Mental Health & Well-Being: Why Women Need Stronger Support at Work

Erica Rooney
Aug 20
2 min read

The Truth About Women and Mental Health

Let’s be real: most women don’t need another article telling them to “just practice self-care.”

Because here’s the truth: bubble baths won’t fix systemic burnout. Meditation apps won’t erase the pay gap. And saying “just set better boundaries” ignores the fact that women are carrying two full-time jobs—the one that pays the bills, and the one at home.

Mental health isn’t a “nice-to-have” perk for women. It’s the foundation of whether we rise, stay stuck, or burn out completely.

And right now? Too many of us are burning out.

The Double Shift: Why Women Are Exhausted

Women are twice as likely as men to experience anxiety and depression.

Why? Because on top of working demanding careers, most of us are still shouldering the invisible load—packing lunches, scheduling appointments, remembering birthdays, managing emotions (ours and everyone else’s).

That “mental load” doesn’t clock out at 5pm. Which means women are running a marathon every single day without a finish line in sight.

It’s no wonder half of women say their employers don’t actually support their well-being.

The Cost of Unsupported Mental Health

Burnout: Women are reporting emotional exhaustion at higher rates than men.
Missed opportunities: The pressure to “prove yourself” in male-dominated industries compounds stress.
Retention risk: Women are leaving workplaces that refuse to prioritize mental health—and companies are losing top talent because of it.

And let’s call it out: this isn’t just a women’s issue. When women’s mental health suffers, teams suffer, families suffer, and communities suffer.

What Women Really Need

🙅‍♀️ Not another “resilience” workshop.🙅‍♀️ Not a free yoga class no one has time to attend.🙅‍♀️ Not lip service during Mental Health Awareness Month.

What women actually need:

Stronger support systems. Mentorship, peer groups, communities like HER Collective where women can talk openly without judgment.
Real workplace policies. Flexible schedules, mental health benefits, training managers to actually see burnout before it explodes.
Shared responsibility. Women can’t keep carrying the full load. Employers, partners, and leadership must step up.

The Future: From Surviving to Thriving

Here’s what gives me hope: we’re normalizing the conversation. Women are saying “enough,” and employers who want to keep top talent are being forced to listen.

The next decade of women’s leadership won’t be about grinding harder—it’ll be about building healthier, more supportive systems where women don’t just survive… we actually thrive.

Because when women are well, we don’t just change companies. We change the world.

If you’re craving a community that gets it—where real conversations about career growth and mental health happen daily—come join us inside HER Collective. This is your space to rise without burning out.