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The Working Mind Mental Health Training

The Working Mind is an evidence-based program designed to promote mental health and reduce stigma around mental illness in the workplace.  This training directly supports our shared purpose of promoting and contributing to a healthy and safe community at McMaster University.

The Working Mind (TWM) was developed to initiate a shift in the way you think, act, and feel about mental health.

It was designed to provide practical knowledge and skills to address mental health and mental illness in the workplace. It is intended for employees as well as managers, supervisors and team leads who manage and support teams.

Three Core Modules offer the same foundational content to both employee and people leader participants. They focus on increasing self-awareness and taking care of your own mental health. The Module for people leaders offers leadership-specific content and focuses on helping leaders support their teams’ mental health.  People leaders will complete the three core modules and the leader-specific module.

Information Box Group

Module 1: Mental Health & Stigma

Participants will explore mental health concepts and the effects of stigma.

Module 2: The Mental Health Continuum

The Mental Health Continuum will be introduced in this module and participants will learn to use this specialized tool to monitor mental health and foster open discussions.

Module 3: Stress & Resilience

The impacts of stress on mental health will be discussed and participants will be introduced to The Big 4 Coping Strategies – simple, but proven tools they can use to build resilience and manage stress.

Module 4: Supporting Your Team (People Leaders Only)

This module focuses on strategies for people leaders, to support their own and their team members’ mental well-being.

Course Objectives

At the end of this course, participants will be better able to:

  • Define basic concepts related to mental health and mental illness
  • Recognize the impact of stigma and discuss how to reduce stigma and other barriers to care in the workplace
  • Recognize and keep track of changes in your mental health and well-being, and know when to take appropriate actions
  • Have conversations about mental health and mental illness with colleagues, friends and family members
  • Identify and practice coping strategies to manage stress and remain resilient
  • Identify and use available resources to support self and others

Upcoming Courses

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The Working Mind Mental Health Training for People Leaders

Employee Well-Being, Leader Well-being, Mental Health, TWM Training

Aug 19, 2026 to Aug 20, 2026
10:00AM to 3:00PM

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The Working Mind Mental Health Training for Employees

Employee Well-Being, Leader Well-being, Mental Health, TWM Training

Oct 20, 2026
9:00AM to 3:30PM

Cost & Cancellation

In response to recommendations from McMaster’s Mental Health Task Force, this program has been championed, implemented and administered by Human Resources Services. 

This program is available at no cost to McMaster staff, faculty and leaders.

Those who cancel their registration within seven calendar days or less of the program start date, or who miss more than 30 minutes of the course and cannot be certified, will have an administrative fee ($100) billed to their department. A minimum number of participants is required for the course to take place and may be rescheduled if there is insufficient attendance.

Meet our Course Facilitators

All McMaster facilitators of The Working Mind courses are certified to teach through the Mental Health Commission of Canada – Opening Minds.  Minimum standards must be met each year to maintain certification. We thank each and every one of our facilitators for their time, expertise, and commitment to supporting mental health in the workplace.

  • Rachael Byrne, Occupational Health Nurse, Human Resources Services
  • Kate Coleman, Sr. HR Strategic Partner, DeGroote School of Business
  • Sarah Cumin, Director of Administration, Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences
  • Cara-Jane Dempsey, Faculty Leadership & Development Coordinator, Deputy Provost Office
  • Karli Dillane, Program Coordinator, Workplace Health & Well-being Strategies, Human Resources Services
  • Deb Garland, Manager, Workplace Health & Well-being Strategies, Human Resources Services
  • Gillian Gibbons, Occupational Health Nurse, Human Resources Services
  • Lisa Hunt, Lead, Organizational Talent and Employee Experience, Human Resources Services
  • Natasa Javni, HR Strategic Partner, Faculty of Science
  • Caitlin MacLean-Schmid, HR Partner, Office of the Registrar
  • Monica Matta, HR Partner, University Advancement (on leave)
  • Asha McClean, Sr. HR Strategic Partner, Faculty of Health Sciences
  • Meaghan Maynard, Varsity Athletic Therapist, Athletics & Recreation
  • Chris Nicol, Sr. HR Strategic Partner, University Libraries
  • Adam Palmer, Safety Manager, Faculty of Health Sciences Safety Office
  • Khadijeh Rakie, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Specialist, DeGroote School of Business (on leave)
  • Sarah Sullivan, Academic Department Manager, Faculty of Engineering (on leave)
  • Samantha Thompson, Sr. HR Strategic Partner, Surgery

Contact Us

Andrianna Kabitsis

Associate Director, Employee & Workplace Well-being

(905) 525-9140 x21371 kabitsi@mcmaster.ca