Michael Landsberg was in the Waterloo Region last week to share his journey with mental health amongst the tech community and students at the University of Waterloo.
Before heading off to speak with other tech companies within the region, the Fibernetics team welcomed Landsberg, who talked about the importance of mental health and the stigma surrounding it.
#SickNotWeak
Landsberg, the founder of Sick Not Weak, is best known for his career as a sports journalist and former host of Off the Record for TSN. However, sharing his personal story about depression and how it continues to affect his life is what drives him.
He started the conversation by describing depression as an “inability to feel joy.” Then he continued by asking the audience to raise their hand if they have suffered from depression, anxiety or any other mental illness. To Landsberg’s surprise, approximately 80% of the audience raised their hands.
At Fibernetics, we encourage staff to openly talk about their physical health, as well as mental health and well-being. Beyond professional resiliency at work, there is a significant focus on mental strengthening, as well as a growth inside and outside of the workplace. As a company, we continue to provide open access to tools and resources to help members of the Fibernetics family.
Landsberg’s Personal Goal
Landsberg then took the opportunity to formally introduce himself to the room, “My name is Michael Landsberg. I suffer from depression and anxiety. It’s been a debilitating illness that has taken years off my life.” He continued the experience by speaking about the moment when he realized why people take their lives and the pain that he was experiencing.
The remainder of the hour contained stories from staff about mental health. By the end of the hour, it was clear that Landsberg’s personal goal is to get people to share their experiences with mental illness, so others become more comfortable talking about their struggles. He said if he can get one person to come forward with their internal conflict to family, friends or collogues, he’s done his job.
We would like to thank Michael Landsberg for taking the time to come in to speak with the Fibernetics team. To learn more about Michael Landsberg, visit sicknotweak.com or visit Landsberg on Twitter @heylandsberg where he uses the #sicknotweak to promote discussion around mental health.
