In this session, we’ll explore the emotional toll of today’s fast-paced society— burnout, depression, and the fatigue that can come from even the most meaningful contributions. Through conversation, connection, and co-creation, we’ll reflect on how businesses and open source communities like Drupal can support well-being and sustainability.

Prerequisite
You don't need to follow a talk about mental health in order to participate in this workshop.

Outline
Facilitators:
Panagiotis Moutsopoulos (session lead), Esmeralda Tijhoff (co-organizer), Will Huggins (CEO and co-founder of Zoocha), Alejandro Moreno López (Partner manager in Pantheon & Drupal Association board member)
We’ll begin with a short introduction on why mental health in business and open source matters, and how this session connects to upcoming discussions.
Then, we’ll host a brief panel (15–20 minutes) featuring 3–4 Drupal contributors who will openly share their personal experiences with burnout, depression, or volunteer fatigue. Each panelist will also share concrete tips and small habits that helped them cope and recover. This is about real stories, not perfect answers.
After the panel, we’ll move into small-group breakout conversations with guided prompts:
* What does burnout look or feel like for you?
* What helps you cope—and what doesn't?
* What support do you wish existed in your businesss/community?
Finally, we’ll gather insights and patterns in a closing reflection, inviting participants to contribute ideas—anonymously if they prefer—to a shared “map” of emotional needs, support strategies, and community improvements. These insights can help enrich and extend the framework Will will propose in his next-day session.
This workshop is not about fixing anyone. It’s about listening, validating, and building a more sustainable, compassionate community—together.
Who this is for:
Anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed, unseen, or overextended in their contribution to Drupal—or who wants to make the community more mentally healthy and inclusive.

Learning Objectives
Recognize the signs and impact of burnout, depression, and volunteer fatigue. Participants will gain language and awareness to identify mental health challenges in themselves and others within the Drupal and open source community.
Learn from real stories and personal strategies.
Through a short panel, participants will hear accounts from fellow contributors, including how they navigated burnout or depression, and what practical tools or habits helped them cope.
Reflect on personal experiences in a safe, non-judgmental environment.

Guided prompts and small group discussions will support introspection, emotional validation, and peer-to-peer learning.
Explore and co-create supportive practices for healthier contribution.
Attendees will identify what kinds of support structures —formal or informal—would make community involvement more sustainable and humane.
Contribute to a collective map of needs and solutions.
Insights from the workshop will be synthesized into a shared resource or visual “map,” offering community leaders and contributors a foundation for future improvements in mental health support.
We will share the outcome through the newsletters of NEDA and EOWG.

Experience level
Beginner