Edible Sacramento Fall 2022

From left: Rosa Warren, a Mulvaney’s employee, warmly greets a guest; The IGYB mental health check-in box at Mulvaney’s

their own vulnerabilities. Both have shared their own personal mental health journeys, not only with their sta , but also with their industry peers, and at times even with patrons. “We have tomeet people where they are,” Bobbin shares. “Not everyone is ready to talk about mental health the same way.” “If we’re going to change the way people talk about mental health, [that openness] is essential,” Patrick adds. “As owners, as a chef, you have to be willing to be vulnerable, too.” MENTAL HEALTH CHECK-IN BOX While the fundamentals of IGYB have been developed in part nership with experts in addiction, communication, and mental health, the Mulvaneys have also been deliberate in making sure the program is accessible to everyone in the restaurant industry. An excellent example of this is theMental Health Check-in Box, a central tool in the IGYB curriculum, which has been added as part of the daily routine atMulvaney’sB&L. Uponarrival for a shift, each employee drops an anonymous card into a box as they clock in. Each card is divided into differently colored quadrants, as well as a space to select an emoji that best indicates the em ployee’s state of mind at the time, ranging from happy to angry or depressed (blue, of course). This provides employees with the opportunity to share their emotional states honestly, without feeling singled out. This also makes the shift manager aware that members of the team may need extra support, humor, or care throughout the shift. “I’m dyslexic,” Bobbin says. “We have sta (members) who speak multiple languages, and employees who may not be able to read. The card needed to have symbols on it, not words, so it could be accessible to everybody.” While it may seem simple, the cards have an elegant logic to them. “The process encourages staff to make a commitment to self-awareness, while also keeping themengaged in the collective mental health of the team,” she explains. “It opens them up to having these important conversations organically.” Bobbin is in the process of wrapping up the first draft of Reci pe Book onMental Health , an online resource and training curric

ulum for restaurant owners andmanagers to use in creating their own IGYB culture in their restaurants. In addition to helping bring conversations about mental health into the workplace, the book includes lessons on creating a culture of respect, mindful ness, and positive conflict resolution. Once the book is complet ed, theMulvaneys plan to collaborate with other industrymental health organizations, such as The Giving Kitchen in Atlanta and Not Nine to Five in Toronto, Ontario, to continue to raise aware ness and share their programwithmore restaurants. “We can’t shy away from the hard conversations,” Bobbin says. “I Got Your Back is about helping people move through that fear, and then teaching others how to move through it, too.” What do the Mulvaneys most want to share with anyone reading this article who may be struggling? “Keep hope. Don’t be afraid to lean in,” Bobbin says. “Most im portantly, give grace to yourself so you can also give it to others.”

For details, visit Igotyourback.info.

If you’re struggling with your mental health, call 800-273-8255 or text HOPE to 916-668-4266. If you are in crisis or are having suicidal thoughts or know someone who is, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline now o•ers this quick-dial option to reach assistance: 9-8-8.

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