Finding Balance in Pittsburgh’s Restaurant Industry
Any of us who have worked in a restaurant, bar, or cafe know firsthand that it can be a stressful, tiring, and emotionally draining experience, whether we are interacting with customers or working on the line. Many of us experience mental health issues that are exacerbated by our work environments. It can be difficult to bring up these issues, especially when healthcare benefits are uncommon in the restaurant industry. It can be hard to know where to turn for help. But mental health concerns are nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about, and we can become the best versions of ourselves when we get the help that we need.
That’s why PRWA has joined forces with a licensed therapist from Forward Wellness, LLC. to provide a FREE mental health workshop series for restaurant industry workers. Throughout fall and winter of 2021/2022, we held a series of virtual workshops on Monday evenings covering topics including work/life balance, stress management, healthy relationships, self-care, mindfulness, and setting healthy boundaries. If you would like to access recordings of past workshops, email larisa@pghrwa.org.
In winter of 2021/2022, we will be launching our Finding Balance video series to present mental health and wellness strategies to a larger audience of restaurant workers in Pittsburgh. We’ll be posting them here, on our Instagram page (@pghrestaurantworkersaid), and on our new YouTube channel. We’ll be reviewing topics from the workshop series and introducing new concepts and strategies to find balance in our work and day-to-day lives!
Please contact Larisa at larisa@pghrwa.org with any questions.
Finding Balance Series Episode #1: Intro
In this video, Larisa and Lillian explain why mental health support matters to them and discuss an introduction to mind-body connection. Mind-body connection is a valuable concept for understanding how we experience our emotions and how to interrogate our body's reactions to our feelings and mental state.
Finding Balance Series Episode #2: The Nervous System
In this installation of PRWA and Forward Wellness' Finding Balance series, Lillian goes over the nervous system and what it means for our mind-body connection. When we enter the sympathetic nervous system (think flight or flight mode), our bodies are in high alert and it can have negative implications for our mental and physical health.
Finding Balance Series Episode #3: Work-Life Balance
In this episode, Larisa discusses the importance of work-life balance and what steps we can take, regardless of our specific work situations, to establish it. Working in the restaurant industry can present barriers to work-life balance, such as having unpredictable schedules and working evenings, weekends, and holidays. It can be hard to carve out time for relaxing, resting, and socializing without denormalizing toxic work-life balance and changing harmful patterns in our lives!
Finding Balance Series Episode #4: Emotional Triggers Part 1
In this installment of our Finding Balance series, Lillian discusses emotional triggers, how and why they come up, and what can be done to address them. Triggers can occur at any time for any reason, and understanding their role in our mental health is important to building self-awareness. When we feel overwhelmed, it is important to take a step back and detach from the situation at hand in order to calm our nervous system and return to the present moment.
Finding Balance Series Episode #4: Emotional Triggers Part 2
In this installment of our Finding Balance series, Lillian continues to talk about emotional triggers and how to take a step back and recover when we are triggered. It is important to connect back to our own minds and bodies instead of becoming more overwhelmed by what's going on around us. Understanding and recovering from emotional triggers is important to building self-awareness. By having self-awareness and setting boundaries, we are better prepared for the future and can protect ourselves from encountering triggering situations.