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Denis Trottier, FCPA, FCA, Chief Mental Health Officer at KPMG Canada, is passionate about smashing the stigma around mental health – especially in the workplace. When he heard about The Push-Up Challenge, it was an easy decision to get his team involved. |
Denis is an ongoing supporter of CMHA Ottawa and together with his Team, raised $4,876 for CMHA Ottawa as part of The Push-Up Challenge in 2024.
Denis sat down with CMHA Ottawa to share how The Push-Up Challenge 2024 contributed to fun, camaraderie, mental health education and a sense of connection amongst his team members, both digitally and in-person.
He also shares how his personal experience with clinical depression helped him recognize the huge importance of vulnerability (yep, the scary stuff), accessing the right professional care and self-acceptance in overcoming mental health challenges.
Why did you decide to sign up to The Push-Up Challenge in 2024?
“As the first ever Chief Mental Health Officer at KPMG—and still Canada's only one—I'm always looking for quality fundraising and social change initiatives from highly reputable organizations. With The Push-Up Challenge, it was an easy decision.
One, I was sold on it because CMHA was behind it. Two, I found the software and the overall approach very unique, and three, it was about getting participants moving.
I will say—at first, I thought, ‘2000 push-ups!? Holy smokes. What is this?’ Then, when I saw the software, and that users could modify their targets, goals and preferences, I knew it would make for a good group challenge.
February is a time of year when everyone is experiencing the winter ‘blahs.’ At KPMG, our teams' heads are down, so it was something motivational but also achievable during a busy time of year. It wasn’t banging on people’s doors and saying, ‘Come on, we’re going to the ski hill (and missing a day of work).’ It was something that they could do when they got up to start the day on the right note.
The whole thing just caught my attention right out of the gate.”
Why do you think it’s important that we push for better mental health in Canada right now?
“Well, just look at the statistics and a lot of the surveys out there. Today as I was writing my comments for an upcoming World Mental Health Day event, I looked at the TELUS Health Mental Health Index and the need was apparent. Canadians’ mental health is worse than it was even during COVID-19, or about the same.”
What were some positive aspects of your experience participating in The Push-Up Challenge?
“The Challenge brought a lot of laughs. Humour is one of those things on the list that's good for your mental health, and I tie humour back to having a good circle of care.
With this challenge, you’re doing it with your friends and colleagues, you’re having fun, you’re laughing. My colleague Bailey Church, who led the KPMG Ottawa Team, The Impact Pushers, had these daily lunch check-ins. One day I was at a ski hill, and I did the push-ups on my skis—and other people were doing these different goofy things—so there was not only the element of moving, but there was the element of camaraderie.
We even had a little closing ceremony, where Susan and Patrick from CMHA Ottawa came to the KPMG office in Ottawa and told the team about the important programs and services that would benefit from our fundraising and cheered us on as we did our last 10 push-ups.
You know, in this world where we're working hybrid now, we're not seeing each other as often. This connected us—virtually and in-person.
Oh, and the app. I thought it was a pleasant surprise every day that I got a [notification] with a mental health tip or a fact.”.
“In my work, my role is to educate my team members and to help populate their mental health toolbox. This Challenge helped me do that.”
If you are comfortable to share, have you experienced any mental health challenges in your own life?
“Absolutely. My whole journey to becoming Chief Mental Health Officer started when I suffered through clinical depression.
A little while ago, one of our team members that I had helped wanted to nominate my wife, Yolande, and me for The Royal’s Inspiration Award, and I'll never forget, I said, ‘Well, let me sleep on it.’ As we drove home, my wife said, ‘Let her nominate us. We'll never win this thing anyway.’
Then at the dinner, there were four recipients, and I was one of them. The other three deserved it way more than I did. These were people who had experienced homelessness—like the people served by CMHA Ottawa. After my video played, I remember getting up to go to the washroom and everyone wanted to shake my hand to congratulate me.
I realized then how important it can be to be vulnerable; the impact that you can have by not being afraid. Things happen for a reason in life, and I honestly don't think I would be our firm's Chief Mental Health Officer—talking to people globally now—if it weren’t for my lived experience.
How did going through mental health challenges impact your day-to-day life?
I describe it as a rabbit hole. When you're looking in, it's scary. That's when you should reach out for help, if not sooner.
It’s holding on to you and you're in so deep trying to figure it out, or to snap out of it. Well, that was me. I was in a state where I could not even decide what suit to put on.
On the mental health continuum: I was not sleeping, not eating, worried about everything, experiencing panic attacks. I wasn't at risk of self-harm because I wasn't afraid to reach out to others for help.
What did you find to be most helpful in supporting you to manage your mental health and/or recovery?
For me, it was accessing the right professional care. It was not being afraid to access a psychologist, a psychotherapist. You need a good tax return done? You call KPMG. You go through cognitive challenges? You call CMHA or a mental health professional.
I would also say self-acceptance, because the number one barrier for many people I support is them accepting that this is the card they've been dealt.
Why do you believe it’s important that we fundraise to support CMHA’s work in the mental health space?
I think of the amazing work my local branch, CMHA Ottawa, does in general. I was also thinking about the return on investment. As an accountant, I know that a dollar spent on community mental health care is approximately $1.30 in return on investment within even a year. I know the need, and I know the impact of what CMHA does.
Also, to tie it back to community, what's the number one community challenge that we have in Ottawa? It's homelessness, and we know many people experiencing chronic homelessness are also experiencing mental illness or substance use disorder. When I was fundraising, I was thinking, ‘One person at a time off the street or into counseling.’
I see the impact and I understand it.”
What would you say to someone who is considering taking part in The Push-Up Challenge in 2025?
“I would say that The Push-Up Challenge is the lowest barrier—the lowest maintenance—fundraising Challenge you're ever going to get involved with.
The logistics side is flawless. The user experience and software? They nailed that piece.
When it comes to donations, they make it easy. Let’s say you’re looking for donations because you're fundraising for a given charity. If your donors can’t get past the front end of the software, they’re going to move on quickly. That’s not the case with this.
It’s all good: the front end, the back end, the free tips and statistics, the package that workplaces receive to help them pull off their own campaign.
To anybody who wants to get on board, you will have a good kit to help you participate. It’s simple, different, and innovative.
And remember, it’s not just push-ups, any movement will work, as long as you’re taking action.”
If you could share a final message of your own around mental health with our community, what would that be?
“I remind people that mental health is health, and I would ask, ‘What are you doing to care for your own mental health?’ This is a creative way to break the ice and come together with other people to discuss a topic that at times can be challenging to talk about.”
