EP 81: When Strength Becomes Heavy... with Dr. Ashley Smith
From Constructive Behaviors by Barb Allen
May 26, 2026 · 43 min
About this episode
Barb Allen and Dr. Ashley Smith discuss mental health challenges in the construction industry and redefine concepts of strength and resilience.
In this intentionally timed Mental Health Awareness Month episode, Barb welcomes Dr. Ashley Smith back to the Constructive Behaviors Podcast for a conversation around mental health, construction culture, and leadership… while simultaneously tying it to the Sticky and Slippery Rungs from Barb’s book, OneLadder to Leadership. This episode explores: • the mental load of constantly feeling like you have to prove yourself • chronic stress, burnout, and impression management • the pressure many people in construction feel to just “handle it” • unconscious expectations around toughness and emotional suppression • and how we can begin redefining strength, resilience, and mental health in the industry Connect/Follow Dr. Ashley: LinkedIn - YouTube - TikTok - Facebook - Instagram Subscribe to Dr. Ashley's Newsletter HERE Dr. Ashley's Book: The Way I See It Grab Barb’s Book: OneLadder to Leadership Looking for a Construction Industry Speaker that has Real Construction Experience? Someone your audience can truly relate to? Check out my Keynotes at ConstructionBarb.com and let's start a conversation to ensure your next event gets rave reviews! Barb@ConstructionBarb.com Have you heard of…
People in this episode
Host: Barb Allen
Guest: Dr. Ashley Smith
Topics covered
- mental health
- construction culture
- leadership
- chronic stress
- burnout
- emotional suppression
- redesigning strength
Keywords
- mental health
- construction
- leadership
- burnout
- stress
- resilience
- emotional health
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: 14%ers, ConstructionBarb.com
Books & works: OneLadder to Leadership, The Way I See It
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