At Work, Under Pressure

Jessi Beyer
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Solve your workplace pressure point. At Work, Under Pressure is a podcast about the moments when work gets hard – when burnout rises, people get overwhelmed, conflict escalates, and mental health crises sneak into the workplace. Hosted by Jessi Beyer, a SWAT negotiator and licensed mental health professional, we take you behind the scenes of today’s workforce and show you what’s working and what’s not in workplace mental health, straight from the mouths of executives, HR professionals, safety/risk leaders, and corporate wellness experts who are seeing it firsthand. At Work, Under Pressure is for leaders who understand that people problems become operational problems when organizations are not prepared. If that’s you, pull up a chair, whip out a notebook, and settle in for real conversations about building workplaces that are safer, steadier, and better equipped for high-pressure human moments.

  1. 1 day ago

    Trauma Sensitivity at Work: What Leaders Need to Understand Before Crisis Hits with Adriana Leigh

    CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE! Trauma does not leave itself at the door when people come to work. And calling a workplace “trauma-informed” is not enough if leaders do not know how to embody that in everyday practice. In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Adriana Leigh of ALG Consulting to talk about trauma, trauma sensitivity, psychological safety, nervous system responses, accountability, workplace conflict, leadership behavior, and why trauma-sensitive work is not about lowering standards. Adriana explains why she intentionally uses the language of trauma sensitivity, how trauma responses can show up as resistance, withdrawal, conflict, reactivity, or avoidance, and why leaders need to understand both the individual and structural sides of workplace safety. She also shares examples from high-pressure teams, healthcare environments, and international work where trauma-sensitive practices can change how people communicate, respond, and repair trust. In this episode, Jessi and Adriana discuss: Why trauma is not just the event, but the nervous system’s response to itWhy “trauma-informed” can become a checkbox instead of a real practiceHow trauma sensitivity builds on psychological safetyWhy trauma-sensitive leadership is not about lowering standardsHow ambiguity, unclear communication, and false urgency trigger reactivityWhat simple practices, like check-ins and clear agendas, can do for team safetyWhy trauma, mental health crises, and suicide risk show up at work whether leaders are ready or not This episode is for executives, HR leaders, healthcare leaders, nonprofit leaders, DEI professionals, legal teams, investigators, facilitators, and anyone responsible for creating safer, more accountable workplaces. Because trauma sensitivity is not softness. It is precision, safety, accountability, and better leadership. CONNECT WITH ADRIANA LinkedInWebsiteTrauma Sensitivity At Work: How To Lead Safe, Inclusive TeamsWorld Health Organization survey on lifetime trauma prevalence

  2. 3 days ago

    Crisis Leadership and How to Get Out of the Basement of Your Brain with Dr. Leonard Marcus

    CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE! When crisis hits, leaders do not magically become ready. They either have the tools, relationships, and emotional discipline to respond, or they create a vacuum. In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Dr. Leonard Marcus of Harvard’s National Preparedness Leadership Initiative to talk about crisis leadership, meta-leadership, emotional response, chain of command, swarm leadership, and what workplace leaders can learn from major disasters. Lenny shares how his work studying Hurricane Katrina, COVID, the Boston Marathon bombings, emergency response, public safety, healthcare, and national preparedness shaped his understanding of what leaders need when pressure is highest. In this episode, Jessi and Lenny discuss: What Hurricane Katrina taught Lenny about leadership vacuums in crisisWhy people go to the “basement of the brain” when they perceive threatHow leaders can regain agency by moving into concrete actionWhat meta-leadership means and how to lead down, up, across, and beyondWhy chain of command still matters while influencing beyond authorityHow emotional support after traumatic events helps responders keep doing the jobWhy leaders need trusted relationships before the crisis, not business cards during it This episode is for executives, HR leaders, safety professionals, public safety leaders, healthcare leaders, emergency managers, and anyone responsible for guiding people through moments when stress, trauma, uncertainty, and urgency collide. Because in a crisis, leadership is not just about being in charge. It is about helping people get out of the basement, rebuild agency, and move together. CONNECT WITH DR. MARCUS LinkedInNPLI at HarvardYou're It: Crisis, Change, and How To Lead When It Matters Most

  3. 5 days ago

    The History of Suicide: Stigma, Criminalization, and How Prevention Changed Over Time (Solo Episode)

    CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE! Suicide Prevention Awareness Month gives us a chance to talk about saving lives, but to understand where suicide prevention is today, we also have to understand the long, complicated history that shaped the stigma, silence, punishment, and public health efforts surrounding suicide in the Western world. In this solo episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer walks through a rapid-fire history of suicide, from ancient Greece and Rome to early Christianity, medieval religious doctrine, English common law, colonial America, decriminalization, Durkheim’s sociological theory, and the rise of modern suicide prevention efforts. Jessi explores how suicide moved through multiple cultural frames over time: a sin against God, an act of cowardice, an honorable death in some Roman contexts, a crime against the king, a symptom of insanity, a social problem, and eventually a preventable public health issue. She also reflects on how ideas from Aristotle, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, English common law, Durkheim, and modern prevention organizations continue to echo in the way people talk about suicide today. Jessi discusses: How ancient Greek, Roman, and Christian beliefs shaped early suicide stigmaHow suicide became tied to sin, morality, confession, burial rights, and criminal punishmentWhy mental illness became an “excusable” explanation for suicide, but often in limited and stigmatizing waysHow suicide was criminalized in England, Scotland, Ireland, and the United StatesHow Durkheim helped shift suicide from a purely individual or moral issue to a social problemHow modern suicide prevention efforts emerged through crisis centers, national strategies, awareness campaigns, and public health work This episode is for suicide prevention professionals, HR leaders, clinicians, educators, faith leaders, public health professionals, crisis responders, and anyone who wants to understand why suicide stigma is so deeply rooted. Because the way we talk about suicide did not come from nowhere. It was built over thousands of years, and if we want to dismantle the stigma, we need to understand the history we inherited. CONNECT WITH JESSI LinkedInFree Suicide Risk Readiness Diagnostic

  4. 4 Sept

    Scrappy Leadership, Fair Pressure, and Building Ahead of the Industry with Larry Namer

    CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE! Before E! became a global entertainment brand, it started with limited money, limited credibility, and a team small enough to include 11 employees and 31 interns. In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Larry Namer, co-founder of E!, to talk about building a 24-hour television network from almost nothing, leading through scarcity, taking creative risks, expanding internationally, adapting to technology, and why leaders need to balance toughness with fairness. Larry shares how E! grew from a scrappy cable startup into one of the fastest-growing networks in the world, why the team’s lack of rigid rules became an advantage, and how shows like Talk Soup and Fashion Police reflected a willingness to break from polished entertainment coverage and show audiences something more human. In this episode, Jessi and Larry discuss: What it was like building E! with far less funding than a traditional television network requiredHow scarcity, creativity, and a lack of rigid rules shaped E!’s early cultureWhy Larry believes tenacity and work ethic are harder to find todayHow leaders can tell the difference between conviction and stubbornnessWhy technology, including AI, should be embraced with guardrails instead of ignoredWhat the entertainment industry needs to do better to protect the humans behind the machineWhy return on investment should include social impact, not just shareholder returns This episode is for founders, executives, creatives, entertainment leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone trying to build something meaningful in an industry that keeps changing. Because sometimes the best way to build the future is to stop following the crowd. CONNECT WITH LARRY LinkedInInstagramFacebookWikipediaE! Entertainment

  5. 2 Sept

    Sincerely Human: Wholeness, Storytelling, and the Leadership We Need Now with Katherine Dudtschak

    CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE! Modern work often rewards performance, extraction, and fitting in. Katherine Dudtschak believes there is another way. In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Katherine Dudtschak of Sincerely to talk about wholeness, storytelling, gender affirmation, psychological safety, leadership, trauma, hope, and what it means to build workplaces where people can be fully human. Katherine shares how her own journey through corporate leadership, affirming her gender, suicidal ideation, healing, and storytelling shaped the work she does today through Sincerely. She also explains why organizations cannot simply declare vulnerability as a value. They have to build the conditions, support, and leadership containers that make vulnerability safe enough to survive. In this episode, Jessi and Katherine discuss: Why modern systems often prioritize extraction, performance, and fitting inHow reconnecting with the inner child can help people reclaim wholenessWhy storytelling is one of the oldest and most powerful forms of learningHow Katherine’s gender affirmation shaped her understanding of hope, courage, and belongingWhy vulnerability at work requires professional support, psychological safety, and consentHow senior leaders can model self-awareness, compassion, and regenerative leadershipWhy leaders can either add to someone’s hurt or become part of the reason they find hope This episode is for executives, HR leaders, culture leaders, DEI leaders, mental health advocates, and anyone trying to build a workplace that values people beyond their productivity. Because people are not machines. They are stories, wounds, wisdom, longing, courage, and possibility. CONNECT WITH KATHERINE LinkedInWebsiteSincerely, Katherine: Life, Gender, Inclusivity, and Leadership for the Future

  6. 31 Aug

    Thoughtload, Burnout, and the Invisible Tax on Performance with Dr. Liane Davey

    CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE! Sometimes the workload looks reasonable on paper, but your team still looks exhausted, distracted, reactive, and overwhelmed. Dr. Liane Davey says that is because leaders are often looking at the wrong load. In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Dr. Liane Davey of 3COze to talk about thoughtload, burnout, conflict debt, emotional contagion, decision fatigue, workplace safety, and why the invisible cognitive and emotional burden people carry may be doing more damage than the visible workload itself. Liane explains why thoughtload follows us everywhere, how stress differs from burnout, why unresolved conflict compounds like debt, and what leaders can do to help teams reconnect to meaningful outcomes before overwhelm becomes a safety or mental health issue. In this episode, Jessi and Liane discuss: Why leaders misdiagnose burnout when they only look at workloadHow thoughtload creates cognitive, emotional, and physical safety risksThe difference between stress, distress, burnout, and quiet quittingWhy people need “no input” time to metabolize what they are carryingHow conflict debt compounds and travels home with employeesWhy teams need to reconnect to the outcome they are truly trying to createHow suicide loss affects an entire organization through emotional contagion This episode is for executives, HR leaders, managers, safety professionals, team leaders, and anyone trying to understand why people can be overwhelmed even when the work itself looks manageable. Because sometimes the work is not the problem. The thoughtload is. CONNECT WITH DR. DAVEY LinkedInPersonal WebsiteProfessional WebsiteThoughtload: Manage the Madness and Free Your Team to Do Great Work

  7. 28 Aug

    What Tribal HR Can Teach Hospitality Leaders About Humanity with Mike Frost

    CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE! Some workplaces take care of their employees because the law says they have to. Others ask a deeper question: who do we choose to be as an employer? In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Mike Frost of the Ko-Kwel Casino Resort to talk about hospitality, tribal HR, employee dignity, gaming, rebranding, integrated behavioral health, and what it means to support employees through hard moments with humanity instead of hiding behind legal minimums. Mike shares what he appreciates about working in a tribal enterprise, how Ko-Kwel approaches dignity and respect in the workplace, and why HR has to look beyond one incident or one performance issue to understand the whole person. He also explains some of the unique legal and operational realities of tribal gaming organizations, including where state and federal employment laws may or may not apply, and why Ko-Kwel still chooses to offer protections and support because it is the right thing to do. In this episode, Jessi and Mike discuss: What makes hospitality employees uniquely suited for guest service and high-contact workHow Ko-Kwel Casino Resort’s rebrand connected the organization more deeply to tribal identityWhy dignity at work often depends on hard behind-the-scenes HR conversationsWhat tribal HR leaders navigate that non-tribal organizations may not understandWhy “we can terminate them” is not the same as “that is who we choose to be”How integrated behavioral health supports employees in a medically underserved communityWhy workplace suicide prevention matters to HR, employees, families, and teams This episode is for HR professionals, hospitality leaders, gaming leaders, tribal enterprise leaders, people managers, and anyone trying to build a workplace where employees are treated with dignity even when things get hard. Because legal permission is not the same thing as organizational character. CONNECT WITH MIKE mike.frost@kokwelresorts.comLinkedInWebsite

  8. 26 Aug

    Waste Money Where It Matters: The HR Response Employees Need After a Crisis with Monica Tomchick

    CONNECT WITH JESSI ON LINKEDIN >>> HERE! When suicide loss touches a workplace, employees do not need leaders to have perfect words. They need leaders to show up. In this episode of At Work, Under Pressure, Jessi Beyer sits down with Monica Tomchick of UniBank to talk about suicide loss, grief, workplace response, HR preparedness, parenting through family mental health history, and why organizations need more than a gift card when something devastating happens. Monica shares personal and professional experiences with suicide loss, including the death of her children’s father and a workplace suicide at a healthcare facility where employees were left trying to process grief, guilt, shock, and unanswered questions. She also reflects on how different workplaces responded to bereavement, why grief is not linear, and how she has equipped her own children with language for depression and mental health before they need it. In this episode, Jessi and Monica discuss: How suicide loss creates complicated grief, guilt, and “why didn’t I see it?” questionsWhy organizations need a crisis response plan before workplace suicide happensWhat Monica wishes her workplace had done differently after an employee suicideWhy imperfect presence is often more powerful than polished corporate responseHow bereavement policies can fail employees when grief does not follow a timelineWhy families need to talk about depression and mental health before a crisisHow leaders can support employees by listening, showing up quickly, and bringing in the right help This episode is for HR professionals, managers, executives, people leaders, and anyone responsible for supporting employees after loss, trauma, suicide, or serious mental health crisis. Because grief does not care about your five-day leave policy. And people remember who showed up. CONNECT WITH MONICA LinkedInWebsite

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About

Solve your workplace pressure point. At Work, Under Pressure is a podcast about the moments when work gets hard – when burnout rises, people get overwhelmed, conflict escalates, and mental health crises sneak into the workplace. Hosted by Jessi Beyer, a SWAT negotiator and licensed mental health professional, we take you behind the scenes of today’s workforce and show you what’s working and what’s not in workplace mental health, straight from the mouths of executives, HR professionals, safety/risk leaders, and corporate wellness experts who are seeing it firsthand. At Work, Under Pressure is for leaders who understand that people problems become operational problems when organizations are not prepared. If that’s you, pull up a chair, whip out a notebook, and settle in for real conversations about building workplaces that are safer, steadier, and better equipped for high-pressure human moments.

Information

  • Creator
    Jessi Beyer
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    34
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Jessi Beyer
  • Show Website
    At Work, Under Pressure