Above & Below

Substance use. Mental health. Suicide prevention. These aren’t just HR topics; they’re life-saving conversations that need to happen on every job site.   In this episode of Above and Below, host Sonya Bohmann welcomes Cal Beyer, Senior Director at SAFE Project, for an honest conversation about the realities facing construction workers today and how industry leaders can show up for their teams.   T...

In this powerful episode of Above and Below, hosts Sonya Bohmann and Zulq Malik are joined by three guests deeply committed to veteran suicide prevention and workforce integration: Scott Wiesner, Founder & CEO of C2MS and retired Army Colonel Greg Wuestner, Director of Engineering at QTS and former Infantry Officer Hayley Emerson, National Fundraising Specialist at Stop Soldier Suicide Togethe...

When a suicide happens, what comes next can make all the difference. In this emotional and informative episode of Above and Below, hosts Sonya Bohmann and Zulq Malik are joined by Michelle Walker, Nicholas DeJesse, and Ismet Dalipi to explore the concept of postvention—and why it’s one of the most critical, yet overlooked, aspects of suicide prevention in construction.  You’ll hear: What “postvent...

What does it really mean to be “tough” in construction—and how is that mindset harming our workforce?   In this powerful episode of Above and Below, we’re joined by McKay Daniels, CEO of the National Roofing Contractors Association, to discuss the silent crisis of mental health in roofing and the broader construction industry. Together with hosts Sonya Bohmann and Zulq Malik, McKay shares how NRCA...

What happens when the pressure becomes too much—and you don’t know how to ask for help?   In this deeply personal episode, Paul Lawson shares his story of mental health challenges, professional burnout, and the breaking point that forced him to finally stop and reassess. From the stigma around vulnerability in construction to the internal shame that often holds people back from getting support, Pa...

In honor of Minority Mental Health Month, Sonya and Zulk sit down with engineer and construction leader Kwame Ben Eden for a deeply honest conversation about the lived experience of being a person of color in the industry. From growing up in Jamaica and finding identity in Ghana, to navigating systemic bias on job sites across Canada, Kwame shares how perseverance, self-discipline, and mentorship...

In this episode of Above and Below, hosts Sonya Bohmann and Zulq Malik are joined by Monique Lewis and Loretta Mulberry to explore how language access, cultural sensitivity, and communication shape safety and mental wellness on construction sites.   From bilingual champions and AI translation tools to glossary sheets and onboarding surveys, this conversation dives into real, practical steps contra...

Above & Below – Episode 4, Part 2 “Leadership, Legacy & Letting Go of the Mask” Host: Zulq (CIASP Board Member) Guests: Andrew Theokas, Stephen Dummit, and Jason Scholl   In Part 2 of this powerful Men’s Health Month conversation, host Zulq continues the dialogue with Andrew Theokas, Stephen Dummit, and Jason Scholl—three men in the construction industry who know the pressure to “man up” a...

In this special Men’s Health Month edition of Above & Below, we hand the mic to the men — for a candid, no-filter conversation about mental health in the construction industry.   CIASP Board Member Zulq sits down with Andrew Theokas, Stephen Dummit, and Jason Scholl to unpack the unspoken pressures men face: to stay silent, push through pain, and never ask for help.   In Part 1, the group expl...

In this episode of Above and Below, CIASP Executive Director Sonya Bohmann and co-host Zulq Malik are joined by Giovanni Cautillo, President of the Ontario General Contractors Association, for a powerful and practical conversation about mental health in the construction industry—both in the U.S. and Canada. Together, they explore the impact of COVID-19 as a turning point for the mental wellness co...

In this powerful Mental Health Month episode of Above and Below, hosts Sonya Bohmann and Zulq Malik sit down with Jessica Hallahan, MPH, founder of Journey to Yourself, to talk about what resilience really means in the construction industry. From Philly sandwich debates to serious conversations about stress, self-awareness, and confidence on the job site, this episode explores how building mental...

In the premiere episode of Above and Below, co-hosts Sonya Bohmann (Executive Director, CIASP) and Zulq Malik (SmartBuild Construction Software) dig into why the construction industry must change how it talks about mental health. From personal stories to staggering stats, they open up an honest conversation about suicide prevention, leadership, and the real-life pressures workers face—on and off t...