15 Mental Health Speakers Sparking Conversations and Change in 2024

In 2024, Mental Health is No Longer a Taboo Topic

This is largely thanks to all the mental health speakers out there sparking conversation and inspiring change!

Out of all the mental health advocates, these are the 15 top speakers you’ll want to keep an eye on in 2024.

These speakers are making a BIG impact. Sharing stories of resilience, offering practical coping strategies, and advocating for mental wellness around the globe.

From overcoming challenges to promoting workplace well-being, these speakers are empowering individuals to take control of their mental health and seek the support they need.

So in this article, we’ll cover:

• What is a mental health speaker?

• What are the benefits of hiring speakers for mental health?

• Top Mental Health Speakers in 2024

• Factors to consider when booking a speaker for mental health awareness

But before we dive into the top mental health speakers of 2024, let’s cover some basics first.

What is a Mental Health Speaker Anyway?

A Professional Who Speaks Publicly About Mental Health Topics

Mental health speakers are professionals who dedicate their careers to speaking publicly about various mental health topics. They deeply understand the complexities surrounding mental health and are passionate about sharing their knowledge with others.

These speakers often have extensive backgrounds in psychology, therapy, or related fields. This allows them to provide valuable insights and strategies for managing mental health challenges.

Additionally, many keynote speakers on mental health rely on personal experiences to complement their professional knowledge, using their narratives of challenges, strength, and healing to establish meaningful rapport with their listeners.

Aiming to Educate, Inspire, and Reduce Stigma

The main objective of top keynote speakers focused on mental health is to educate their audience about the realities of mental health challenges and to promote overall mental well-being. They aim to debunk common myths and misconceptions surrounding mental wellness, providing accurate information and practical strategies for managing various mental health conditions.

Through their engaging presentations and workshops, the most booked mental health keynote speakers inspire individuals to prioritize their mental health and seek support when needed. They emphasize the importance of self-care, resilience, and building a strong support network. These speakers demonstrate that mental health challenges are more common than many people realize and that there is no shame in seeking help.

Moreover, a mental health keynote speaker plays a crucial role in reducing the stigma associated with mental illness. The speaker can encourage open and honest conversations about mental health and normalize discussions about the different faces of people affected by mental illnesses.

Diverse Backgrounds and Expertise

Mental health speakers come from a wide range of backgrounds, each bringing unique perspectives and expertise to their presentations. Some speakers are licensed psychologists or therapists who have spent years studying and treating mental health conditions. They provide valuable insights into the latest research, evidence-based practices, and therapeutic techniques.

Other mental health speakers are individuals who have personally experienced mental health challenges and have successfully navigated their recovery journeys. These speakers often share their stories of resilience and the strategies they employed to overcome their struggles. They serve as powerful role models, demonstrating that it is possible to lead a fulfilling life while managing mental health conditions.

Types of Mental Health Speakers

• Discover the different types of mental health speakers and their unique approaches to promoting mental wellbeing

• Learn how each type of speaker contributes to the mental health conversation and inspires change

• Explore the settings where mental health speakers make the most impact

Let’s explore the different types of inspiring mental health speakers and how they contribute to the conversation.

Motivational Speakers Who Inspire Hope and Resilience

Motivational speakers inspire and uplift their audiences by sharing their stories of overcoming challenges and offering strategies for building resilience. These speakers focus on the power of positive thinking, self-belief, and perseverance in the face of adversity.

Kevin Hines, a suicide attempt survivor who has become a prominent mental health speaker, is a notable example. He shares his story of survival and recovery, emphasizing the importance of seeking help and building a support network. As Hines states, “You are not alone, and you are not a burden. You are a survivor, and you are strong”.

Motivational mental health speakers often draw from their own experiences with mental health challenges, such as depression, anxiety, or addiction. By sharing their stories, they help to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health struggles and encourage others to speak openly about their struggles.

Educational Mental Health Speakers Who Provide Information on Mental Health Conditions and Treatments

These speakers focus on providing accurate, up-to-date information about mental health conditions and available treatments. Top mental health keynote speaker for conferences often have a background in psychology, psychiatry, or a related field and use their expertise to help audiences better understand mental health struggles.

Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison, a professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University, is a top mental health keynote speaker on bipolar disorder. As someone who has lived with the condition herself, Dr. Jamison offers a unique perspective on the challenges and triumphs of managing bipolar disorder. Her book, “An Unquiet Mind,” is a must-read for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of the condition. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 2.8% of the U.S. population experiences bipolar disorder each year.

Educational mental health speakers may also discuss the latest research findings, treatment options, and self-care strategies. They help to bridge the gap between the scientific community and the general public, making complex information more accessible and actionable.

Advocacy Speakers Who Raise Awareness and Promote Mental Health Policies

Advocacy speakers are passionate about promoting mental health awareness and advocating for policies that support mental well-being.

Patrick J. Kennedy, is a prominent mental health advocacy speaker, a former U.S. Representative, and founder of The Kennedy Forum. Kennedy has been open about his struggles with addiction and mental health and has worked tirelessly to promote mental health parity and access to care. He has been instrumental in passing legislation such as the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which requires insurance companies to cover mental health and substance use disorders at the same level as physical health conditions. As Kennedy emphasizes, “Mental health is not a partisan issue; it’s a human issue”.

These speakers use their platform to effect change at a systemic level, addressing issues such as the criminalization of mental illness, the impact of trauma on mental health, and the need for culturally competent mental healthcare.

Speakers With Lived Experience Who Share Personal Stories of Recovery

Maybe the most impactful kind of speaker on mental health is someone who openly discusses their journey with emotional struggles and healing.

Dior Vargas, a Latina feminist mental health activist, is known for her work in promoting mental health awareness and advocating for communities of color. Her “People of Color and Mental Illness Photo Project” showcases the diverse faces of mental illness and helps to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health in communities of color.

Speakers like Vargas offer a unique perspective and help remind us that recovery is possible and that there is no shame in seeking help for mental health challenges.

Top Mental Health Speakers Sparking Change in 2024

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

Johnson is an actor, former WWE wrestler, and businessman, who has been known for his openness about depression and anxiety. He uses his platform to raise awareness and reduce stigma around mental health issues. He frequently shares his story about his younger days when he faced a series of events that took a blow to his mental health. He shares his experience of battling for his mental health for decades and how his mother attempted suicide when he was only 15 years old.

Lady Gaga

As a known musician and actor, Lady Gaga is also a mental health advocate and founder of the Born This Way Foundation. She co-founded the foundation with her mother, Cynthia Bissett Germanotta where they focus on promoting mental wellness and supporting young people. She has been very vocal about battling stigma around medication for mental illness. Lady Gaga advocates for support and medical treatment for the mind and body.

Russell Brand

A comedian and mental health advocate, Brand shares his experiences with addiction and depression, emphasizing the importance of self-care and support. He is outspoken about reaching out to your community and finding gratitude in the things around you. Russell Brand currently hosts a podcast and does live shows on Rumble.

Website: https://www.russellbrand.com/contact/

Joe Holder

Joe Holder is a health and wellness expert, Nike Master Trainer, GQ wellness columnist, and founder of The Ocho System™. He is known for his influential work in health and wellness and is recognized for his motivational speaking and creative consultancy.

Jake Bernstein

Jake Bernstein is widely recognized as an expert in improving mental well-being and productivity for high achievers. He has been featured on FOX, CBS, NBC, and ABC. Jake has collaborated with top performers from companies such as HSBC, AWS, and C3 AI, helping them thrive in uncertain situations, excel in demanding roles, and discover greater meaning in their work.

Drawing from his near-death experience, experience in scaling and selling a business, and work at AWS, Jake offers valuable insights to help others succeed in their corporate roles, prevent burnout, and maintain a balanced life.

He also conducts workshops covering topics on resilience and burnout, mental health and wellness, mindfulness, overcoming stress, and boosting productivity and performance.

Website: https://jakebernstein.co/speaking/

Mel Robbins

Mel Robbins is a renowned motivational speaker, author, and life coach who has gained international recognition for her work in personal development. In her mental health talks, she openly shares her personal experiences and the strategies that have helped her manage her battle with anxiety and depression.

Robbins developed the 5 Second Rule during a particularly challenging period in her life when she struggled with anxiety, self-doubt, and lack of motivation. By implementing this technique, she broke free from negative thought patterns and took control of her life.

Website: https://www.melrobbins.com/about-mel

Patrick Kennedy

Patrick is the nephew of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy. He is a former Congressman and the founder of The Kennedy Forum. Patrick is also the Co-Founder of One Mind for Research and the author of Profiles in Mental Health Courage. He continuously advocates for change, emphasizing that by uniting government and private sectors, action can be taken around the prevention and treatment of mental health and substance use disorders.

Website: https://www.patrickjkennedy.net/contact/

Brene Brown

Brené Brown started her journey as a mental health expert by studying social work. She earned a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and a Master of Social Work (MSW), giving her a strong foundation in understanding human behavior and mental health complexities. She later pursued a PhD in social work, focusing her research on shame and empathy. Throughout her career, Brown conducted extensive research on vulnerability, courage, shame, and empathy, and her work has been published in academic journals. This unique blend of hands-on social work experience and academic research has equipped Brown with a deep understanding of mental health issues and the necessary tools to help individuals overcome their struggles.

Website: https://brenebrown.com/speaking/

Helen M. Farrell

Dr. Helen M. Farrell is a Board Certified Psychiatrist, writer, and speaker practicing in Boston, MA. She is known for providing expert psychiatric commentary to the media and press, with her work reaching wide audiences. Dr. Farrell’s TED-Ed talks on mental illness have received over 30 million views, and her 2015 TEDx Talk, “Creating Hope for Mental Health,” is helping change perceptions of mental illness. Additionally, she was an award-winning lecturer at Harvard Medical School and is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, where she was inspired by the literary voices that gave mental illness a voice.

Website: https://www.helenfarrellmd.com/keynote-speaking

Katie Piper

Katie was a former model and started as a TV shopping presenter when she had an acid attack which caused her severe burns and blinded her left eye. She was placed in an induced coma for 12 days, wore a plastic mask for 23 hours every day, and underwent several treatments and surgeries to help heal her face.

Eventually, her story was picked up by the media and she participated in a documentary about her struggles and recovery.  She also launched a foundation to help with treatment funding and provide information to those affected by burns and scarring. She has also authored several books and was a recipient of the Pride of Britain Award Winner in 2012.

Website: https://katiepiperfoundation.org.uk/get-to-know-katie/

Marie-Hélène Pelletier, PhD, MBA

Dr. Marie-Hélène Pelletier, also known as Dr. MH, is recognized as a top industry leader and has been featured in publications like Fast Company, Forbes, INC, and Thrive Global. She is a renowned workplace mental health expert, psychologist, executive coach, and author of The Resilience Plan. 

With a deep understanding of how mental health impacts business success, she translates psychology research into strategies that professionals and business leaders can use to thrive. 

Website: http://www.drmarie-helene.com/

Guy Winch

Guy Winch is a licensed clinical psychologist who works with individuals, couples, and families. For the past twenty years, he has been turning scientific studies into practical tools for his patients, readers, and audiences to help improve and maintain their mental health. As an identical twin with a strong sense of fairness, he believes we should take care of our emotional well-being just like we do with personal and dental hygiene.

He covers keynote topics on practicing emotional aid, reducing work stress and improving emotional health, and how tweaking your identity makes a huge change.

Website: https://www.guywinch.com/speaking/

Vikram Patel

Indian psychiatrist and researcher Vikram Harshad Patel is well-known for his studies on mental illness and child development in environments with limited resources. At Harvard Medical School, he holds the Paul Farmer Professorship and the Chair in Global Health and Social Medicine. Patel has concentrated on the prevalence of mental illnesses, how they are linked to socioeconomic hardship, and how to use available community resources to prevent and treat them. In addition, he has won various accolades and prizes for his services to the field of mental health worldwide.

Website: https://www.ted.com/speakers/vikram_patel

JD Schramm

JD Schramm is a writer, lecturer, and champion for mental health. In addition to writing the newsletter Communication Matters regularly, he is an instructor at USC’s Annenberg School of Communication. More than two million people have watched his 2011 TED Talk, Break the Silence for Suicide Attempt Survivors, where he shares how he realized the limited resources on suicide awareness for survivors.

As a seasoned speaker and businessman, JD Schramm lectures in management at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, covering both the theoretical and practical sides of effective communication. He oversaw the creation and introduction of Stanford’s Mastery in Communication Initiative, which aims to assist GSB students in becoming more proficient speakers and writers.

Website: https://www.ted.com/speakers/jd_schramm

Elyn Saks

It took 20 years of struggling for Elyn Saks to understand and accept her mental illness. She was diagnosed with Schizophrenia at the age of 28 and doctors said she might not be able to hold down job because of her condition. 

She proved them wrong and became a successful law scholar and writer. She is a distinguished Professor of Law, Professor of Psychology, and Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences at the USC Gould School of Law; Director of the Saks Institute for Mental Health Law, Policy, and Ethics; Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at the UC San Diego, School of Medicine; and Faculty at the New Center for Psychoanalysis.

She advocates for getting help through a mental health treatment center, therapy and medicine.

Website: https://www.ted.com/speakers/elyn_saks

The Importance of Addressing Mental Health in Professional Settings

Licensed mental health counselors play a crucial role in addressing mental health in the workplace, yet it often remains overlooked. Studies show that 1 in 5 adults in the United States live with a mental illness, and these challenges can significantly impact job performance, productivity, and employee retention.

Ignoring mental health in the workplace comes at a high cost. According to the World Health Organization, depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy an estimated $1 trillion per year in lost productivity. By prioritizing mental wellness, companies can not only support their employees but also improve their bottom line.

Practical Tips for Employers to Support Employee Well-Being

Employers play a crucial role in promoting mental wellness in the workplace. Here are some practical strategies they can implement:

Normalize Mental Health Conversations

Encourage open and honest discussions about mental health by creating a safe and supportive environment. Regularly communicate the importance of mental well-being and provide resources for employees to seek help when needed. Hiring a mental health wellness speaker can also help in getting a kickstart in normalizing these conversations in the workplace.

Offer Comprehensive Mental Health Benefits

Ensure that your company’s health insurance plans include robust mental health coverage. Consider offering additional benefits such as employee assistance programs (EAPs), which provide confidential counseling and support services.

Promote Work-Life Balance

Encourage employees to prioritize self-care and maintain a healthy work-life balance. This can include flexible working hours, remote work options, and generous paid time off policies.

How a Mental Health Keynote Speaker Can Make a Difference

Inspiring Hope and Reducing Stigma

Mental health motivational speakers play a crucial role in inspiring hope and reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness. By sharing their personal stories of overcoming challenges, they show others that recovery is possible. These speakers often have firsthand experience with mental health struggles and vulnerably share the ups and downs of their journey and help humanize mental illnesses.

Offering Practical Coping Strategies

Mental health motivational speakers share practical coping strategies that have worked for them. They may discuss techniques like mindfulness, journaling, exercise, or art therapy. By offering concrete tools, they empower audience members to take an active role in their mental wellness. The goal is for attendees to leave not just feeling inspired, but equipped with an action plan.

It’s important to note that motivational speakers are not a replacement for professional treatment. Rather, they encourage audience members to seek help when needed.

Sparking Conversations and Change

Perhaps the most impactful aspect of mental health motivational speakers is their ability to spark conversations and inspire change. When an audience hears a moving speech, they’re likely to discuss it with others afterward whether with their peer or their manager. Workplace talks can prompt companies to examine their policies and culture around mental health. Community events can galvanize advocates and reduce stigma on a broader scale.

For example, in 2019 the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge launched the Heads Together campaign to end mental health stigma. They recruited well-known figures to share their mental health stories through speeches and PSAs. The campaign achieved widespread media coverage and prompted a spike in calls to mental health helplines. It demonstrates the ripple effect motivational speakers can have.

Mental Health Strategist

While motivational speakers alone can’t “cure” mental illness, they play an invaluable role in raising awareness, reducing stigma, offering hope and practical guidance, and inspiring individual and societal change. It’s crucial to employ a holistic view of how to address challenges.

For workplaces, for example, they can create a well-rounded employee wellness program. Hiring a professional speaker and a corporate mental wellness consultant could be a good way to learn on how to become a holistic healing advocate.

Empowerment and Taking Action

• Mental health speakers provide practical tools for self-care and seeking support

• They inspire audiences to become mental health advocates in their communities

• Empowering messages encourage individuals to take control of their well-being

Mental health speakers play a crucial role in empowering individuals to take action and prioritize their mental well-being. Beyond sharing their personal experiences, these speakers provide practical tools and resources that audiences can implement in their daily lives to improve their mental health.

Actionable Self-Care Strategies

One of the key aspects of empowerment is equipping individuals with self-care strategies they can use to manage stress, anxiety, and other mental health challenges. Mental health speakers often share techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, journaling, and physical exercise, which have been proven to have positive effects on mental well-being.

For example, in her book “The Gift of Imperfection,” Brené Brown emphasizes the importance of cultivating self-compassion and letting go of perfectionism. She provides readers with practical exercises to develop resilience and embrace vulnerability, which can be powerful tools for improving mental health.

Learning how to manage your emotions and understanding what you’re feeling is a strong skill anyone can learn. If you’ve been wondering how to work around feeling regretful, Jake Bernstein, a mental health keynote speaker, shares a 3-step process to help you minimize regret.