Dr. Colleen Saringer

Many organizations offer mental health days and stigma-reduction campaigns, but they continue to overlook a major contributor to distress: the workplace itself. Work/place factors such as chronic overwork, isolation, fear-based leadership and low control are linked to anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts and suicide.

Yet these factors often go unspoken in leadership conversations. With ~50% of people experiencing suicidal thoughts never disclosing them or showing signs, we need to move beyond “knowing the signs” and examine how structure, culture and climate can either add to someone’s pain, or act as a protective factor. 

We’re Overlooking “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” Actress Caroline Flack posted this quote days before she died by suicide. We focus heavily on stigma, signs, and crisis response, but what if we’re not casting our net wide enough? What if we’re missing a kindness as the powerful, underused tool for suicide prevention?

And no, not grand gestures; the “I see you” moments: such a smile, a wave, a hello. Nearly 50% of people who die by suicide show no signs; and with an 11-year average delay in seeking help, chances are more people are struggling than we know. Kindness may be the most practical intervention we’re overlooking. 

Women are often expected to work harder, accommodate more and speak up less. When they don’t, they are often called selfish. But what if "selfishness" was viewed as a mental health strategy or tool, not a flaw.

After all, there’s a difference between being selfish in the negative sense and "positive selfishness;” a powerful form of boundary-setting that respects one’s limitations and ensures self-care. Positive selfishness might be one of the most critical tools available for protecting mental health and fostering deeper care for both self and others. 

You read that right. Dr. Colleen and her husband Scott Satory take the stage together. Scott is a successful college dropout and industrial roofing business owner. For over 16 years Scott’s been able to keep his crews safe and his business profitable by showing up, listening well and leading with kindness.

He’s living proof that you don’t need letters after your name to build trust or keep mental health from falling through the cracks. You need to be human. 

1. Leading with Kindness: A Risk Management Solution to Mental Health & Suicide Prevention in the Workplace 

Work-related stress, isolation, and lack of support increase the risk of anxiety, depression, and injuries. While physical risks dominate safety efforts, mental health risks are equally critical. Kindness, often overlooked, is a powerful risk management tool.

In this session, Dr. Colleen and her husband Scott Satory blend evidence-based insights with real-world examples to show how fostering a culture of kindness can protect employees' mental and physical well-being. The result: a supportive environment that reduces absenteeism, turnover, and increases profitability. 

2. He Carries the Business, We Both Carry the Weight 

Dr. Colleen and Scott Satory share the emotional challenges of owning a construction business. Scott reveals the silent struggle he carried for 16 years: "There were nights I’d sit in the office and cry, but I couldn’t tell you." Dr. Colleen, raised in a family-run sheet metal business, understands this all too well.

Together, they’ll show how business stress doesn’t stay at work, it impacts relationships and health. With practical strategies from their own lives, they’ll reveal how setting boundaries, communicating openly, and prioritizing self-care are key to thriving both in business and life.