Photo courtesy of Brian Knowler.

A Chatham-Kent OPP officer turned author wants to see more emphasis on mental health in the workplace.

Hearing more stories of people’s struggles, especially through the pandemic, Brian Knowler has released an updated version of his 2018 book, Career Suicide is Overrated.

“COVID was hitting, leadership was taking a radical new direction working through COVID, in the three years since (the original publishing) I went through some personal experiences of my own that further added to my growth, I took some more time off work to do some more work on myself,” Knowler says. “All these factors came together and I thought you know what, it’s time to put these together into a new version.”

Knowler says the book is designed for leaders at all levels who want to become more comfortable with and explore the ever-expanding links between leadership and mental health.

“People in positions of leadership, in the lives of these people I was speaking with, made such a huge impact, either for the better or for the worse. When I started to really sit down and compile these stories and compile my own experiences, I came to a conclusion that leadership, for those dealing with mental health issues regardless of the field, is so crucial.”

Communication is key to putting the health and wellness of your team first.

“The day that you realize someone has come to you with their problem and you have let them open a door into a problem that might have been haunting them for months or years, you’ll get it. You’ll see that light in a person’s eye, you’ll see them understand they’re not alone.”

Career Suicide is Overrated is now available in hardcover, paperback, and e-book from all major book retailers.

Listen to Brian’s full interview with 99.1’s Robyn Brady: