Psych Health and Safety Podcast USA

Dive into Episode #168 of the Psych Health and Safety USA Podcast, featuring host Dr. I. David Daniels, PhD, CSD, VPS, and special guest Bernie Wong, a mental health educator, public health practitioner, and activist who has spent over a decade in advocacy for the mental health and well-being of all. He is on the founding team of Mind Share Partners, a national mental health advocacy nonprofit focused on the workforce and workplace. He helped establish its Client Services practice and now serves as its Movement Building and Research Lead, overseeing its research, media, and advocacy efforts. This conversation centers on Bernie’s efforts through Mind Share Partners to not only address the state of mental health in the workplace but also help organizations transform the workplace so it does not create psychsoail hazard exposure to the extent that it harms workers, as well as not exacerbating issues people face outside of work.

Dive into Episode #166 of the Psych Health and Safety USA Podcast, featuring host Dr. I. David Daniels, PhD, CSD, VPS, and special guest Capt. Christian Rathke, Director of the Total Worker Health Program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS). A pioneer in the federal government conversation about Total Worker Health (TWH), Capt Rathe has played a pivotal role in advancing TWH through his leadership at NOAA. As Director of the NESDIS Total Worker Health Program, Rathke has worked to integrate physical, mental, and social well-being into everyday organizational practices. His efforts focus on reducing psychosocial stressors, addressing physical hazards, and fostering supportive workplace relationships. By embedding health and safety into the design of work itself, Rathke’s initiatives aim to transform federal workplaces into environments that not only protect employees but also actively promote engagement, fulfillment, and measurable health outcomes.

Dive into Episode #164 of the Psych Health and Safety USA Podcast, featuring host Dr. I. David Daniels, PhD, CSD, VPS, and special guest Dr. M. Gloria Gonzales-Morales, the Director of the Worker Well Being Lab. The lab is dedicated to advancing research on worker wellbeing within organizational systems. It emphasizes diversity, belonging, and dismantling oppressive structures such as heteropatriarchy, racism, social inequality, and xenophobia. The Worker Wellbeing Lab is part of a growing movement to redefine occupational health and safety beyond physical hazards, emphasizing psychosocial and cultural dimensions of work. Its feminist lens makes it unique in challenging systemic inequities while promoting flourishing and belonging in organizations

Dive into Episode #162 of the Psych Health and Safety USA Podcast, featuring host Dr. I. David Daniels, PhD, CSD, VPS, and special guest Marie Milord, an experienced occupational health and safety professional, founder of SoMat Culture Consulting, who has developed a program call "Bold and Safe" which among it's goals seeks to teach psychological health and safety to young people before they go into the workforce. Based on her lived experience in heavy industry safety programs, Ms. Milord helps to arm young people with some of the skills that she has learned over time, many of them the hard way. With a program goal of not only helping them identify, assess, and mitigate psychosocial hazards in the workplace but also helping them build the resilience needed to succeed in cases where the hazard cannot be eliminated. The skills and awareness from the program help develop resilience, empathy, and leadership. Ultimately, these skills prepare young people to create healthier schools, workplaces, and communities. And most importantly, the program plants the seed that safety isn’t only about avoiding physical or psychological harm, it’s about fostering environments where everyone can thrive.

Dive into Episode #160 of the Psych Health and Safety USA Podcast, featuring host Dr. I. David Daniels, PhD, CSD, VPS, and special guest Dr. Heliana Ramirez, a licensed clinical social worker, trauma therapist, and nationally recognized expert in workplace trauma recovery, and a guest from episode 96 of the podcast. In this episode, Dr. Ramirez shares her research on the challenges pregnant workers face in the workplace. The research also served as the basis for her contribution to a new book, “Corporate Blues,” which includes a series of stories about women in Toxic workplaces.

Dive into Episode #158 of the Psych Health and Safety USA Podcast, featuring host Dr. I. David Daniels, PhD, CSD, VPS, and special guest retired Chief Fire Officer Tiffanye Wesley, the Chair of the Black Chief Officers’ Committee. Chief Wesley is the first female chair of the BCOC in its 40-year history and assumes this role after a string of barrier-breaking accomplishments over a 30-year career in the fire rescue service. Chief Wesley shares some of the challenges that she experienced and overcame in a system not designed for her success.

Dive into Episode #156 of the Psych Health and Safety USA Podcast, featuring host Dr. I. David Daniels, PhD, CSD, VPS, and special guest Peter Kelly, one of the global pioneers of the concept of psychological health and safety and a former regulator in the Health and Safety Executive office in the United Kingdom. Peter was one of the early contributors to the UK workplace mental health standards in 2004, which were the foundation for standards in Canada and Australia. He was also involved in the development of ISO 45003. His recent venture, “Being Real,” is a company focused on workplace mental health. He’s also the host of the “Being Real” podcast. In this episode he shares some of his knowledge and expertise. He also takes us behind the process that is taken to establish a set of enforceable standards relative to workplace mental health.

Dive into Episode #154 of the Psych Health and Safety USA Podcast, featuring host Dr. I. David Daniels, PhD, CSD, VPS, and special guest Adam Nemer, a former healthcare CFO whose lived experience led him to an awareness of the importance and the business case for focusing on workplace mental health. In this episode, Adam shares not only his own deeply personal story of dealing with mental illness, but he also shares data about how a focus on workplace mental health addresses several business imperatives. Investing in workplace mental health isn't just an ethical responsibility; it's a strategic business decision that directly impacts productivity, retention, and overall company performance.

Dive into Episode #152 of the Psych Health and Safety USA Podcast, featuring host Dr. I. David Daniels, PhD, CSD, VPS, and special guest Carl Knight, the Chief Safety Officer for the Baltimore City Fire Department. Deputy Chief Knight is not only responsible for the safety program for the 1600 members of the fire rescue department, but he is also an active member of the department’s dive rescue team. During the team’s response to a major incident, such as the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse on March 26, 2024, after being struck by a container ship, and the January 2025 plane crash near the DC Airport. Chief Knight has developed a sense of calm that is noticeably superior to that of other team members. This mindset is not only present during specific events and incidents, but extends over into how he lives his life.

To celebrate episode 150, gain exclusive access to a must-hear presentation from the PHSCON 2025 stage. Host Dr. I. David Daniels is joined by global psychosocial safety leader Kana’e Dyas for a frank and unscripted conversation on the reality of inclusive work design. Pushing beyond corporate buzzwords, they offer actionable strategies for mitigating psychosocial hazards, fostering true equity, and building a psychologically healthy workplace where everyone genuinely belongs.

Dive into Episode #148 of the Psych Health and Safety USA Podcast, featuring host Dr. I. David Daniels, PhD, CSD, VPS, and special guest Gloria Hartley, the Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Virginia Tech University. She is also the child of immigrants, a veteran of the United States Navy, and has spent over a decade in and around the human resource space in both the private and public sectors. One of her professional goals has been to convert conversations about Civil and Human Rights into practical language and steps that people can take to protect workers and the organization. Civil rights and psychosocial safety are deeply interconnected. Civil rights ensure that individuals are protected from discrimination and have equal access to opportunities, which is fundamental for creating a safe and inclusive environment. Psychosocial safety, however, refers to the psychological and social conditions that allow individuals to feel safe, respected, and valued in their communities and workplaces. Individuals are more likely to experience psychosocial safety when civil rights are upheld because they are protected from discrimination, harassment, and other forms of harm. This creates an environment where people can express themselves freely, participate fully in society, and feel a sense of belonging. Conversely, when civil rights are violated, it can lead to a lack of psychosocial safety, resulting in stress, anxiety, and other adverse mental health outcomes. LinkedIn Profile https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriamhartley/

Dive into Episode #146 of the Psych Health and Safety USA Podcast, featuring host Dr. I. David Daniels, PhD, CSD, VPS, and special guest Monique Parker, 2025 Senior Vice President of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) talks about her career as a safety professional, her ascension to President of the ASSP in 2026 and the future of the safety profession, including her view regarding the importance that psychological health and safety will play. The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) was founded on March 25, 1911. It was initially established as the United Association of Casualty Inspectors in response to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, a tragic workplace disaster that killed 146 garment workers. The organization later changed its name to the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) in 1914. Then, it adopted its current name in 2018 to reflect the evolving nature of the safety profession. After over twenty years in the safety profession, Ms. Parker will be become the 11th woman in the history of the ASSP and the first black woman to serve as president of the society.

Dive into Episode #144 of the Psych Health and Safety USA Podcast, featuring host Dr. I. David Daniels, PhD, CSD, VPS, and special guest Keidra Norwood, a human capital risk and safety consultant and founder of Egan Rose Consulting. Ms. Norwood is also a motivational speaker who specializes in helping people overcome imposter syndrome. With over 20 years of experience in risk management, compliance, change management, and executive advisory services across various industry sectors, Ms. Norwood helps her clients mitigate human capital risk by optimizing policies, empowering leaders, and providing strategies grounded in holistic employee engagement. She focuses on enabling organizations to put the human back in human capital and in conducting “safe space sessions” to help “unbreak the souls” of especially women that have been exposed to toxic work environments.