
Creating high-performing teams with a positive workplace culture doesn’t happen by accident. It takes leadership, professionalism and integrity to ensure people in your organisation can be their best, free from the harm caused by workplace incivility, bullying and harassment. Life at the Sharp end is a podcast full of insights and interviews to help people like you succeed - whether you’re in a leadership role, or a front-line practitioner. Wherever you work, you’ll have something to learn from others’ experience of Life at the Sharp End.
Episodes

Wednesday Dec 11, 2024
11 • Mental health stigma in emergency services
Wednesday Dec 11, 2024
Wednesday Dec 11, 2024
Mark Bouchard has been in law enforcement since 2007 and has a Master’s degree in leadership, studying culture and mental health in policing. He’s the author of “Setting my sights on stigma: thoughts from an injured mind” - a candid and personal exploration of his own mental health journey and PTSD diagnosis.
In this episode, Mark talks openly about some of the critical incidents he’s been involved in as a police officer, and the impact these can have on the mental health and wellbeing of front-line first-responders in the emergency services.
We discuss leadership, and Mark gives practical examples of how leaders can create psychological safety and how we can all encourage and support people to be open about seeking support for their mental health.
What is the role of leadership in setting the culture for a workplace, and what’s actually down to you - as an individual, and in your own teams - when it comes to creating culture, and supporting the people around you, when they need to talk about their mental health?
This episode contains mentions of operational police call-outs, PTSD and suicide. If you think this episode might affect you in any way, you can find links to support resources in the show notes.
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LINKS
REFERENCES
- Ontario coroner’s inquiry report (2021) into police suicides
- CIPSRT research publications into stressors and mental health in Canadian public services
- Books from this podcast on Amazon (via affiliate links):
- Mark Bouchard (2023) - Setting my sights on stigma : thoughts from an injured mind
- Dr. Kevin Gilmartin (2021) - Emotional survival for law enforcement: A guide for officers and their families (revised edition)
- Dave Grossman & Lauren Christensen (2008) - On combat: The psychology and physiology of Deadly Conflict in War and in Peace
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