for medical advice one should obtain from his/her own primary care physician and/or mental health professional. Please contact jgaal@moworks.org with related questions or comments.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights March 17th
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of Mar 17, 2025
This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog looks at how drugs like Xanax are posing problems (i.e., anxiety, memory loss, physical pain) for patients seeking to quit the use of benzos—to how proposed cuts to SAMHSA (the govt agency that oversees efforts addressing drug addiction and mental illness) may negatively impact recent progress—to how Gen Z is seriously considering the skilled trades over the traditional “college for all” pathway. This week I would like to take this opportunity to continue my acknowledgement of women who have touched my life.
As most of us reflect on our years in the K-12 school system, we can likely point to a few teachers who positively impacted our lives. To me, those years provided the foundation for lifelong learning. As I think back, it was more often than not, women in higher education and the workplace who inspired me to think differently. Those women include Dr Celia Edmundson, Dr Deborah Henry, and Sr Antona Ebo.
To this end, just yesterday I was invited to participate in an event at St. Joseph’s Academy High School in St. Louis County. It was called “Witness History: The Sisters Who Marched on Selma.” The event consisted of watching the documentary movie (linked below), a panel discussion with 3 of the nuns who were in Selma (+ the film’s director), and a brief Q&A session. Two of these sisters actually marched (1 Black and 1 White). The third was a (White) nurse in the hospital who treated many of protesters/victims who were beaten by State Police near the site of the Edmond Pettus Bridge. Interestingly enough, the hospital where the nun who served as a nurse, was the only hospital in Selma willing to accept Negro patients. As sad and disturbing as it was to see/hear firsthand accounts about this dark era of US history, I was so VERY proud to see my dear friend, Sr Antona Ebo, front and center in this crucial turning point alongside other Civil Rights leaders like US Rep John Lewis and Ambassador Andrew Young.
As we enter further into a time of uncertainty and renewed bigotry, I cannot help but to think about words of wisdom from historical figures. Below is merely a sampling that come to mind:
J Lewis: “Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”
A Lincoln: “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”
Napoleon: “Never interfere with an enemy while he’s in the process of destroying himself.”
E Burke: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Source: https://stlouiscatholicarchivescollective.com/sisters-on-the-silver-screen/
Construction Industry: Safety Attitudes
MH & Skilled Trades
MH struggles in the Workplace
Benzos: The Dark Side
Update on Fentanyl: Winning Battles but not the War
How Purdue Pharma Re-harms its Victims
Big Pharma & MH
AI’s impact on MH
Body Image & MH
Mindfulness & OUD Treatment
COVID & Grief
Deep Distress & Moral Injury
MH Professionals & Disasters
Fed Cuts to SAMHSA
Focus: Goals v Time
Words: Chaos v Joy
Placebos & Pain
Aging @ Different Speeds
Palliative Psychiatry & Assisted Suicide
Benefits of Walking
The “Falsie” Journey
Cooking Oils & Your Health
B Sanders / PRO Act / NLRA
Fast Track to Labor Contracts?
New US Secretary of Labor Confirmed (1)
New US Secretary of Labor Confirmed (2)
Homebuilders / Tariffs / Pricing Pains
Update: US-DOT on Equity & Environment
Italy’s Labor Stance on Musk
BRC / Trump / Supreme Court
Dealing w/ anti-DEI
Eliminating Watchdogs = Foxes Guarding the Henhouse
DOGE: More Mistakes & Less Transparency
Will Musk Target Social Security?
Paid Family Leave v Career Setback
COVID’s impact on Construction
Adv Mfg Workers wanted in STL
DC Politicians sit back & watch “local” cuts
MO Politicians seek to reverse Prop A
IL Politicians battle Fentanyl
NY Construction Deaths Rise
Failing Economy + Lack of Housing = Trumpvilles
Domestic Workers: Saudi’s Mistreatment of African Women
Gen Z: College v Trades
Upcoming webinars, etc.:
988: Engaging Communities (3/27)
Financial (Employee) Wellness (4/2)
Narcan (Naloxone) Training (4/22)
The NEW Drug Talk
Sisters of Selma
Work Should Not Hurt
FREE Diapers
FREE Food
NOTE: The links provided above are for informational purposes only. None of these serve as a substitute for medical advice one should obtain from his/her own primary care physician and/or mental health professional. Please contact jgaal@moworks.org with related questions or comments.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights March 10th
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of Mar 10, 2025
This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog looks at why those who curse more may have a higher tolerance to pain—to why women tend to live longer than men—to how DOGE’s cuts may negatively affect Vets and retirees. This week I would like to take this opportunity to discuss the importance of women in the workplace.
March is the time of year we “officially” celebrate the contributions women have made to society. In the US, there are more women than men…and yet the “rules of the game” are seemingly still very male-oriented. Truth be told this is concerning to me as I have “4” daughters as well as a VERY understanding wife. However, equally important is the fact that I have worked and still work with some VERY talented women (to name a few: Dr Ann Marie Dale, Patte Ackermann, Diana Wilhold, Senator Gina Walsh, Dr Pamela Hatton….). While I have included several articles in this week’s blog honoring women in the workforce for their passion and compassion, the one that I wish to focus on is linked below. Why? Because this author’s research suggests reasons why girls (some of which should be our future leaders) avoid STEM (science, math, engineering, and math) careers.
While this author acknowledges that sexism plays a part in attracting and retaining women in the fields of engineering and computer science, he goes on to say this is NOT the major problem. In fact, he posits that if this claim of discrimination were true then why do stats in lesser developed countries (Read: More repressive) reveal just the opposite vs more developed countries (Read: Less repressive). Thus, in general, “Women with strong quantitative skills in poor countries have good reason to enter the sciences to make a living. Women in relatively rich countries can afford to pursue less lucrative careers without risking a life of poverty.” As such, in the US, we graduate more men PhDs in the STEM fields while we graduate more women PhDs in the social and life sciences fields. This author boils the choices down to the attractiveness of these fields to those genders. Simply put, in general, men are less social and like to tinker with objects while women are more social and seek connectiveness.
Therefore, the WSJ author proclaims it should be no surprise that women tend to migrate towards fields that emphasize caring and communication…like nursing and teaching. Sadly, society has devalued those (AKA women’s work) professions. It is high time that market forces correct the pay in these “caring” professions. As noted, with AI threatening jobs with less human interaction maybe the correction is in the not too distant future for those working in spaces that require the human touch!
Source: https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/workplace/why-are-girls-less-likely-to-become-scientists-93307cd3?st=t7Akf6&reflink=article_gmail_share
Nurses in the Trenches
Need to know: Measles
More on Autism & Vax
Celiac & Your Brain
Swearing & Pain Tolerance
Black Ballon Day / Fentanyl / Chicago
More on China & Fentanyl
No booze…Cali-Sober
Global Youth’s Mental Crisis
Vets / Firearms / Suicide
Coronado Bridge & Suicide Netting
Improving EAPs & MH
Know your Therapist
Women / Workplace / Burnout
Women / Pay / Flexibility
Reducing Anxiety
Phone Setting & Anxiety
Longevity: Women v Men
France: Mass CHILD Sex Abuse Trial
China & Spousal Abuse
Food / Additives / Sickness
DST: What if we did not change clocks
DST & Sleep
Do Guardian Caps prevent Concussions?
Sport Concussions’ New Roadmap
Reflecting on Selma & Bloody Sunday
Judge / Trump / NLRB Firing (1)
Judge / Trump / NLRB Firing (2)
Reflection: 1985 Miner’s Strike
Is SWA losing its LUV?
AFT & Tesla
More on NY’s CO strike
NLRB & US Steel Industry
DHS & Union-busting
Trump’s tariffs & Construction
Trump’s tariffs / Fentanyl / Untrue Claims
DOGE: Deceit & Chaos
DOGE’s impact on VA & Pentagon
Musk / Vets /Psychological Warfare
Musk’s Anti-HR Playbook
Tax Cuts & Social Security’s future
Fed Judges & Bullying
Mexico / Guns / US Supreme Court (1)
Mexico / Guns / US Supreme Court (2)
Women / Careers / Growth Opportunities
Construction / Supporting Parents / Leave Policy
Nurses & Hostile Workplaces
US Dept of Ed & Disabled Students
Shop Class Revival
STL needs Immigrants
STEM: Girls v Boys
Upcoming webinars, etc.:
Construction Chart Book (3/20)
Updates: Construction & MH (3/25)
Construction & Resilience Training (3/21)
Free Resilience Training (4/17)
Tool Kit: Spiritual Practices
NOTE: The links provided above are for informational purposes only. None of these serve as a substitute for medical advice one should obtain from his/her own primary care physician and/or mental health professional. Please contact jgaal@moworks.org with related questions or comments.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights March 3rd
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of March 3, 2025
This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog looks at how long waits, misinformation, access to the internet along with the chaos caused by the insurance industry have changed the doctor-patient relationship—to a couple of effective, yet short, “No Gym” workouts—to a great story exposing how religious institutions have left many retirees with seriously underfunded retirement accounts…no thanks to a legal provision that excludes these organizations from ERISA. This week I would like to take this opportunity to discuss the need to address the proverbial “elephant” in the room…and that is the notion of when you tell a lie long enough…it becomes the truth.
Having taken a number of ethics courses while in a variety of grad school programs, this aforementioned saying often became the focus of discussion. And, since my doctoral major was organizational leadership, building trust was another oft-mentioned topic…as well as issues like transparency, clear communications, modeling, etc. This brings me to the NYT articled mentioned below.1 Herein, this author shares a number of these “alternative facts” currently being professed by very influential people in Washington, DC. People who are in positions to sway vast swaths of public opinion…in the name of “aggressively reshaping” the US and, some suggest, the world. The problem is that these same people rarely cite specifics and, if and when, they do…those “facts” have been seriously distorted. Food for thought: There is a reason why when one testifies in a US court s/he must swear to tell the WHOLE truth.
Which leads me to the 2nd related article from the WP which cites Musk as saying something along the lines that DOGE has made mistakes but when we do, we immediately fix them.2 Sadly, when one takes a chainsaw to a project vs a scalpel, in the name of swift efficiency…because that is what Americans voted for, damages done are rarely “immediately” fixable. Case in point, cutting USAID workers and contractors without fully understanding their roles—here and abroad—in the efforts to fight Ebola in Africa. Once funds are frozen and/or contracts canceled, those impacted workers need to move on with their lives. Trying to restore what once was is not a simple matter of merely hitting the reset button on one’s PlayStation.
As a history buff, I enjoy studying the US Civil War, wherein, our military losses totaled, as follows:
* ~600k deaths
* ~500k wounded
* ~400k missing
Going forward, I, for one, pray that clearer heads begin to prevail because the lives impacted by carelessly scaling back global public initiatives today will dwarf those just cited.
Sources: [1] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/23/us/politics/trump-alternative-reality.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
[2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/02/26/elon-musk-ebola-prevention-usaid-doge/
Have we lost TRUST in doctors?
Wall Street / Drug Misuse / Insider Trading
Fed Workers’ Mental Health
College Campus Crisis: MH
Schools / MH / Chatbots
Employers: MH’s Root Cause?
ACEs & Brain Development
Measles / Unvax Child’s Death / TX
What is HYGGE
Sleep Procrastination
Stress & Your Body
Aging: Bounce & Balance
Aging & Strong Bones
No Gym: 7-minute Low-impact Workout
No Gym: Getting Fit Fast
Tea: Health Benefits
Does “Red Light” therapy work?
Happy Hour Habits & Cancer
“Aging” pill for Dogs?
Update: Dockworkers’ vote
When Distorted Reality Drives Change
Update: Secty of Labor Nominee
NLRB: Still lacks a quorum
Options to Organizing?
Fed Unions fight back
DOGE: Crossing Ethical Lines
DOGE’s waste: Techies not using Tech?
Ebola: Musk is Misleading
CFPB under Fire
DOJ’s Purge
SSA’s Future?
AGC / Congress / Environmental Permits
Trump / OSHA / Heat Standard
Next (Cut) Target: 401(k)s?
STL City approves PW bill
Does RTO push cover Commuting Costs?
ERISA: How Churches are Failing Workers
Appealing a denied insurance claim
AI / Robots / REAL Jobs
AI / Homebuilding
AI & “Hallucinations”
Addiction Recovery “Farm”
Point Shaving: Byproduct of Sports Gambling
Skills vs Degrees
GW Carver: Tribute to a True Hero
Upcoming webinars, etc.:
Situational Awareness (3/12)
Suicide Prevention: QPR & Ag (3/20)
Cancer Prevention & Ag (4/10)
Substance & Suicide
Snowball: Alcohol Movie (short)
Africa / Faith / Suicide Prevention
CEEP: Campus Emotional Emergency Program
Team Resilience: Leading thru Change toolkit
NOTE: The links provided above are for informational purposes only. None of these serve as a substitute for medical advice one should obtain from his/her own primary care physician and/or mental health professional. Please contact jgaal@moworks.org with related questions or comments.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights February 24th
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of Feb 24, 2025
This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog looks at why Mexican drug cartels are now labeled as Terrorist organizations—to how cuts in Washington DC are hurting Vets and farmers—to how drones are being used to deliver medical “supplies” in emergency situations. This week I would like to take this opportunity to discuss the need to address Mental Health in our schools.
The 1st article that caught my eye this week involves a counseling program for students in the University of Missouri’s veterinary program.1 The author of the aforementioned article indicates that several veterinarian and medical school programs have experimented with embedding counseling services in their doctoral programs but not much data exist to suggest that doing this—known as an intervention—has a positive impact. Enter MU researchers…who designed a study that looked at over 400 vet students from 2016-24. Their findings suggest that “veterinary trainees who took advantage of embedded counseling services reported improvements in psychological distress…” (e.g., depression, anxiety, academic distress, eating concerns and substance use). In addition, they noted that “embedded counseling programs may enable veterinary students to manage their personal and academic challenges” (i.e., financial stress, chronic health issues and traumatic experiences).
Which leads me to the 2nd article that examines the need for ~100k Mental Health professionals in our nation’s K-12 schools…possibly a result of the COVID pandemic.2 When it comes to counselors, psychologists, social workers, and therapists, one expert interviewed posits “while demand is going up, supply is going down.” This author notes that one principal had an opening for a school psychologist posted for 1 year without a response. This led him to becoming creative. Wherein, he recruited a nearly-completed social worker student under an emergency license provision. With most traditional MH pathways requiring at least 6 years of schooling, more options must be examined. The recommended ratio for MH professional to students is 1:250. While some schools meet this criterion, most do not! As a matter of fact, the national average is 1:1157. To be sure, caution must be taken when approaching this dilemma. 1) MH issues cannot be left to ill-properly trained people. 2) Task-shifting may result in lessening the attractiveness of these professions…not to mention the salaries involved.
These matters impact all of us! How is your industry, company, organization, etc. addressing the MH needs of your workers? After all, some of those K-12 students in systems with 1:600 ratios eventually become your employees.
Sources: [1] https://showme.missouri.edu/2025/do-embedded-counseling-services-in-veterinary-education-work-a-new-study-says-yes/
[2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/08/31/mental-health-crisis-students-have-third-therapists-they-need/
Creating a supportive work environment
Schools & MH Staff Shortages
Myths about Weed
On Treating Fentanyl: Bupe
An “ice rink” to fight opioids crisis?
Mexican Cartels labeled as Terrorists
China / Mexico / Money Laundering
Divorce / China / Abuse
Microplastics & Your Brain
Narcissists & Social Pain
Veterinary Programs & Counseling
Recognizing & Treating PTSD
Plan Your Day Around Shifting Moods
Fatigue & Grieving
Sleep: Women vs Men
Travel & Assisted Dying
The Favorite Child
Doctors / MH / Licensing
Romans / Lead Coins / Lower IQ
Football tied to Another CTE Victim
NHL / Bobby Hull / CTE
Women in Construction
AL: The deadliest workplace in America
USA: Moving towards Autocracy
US-AID cuts impact US Farmers
Vets: Cuts hamper VA
Is US Govt’s word Good?
H2-B Visas: Wage vs Worker Shortage
Is GOP warming to Unions?
GOP: Pro-Union or Pro-Worker?
Pick to head US-DOL…a turncoat?
Labor Secretary Nominee & PRO Act…
Keeling nominated to head OSHA
NLRB retracts Biden-era enforcements
What’s next for Ed Dept?
DOGE & Wasteful Spending
How NOT to lead Org Change
Fed Employees Fighting Back
More on Trump & Fed Workers
KC & IRS employees
Musk & Deception
USA / Tesla / $400m Contract
Boeing / Whistleblower / Death
CA Court Workers Strike
Teamsters Strike & US Mail
NY Correction Officers Strike
NY Gov / National Guard / Strikes
German workers strike @ US bases
PA nurses Strike
More on CO ski workers strike
CO: Labor Peace Act
King Soopers strike ends
Lack of quality jobs or quality applicants?
List of firms cutting DEI
MO Gov removes DEI
“All-in” attitude / Success
Expert on Cursing
Maintaining Low Turnover
Parents / Tutors / Failure
Flunking a pre-hire test
Ministry: Release to Rent
MO & future of STL Police
Gen Z & Middle Management
Author funds Recovery
Drones / Hospitals / Organ Transplants
Update: World Cup & Sexual Assault
Planes & Overhead Bin Manners
Upcoming Webinars, etc.:
Qigong (2/24)
Black History Month: A-A & Labor (2/27)
Columbia Suicide Prevention Protocol
NOTE: The links provided above are for informational purposes only. None of these serve as a substitute for medical advice one should obtain from his/her own primary care physician and/or mental health professional. Please contact jgaal@moworks.org with related questions or comments.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights February 17th
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of Feb 17, 2025
This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog looks at how a doctor in Africa created a Peer Support model to address Mental Health issues—to a series of articles exploring the dangers of gambling…more specifically, sports betting—to how cuts in Washington, DC may negatively impact research…more specifically, cancer research. This week I would like to take this opportunity to touch on Missouri Senate Bill 74.1
While SB 74 mainly would bar cities and counties from imposing their own open carry restrictions, in my opinion, any attempt to lessen gun restrictions poses danger for those in crisis. Consider this: Over the past 20 years, Missouri has seen a ~60% increase in suicide deaths.2 This rate was greater than that of the US during this timeframe. Since gun-related suicides have made up over 50% of those deaths, we should take any and all precautions to keep our citizens safe from self-harm. As a matter of fact, “…in 2020, gun-related suicides surpassed poisoning and suffocation for the first time among women, and have continued to rise since then.”3 One way to move these numbers in the opposite direction is to limit the access to firearms. Awareness and education do NOT seem to be enough!
To this end, St. Louis University will be holding a seminar on this very topic on Friday (Feb 21).4 To be clear, this event does NOT solely focus on restricting access to firearms. Based on the CALM (Conversations on the Access to Lethal Means) training model, this SAFER training session will address how you and I can take actions to reduce the access to a multitude of lethal means…including but not limited to medications, sharp objects, bridge netting, etc. Come join us in becoming part of the solution vs remaining part of the problem!
Sources: [1]https://www.stlpr.org/government-politics-issues/2025-02-11/missouri-senators-consider-removing-several-firearm-restrictions
[2] https://usafacts.org/answers/how-many-people-die-by-suicide/state/missouri/
[3]https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/26/well/mind/suicide-guns-women.html
[4]https://billpay.slu.edu/C20197_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=2471
Community Peer Support: The Friendship Bench
First Responders / Stress / Burnout
Addressing Chronic Illness @ Work
More on Workers & Chronic Illness
Older Workers & Financial Stress
Update on Grieving
Caseworkers & Burnout
Ozempic & Curbing Alcohol
How Gambling Impacts All of Us
Caution: Sports Betting
More on Betting Addiction
Super Bowl Betting
Caution: Black Market Weed
Tackling the Xylazine Epidemic
More on Menopause Benefits
MO & Abortion
Improving Hip Mobility
IBS Treatment & Your Brain
Marriage Counseling & Chores
Multilingual Kids & Functioning Skills
Canada / Tariffs / Safety
AGC / DOD / PLAs
NLRB / Trump / College Athletes
UT / Public Works / Collective Bargaining
PA Teachers’ Strike
N CA Healthcare Workers Picket
Vail Resort Lift Mechanics Strike
OR Nurses about to Strike
King Soopers Strike Continues
Retail Workers & Unions
More on Teamsters & Amazon
Top DOJ Resignations
Judge’s orders & HHS Websites
NIH funding & University research efforts
NIH funding & Cancer research
More on Cutting research funding
CDC loses 10% of Workforce
Trump / Discrimination / Congress
Trump / Ed Dept / Civil Rights
DOGE / Medicare / Medicaid
Are DOGE’s Claims Accurate?
Trump & Anti-bribery repeal
MO Universities & Research Status
Immigrants & Delaying Healthcare
CA / Homeless Camps / Crime
MO / Starbucks / Anti-DEI
Disney & DEI
An Egg Substitute
Girls & Flag Football
MO SB 74 & Firearm Restrictions
Upcoming webinars, etc.:
OSHA: Preventing Heat Illness (2/17)
SLU CEET: CALM Training (2/21)
Parenting Teens (2/25)
Substance Abuse & Mental Health (2/27)
Resilience Training (3/5)
FREE Diapers
NOTE: The links provided above are for informational purposes only. None of these serve as a substitute for medical advice one should obtain from his/her own primary care physician and/or mental health professional. Please contact jgaal@moworks.org with related questions or comments.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights February 10th
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of Feb 10, 2025
This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog looks at the experiences of a handful of US Veterans who attended a psychedelic retreat for their PTSD—to which vice is more harmful: booze or weed—to which construction sectors may be winners or losers under the 2nd Trump administration. This week I would like to take this opportunity to examine Congressman Biggs’ (AZ) effort to repeal the Occupational Safety & Health Administration Act of 1970 calling to “nullify” it…thus, NOSHA.
While this may serve as a cute play on words, there is NOTHING cute about exposing workers to unsafe working conditions. Make no mistake, this law was actually established under a Republican administration. Then, as now, OSHA serves to protect workers (mainly) in the private sector. To suggest that this agency is part of so-called government bloat and/or is another example of government overreach, is nothing more than an attempt to deflect the real issue at hand: protecting workers vs corporate greed. Furthermore, it is a moot point to insinuate that states can do a better job of protecting their workers since nearly ½ of the states already have state-OSHA approved plans. Note: “The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 allows states to administer their own job safety and health programs, but they must meet the minimum federal requirements.” Simply put, if states seek to oversee job safety, they MUST do so in a manner that meets or exceeds the federal standard!
In closing, it never ceases to amaze me how elected officials claim to represent their constituents while ignoring historical facts. OSHA was created after a series of workplace disasters over 50 years ago. To this end, Congressman Biggs, how does ‘allowing the fox to guard the henhouse’ serve the needs of your state’s workers? As noted in the article linked below: “Without OSHA, many workers will be left vulnerable to unsafe conditions, and it will be the most vulnerable—low-income and minority workers—who will bear the brunt of dangerous rollbacks.”
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/republican-calls-scrap-workplace-safety-agency-2025932
USA: Wealthy & Unhappy
OH OD Deaths Declining
How Fentanyl Crosses US Borders
Trump / China / Opioids & Tariffs
China & Fentanyl
US Vets / PSTD / Psychedelic Retreat
Treatment & Relapsing
Addiction / Impact / Brain
Addiction & MH Pandemic
What is PT Sober?
Seniors & Hoarding
Is Aging a Disease?
MDMA & PTSD
More Harmful: Booze or Weed?
Illegal Cannabis & Consumers
Vaping Weed?
Dry January & Cannabis Drinks
MO / THC / Beverage Law?
Obesity Drugs & Compounding Pharmacies
More on Risky Online GLP-1s
FLU vs COVID?
Inhaling Microplastics
Spinal Stim Treatment
Vagus Nerve & Stim
Ozempic & Alzheimer’s
Construction / MH / App
Financial & Mental Health
Coping w/ Change
Steps for Surviving to Thriving
Wellness Perks in the Workplace
Parents & Burnout
ME / Bridges / Suicide Prevention
SD / Law / MH vs Guns
NFL / HoF / Possible CTE?
Update: Costco & Teamsters Strike
Strike @ Fort L Wood
Musk / German Policies / Tesla Workers
Amazon Leaves Quebec
Amazon / Whole Foods / NLRB
More on Whole Foods & NLRB
Academics / Exec Branch / Checks?
NLRB Firing + Trump = Lawsuit
FBI / Trump / Jan 6 Pardons
EO / Transgender / Sports
More on Trans-athlete Ban
Fed Employees / Trump / Deadline
US-AID / Trump / Facts
Cartels / Trump / Terrorism
More on Trump & Cartels
Trump & Ed Department
Musk / DOGE / Legal Boundaries?
JD Vance / Cardinal Dolan / Immigration
DEI / Chicago Casino / Financing
Construction Sectors & Trump (Winners)
Construction Sectors & Trump (Losers)
Construction Hiring Slows
From OSHA to NOSHA?
London / Construction / Declining Workforce
I-9 / Employers / Raids
MO & Min Wage Law?
MO / Social Services / Shaq
AI & Hiring
AI & Hallucinations
AI & Your Future Self
Career Catfishing & Office Ghosting
Making EAPs Effective
Goodwill / Prison / Training
401k in America
Update: AI Battle
NFL & DEI
High School NILs
Tuskegee Tribute
Upcoming webinars, etc.:
Sports Concussions (2/14)
Participative Ergonomics (2/26)
New Research on MH & Construction (3/25)
Painters & Exposure to Chemicals
College & Gen Z Students
STL Intl Institute’s Food Pantry
NOTE: The links provided above are for informational purposes only. None of these serve as a substitute for medical advice one should obtain from his/her own primary care physician and/or mental health professional. Please contact jgaal@moworks.org with related questions or comments.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights February 3rd
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of February 3rd, 2025
This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog looks at advice on how to create a more healthy and productive workplace—to news on a non-addictive alternative to opioid painkillers—to a new AI model from China that has seemingly upset the US applecart. This week I would like to take this opportunity to honor those who were victims of Nazi concentration camps, in particular, Auschwitz—as we celebrate their 75th anniversary of liberation.
The article linked below makes a case for us to compare and contrast what transpired ¾ of a century ago with recent current events. As such, one of the few remaining victims said the following:
“More and more we seem to be having trouble connecting our historical knowledge with our moral choices today.”
Meanwhile the author goes on to note, “Toxic political rhetoric and attacks directed at groups of peoples — using language to dehumanize them — that were once considered taboo have become common across the world’s democracies.”
Their concerns are my concerns. It seems as more and more of these Holocaust victims pass on, our memories fade. My father—like many of yours—enlisted to fight in WWII just after graduating high school. Overcoming an evil despot was more important to him than pursuing a MLB career. He paid a dear price and so did his family. The injuries he sustained in France would haunt him until his untimely death in 1974 at the age of 48.
In closing, please ponder the words of a 96-year-old Auschwitz survivor:
“I fear that over time, it will become easier to distort history. I cannot say it will never happen again, because when you look at some leaders of today, those dangerous ambitions, pride and sense of being better than others are still at play. Who knows where they can lead.” In a world where truth and facts are constantly challenged by false and deceptive narratives, one must take an active role in ensuring “NEVER AGAIN.”
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/25/world/europe/auschwitz-liberation-75th-anniversary.html?unlocked_article_code=1.sU4.yCLg.Xe23ZVUNYLsJ&smid=url-share
Auschwitz (75 Years)
Psychological Safety
4 Pillars: Healthy & Productive Workplace
7 Keys to Aging Well
Ear Muscle & Hearing Aids
Non-addictive option to Opioids?
Non-Opioid Painkiller
Sober Living Fraud & Deaths
Maine / Prison / Treating OUD
Socialization: Rx for Loneliness? (1)
Socialization: Rx for Loneliness? (2)
More on Loneliness
Japanese Women / Prison / Loneliness
Older Parolees & Healthcare
Police & MH
Exercise & Depression
Prepping for Surgery
Parents / Caregiving / MH
Caregiving’s MH Toll
Forever Chemicals & Polar Bears?
NFL’s Record Low: Concussions
Active Management: Sports Concussions
Canadian Rail Strike Averted
Canadian Rail Strike
ICE Arrests Cause “Mayhem”
Trump / Fed Workers / Contracts
Fed Workers & Fed Buyout?
Fed Workers / Buyout / No Deal
Trump / Plane Crash / DEI?
Trump / Congress / DBE
Trump Pardons Jan 6 Rioters
Trump Halts Foreign Aid
Trump / Purging Health Info / Websites
Unlimited PTO?
Amazon & Quebec
DeepSeek Safety?
China / USA / AI Threat
War / Africa / Rape
K-12 Reading Scores
State Maps on Student Scores
More on Teens & Social Media
Legal: Transferring Data Between Countries
Planes & Snow-making
Upcoming webinars, etc.:
CALM Training (2/12)
Perinatal SUD
FREE Diapers
NOTE: The links provided above are for informational purposes only. None of these serve as a substitute for medical advice one should obtain from his/her own primary care physician and/or mental health professional. Please contact jgaal@moworks.org with related questions or comments.
Jeffery’s Story: Missouri Works Initiative
As an immigrant, Jeffrey had earned a degree in architecture before coming to the United States. He learned about the Apprentice Ready Program through Facebook and decided to apply.
“I am keen to acquire new skills and gain insights into construction methodologies and practices, as well as the building materials prevalent here in the U.S.,” says Jeffrey.
“I appreciated how the program introduced us to various trades by organizing visits to their facilities and providing valuable insights,” he adds. “Engaging in hands-on experiences within those fields was really interesting. I also commend Mr. Russ Unger, our program coordinator, who shared his extensive knowledge of building construction and demonstrated great patience throughout the program.”
During the 5-week course, Jeffrey immersed himself in the world of the trades. The program supports students like him by removing barriers to success. Along with education on the trades and unions, the Apprentice Ready Program provided Jeffrey with a stipend, a bus pass, and work tools. With worries about cash and transportation out of the way, he was able to fully commit to the program and gain the most from his experience.
Now that Jeffrey has graduated, his life—and his family’s lives—have improved tremendously. “I am able to financially support my family while continuing to gain knowledge and experience in my chosen field,” he says. Not only is Jeffrey working in a field he’s passionate about, but he’s earning a reliable, life-sustaining wage that will empower him to build the future he envisions.
If you are new to the United States and seeking a career, Jeffrey encourages you to apply, “This program will provide you with the necessary information and confidence to choose the trade you’re interested in,” he says.
Start your journey here.
Nicole’s Story: Missouri Works Initiative
After her incarceration, Nicole focused on rebuilding her life. During her search for sustainable employment, she learned about the Missouri Works Initiative’s Apprentice Ready Program through the Keyway Center for Diversion and Reentry in St. Louis. “Valerie, a vocational specialist, gave me the information and support I needed to get started,” says Nicole.
The 5-week Apprentice Ready Program introduces individuals to the trades and unions. “I decided to apply because I have a background in the trades,” says Nicole. “It’s good work, good pay, and there’s always room to move up.”
“What I liked most about the program was that regardless of your situation, the people you meet genuinely want you to succeed and stay in touch,” Nicole shares. “Having someone in your corner like that makes a huge difference, and I’ll forever be grateful.”
The program changed Nicole’s life. “I know so much more about navigating union jobs now. I see the steps I need to take, which I couldn’t before. I was even offered a great job right away, which was amazing.”
If you’re seeking employment after incarceration, the Apprentice Ready Program might be the opportunity you need. Participants receive a bus pass, weekly stipend, and hands-on training to remove common barriers like transportation and financial strain. “If you want a career where your employer values you and your contribution, this is the place to start,” says Nicole.
Start your journey here.