M. Carter Matherly, PhD; Richard A. Greenlee, Jr., MEd, MDiv; and Tara B. Holmes, PhD
Start with the Breath
Countering Minority Stress and Brain Health Stigma with Evidence- Based Resilience and Self- Care Practices
Workplace stress is a ubiquitous issue affecting employees’ mental and physical well- being, ultimately impacting performance and productivity. The military workplace has other avenues of stress, such as deployed operations, family separation, or frequent relocation. These stressors are even more pronounced for individuals who identify as part of a minority group, whether due to race, ethnicity, neurodiversity, gender, or sexual orientation. Compounding each of these stress factors is the continued stigma on mental health despite the known positive impacts of resilience and prevention activities on overall wellness, stress management, workplace engagement, and effectiveness. One mediating factor against workplace minority stress and a way to build resilience is self- care.1
Background
In 2020, Department of Defense Instruction (DODI) 6400.09, DOD Policy on Integrated Primary Prevention of Self- Directed Harm and Prohibited Abuse or Harm, was published; it established policies to mitigate self- harm and promote force readiness through environmental and prevention- based practices.2 Elements of such integrated primary prevention include programs to teach, foster, and reinforce healthy behaviors throughout a career. The instruction highlighted skill development to improve healthy coping, emotional intelligence, resilience, and communication. Over the past decade, an ever- increasing number of studies and programs have emerged, both civilian and military, to target and capitalize on resilience and self- care.3
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