60 Seconds With Major-General Scott Malcolm, CAF Surgeon General, on mental health
Video / June 26 2025
Transcript
Good day. I’m Major-General Scott Malcolm, the CAF Surgeon General, and here we go.
What’s one misconception about mental health you’d like to debunk?
That it’s okay to have a bad day, on occasion. Everybody has stress and that’s normal.
What’s one thing you do daily to support your mental health?
I take walks outside to try to get my ten thousand steps.
What’s the best piece of advice related to mental health you’ve ever received?
Invest in a good bed, because sleep is core to good mental health.
What are the top two reasons why positive mental health supports are so essential at work?
They contribute to an overall more effective team, and they ensure that people are well looked after.
How can Defence Team members best support a colleague who may be experiencing mental health challenges?
You need to listen, and not talk. Just listen to what they have to say, and be supportive.
What advice would you give someone struggling to maintain work-life balance?
They key, really, is to keep a personal life equally as hectic as your work life, therefore you can’t work all the time.