September is Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month, and U.S. Engineering has joined the effort to reduce the stigma of talking about suicide and mental health. To continue the conversation, the U.S. Engineering Wellness Committee invited Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C, of Baltimore Therapy Center to share his insights, including what signs to look for and how to respond to someone who seems depressed. In the interview, he also offers advice to parents and discusses ways workplaces can offer support to team members.

Please reach out to someone if you’re depressed—or even if you don’t think you’re depressed but find yourself struggling. You’re not alone. People care about you and want to help. If you’re a U.S. Engineering team member, one resource is our partner, New Directions, which offers six sessions of counseling per individual per issue. You can find information on this Employee Assistance Program (EAP) in the HR section on NEST.

CLIP: Why it can be hard to know when someone is depressed

CLIP: How to respond to warning signs

CLIP: How workplaces can help