Did you know May is Mental Health Month? With that in mind, we’d like to introduce you to Joh’ Lauderdale, our May Member of the Month and champion of mental health and health care accessibility. Joh’ has a passion for making it easier to get the mental health help you need, and that’s why he works as a CX Associate for Alma; we all know when your passion + career meet, it’s a perfect match! Joh’ is a valued member of our space who’s always down for a vibey new graphic tee. 

Alma’s mission is to provide a simple, supportive approach to mental health care—helping you find a therapist who fits your needs and accepts your health insurance. Alma works in three steps to help you find an affordable therapist: step one, browse the directory to find and read each therapists’ profile. Then, you can set up a free consultation and choose your best fit.

What do you do? Tell us a little bit about your company.

I work remotely for Alma, a platform that simplifies access to mental health care. I’ve been working in a customer support role for about a year now, and am currently applying for a new position managing our knowledge and support center for our providers and clients. Most days I’m expeditiously sending emails, with a phone call thrown in here and there, and I work for a wonderful team and take pride in assisting in growing our company’s ability to simplify mental health access!

What is your typical weekday routine?

After clocking in for the day at 8, I make sure to fill up on coffee and sparkling water here at the Root! Then, I follow up with all of my emails from yesterday and wait for the work to roll in around 9. I can clear through a majority of my triaged emails before lunch. For lunch, if I’m not walking or skateboarding somewhere close by, you can catch me eating at my desk watching random YouTube documentaries. During the afternoon, I set myself to away and work to tidy up my emails and finishing up any responses I’ve received throughout the day. I’m usually out the door by 3:30! It’s not the most glamorous work, but it’s lowkey and provides a paycheck. 🙂

What could you give a 30-minute presentation about with no advance preparation?

Insurance Billing 101. I have a very base-level knowledge of how insurance works, but spend most days explaining how it works to our clients. Given how unnecessarily complicated insurance plans can be, I’ve mastered the ability to describe policies in layman’s terms.

What do you do to get rid of stress?

Some focused breathing for 10-15 minutes can help to clear your mind and approach tasks with a fresh perspective. I do it frequently in the afternoons to help assist me in clearing up any stressors from the day as I unplug and clock out for the day.

What is your favorite restaurant in Tulsa and what do you get there?

Oh my god, too many to choose from. Some frequents are Et Al.’s dumpling night on Wednesdays and Dante’s Woodfire pizza (I order the ‘Hot Boi’) on the weekends. Kai Vietnamese (the “D1” Bún Chả Giò), Bill’s Hamburgers, and Big Al’s Healthy Foods are my go-to’s for lunch during the week! I consider myself a huge foodie, so if you have any recommendations please message me on Slack.

Given unlimited resources, how would you go about making the world a better place?

Simply put, I think everyone needs consistent and high quality mental health care. Given the resources, I’d make sure that was possible, and I believe that would vastly improve the world we live in.

What’s one song or artist that you’re embarrassed to admit you like?

I love Green Day’s “American Idiot” album and I’m not embarrassed about it.

What is one of your favorite things about being a member of The Root Coworking?

As a remote worker, I love having a space to separate my work and personal life. The Root is the best there is in Tulsa! Plenty of space to move about, lots of nice folks to share the space with, and unlimited high-quality coffee. Not to mention easy walking to all my favorite places to eat. 🙂