The Venus Research with Kathryn Schubert

Beginning with the captivating detail that Tammera Hollerich took on the role of CEO of the Society for Women's Health Research on March 10, 2020, just before the pandemic began, this podcast episode discussed the need to build trust and connection, the importance of mental health, the challenges of work-life balance, the impact of social media on young girls, the Mental Health Parity Act, the need for more education of clinicians, health insurers, payers, and employers on how to support women in the workplace, the importance of self-care, and the need for support from those with different perspectives. Tammera and Katie discussed the need for more research on the long-term impacts of social media on adolescents, the need for women to be advocates for themselves, the need for men to be engaged in conversations about women's health, and the importance of having conversations about household roles and responsibilities. They also discussed the difficulty of having conversations about gender roles in certain cultures and the need to shed light on these conversations and make it okay to talk about them.

Episode Outline:

(00:13:08) Work-Life Harmony

(00:06:54) Mental Health in the Workplace

(00:37:04) Gender Roles in Health

(00:18:23) Mental Health Parity

(00:24:46) Women's Health Research

(00:00:00) Women's Health Research

(00:31:00) Menopause in the Workplace

Quotes:

(00:19:06) Maybe not every time you were there, but they will remember every time that you weren't there.

(00:12:05) But also one of the things I'm excited about being here today is really thinking about are there ways to engage in the conversation surrounding mental health in the workplace? Are there benefits that would be helpful? Are there ways that we at SWR can help with that? But also thinking about how we amplify the conversation happening? Because it is a common thread across all of our programs.

(00:00:55) In fact, I would say it was because women were purposefully excluded from research for many, many years, which is why we exist.

(00:37:30) But you have to have those conversations, and they need to be full participants in it, right? Versus just saying, oh, you're doing a bad job. I don't feel supported, and here's why. Right? And so making sure that that conversation is give and take, but also that without them, there won't be change.

(00:33:08) But it's going to take a lot of time. Yeah, so it's funny that you bring that up, that self mutilation and harming. I mean, my daughter was a cutter. And so the conversation, it was all in private. It was all until it wasn't. And then you have to blow the lid off of it. Because if we keep putting this in a box and closing the lid and as you said, kind of gaslighting the situation, nothing is ever going to come from it.

(00:17:14) If you think there is such a thing as work life balance, I have news for you. Somebody lied to you. It is the biggest mess. It is the biggest myth.

(00:30:08) The proportion of women who have endometriosis is comparable to the proportion of women who have diabetes.

Blog Post:

As the world continues to grapple with the effects of the pandemic, conversations about mental health and wellness are becoming increasingly important. Tammera Hollywood, the CEO of the Society for Women's Health Research, is no stranger to these conversations. She recently sat down with Katie to discuss the need to build trust and connection, the importance of mental health, the challenges of work-life balance, the impact of social media on young girls, the Mental Health Parity Act, the need for more education of clinicians, health insurers, payers, and employers on how to support women in the workplace, the importance of self-care, and the need for support from those with different perspectives.

Tammera's mother taught her to always show up and be present, but the conversations she is having with her children are different from the conversations she had with her mother. Tammera's son is still in the band and they have musical practice every day after school, but Tammera's husband is sober and the family is dealing with the post-COVID impact. Tammera is also trying to balance the need to give her children freedom with the need to protect them. She checks her children's phones every night and is prepared to intervene if necessary.

Tammera and Katie discussed the challenges of parenting in the digital age, with girls using social media differently than boys, often waiting for validation from others. Tammera changed her children's WiFi password to limit their access, and believes she gave her children phones too early. Tammera's father used to joke about sitting up when she was out on a date, and now there is no break from issues as kids are always connected.

Tammera and Katie discussed the need for more research on the long-term impacts of social media on adolescents, and the need for more education of clinicians, health insurers, payers, and employers on women's health. Women were purposefully excluded from research for many years, which is why the Society for Women's Health Research was founded in 1990. The Society for Women's Health Research works to include more women in clinical research and to promote women's health through science, policy, and education. Tammera Hollywood took on the role of CEO of the Society for Women's Health Research on March 10, 2020, just before the pandemic began.

Tamara's skills in translating policy issues and fundraising have been critical to her success in her role. The Society for Women's Health Research works to promote women's health across the lifespan, from uterine fibroids to Alzheimer's disease. Tammera has worked to build a team that is mission-driven and to diversify the organization's revenue streams. Tammera and Katie are discussing the challenges of managing a team remotely over Zoom, with Tammera's team made up of nine people and coming in twice a week. Tammera works to engage her team in the decision-making process and make sure they are happy and thriving.

Tammera is a perpetual optimist and is challenged with staffing her three companies. She and Katie are at a healthcare, innovative Congress convention, and Tammera has seen loneliness in women, especially those with families and kids. Tammera works to build trust with her team and encourages them to take time off and seek mental health support.

Women are 80% of all caregivers in the US, and are experiencing a mental health crisis due to COVID-19, leading to self-harm and criminalization. Menopause is a topic that is not discussed openly, leading to a lack of accommodations for women in the workplace. Stress and sleep deprivation hormones have the same impact on the body, and women are often too busy taking care of others to take care of themselves.

Tammera and Katie discussed the need for men to be engaged in conversations about women's health in order to create change. Men need to ask women how they are doing and offer help. They discussed the role of gender in household chores and the burden of COVID on women, with Tammera joking about not wanting her partner to do chores the way she wants them done. They emphasize the importance of having conversations about household roles and responsibilities, as without these conversations, there won't be any change. Katie emphasizes the importance of support from family members, especially fathers, and the need to shed light on these conversations and make it okay to talk about them. Tammera mentions the importance of having a conversation about the calendar for the week and who will do what, and the importance of having conversations with people who have different perspectives.

Tammera and Katie's conversation is a reminder that mental health is important, and that we all need to be advocates for ourselves and understand what we need to go to our doctor's appointments for. We also need to be aware of the challenges that women face in the workplace, and the need for more education of clinicians, health insurers, payers, and employers on how to support women in the workplace. Finally, we need to be open to having conversations about gender roles, household roles, and responsibilities, and support each other in these conversations. 

If you're interested in learning more, you can follow Tammera and Katie on LinkedIn, Facebook, and their website.

Resources:

•  The Everything is Up Podcast
   

Connect with Tammera Hollerich

• Website
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

Connect with Katie Schubert

• LinkedIn
• Website

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