Why a Construction Expo Is Leading One of the Most Important Mental Health Conversations of Our Time
Amber is a nurse educator, public advocate, and entrepreneur with experience in emergency nursing, simulation-based training, and harm reduction. Owner of The RTI, she specializes in critical care education, mock codes, and national certifications. Passionate about leadership and public health, she leverages social media to educate and inspire.
Every three years, more than 130,000 people descend on Las Vegas for CONEXPO, the largest construction trade show in North America. It’s a sprawling, high-energy world, miles of heavy equipment, innovations, demonstrations, and the beating heart of an industry built on grit, endurance, and physical strength.
But this year, one of the most important sessions won’t be about machinery, engineering, or technology. It will be about mental health, something far too often ignored in male-dominated fields like construction.
On Friday, March 6, 2025, from 11:00-11:45 AM, CONEXPO will host a groundbreaking session in partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) titled, “Breaking the Silence: Talk Saves Lives.”
For an industry where men are expected to “tough it out,” this is more than a talk.
It’s a shift.
It’s a sign of hope.
It’s an invitation to save lives.
As someone who has spent years working as an ER nurse and as a mental-health and harm-reduction advocate, I’ll be officially covering the event as an influencer. And I can tell you, this is bigger than an expo. This is a cultural moment.
The construction industry faces a mental health crisis no one talks about
Mental health struggles in construction are not new. But they have long been invisible. Researchers have found that men in construction have some of the highest suicide rates of any profession in America. Not because they are weak, but because they are human.
And because the culture around them often tells them they aren’t allowed to be. In a field where hard hats and steel-toed boots symbolize strength, vulnerability is often viewed as a liability. Conversations about mental health are overshadowed by pressure to keep going, to provide, to endure, to perform. Yet this silence is costing lives.
The importance of “talk saves lives” at CONEXPO
The AFSP’s appearance at a massive construction expo is not just commendable, it’s historic. The session aims to arm attendees with real knowledge:
How to recognize warning signs
How to have tough but life-saving conversations
How to build a culture where mental health is not an afterthought, but a priority
They’ll also introduce “Hard Hat Courage,” a free, accessible program offering toolbox talks and short mental-health modules that contractors can integrate into daily work rhythms.
It’s practical.
It’s actionable.
It’s built for real job sites, not classrooms.
This is how real change happens.
Men are dying because they feel they can’t speak up
Men account for nearly 80% of suicides in the U.S. They are statistically less likely to seek help, less likely to admit emotional strain, and far more likely to believe they will be judged for speaking up. I know this loss intimately.
In 2023, my brother-in-law died by suicide. He was a father, a husband, a brother, a son, someone we loved deeply. It was his second attempt, the first one put him in the ICU for weeks. And still, we tried to support him for more than twenty years. We hoped there would be time. But mental illness doesn’t follow timelines, and silence is deadly.
He left behind my sister and their three children, my two nieces, and a nephew who still ask questions no child should have to ask. So when I talk about men’s mental health, it isn’t theoretical.
It’s personal.
It’s urgent.
It’s a wound that reshaped my entire family.
And it’s why I cannot overlook the importance of a male-dominated industry stepping into this conversation on the biggest stage they have.
Why this event matters – Not just for construction, but for every man
CONEXPO’s decision to host AFSP is a symbolic and cultural breakthrough.
It says:
Men deserve mental-health support.
Strength includes asking for help.
Workplace culture must evolve.
Talking saves lives.
This talk has the power to ripple out to families, companies, communities, everywhere men are suffering in silence.
And that silence is what we have to break. As a harm-reduction educator, ER nurse, and advocate, I’ve spent years teaching people how to respond to overdoses, trauma, and crisis. And I can tell you this with certainty, the number one thing that saves a life is connection.
Someone who listens.
Someone who cares.
Someone who notices.
That’s what “Breaking the Silence” is all about. A new direction for an old industry. Construction may be physically demanding, but it is also emotionally taxing:
long hours
physically risky work
job insecurity
separation from family
pressure to perform
cultures that discourage vulnerability
When you add it all up, it becomes clear that mental health isn’t a luxury. It’s an essential safety issue, just like PPE, training, or compliance. This talk signals a shift from ignoring emotional injuries to treating them with the seriousness they deserve.
What I hope to see, and why I’ll be there
I’ll be covering CONEXPO as an influencer because I believe in the power of public conversations. I believe men deserve a space to feel, to speak, and to be supported, without judgment, without shame, and without the expectation that they suffer silently.
I’m also hoping to expand my role at this event, including offering harm-reduction education, Narcan access, and other resources that save lives on and off the job site. But even if none of that happens, I am grateful for what will happen. A male-dominated industry will stop and listen.
They will learn.
They will talk.
They will acknowledge what has been ignored for too long.
And maybe, just maybe, a life will be saved because of it.
Breaking the silence is how we break the cycle
Mental health is not a weakness. Asking for help is not a weakness. Feeling deeply is not a weakness. Men deserve emotional safety, compassion, and community just as much as anyone else. Events like this don’t just raise awareness, they rewrite the culture.
And culture is what saves lives. If we want to end the stigma, we start by talking. We start by listening. We start by showing up.
On March 6th, that conversation begins at CONEXPO’s Groundbreakers Stage. And I’ll be there, not just as press, but as someone who knows firsthand what’s at stake.
Visit my website for more info!
Read more from Amber Soiland
Amber Soiland, Nurse Educator & Public Advocate
Amber is a nurse educator, public advocate, and entrepreneur dedicated to saving lives through education and harm reduction. With a background in emergency nursing, she specializes in critical care training, simulation-based learning, and Narcan distribution. As the owner of The RTI, she provides hands-on instruction in mock codes, trauma response, and national certifications. Amber also leverages social media to make complex medical topics accessible to a wider audience. Follow her for expert insights on emergency care, patient safety, and healthcare innovation.
