This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.
OKLearn moreWe may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.
Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.
These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.
Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.
We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.
We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.
These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience.
If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here:
We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.
Google Webfont Settings:
Google Map Settings:
Google reCaptcha Settings:
Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:
The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them:
You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.
Terms and Conditions
Worker Wellness Weekly November 7
About our Worker Wellness Program (WWP):
For many decades, organized labor has played a key role in establishing minimum safety standards in the US workplace. These efforts have mainly focused on the physical aspects of safety (i.e., falls, chemical exposure, noise reduction, etc.). More recently, public health professionals have identified that in order to better protect workers, the workforce eco-system must address the whole person. To this end, a major goal of establishing a WWP is to ensure that all workers have access to timely information regarding their mental aspects of safety on the job and in the community. In so doing, we will offer programming and advice on issues related to work-life balance, wellness, and well-being.
As the WWP develops, we will seek partnerships with local community agencies so that programming can be tailored to local needs. It is our intention to have a presence in towns across the state as a means to deliver training and/or perform research that informs our future activities for the benefit of all workers.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of November 7, 2021
STL HC workers strike
STL HC workers/unions/vax
More high-paying jobs requiring COVID vax
Challenges facing School Nurses
Nurses & gratitude
Teachers/MH/fighting burnout
Robots & labor shortage
Boston Unions & DEI
Fathers & paid leave
MO law-makers & MH
Fresh approach to fighting opioids crisis
Rise of synthetic opioids
Opioids in Court (1)
Opioids in Court (2)
Dopesick & Sacklers
DEA & opioids recovery
Opioids & access to recovery
A judge on MH
NFL’s AJ Brown on MH
LA study: Students’ MH
Signs of suicide: Children
Hope Squad: Preventing suicide
Youth/discrimination/MH
OCD or not?
Treating chronic pain
Helping back pain patients
The power of Human Touch
3 mantras to help brighten your workday
Depression & exercise
Coping with S.A.D.
Discomfort & grief
Types of meditation
—Webinars—
Recorded: Live your life well!
Upcoming: Mindfulness
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.
BUD graduate meets then Vice President Joe Biden AND lands a job
As seen in the St. Louis Labor Tribune
Eric Green, a recent graduate of the Building Union Diversity (BUD) program, has all the confirmation he needs that the program works. He’s landed a job and recently met Vice President Joe Biden.
Green, 31, had sold insurance and worked in medical billing since 2009. When he wanted something different, his uncle, a journeyman plasterer told him about BUD and he signed up.
Green graduated from a seven-week BUD session Aug. 31 was meeting with business representatives Todd Hake and Kevin Haynes with the St. Louis-Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council at Goody Goody Diner on Natural Bridge Ave. on Sept. 9 when the Vice President and U.S. Senate candidate Jason Kander came in for lunch and stopped to talk at their table.
Biden was in town to talk about jobs, education, and training. He earlier had visited LaunchCode off Delmar to talk about growth in tech jobs.
Hake, the Carpenters business representative, said he told Vice President Biden that they were there meeting with Green for lunch and that he was a recent graduate of the BUD program, and Biden said “Yes, I’m very familiar with the BUD program.”
The vice president then offered some words of encouragement to Green.
BUD organizers visited the White House to discuss the program and its successes during a conference on worker training programs in 2015.
A CONFIRMATION
For Green meeting with union business representatives about job opportunities, then having the opportunity to meet the Vice President – who was familiar with the BUD program – was proof enough that he was headed in the right direction.
“I felt like it was kind of a confirmation,” Green said. “I felt like this was a great opportunity. I had heard that he as a politician that supported us. I felt like this was an opportunity to give it my best, because that’s what he and the President (Barack Obama) have been supporting.
“Just to know that they knew about the BUD program was kind of big to me,” Green said. “It was just telling me to take advantage of this.”
RECORD OF SUCCESS
The BUD program was launched in 2014 to bring more minority and female workers into the union trades in a unique partnership of the St. Louis Building & Construction Trades Council, the Eastern Missouri Laborers District Council and St. Louis-Kansas City Regional Carpenters Council, with funding help from the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE) and the Missouri Division of Workforce Development.
Participants in the program also receive support from the United Way to help with issues such as car repairs or other problems that may be preventing them from getting or keeping a job.
BUD prepares participants to enter apprenticeships and, with commitment and dedication of their own, begin fulfilling and rewarding careers. Roughly 85 percent of participants have landed jobs since the program started.
Green was recently hired by Builders Bloc as an apprentice carpenter. The first day was hard, he said. “They worked me, but I came back the next day It’s a great experience. I’m happy I signed up with BUD.”
Worker Wellness News Weekly Update
Each week Dr. John Gaal provides us with a Workers’ Wellness Update. This update provides workers, community partners, and more with important articles that he has curated. Below are links to the articles. We hope you enjoy one, a couple, or all of the articles.
About our Worker Wellness Program (WWP):
For many decades, organized labor has played a key role in establishing minimum safety standards in the US workplace. These efforts have mainly focused on the physical aspects of safety (i.e., falls, chemical exposure, noise reduction, etc.). More recently, public health professionals have identified that in order to better protect workers, the workforce eco-system must address the whole person. To this end, a major goal of establishing a WWP is to ensure that all workers have access to timely information regarding their mental aspects of safety on the job and in the community. In so doing, we will offer programming and advice on issues related to work-life balance, wellness, and well-being.
As the WWP develops, we will seek partnerships with local community agencies so that programming can be tailored to local needs. It is our intention to have a presence in towns across the state as a means to deliver training and/or perform research that informs our future activities for the benefit of all workers.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of October 31, 2021
4-hour workweek?
Who benefits from higher pay?
Boston’s unions & DEI
COVID & retirements
Military & suicides
White House’s plan on gun suicides
You & daylight savings time
A case for advanced planning
Will MH benefits continue after COVID?
MH & college kids
High school & MH self-care
Impact of online learning
New Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 9-8-8
SUD & COVID
Impact of fentanyl & meth on US communities
The evolving opioids crisis
Congress & Opioids
Helping Vietnam Vets and then some
Vets / PTSD / MDMA
Does ketamine work for depression?
Depression / Anxiety / Pain
Prolonged grief
Telemedicine / Older adults / Addiction
Medicine vs Wellness?
What your smell says
What your hair says
Weight loss & Tea
Stretching & Energy/Mobility
Detrimental (forced) Mindfulness
Toxic positivity
Brain health
CBT’s Dr. Beck
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.
Workers Wellness Weekly – October 24
Each week Dr. John Gaal provides us with a Workers’ Wellness Update. This update provides workers, community partners, and more with important articles that he has curated. Below are links to the articles. We hope you enjoy one, a couple, or all of the articles.
About our Worker Wellness Program (WWP):
For many decades, organized labor has played a key role in establishing minimum safety standards in the US workplace. These efforts have mainly focused on the physical aspects of safety (i.e., falls, chemical exposure, noise reduction, etc.). More recently, public health professionals have identified that in order to better protect workers, the workforce eco-system must address the whole person. To this end, a major goal of establishing a WWP is to ensure that all workers have access to timely information regarding their mental aspects of safety on the job and in the community. In so doing, we will offer programming and advice on issues related to work-life balance, wellness, and well-being.
As the WWP develops, we will seek partnerships with local community agencies so that programming can be tailored to local needs. It is our intention to have a presence in towns across the state as a means to deliver training and/or perform research that informs our future activities for the benefit of all workers.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of October 24, 2021
Speaking with your kids
Teens, gender, and social media
Getting help for teens
Why employees don’t use EAPs for MH
Crisis in construction
Focus on MH in construction
MH crisis: A Deep Dive
Waiting on a therapist?
Leaving MH patients in limbo
MH days and the great resignation
The need for MH support in the workplace
Complicated grief
Living with suicidal thoughts
PTSD’s long reach
Addressing anxiety
Sleep & aging
Self-care habits
Does marijuana help with anxiety & depression?
Opioid epidemic
Tackling OD deaths
Dangers of fentanyl
Pilot: Safe injection sites
The Safe Supply Movement
Dopesick: Follow-up
Knowing the signs of opioid addiction
Pain: CBT vs Opioids?
MH for college admin
Transforming MH therapy
Yoga for beginners
Upcoming webinar: Live your life well
Prison’s impact on families
NFL & safer helmet designs
NHL & sexual abuse
Need for more nurses
The 4-day workweek?
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.
Worker Wellness Weekly – October 17
Each week Dr. John Gaal provides us with a Workers’ Wellness Update. This update provides workers, community partners, and more with important articles that he has curated. Below are links to the articles. We hope you enjoy one, a couple, or all of the articles.
About our Worker Wellness Program (WWP):
For many decades, organized labor has played a key role in establishing minimum safety standards in the US workplace. These efforts have mainly focused on the physical aspects of safety (i.e., falls, chemical exposure, noise reduction, etc.). More recently, public health professionals have identified that in order to better protect workers, the workforce eco-system must address the whole person. To this end, a major goal of establishing a WWP is to ensure that all workers have access to timely information regarding their mental aspects of safety on the job and in the community. In so doing, we will offer programming and advice on issues related to work-life balance, wellness, and well-being.
As the WWP develops, we will seek partnerships with local community agencies so that programming can be tailored to local needs. It is our intention to have a presence in towns across the state as a means to deliver training and/or perform research that informs our future activities for the benefit of all workers.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of October 17, 2021
OSHA takes action
Feds take action
Does a college degree matter?
Tech workers & the cost of speaking out
Fixing burnout
NFL & ending race -based adjustments
Alleviating homelessness
Mental illness & de-policing?
Link between MH & workers’ quitting?
Teachers get a MH week
Kids & MH crisis (1)
Kids & MH crisis (2)
Kids & MH crisis (3)
Moms & mindfulness
Stigma & access to MH care
Why more Asian-Americans seek therapy?
Healthcare workers refusing vax risk jobs
Sitting & MH
Walking & MH
Update: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (9-8-8)
Fentanyl is roaring back
Families & child care issues
Seniors & preventing falls
Seniors & driving
Webinar: COVID Updates
Warning: Essential oils & recent deaths
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.
Worker Wellness Weekly – October 10
Each week Dr. John Gaal provides us with a Workers’ Wellness Update. This update provides workers, community partners, and more with important articles that he has curated. Below are links to the articles. We hope you enjoy one, a couple, or all of the articles.
About our Worker Wellness Program (WWP):
For many decades, organized labor has played a key role in establishing minimum safety standards in the US workplace. These efforts have mainly focused on the physical aspects of safety (i.e., falls, chemical exposure, noise reduction, etc.). More recently, public health professionals have identified that in order to better protect workers, the workforce eco-system must address the whole person. To this end, a major goal of establishing a WWP is to ensure that all workers have access to timely information regarding their mental aspects of safety on the job and in the community. In so doing, we will offer programming and advice on issues related to work-life balance, wellness, and well-being.
As the WWP develops, we will seek partnerships with local community agencies so that programming can be tailored to local needs. It is our intention to have a presence in towns across the state as a means to deliver training and/or perform research that informs our future activities for the benefit of all workers.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of October 10, 2021
COVID & Labor’s Golden Age?
Striketober
Trade vs College Degree?
Addressing the “system”
Return of workers during a pandemic
Delta’s impact
How to re-connect with friends
Investing in workplace well-being
Work & your dreams
MH & sleep quality
Telehealth vs In-person?
Vaccines & long COVID
Addressing Latinx MH
MH crisis on college campus
College athletes & MH
Yoga & MH
Friendships & Well-being
Improving employees’ well-being
Resilience skills
Effective ways to address your MH
Dopesick (1)
Dopesick (2)
Raising suicide prevention awareness
Anxiety, depression & your body
Supplements & reducing stress?
Sitting & MH
The church, youth football & concussions
Dementia & Alzheimers
Teens & vaping
NHL & MH
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.
Worker Wellness Weekly – October 3
Each week Dr. John Gaal provides us with a Workers’ Wellness Update. This update provides workers, community partners, and more with important articles that he has curated. Below are links to the articles. We hope you enjoy one, a couple, or all of the articles.
About our Worker Wellness Program (WWP):
For many decades, organized labor has played a key role in establishing minimum safety standards in the US workplace. These efforts have mainly focused on the physical aspects of safety (i.e., falls, chemical exposure, noise reduction, etc.). More recently, public health professionals have identified that in order to better protect workers, the workforce eco-system must address the whole person. To this end, a major goal of establishing a WWP is to ensure that all workers have access to timely information regarding their mental aspects of safety on the job and in the community. In so doing, we will offer programming and advice on issues related to work-life balance, wellness, and well-being.
As the WWP develops, we will seek partnerships with local community agencies so that programming can be tailored to local needs. It is our intention to have a presence in towns across the state as a means to deliver training and/or perform research that informs our future activities for the benefit of all workers.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of October 3, 2021
STL-KC Carpenters’ future
Second chances programs
Job burnout
Freedom @ work
An artist’s story
How are unions addressing the worker shortage issue?
College degree vs Trade job
Finding a therapist
MH tips
How anxiety and depression impact your body
How showering helps
Teens & keeping them safe @ work
A new era for MH @ work
Why college athletes have easier access to MH
NHL and MH (1)
NHL and MH (2)
NHL and MH (3)
Phoenix sees spike in children’s MH issues
Stopping the flow of FB misinformation
Parents / Teen girls / Instagram
Teen girls / Technology / Instagram
Parenting & Menopause
Brain stimulation & Depression (1)
Brain stimulation & Depression (2)
How depression & anxiety impact your body
Anxiety & Journaling
Back pain advice from a PT
Alcohol: Gray area drinking
Pharmacies on trial (1)
Pharmacies on trial (2)
Pharmacies on trial (3)
Yoga for beginners
Fall into fitness
How to help survivors of violence
Ag’s look @ MH during COVID
Language MATTERS
Getting help after a suicide attempt
Sleep & Wellness
UK’s concerns that MH is being UBERIZED
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.
Worker Wellness Weekly – September 26
Each week Dr. John Gaal provides us with a Workers’ Wellness Update. This update provides workers, community partners, and more with important articles that he has curated. Below are links to the articles. We hope you enjoy one, a couple, or all of the articles.
About our Worker Wellness Program (WWP):
For many decades, organized labor has played a key role in establishing minimum safety standards in the US workplace. These efforts have mainly focused on the physical aspects of safety (i.e., falls, chemical exposure, noise reduction, etc.). More recently, public health professionals have identified that in order to better protect workers, the workforce eco-system must address the whole person. To this end, a major goal of establishing a WWP is to ensure that all workers have access to timely information regarding their mental aspects of safety on the job and in the community. In so doing, we will offer programming and advice on issues related to work-life balance, wellness, and well-being.
As the WWP develops, we will seek partnerships with local community agencies so that programming can be tailored to local needs. It is our intention to have a presence in towns across the state as a means to deliver training and/or perform research that informs our future activities for the benefit of all workers.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of September 26, 2021
Secretary M Walsh on apprenticeships
Exodus of MH workers
MH & Well-being in Construction 2021
MH training for teachers
Pot @ work
In-person therapy
“Awe” and finding it
Your gut and stress
S.A.D.
Social media & Anxiety
Suicide Task Force
Suicide prevention in middle/high schools
Fall prevention & technology
5 Yoga poses & stress
Purdue Pharma (1)
Purdue Pharma (2)
Fentanyl laced fake pills (1)
Fentanyl laced fake pills (2)
Latinos & Opioids
Disasters & resilience
Upcoming events:
Fall Fitness Oct 5
Mindfulness Oct 7
Mental Illness Awareness Week: Oct 3-9
National Depression Screening Day: Oct 7
World Mental Health Day: Oct 10
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.
Worker Wellness Weekly – September 19
Each week Dr. John Gaal provides us with a Workers’ Wellness Update. This update provides workers, community partners, and more with important articles that he has curated. Below are links to the articles. We hope you enjoy one, a couple, or all of the articles.
About our Worker Wellness Program (WWP):
For many decades, organized labor has played a key role in establishing minimum safety standards in the US workplace. These efforts have mainly focused on the physical aspects of safety (i.e., falls, chemical exposure, noise reduction, etc.). More recently, public health professionals have identified that in order to better protect workers, the workforce eco-system must address the whole person. To this end, a major goal of establishing a WWP is to ensure that all workers have access to timely information regarding their mental aspects of safety on the job and in the community. In so doing, we will offer programming and advice on issues related to work-life balance, wellness, and well-being.
As the WWP develops, we will seek partnerships with local community agencies so that programming can be tailored to local needs. It is our intention to have a presence in towns across the state as a means to deliver training and/or perform research that informs our future activities for the benefit of all workers.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of September 19, 2021
Employers are Ghosting
A shorter workweek?
Home Health Aides
Building a workforce
COVID & Adult tantrums
Well-being Toolkit
Empathy & Leadership
Fighting burnout
Sleep technique
Teens & Social Media
Your child’s emotional distress
Youth and psychological distress
Food & SAD
Weight (1)
Weight (2)
Exploring suicidal thoughts & feelings
Hugs & Grief
5 stages of grief
St. Louis’ construction industry leads opioids battle
Meth and ODs in the minority communities
STOP eating sugar
A generational crisis
Webinar: Power of self-talk
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.
Worker Wellness Blog
Each week Dr. John Gaal provides us with a Workers’ Wellness Update. This update provides workers, community partners, and more with important articles that he has curated. Below are links to the articles. We hope you enjoy one, a couple, or all of the articles.
About our Worker Wellness Program (WWP):
For many decades, organized labor has played a key role in establishing minimum safety standards in the US workplace. These efforts have mainly focused on the physical aspects of safety (i.e., falls, chemical exposure, noise reduction, etc.). More recently, public health professionals have identified that in order to better protect workers, the workforce eco-system must address the whole person. To this end, a major goal of establishing a WWP is to ensure that all workers have access to timely information regarding their mental aspects of safety on the job and in the community. In so doing, we will offer programming and advice on issues related to work-life balance, wellness, and well-being.
As the WWP develops, we will seek partnerships with local community agencies so that programming can be tailored to local needs. It is our intention to have a presence in towns across the state as a means to deliver training and/or perform research that informs our future activities for the benefit of all workers.
Wellness & Well-being Highlights
for the
Week of August 28, 2021
Labor shortage vs Wage shortage
Did unemployment benefits impact growth?
When hard jobs turn hazardous
Ghosting & Honest Communications
Millennials plotting new careers
Nurses & Burnout
Bosses & Toxic Workplaces
Construction: Designing a welcoming workplace
Construction: The lesser known hazard
Construction: Surge in suicides
Construction: Invisible injuries
Sacklers (1)
Sacklers (2)
Sacklers (3)
Fentanyl & Cocaine
Raising resilient kids
Stop yelling at your kids
Creating a “Go-Bag”
Hearing aids
Sleep
Cities add MH facilities
CVS & therapy
Schools, COVID, and Anxiety
Return to office anxiety
Embracing stress
Developing resilient relationships
Nike’s MH break
CA & sobriety payments
China, youth, and videogames
Baseball umpires & Prayer
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.