11:00 am– 12:00 pm  - Harmony A Ballroom

Session #7
Resilience on the Housing Front Line: Protecting Your Well-Being 

Natalie Blake, MSW, RSW

Registered Social Worker, Silm Mental Health

Natalie Blake holds a Master of Social Work with a focus in mental health and brings over 15 years of experience supporting individuals from diverse backgrounds who are navigating complex personal and professional challenges. During the pandemic, she expanded her work into private practice with Silm Centre for Mental Health in response to the significant rise in stress, anxiety, grief, and loss experienced by many individuals. 
In addition to her clinical work, Natalie is a professor in the Social Service Worker Diploma Program at Humber Polytechnic. With several years of teaching experience, she offers a strong understanding of the student experience and is deeply engaged in curriculum development, academic advising, mentorship, and advocacy. Currently pursuing her Doctorate of Social Work, Natalie remains committed to her dual role as both practitioner and professor, grounded in ethical practice, trauma-informed care, and relational values.  

Session Description
Working in multi-residential housing can be deeply rewarding—but it can also be emotionally demanding. Property managers regularly navigate tenant conflict, high workloads, competing priorities, and challenging interactions that can lead to emotional fatigue and stress. Property managers often experience heightened stress and even fear when anticipating difficult or unpredictable tenant interactions. 

This session creates space to openly acknowledge these realities and normalize the emotional challenges of property management. Participants will explore how stress and unresolved fear impact mental health, decision-making, and job performance, as well as the early warning signs of burnout.
The session will focus on practical, realistic self-care and wellness strategies that can be integrated into a busy workday. Attendees will learn simple stress-regulation techniques, on-the-job mental preparation strategies for high-anxiety situations, and ways to maintain emotional resilience while continuing to deliver professional, effective service.