Breaking the Silence: Mental Health in Blue Collar Workplaces

In this episode, Michael Pallozzi is joined by Jessica Hallahan, founder of Journey to Yourself, who specializes in stress management and suicide prevention training within the blue collar workforce. Jessica shares her unconventional path from women’s empowerment speaker to a sought-after facilitator for trades-focused mental wellness. Together, they explore the communication gaps between generations in the trades, the hidden emotional toll of fieldwork, and how small mindset shifts can ripple from jobsite to home life. This episode sheds light on the importance of building emotional intelligence and support structures for workers who are often overlooked.

Tune into this episode to also learn:

● Why stress and suicide rates are disproportionately high in the trades.
 ● How interactive workshops build trust with tough, “silent struggler” crews.
 ● The importance of culture-building beyond the office, especially for field teams.
 ● How emotional intelligence training can improve both performance and home life.

What we discussed

● [00:01:49] Jessica explains how her first HVAC client opened her eyes to the mental health crisis in the trades.
 ● [00:03:29] The blue collar workforce is one of the most stressed industries and second in suicide rates.
 ● [00:04:45] Jessica breaks down how interactive, competition-based activities help tough crews engage without feeling “soft.”
 ● [00:06:23] Her background in drug and alcohol treatment taught her how to earn trust in emotionally resistant environments.
 ● [00:08:45] Bridging the generational communication gap between rougher older workers and more sensitive younger hires.
 ● [00:10:30] The value of her six-month workshop series and the role of repetition in changing habits.
 ● [00:12:00] Why the personal stress of employees often bleeds into work performance—and how leaders can spot it.
 ● [00:13:25] A powerful story about an apology exercise that opened emotional floodgates during a session.
 ● [00:17:08] Jessica’s long-term goal: building mental health infrastructure across the blue collar world.
 ● [00:20:17] Why field teams often miss out on culture-building efforts, and how Jessica helps companies fix that.
 ● [00:22:06] Where to find Jessica, her book, and how to hire her to support your team.

3 Things To Remember

  1. The construction and trades industries have high rates of stress and suicide, making mental wellness support essential.

  2. Building trust through consistent, hands-on workshops helps teams open up without stigma.

  3. Supporting workers’ emotional well-being at home translates directly to improved performance on the job.

Memorable moments

(00:06:23) “They don’t even know who I am or trust me yet. So my mindset is—I always start with my story.”

(00:13:40) “What if the apology is too late?” … “It’s never too late for an apology.”

(00:17:08) “I want the blue collar industries to stop being overlooked.”

Useful Links

Connect with Michael Pallozzi: mpallozzi@hfmadvisors.com | LinkedIn

Connect with Jessica Hallahan: LinkedIn

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