Navigating the world of work with a mental health condition can come with unique challenges, but with the right support and understanding, it can also be a deeply empowering journey. For Crystal Nordern, being diagnosed with schizophrenia could have been a barrier, but instead, it became a path to newfound purpose and confidence. Now a valued team member at Benhome Nursing Home in Maitland, Crystal reflects on her journey with the support of her employer, family, and Castle. Her story highlights how a supportive workplace and open conversations about mental health can create a sense of belonging, encourage growth, and challenge stigma around schizophrenia in the workplace.
"My name's Crystal Nordern and I currently work at a nursing home in Maitland called Benhome.
My disability was that I was diagnosed as I started here with schizophrenia and I was on medication probably for a bit over a year and once I started working at Benhome I had that really great support from my workmates. So that's been a really, really good encouragement in dealing with that. So I don't really have an issue so much now with my original disability.
I think when people first thought I was diagnosed with schizophrenia, it wasn't so much the fact that Crystal has schizophrenia, but my behaviour. I think they responded to the way I was behaving more than actual the diagnosis of what I had. And like some people were really horrible and making fun of me.
But as far as work and Castle and family and the important people in my life, they've been really supportive, so that's really good.
Castle's (services) help because they check up on me once a week in the workplace to make sure that everything's going alright and they ask how I'm going mentally and how I'm coping with the job. And they also speak to the bosses in terms to make sure that I am performing and also behaving well and they were a really great support.
I think it's good because you're not just sitting at home doing nothing. It gives you a purpose to get up every day and do something but not just something for you to do. Just knowing that you're contributing to society, and everyday life to keep life going and helping the other people.
When I hear the bosses, say "you've done an amazing job", it just, it puts a smile on your face and it makes you want to come back every day. And I'm really lucky where I work because every time like they say "thank you so much for being here today, we appreciate your work" and that's like all the time so that like where I work, like the bosses are really great and they make you feel welcome and that your work's appreciated.
Because I'm usually an outgoing person, like if I seem even a tiny little slightly like different, like if I'm like in a bad mood or I haven't had enough sleep or whatever, she'll pick up on that. And knowing my disability, she just makes sure and asks me if I am okay. So it's good that she makes sure I'm okay and looks out for me as well.
It's like I've become a new creation it's amazing it's really really good yeah.
You have more vibrant in your life and you're just a lot happier and more motivated to do things, so it's good.
The advice that I would give to employers, especially with dealing with someone with a mental disability is don't be discouraged. You might just have to ask them more often, "how are you?", be a little bit more concerned with their welfare but in the end, it will pay off and it will probably make the person feel more appreciated. So even that little extra step to spend more time talking to them and making them feel welcome and giving them a little bit extra feedback than you might to the person that doesn't have a disability will definitely pay off in the long run.