Resilience and Suicide Prevention
Workers in construction have the second-highest suicide rate of all occupational groups. Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas will show you why building a culture of care in our industry can build resilience in our workforce and help prevent suicide. She believes that a culture of care requires a mindset in addition to skills and tools. She will discuss that perfect storm of risk factors, as well as the impact suicide has on the construction industry, not only in a monetary sense, which is significant, but also the toll it takes on your workforce personally.
She will then lead you to the leadership tools available to build protective factors, to identify employees who are struggling early and link them to appropriate care, and to address mental health crises with compassion and empowerment.
CEO and Co-Founder of the Carson J. Spencer Foundation, Sally Spencer-Thomas is both a clinical psychologist and an impact entrepreneur who works closely with the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention.
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SPEAKER:
Sally Spencer-Thomas, Sally Spencer-Thomas, LLC
Sally Spencer-Thomas is a clinical psychologist, inspirational international speaker and an impact entrepreneur. Dr. Spencer-Thomas was moved to work in suicide prevention after her younger brother, a Denver entrepreneur, died of suicide after a difficult battle with bipolar condition.
Known nationally and internationally as an innovator in social change, Spencer-Thomas has helped start up multiple large-scale, gap filling efforts in mental health including the award-winning campaign Man Therapy and was a recent invited speaker at the White House. Her goal is to elevate the conversation and make suicide prevention a health and safety priority in our schools, workplaces and communities.
Spencer-Thomas has also held leadership positions for the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, the International Association for Suicide Prevention, the American Association for Suicidology, and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. She has won multiple awards for her advocacy including the 2014 Survivor of the Year from the American Association of Suicidology, the 2014 Invisible Disabilities Association Impact Honors Award, and the 2012 Alumni Master Scholar from the University of Denver, the 2015 Farbarow Award from the International Association for Suicide Prevention and the 2016 Career Achievement Alumni Award from the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology.
She has a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Denver, Masters in Non-profit Management from Regis University, a Bachelors in Psychology and Studio Art with a Minor in Economics from Bowdoin College. She has written four books on mental health and violence prevention. She lives with her partner and three sons in Conifer, Colorado.