Addressing the mental health strain on public leaders

Public office has always been demanding, but the stress of leadership seems to be taking a bigger toll on elected officials’ mental health.

Several city council members in Minnesota recently shared their struggles with mental health, including a Minneapolis council member who took a break to attend to depression and anxiety. Earlier this year, St. Paul’s city council president resigned, citing “the “constant stressors of public leadership.”

At a national level, a U.S. representative from New Jersey disclosed in June that he was being treated for depression after a four-month absence from Congress.

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with a therapist and a city council member about burnout and stress among elected officials and what to do about it.

Guests:

• Aurin Chowdhury is a member of the Minneapolis City Council representing Ward 12 in southeastern Minneapolis. She was elected in 2023 after serving as manager of constituent services for a state senator and a policy aide for two Minneapolis council members. She recently shared her struggles with her mental health in a newsletter with constituents.
• Noel Nixis a therapist with Vibrant Life Therapy working toward a professional clinical counseling license. He has a master’s degree in counseling psychology from the University of St. Thomas and previously worked for more than a decade in municipal government as a city council aide and in public engagement for the City of St. Paul.