There’s a problem with the way we talk about mental health at work, and it’s not that we’re talking too much. It’s that we’ve buried the real conversation under a pile of language that no longer means anything. At IFISS, we’re here to open that conversation back up.
The words we use matter
Vicarious trauma. PTSD. Stress. Resilience.
These are real things. But they’ve become catch-all labels for any uncomfortable experience, making it harder for people to understand what’s actually happening to them. Are you stressed, or are you overwhelmed? Anxious, or nervous? Uncertain? The more specific we can be about what we’re feeling, the more clearly we can see what we need.
The weight builds slowly
Working in a funeral home or cemetery means you don’t know what’s coming when the phone rings. That uncertainty adds up over time. Organisations have a duty of care, and so do individuals. Seeking support before you’re in crisis, and having honest conversations rather than avoiding them, is where it starts.
Moving through it, not around it
Emotional regulation isn’t about not feeling things. It’s about understanding what you’re feeling and learning to move through it rather than around it. Funerals exist for exactly this reason – they create space to grieve openly, because the rest of the world won’t give you long before it expects you to be back to normal.
The same principle applies at work. Teams that make space for real conversations keep their people. Those that don’t can find themselves dealing with higher staff turnover, burnout, or resentment that festers until someone leaves rather than speaks up.
Awareness, not training
At IFISS, we offer resilience awareness sessions rather than training. Unlike training which implies checking a box, our awareness sessions help you understand what you’re experiencing, why it accumulates the way it does, and what you can actually do about it.
Join us for our Resilience Awareness Taster Session
This two-hour session is designed for people working across funeral homes, celebrants, audiovisual suppliers, florists, cemeteries, and crematoria, giving participants a chance to have the kind of conversation that usually gets avoided.
When: Tuesday 7 July, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Where: IFISS 666 Smith Street
Clifton Hill, VIC 3068
Cost: $110 + GST and booking fee per person.