best motivational speeches for mental health

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This Is Not The End – Inspiring Speech On Depression & Mental Health

This is not the end – inspiring speech on depression & mental health.

If you are suffering from depression, please seek help. Talk to someone. Commit to work on yourself. You CAN turn it all around and you DO DESERVE it. Get help in your country:  Help Hotlines For Depression

This Is Not The End. Watch FREE on our YouTube channel:

Transcript: This Is Not The End – Inspiring Speech On Depression

I want you to know that, no matter where you are in life… No matter how low you have sunk… No matter how bleak your situation… This is NOT THE END.

This is not the end of your story This is not the final chapter of your life.

I know it may be hard right now But if you just hang in there Stick it out Stay with me for a little while… You will find, that this tough moment will pass, and, if you are committed to USING this pain, 
using it to build your character, 
finding a greater MEANING for the pain, 
you will find that, in time, 
you can turn your life around, and help others going through the same struggles.

The world right now is in the middle of a mental health crisis.

It’s estimated almost half the population suffers from depression at some stage throughout their life.

Rather than join the cue, it’s important we it’s learn why we get down, and then how we can change it, because believe it or not, we create our own negative feelings and we can also ensure that we turn our lives around and be a positive change for others.

The reason anyone gets depressed always comes down to the CONSISTENT thoughts we think, and the CONSISTENT beliefs we hold.

Let me say that again.

If I believe I am fat, horrible, ugly and unworthy of love, I will most likely become depressed or have depression thoughts

If my thought process is “I must be in a relationship and earn X amount to be happy” I might get depression if I don’t achieve those goals.

The point here is that anyone that is depressed, is so, because there is an external factor that didn’t materialize in their life – 

i.e…. (They have lost something outside of their control, or don’t have something that is out of their control) 

the most common reasons for depression are : a lost a job, relationship break downs or non existence, body image, comparison to others.

The only way out of this is to work on yourself, every day.

In school we are taught how to get a job, but no one teaches us how to live in a state of happiness. 

No one teaches us how important our conscious and unconscious thoughts and associations are. Is our happiness not worth more than a job?

And before you say, happiness won’t pay my bills – happiness WILL pay your bills, when you realize you will be 10 times more energized, focused and take positive action in your life, when you FIRST choose to develop yourself as a priority, and THEN get to all the “stuff” of the world.

I’ve seen some people, who many would consider to “have it all” end their life because they thought they were not good enough. A thought, a belief within them told them they were not worthy. These people that many were jealous of, many envious of, were not good enough.

You must value yourself enough, to take the time EVERY SINGLE DAY to work on you. To engage in something, that will ensure you are a positive influence on the world.

This of course doesn’t mean life will suddenly be perfect. The same life-challenges will show up, but if your mind is strong, if you mind is at peace, your REACTION to the challenging times will be very different.

Your reaction will be HOW CAN I MAKE THIS WORK, not ‘why is this happening to me’

And then others will look to you, not with pity but with HOPE, because your strength will become their HOPE, their strength.

You really can be that powerful. You can ditch the victim story, you can leave the pain behind and FOCUS on how you will react next. How you will react positively.

Read. Read all you can read to get your mind in a positive place. Take steps to ensure you will be in a better position next time – whatever pain you are suffering – how can you ensure it won’t show again – 

Take little steps… and soon you will be at the top of the stair case.

Don’t give up You are worthy You are more than worthy! You deserve to experience how great life can be – and you owe it to the world to be that positive change for others. To inspire others – who will look to you and say – he did it, she did it, and I can do it too.

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• About Mental Illness , All Articles , Mental Health & Well-Being

10 Powerful TED Talks About Mental Health

• June 15, 2017
• Eli's Place

Education and awareness about the complexity of Mental Health Issues as well as knowledge of the breakthroughs in modern brain research are crucial for ending the stigma. Better care for those struggling with mental illness and substance use issues will only improve with a greater understanding of the subject.

1)  There’s No Shame in Taking Care of Your Mental Health from Sangu Delle

When stress got to be too much for TED Fellow Sangu Delle, he had to confront his own deep prejudice: that men shouldn’t take care of their mental health. In a personal talk, Delle shares how he learned to handle anxiety in a society that’s uncomfortable with emotions. As he says: “Being honest about how we feel doesn’t make us weak — it makes us human.”

There’s No Shame in Taking Care of Your Mental Health from Sangu Delle

2) Why We Choose Suicide from Mark Henick

Listen and watch as Mark Henick broadens our perceptions on the subject of suicide. His TEDxTalk helps us to understand not only the point of someone who has made the decision to die by suicide, but also how we must re-frame our conversations around the subject in order to make a change in the world.

Why We Choose Suicide from Mark Henick

3) The Power of Addiction and The Addiction of Power from Gabor Mate

Matè explores the power that addiction wields in his TED talk. In discussing the lengths of addiction— from drugs to power— from the lack of love to the desire to escape oneself, from the susceptibility of the being to interior power, it’s clear that nothing escapes.

Maté is a specialist in terminal illnesses, chemical dependents, and HIV-positive patients. Dr. Maté  is a renowned author of books and columnist known for his knowledge about attention deficit disorder, stress, chronic illness and parental relations.

The Power of Addiction and The Addiction of Power from Gabor Mate

4) Mental Health For All By Involving All from Vikram Patel

Nearly 450 million people are affected by mental illness worldwide. In wealthy nations, just half receive appropriate care, but in developing countries, close to 90 percent go untreated because psychiatrists are in such short supply. Vikram Patel outlines a highly promising approach — training members of communities to give mental health interventions, empowering ordinary people to care for others.

Mental Health For All By Involving All from Vikram Patel

5) What’s So Funny About Mental Illness? from Ruby Wax

Diseases of the body garner sympathy say comedian Ruby Wax — except those of the brain. Why is that? With dazzling energy and humour, Wax, diagnosed a decade ago with clinical depression, urges us to put an end to the stigma of mental illness.

What’s So Funny About Mental Illness? from Ruby Wax

6) On Being Just Crazy Enough from Joshua Walters

At TED’s Full Spectrum Auditions, comedian Joshua Walters, who’s bipolar, walks the line between mental illness and mental “skillness.” In this funny, thought-provoking talk, he asks: What’s the right balance between medicating craziness away and riding the manic edge of creativity and drive?

On Being Just Crazy Enough from Joshua Walters

7) Your Brain Is More Than A Bag of Chemicals from David Anderson

Modern psychiatric drugs treat the chemistry of the whole brain, but neurobiologist David Anderson has a more nuanced view of how the brain functions. He shares new research that could lead to targeted psychiatric medications — that work better and avoid side effects. How’s he doing it? For a start, by making a bunch of fruit flies angry.

Your Brain Is More Than A Bag Of Chemicals from David Anderson

8) The Voices In My Head from Eleanor Longdon

To all appearances, Eleanor Longden was just like every other student, heading to college full of promise and without a care in the world. That was until the voices in her head started talking. Initially innocuous, these internal narrators became increasingly antagonistic and dictatorial, turning her life into a living nightmare. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, hospitalized, and drugged, Longden was discarded by a system that didn’t know how to help her. Longden tells the moving tale of her years-long journey back to mental health and makes the case that it was through learning to listen to her voices that she was able to survive.

The Voices In My Head from Eleanor Longdon

9) The Bridge Between Suicide And Life from Kevin Briggs

For many years Sergeant Kevin Briggs had a dark, unusual, at times strangely rewarding job: He patrolled the southern end of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, a popular site for suicide attempts. In a sobering, deeply personal talk Briggs shares stories from those he’s spoken — and listened — to standing on the edge of life. He gives a powerful piece of advice to those with loved ones who might be contemplating suicide.

The Bridge Between Suicide And Life from Kevin Briggs

10) Toward A New Understanding of Mental Health from Thomas Insel

Today, thanks to better early detection, there are 63% fewer deaths from heart disease than there were just a few decades ago. Thomas Insel, the director of the National Institute of Mental Health, wonders: Could we do the same for depression and schizophrenia? The first step in this new avenue of research, he says, is a crucial reframing: for us to stop thinking about “mental disorders” and start understanding them as “brain disorders.”

Toward A New Understanding Of Mental Health from Thomas Insel

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You agonize over it. You try to ignore it. You struggle and hope and bargain, but it just won’t go away. Depression can be all consuming because it lurks within you and rages to an audience of one.

But if you can verbalize your pain, you might just make a connection.

That’s the genius of motivational speech. Skilled orators who are able to craft a story around their psychological issues and connect with audiences around the globe have a way of breaking down the barriers that lock depression and other emotional disorders inside us. By creating a link with their listeners, these performers can draw out the demons that exist within us all.

So, listen up and jot these names down, because one of the following five talents could be speaking directly to you…

Brené Brown

Discussing topics like shame, vulnerability, and depression could be a real downer, but not in the hands of Brené Brown . Her irreverent take on modern existence has spawned five, count ‘em five, number one bestsellers on the venerated New York Times charts. Brown’s ability to discuss family, empowerment and other uplifting elements gives her audiences hope in the face of darkness. We mustn’t dwell on the negative, or else it will consume us. Instead, we can summon up the common warrior within us and strike back at the forces that conspire to weigh us down. Rise up with Ms. Brown and elevate your consciousness at one of her next speaking engagements.

Stigma is toxic. It dictates not only how we feel inside, but how we are supposed to feel about others as well. It is a judgment, a label, a curse, and a social scourge, but stigma doesn’t need to define us. By calling out the shame and fear from his own past, Mike Veny is shouting down the specters of stigma and calling out a new chapter in life. He encourages his fans to look at themselves as they are; not who they should be, or how others see them, but who they truly are inside. Veny shares his own visceral experiences with mental health disorders, depression, suicidal tendencies, and the lethal realities of living under the cloud of psychological distress, all so that his listeners may see a reflection of themselves in him. These performances are brave, but they are simultaneously vulnerable. Such is the intriguing dichotomy of Mike Veny.

Helen Fisher

Love is the ultimate motivator. It makes us feel elated, wanted, desirable, and included… but it can also make us miserable. Helen Fisher dissects the mercurial powers of amour in her motivational speeches, going so far as to use MRI imagery as visual aids. In these pictures, audiences can see how the human brain is physically impacted when a person endures the heartache of love loss and the exuberance of a new relationship. The dynamic is similar to that of drug and alcohol abuse, which is why Fisher draws the correlation between love and addiction. It’s all about brain chemistry , and her fascinating oration illustrates how behavior can reroute the channels of the mind, thus reshaping how we think, act, and feel, feel, feel!

Dan Gilbert

Skipping jauntily from love to happiness, the next speaker on our list discusses how we can eschew depression in favor of a more positive outlook on life. Dan Gilbert describes a “psychological immune system” that protects our feelings like a coat of armor, even when calamity befalls us. According to Gilbert, you can’t wait for external forces to make you happy; you need to cultivate your own joy. Let’s face it: we won’t all win the lottery, but we can work to improve our demeanor to the point where we feel like a million bucks.

Johann Hari

No matter how many times we say it, hear it, and repeat it, the following truth is often ignored: addiction is a disease . Those who suffer from substance and behavioral issues are often demonized by society, even when the circumstances are out of their control. But Johann Hari is striving to change the way we think about addiction. Blame is often as destructive as the drug itself, sending users into a shame spiral of doubt and depression. This is the breeding ground for further addictive behavior. By understanding – truly understanding – the human beings who struggle with the demons of consumption and dependence, only then will we work together to cure the disease that claims the lives and souls of our fellow citizens at such an alarming rate.

Listen to Yourself

The secret sixth entry on our list of five is the person staring at you in the mirror right now. You have the power to speak to your own inner strength, to voice your pain, and to find a better outlook. The ingredients for a happy life exist within your mind; you just need to stir them properly.

You naturally produce brain chemicals that modulate your happiness and also, unfortunately, cause depression. By stimulating these compounds properly, we can harvest the happiness within and leave the bad times behind. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is a painless, non-invasive procedure that helps redirect your neurotransmitters to amplify your propensity for positivity.

Contact us now and give us a speech of your own. We can’t wait to hear what you have to say. We’ll listen and get you on the right track a life depression-free.

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Wil Wheaton Gives Powerful Speech about Mental Health Struggles, Inspires Us with Both His Strength and Vulnerability

Trigger warning: this article addresses depression, self-harm and suicide.

He’s appeared on The Big Bang Theory , starred on Star Trek: The Next Generation and received countless awards for his work. But despite appearances, Wil Wheaton's life has been a struggle for most of his 45 years.

Wheaton, who battles chronic depression and anxiety, is a staunch mental health advocate -- and he just delivered one of the most powerful speeches on the topic at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) conference in Ohio.

Mental illness can start in childhood

Addressing the crowd, the actor opened up about the heart-wrenching suffering he went through for decades, fueled by adults’ lack of understanding and a refusal to admit that since before he was 10 he had mental health issues.

“Night after night, I’d wake up in absolute terror, and night after night, I’d drag my blankets off my bed, to go to sleep on the floor in my sister’s bedroom, because I was so afraid to be alone,” he shared at the conference and on Medium .

There is nothing noble in suffering, and there is nothing shameful or weak in asking for help.

The nightly panic attacks evolved into generalized anxiety by the time Wheaton hit his teens, and even tough he realized he suffered from depression in his 20s, he did not seek help.

He was still afraid that the medication he knew he needed would change his personality. And he was ashamed. He felt weak for being depressed. He was afraid he would disappoint and hurt his loved ones.

One of the primary reasons I speak out about my mental illness, is so that I can make the difference in someone’s life that I wish had been made in mine when I was young.

It can mean not living, just existing

The fame that came in Wheaton's teens from starring in Stand by Me  only made things worse. Industry professionals belittled and berated him for his suffering, so he continued to hide it.

“I struggled to reconcile the facts of my life with the reality of my existence. […] I didn’t know to ask for help.” And until he did, he didn’t live – he just existed. His mental illness often prevented him from enjoying even the smallest, most natural aspects of life most enjoy without a second thought: going out to see a movie, grab dinner, enjoying a vacation.

I realized I had lived my life in a room that was so loud, all I could do every day was deal with how loud it was.

Wheaton credits his wife for finally seeking professional help, a decision that changed his life from just existing and hurting to actually living and being happy.

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“Thank God that my wife saw that I was hurting, and thank God she didn’t believe the lie that depression is weakness, or something to be ashamed of,” Wheaton told his Ohio audience. “Thank God for Anne, because […] I don’t know how much longer I would have been able to even exist, to say nothing of truly living,” he added.

That’s the thing about depression: we can’t force it to go away. If I could just “stop feeling sad” I WOULD.

Professional help can save your life

The life-changing experience of seeking professional help encouraged Wheaton to make sure as many people – including children – get the help they need when struggling with mental health issues.

Whether it’s by talking to those who reach out to him online, or supporting organizations as NAMI, the Big Bang Theory star has committed himself to removing the stigma of mental health from public discourse and people’s hearts – especially from the hearts of sufferers still afraid and ashamed to ask for help.

He wants to remind everyone that it can get better.

Give yourself permission to acknowledge that you’re feeling terrible (or bad, or whatever it is you are feeling), and the do a little thing, just one little thing, that you probably don’t feel like doing, and I PROMISE you it will help.

Wheaton also took time to emphasize the importance of self-care in recovery. And not (just) the glamorous self-care ubiquitous on Instagram with shopping sprees and expensive spa sessions, but habits like healthy eating , regular exercise or playing with a dog.

He also spoke about the life-saving work non-governmental organizations do, and the importance of top-down reform that starts with elected officials as well as the power voters have to demand change.

We can remember, and we can remind each other, that there is no finish line when it comes to mental illness. It’s a journey, and sometimes we can see the path we’re on all the way to the horizon, while other times we can’t even see five feet in front of us because the fog is so thick. But the oath is always there, and if we can’t locate it on our own, we have loved ones and doctors and medication to help us find it again, as long as we don’t give up trying to see it.

Read the speech in its entirety here. For tips on how to start a conversation about mental health, read Lady Gaga’s mom’s advice on getting the mental health conversation rolling.

Editor’s Note: Struggling and feeling hopeless? You are not alone. Please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

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28 Inspiring Mental Health Quotes That Will Empower You

When individuals are mentally healthy, they are able to realize their own abilities, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively, and make positive contributions to their community (World Health Organization, 2004).

When individuals experience poor mental health, they may start to withdraw and can experience debilitating symptoms such as depression and anxiety. Poor mental health can also affect physical health, as individuals might react by neglecting their physical health through inconsistent eating habits, poor hygiene, and general malaise (Ohrnberger et al., 2017).

This article will dig into quotations that can help empower individuals with mental health difficulties. The quotations seek to inspire those who are experiencing mental health issues and provide education surrounding mental health and the stigma around those who experience difficulties.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Meaning and Valued Living Exercises for free . These creative, science-based exercises will help you learn more about your values, motivations, and goals, and give you the tools to inspire a sense of meaning in the lives of your clients, students, or employees.

This Article Contains:

Our 6 favorite mental health quotes, 7 short mental health quotes and sayings, mental health is real: 9 quotes to fight stigma, 6 quotes from the world of literature, positivepsychology.com’s mental health resources, a take-home message.

“There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.”

John Green, 2019

“The true definition of mental illness is when the majority of your time is spent in the past or future, but rarely living in the realism of NOW.”

Shannon L. Alder, n.d.

“No one would ever say that someone with a broken arm or a broken leg is less than a whole person, but people say that or imply that all the time about people with mental illness.”

Elyn R. Saks, 2007

“Things not to say to someone with mental illness: Ignore it. Forget about it. Fight it. You are better than this. You are over thinking.”

Nitya Prakash, 2019

“Being able to be your true self is one of the strongest components of good mental health.”

Lauren Fogel Mersy, n.d.

“All stress, anxiety, depression, is caused when we ignore who we are, and start living to please others.”

Paulo Coelho, 2014

To maintain wellbeing, individuals need to recognize their inner strengths. They can seek to accomplish this through therapeutic mental health interventions and meditation , as these processes help individuals to engage in further reflection about what influenced their current state and how they can move forward.

Mental health is centered around maintaining individual wellbeing. The absence of a mental disorder is not sufficient for good mental health, as individuals must be able to function independently and engage in consistent self-care to be considered mentally healthy (World Health Organization, 2004).

“Mental illness… occurs when our mental health is compromised or neglected for so long that it affects our ability to function in our everyday life.”

Kati Morton, 2018

“Over the course of the past decade, there’s been increased willingness to recognize mental health as an essential part of one’s well-being.”

Nicole Spector, 2020

“We envisage a society in which mental health problems are an acceptable and in some ways valued part of the human experience.”

Mike Slade, Lindsay Oades, & Aaron Jarden, 2017

“Consequently, actions that successfully improve the overall mental health of the population are likely to be accompanied by other important benefits to society.”

Elliott Goldner, Emily Jenkins, & Dan Bilsker, 2016

“Not surprisingly, there has been a mismatch between the enormous impact of mental illness and addiction on the public’s health and our society’s limited commitment to addressing these problems.”

John Campo, 2017

“Just because no one else can heal or do your inner work for you, doesn’t mean you can, should, or need to do it alone.”

“Slow, deep breathing is important… It’s like an anchor in the midst of an emotional storm: the anchor won’t get rid of the storm, but it will hold you steady until it passes.”

Russ Harris, 2008

It’s important to recognize that an individual’s response to present events is based on their mental state . However, an individual’s reaction to past and future events affects their overall mental health, as the anticipation and rumination surrounding different events fuel an individual’s reactions.

Over the past few years, mental health has come to describe not only severe mental conditions, but also an aspect of overall health. As a result, the general population’s understanding and categorization of mental health has broadened (Spector, 2020).

Although mental health may not yet be normalized to the extent that physical wellbeing has, more people are willing to speak out about the impact of mental health. More specifically, there has been an increase in prominent individuals being willing to talk about their mental health struggles, which has helped keep the dialogue going.

It is important to do your best to find an outlet that allows you to be open and honest about your struggles, be it with a therapist, good friend, or family member.

Many individuals have also found an outlet by engaging in creative pursuits such as writing and painting to help express their emotions. Having an outlet to express your emotions can help maintain stable mental health and continue to motivate the conversation surrounding mental health and wellbeing.

Many of us can fall into the trap of thinking that if one doesn’t experience any symptoms of mental illness, then they should automatically display high wellbeing.

We may also think that fixing what is wrong will automatically lead to greater wellbeing. However, research suggests that it is far more complicated than that.

Keyes (2005) found that although higher subjective wellbeing correlates with fewer mental health symptoms and vice versa, this relationship is far from perfect.

In other words, some people who suffer from a disorder might still experience a relatively high level of subjective wellbeing, while some people who report low levels of subjective wellbeing might experience few symptoms or may even not suffer from a mental health disorder.

Ultimately, this model is crucial in providing a deeper understanding of mental health and wellbeing. The field of psychology is essential in understanding and assisting those with symptoms of psychopathology.

Yet, we also need to understand and learn about what complete mental health looks like and develop ways to assist people in moving towards this state of being.

Positive psychology’s focus on what is going right with an individual may be a way forward towards this goal.

“We all add to the stigma surrounding mental illness. I am not trying to call anyone out or make anyone feel bad, but in our own way, we all contribute to the stigma. It could be the way we think about other people with mental illness, or even the way we talk to ourselves about our own struggles.”

“Mental health clinicians need to address the issue of stigma, which is so often attached to mental illness. They need to support efforts to prevent mental ill health and promote health, wellness and resilience. Clinicians need to support the rights of people with mental illness, and enable them to participate meaningfully in society.”

Nicholas Procter, Helen Hamer, Denise McGarry, Terry Froggatt, & Rhonda Wilson, 2014

“We believe that a mental health system that was fully supporting recovery would look different in language, assumptions, theory base and working practices. It would have a natural focus on strengths.”

“I believe the best way to manage our thoughts is to first educate ourselves. We need to fully understand how a mental illness can feel to someone before we thoughtfully talk about it.”

“People will need help and support either intermittently or continuously, but their mental health experience no more defines them than their sexuality, gender, personality or any other aspect of their identity.”

“When mental health is ultimately recognized as essential to physical health, not an extraneous element of it, then we will have access to true, complete, modern medicine.”

“Although the general perception of mental illness has improved over the past decades, studies show that stigma against mental illness is still powerful, largely due to media stereotypes and lack of education, and that people tend to attach negative stigmas to mental health conditions at a far higher rate than to other diseases and disabilities, such as cancer, diabetes or heart disease.”

Jean Holthaus, n.d.

“Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of, but stigma and bias shame us all.“

Bill Clinton, 1999

“Stigma and self-stigma are some of the most significant barriers surrounding mental health. Pervasive stigma is defined as a negative attitude towards a condition or person which leads to negative action or discrimination.”

Peter Haugen, Aileen McCrillis, Geert Smid, & Mirjam Nijdam, 2017

As a result of these difficulties, the fear of stigma may motivate some individuals to hide specific behaviors related to their mental illness or deny that they are having issues. Mental illness can become a defining piece of the individual’s personality and cause their interactions to be categorized by their mental illness.

To fight stigma, it is important for society to continually promote increased awareness and acceptance of mental health difficulties. Widespread interventions to reduce stigma are found to have a greater impact on perpetuating long-term change surrounding awareness and knowledge of mental health.

Specific evidence-based strategies that are found to reduce sigma include (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2017).

• Education, such as mental health literacy campaigns
• Protest and advocacy (e.g., letter writing and Twitter campaigns)
• Programs that facilitate social contact between people with and without behavioral disorders (contact-based programs)
• Contact-based education programs, which combine contact with educational content designed to raise public awareness of selected issues or increase public knowledge about mental and substance use disorders
• Media campaigns delivered over a range of platforms, including traditional and newer social media
• Peer programs in which people who have disclosed their conditions offer their experience and expertise to individuals and families, ranging from informal peer-led programs to peer-specialized services in health services systems

Introducing these programs can help increase awareness surrounding mental health. As people become more aware of the impacts, mental illness can slowly become more understood among the general population.

Stigma surrounding mental health includes being negatively perceived by others because of mental illness. Specifically, it can lead individuals to be discredited by society and experience barriers surrounding employment, access to care, and social support (Bharadwaj, Pai, & Suziedelyte, 2015).

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“We need never be hopeless, because we can never be irreparably broken.”

John Green, 2008

“It takes ten times as long to put yourself back together as it does to fall apart.”

Suzanne Collins, 2010

“I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship.”

Louisa May Alcott, 1868

“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”

J. K. Rowling, 2015

“Mental pain is less dramatic than physical pain, but it is more common and also more hard to bear. The frequent attempt to conceal mental pain increases the burden: It is easier to say ‘My tooth is aching’ than to say ‘My heart is broken.’”

C. S. Lewis, 1940

“And sometimes I have kept my feelings to myself, because I could find no language to describe them in.”

Jane Austen, 1811

Individuals with mental health conditions often struggle with feelings of hopelessness and sadness. The magnitude of these conditions can cause individuals to withdraw from activities and people that help maintain their individual wellbeing.

Often, the most challenging part of getting help is initiating the process. Individuals can get so caught up in the difficult emotions surrounding mental health conditions that it might pose a barrier to seeking help.

Some strategies you can consider when encouraging someone to seek help include (American Psychiatric Association, n.d.):

• Approach the issue Express your concern using “I” statements (e.g., “I am worried about you” instead of “You should”). Reassure them that you care about them and suggest that there are other outlets they can explore if they are not comfortable (e.g., mental health professionals, other friends, and family).
• Address potential barriers Anticipate potential barriers that the individual might face when seeking help. Offer to assist in research surrounding therapy options, transportation, and any insurance or cost concerns that might pose an issue.
• Have appropriate expectations Change takes time. As highlighted in these quotes, individuals can experience a wide range of difficult emotions when experiencing mental health-related conditions. Try to approach each situation with patience and understanding, even if there are setbacks.
• Seek support for yourself When helping others seek support, it is important to take care of yourself. Reach out for help if you need it and acknowledge your limits to preserve your mental health.

If you are helping others seek help for mental illness or trying to get support for yourself, it is important to remember that this is a process. Even if you experience setbacks, continue to persevere and believe that you or the person you are helping can overcome this.

Mental health awareness quotes

Our website contains many resources to help you and your loved ones achieve optimal mental health. Some of those resources are listed below:

• Positive Psychology Quotes If you enjoyed this selection of mental health quotes, you might also enjoy our other article where we share an inspiring collection of positive psychology quotes .
• Preventing Mental Health Relapse This worksheet helps individuals track their progress throughout their recovery from a mental illness. It allows individuals to identify symptoms that may trigger a relapse so that they can be self-aware and seek more help if necessary.
• Understanding Mental Health Stigma This resource provides a definition of stigma and resources to help you understand how you can contribute to reducing mental health stigma .
• Self-Care Checkup Self-care is an important part of recovery. This checklist gives you ideas for self-care and allows you to rank how often you engage in self-care activities on a scale from 1 to 3.
• The Ryff Scales of Psychological Wellbeing Available as part of our Positive Psychology Toolkit© , this instrument can help you engage in a process of self-reflection surrounding your personal wellbeing.

If you’re looking for more science-based ways to help others discover meaning, check out this collection of 17 validated meaning tools for practitioners. Use them to help others choose directions for their lives in alignment with what is truly important to them.

17 Tools To Encourage Meaningful, Value-Aligned Living

This 17 Meaning & Valued Living Exercises [PDF] pack contains our best exercises for helping others discover their purpose and live more fulfilling, value-aligned lives.

Created by Experts. 100% Science-based.

Maintaining stable mental health is key in ensuring good physical and mental fortitude. Mental illness can be debilitating, but the most effective way to fight the stigma and perceptions surrounding mental health is to talk about it.

These quotations can serve as a starting point for individuals who are suffering, as they may be able to relate to the experiences that are projected through these quotations. Additionally, these quotes are meant to provide individuals with the strength they need to seek help for the emotions they are experiencing.

If you or someone you care about is struggling with mental health, please contact one of the following numbers in your respective country:

• USA: Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988
• UK: Samaritans hotline at 116 123
• The Netherlands: Netherlands Suicide Hotline at 0900 0767
• France: Suicide écoute at 01 45 39 40 00
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Germany: Telefonseelsorge at 0800 111 0 111 or 0800 111 0 222

For a list of other suicide prevention websites, phone numbers, and resources, see this website or consult Open Counseling’s list of International Suicide and Emergency Hotlines . Resources are listed by country, and you can click on the ‘more hotlines’ and ‘in-person counseling’ tabs to get further help.

We hope that this article provides you with resources and encouragement that will help you maintain your mental health. Remember, it is okay to need support to maintain your best self; do not be afraid to seek out other resources that can help.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Meaning and Valued Living Exercises for free .

• Alcott, L. M. (1868). Little women . Penguin Books.
• Alder, S. (n.d.). Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/1328456-the-true-definition-of-mental-illness-is-when-the-majority
• American Psychiatric Association. (n.d.). Helping a loved one cope with a mental illness . Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/helping-a-loved-one-cope-with-a-mental-illness
• Austen, J. (1811). Sense and sensibility . Military Library.
• Bharadwaj, P., Pai, M. M., & Suziedelyte, A. (2015). Mental health stigma . NBER Working Paper Series. Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w21240/w21240.pdf
• Campo, J. (2017, May 31). It’s time to recognize mental health as essential to physical health . STAT. Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://www.statnews.com/2017/05/31/mental-health-medicine/
• Clinton, B. (1999, June 5). The president’s radio address. The American Presidency Project. Retrieved January 5, 2022, from https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/the-presidents-radio-address-125
• Coelho, P. [paulocoelho]. (2014, May 12). All stress, anxiety, depression, is caused when we ignore who we are, and start living to please others [Tweet]. Retrieved January 6, 2022, from https://twitter.com/paulocoelho/status/465919753878794240?lang=en
• Collins, S. (2010). Mockingjay . Scholastic.
• Fogel Mersy, L. (n.d). 101 Inspiring mental health quotes. Mental Health Match. Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://mentalhealthmatch.com/articles/anxiety/inspiring-mental-health-quotes
• Goldner, E., Jenkins, E., & Bilsker, D. (2016). A concise introduction to mental health in Canada (2nd ed.). Canadian Scholars.
• Green, J. (2008). Looking for Alaska . Penguin Books.
• Green, J. (2019). Turtles all the way down . Penguin Books.
• Harris, R. (2008). The happiness trap: How to stop struggling and start living: A guide to ACT . Trumpeter.
• Haugen, P. T., McCrillis, A. M., Smid, G. E., & Nijdam, M. J. (2017). Mental health stigma and barriers to mental health care for first responders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research , 94 , 218–229.
• Holthaus, J. (n.d.). The importance of mental health awareness . Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://www.pinerest.org/mental-health-awareness-blog/
• Keyes, C. L. (2005). Mental illness and/or mental health? Investigating axioms of the complete state model of health. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73(3) , 539.
• Lewis, C. S. (1940). The problem of pain . Centenary Press.
• Morton, K. (2018). Are u ok? A guide to caring for your mental health . DeCapo Press, Lifelong Books.
• National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2017). Ending discrimination against people with mental and substance use disorders: The evidence for stigma change . National Academies Press.
• Ohrnberger, J., Fichera, E., & Sutton, M. (2017). The relationship between physical and mental health: A mediation analysis.  Social Science & Medicine, 195 , 42–49
• Olivera, L. (2022). Already enough: A path to self-acceptance . Simon & Schuster.
• Prakash, N. (2019). Happiness is in you! The book of quotes . Bombay Weekly.
• Procter, N., Hamer, H. P., McGarry, D., Wilson, R., & Froggatt, T. (Eds.). (2014). Mental health: A person-centred approach . Cambridge University Press.
• Rowling, J. K. (2015). Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban . Pottermore Publishing.
• Saks, E. R. (2007). The center cannot hold: My journey through madness . Hachette Books.
• Slade, M., Oades, L., & Jarden, A. (Eds.). (2017). Wellbeing, recovery and mental health . Cambridge University Press.
• Spector, N. (2020, June 10). Mental health: How we’ve improved and how we need to do better in 2020 . Better by Today. Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://www.nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/mental-health-how-we-ve-improved-where-we-need-do-ncna1108721
• World Health Organization. (‎2004)‎. Promoting mental health: Summary report . Retrieved December 2, 2021, from https://www.who.int/mental_health/evidence/en/promoting_mhh.pdf

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While the article was very good and I enjoyed reading all of the quotes – as well as seeing links to other supports, plus a reference list (very thorough) – it was a scam to end the article with, “Don’t forget to download our three Meaning and Valued Living Exercises for FREE” [stress added], as, when I entered my name and email in the pop-up window, I was taken to a page that said I could PURCHASE the three exercises for $17!

Hi Virginia,

We are sorry to hear that you had this experience. Let me clarify. You should have received the three free exercises when you entered your email address. Once you entered your information and the exercises were sent, you were automatically taken to a separate sales page for our 17 Meaning & Valued Living exercises, a tool pack currently on sale for $17. Please note these are two different products (the three free exercises and the 17-exercise tool pack, which we currently run a promo on).

Please do let me know if you did not receive your three free exercises in your email!

Kind regards, -Caroline | Community Manager

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Top Mental Health Speakers & Celebrity Advocates

Psychologists, medical experts & survivors raising awareness and fighting the stigma around mental illness.

These inspiring mental health speakers are experts on helping with mental illnesses like anxiety and depression or relieving day-to-day stress by promoting resilience and happiness. With mental illnesses affecting about one in five Americans each year, now more than ever, people are uniting to raise awareness and fight the stigma around mental health. The awareness advocates in this list include psychologists, survivors, and celebrity advocates ready to answer the call and connect with your audience to help them understand the struggles involved with mental health and how we can be advocates for those around us.

Inspirational Mental Health Speakers

Jenn Lim (10 ratings)

CEO, Founder, Best-Selling Author & Global Workplace Expert

Speaking Topics

• Business Leadership

Sean Astin (8 ratings)

Actor, Director, Voice Artist & Producer Known For "Lord of the Rings"

• Inspirational
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Kevin Hines (20 ratings)

Brain/Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Activist, Best-Selling Author, Multi-award Winning Filmmaker & Subject Matter Expert

• Mental Health

Allison Massari (6 ratings)

Celebrated Artist, Resilience Expert, Entrepreneur, Burn Survivor & Inspirational Storyteller

• Personal Growth

Shawn Achor (6 ratings)

Harvard Professor, Researcher, Positive Psychology Expert, Author of "The Happiness Advantage" & "Big Potential"

• Human Resources
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Wesley Hamilton (4 ratings)

Motivational Speaker; Mental & Physical Health Advocate for Overcoming Adversity; Executive Director of Disabled But Not Really (DBNR); Featured on Queer Eye

• Motivational
• Sports Motivation

Mayim Bialik (3 ratings)

Neuroscientist, Mental Health Advocate & Actress Known for "The Big Bang Theory"

• Family & Parenting

Tom Voss (4 ratings)

U.S. Army Combat Veteran, Mental Health & Holistic Healing Advocate; Featured in the Award-Winning Documentary "Almost Sunrise"

Pandit Dasa (1 rating)

Mindful Leadership Expert, Motivational Speaker & Author

Brooke Shields (2 ratings)

Actress; Model; Women's Health, Aging & Mental Wellness Advocate

• Television & Film

Christine Michel Carter (4 ratings)

Bestselling Author; Women Empowerment, Mental Health & Working Parents Advocate; #1 Global Voice For Working Moms

• Generational Issues

Jenny Evans (6 ratings)

Stress Resiliency Expert, Speaker & Author

Amanda Gore (4 ratings)

CEO of The Joy Project; Author & Psychologist; Emotional Intelligence and Performance Expert

Dr. Kristen Lee (6 ratings)

Award-Winning Behavioral Science Expert, Clinician & Comedian; Author of "Worth the Risk;" 2022 Next Big Idea Club Nominee & Nautilus Book Award Winner

• Mindfulness

Dr. Christian Conte (4 ratings)

Nationally Acclaimed Mental Health Specialist

Actress, Feminist, Author, Political Activist, Former Fashion Model & Fitness Advocate

Amanda Beard (1 rating)

Olympic Gold Medalist, Co-Founder of Beard Swim Co. & Author of New York Times Bestseller "In the Water They Can't See You Cry"

• Faith & Religion
• Olympic Sports

Rebekah Gregory (5 ratings)

Boston Marathon Bombing Survivor & Founder of Rebekah's Angels

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Resmaa Menakem

Healer, New York Times Best-Selling Author, Trauma Specialist & Organizational Strategist

• Social Justice

Sarah Vinson (2 ratings)

Triple Board Certified Physician; Child, Adolescent, Adult & Forensic Psychiatrist; Sought-After Clinician, Consultant & Speaker

Simone Biles

Most Decorated Gymnast Ever & Record Holder for Most Gold Medals at a Single Olympic Games

Susan David (1 rating)

CEO of Evidence Based Psychology & Author of "Emotional Agility"

Maurice Clarett (5 ratings)

College Football National Champion, Philanthropist & Behavioral Health Consultant for UConn Basketball

Andrea Paquette (8 ratings)

Mental Health Advocate, Founder & President of the Stigma-Free Society

Jamie Tworkowski (1 rating)

Founder of To Write Love on Her Arms, Mental Health Advocate & NYT Best-Selling Author

Tessa Todd Morgan

Founder of Triessence and Daily Reset Break, Mindfulness Expert & Professional Speaker

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Deshauna Barber (4 ratings)

2016 Miss USA, IT Analyst & Army Reserve Officer, Mental & Physical Health Advocate; Vice Chair on the Board Of Directors at Service Women’s Action Network

• STEM Education

Ginger Zee (3 ratings)

Chief Meteorologist for ABC News, Author & Mental Health Advocate

• Women's Health

Claude Steele (4 ratings)

Social Psychologist & Stereotype Expert

• Social Sciences
• Black Heritage

Shauna Shapiro Ph.D.

Best-Selling Author, Professor, Clinical Psychologist & Internationally Recognized Expert in Mindfulness & Self-Compassion

Trey Anthony (1 rating)

Award-Winning Playwright, Author, Producer & Lifestyle Coach

Vikram Patel (2 ratings)

The Pershing Square Professor of Global Health at Harvard Medical School; Mental Health Care Advocate

Whitney Dodds MA, LMHC, LPC (1 rating)

Founder & CEO of Wellness For the Culture Organization; Workshop Facilitator; Author

James Garbarino (2 ratings)

Author, Psychologist, Expert on Violence & Children; Senior Faculty Fellow, Center for the Human Rights of Children at Loyola University

• Men's Health

Madison Butler (1 rating)

DEI Truth Teller, HR Change Maker, Builder of Inclusive Cultures & Startup Enthusiast

• Future Of Work

Dr. Caroline Leaf (2 ratings)

Communication Pathologist & Cognitive Neuroscientist

Christian Navarro (2 ratings)

Actor Best Known for "13 Reasons Why"

• Hispanic Heritage

Dr. Mindy Thompson Fullilove (1 rating)

Research Psychiatrist; Professor of Urban Policy & Health at The New School

Frank Blackman Jr. (2 ratings)

Advocate for Teen Mental Health & Suicide Prevention

• Motivational Youth

Dr. Andrea Pennington (1 rating)

Integrative Physician, Meditation Teacher, #1 Best-Selling Author, International TEDx Speaker & Founder of EntreVie

Erika Gilchrist (1 rating)

Award-Winning Speaker, 13X Author, Personal Development Savant & Abuse Survivor

• Social Activism
• Female Leadership

Kelley Gunter (12 ratings)

Best-Selling Author, Mental Health Advocate Addressing Trauma, Addiction & Eating Disorders

Meena Srinivasan (1 rating)

Mindfulness & Emotional Intelligence Expert

Nicholas Pratley

Mental, Emotional and Well-Being Expert, Licensed NLP Therapist, Motivational, Social & Emotional Intelligence Trainer, Wellness Advocate & Creator of Luminous Energetics

Craig Siegel

Mindset Coach, Entrepreneur & Breakthrough Manufacturer

• Entrepreneurship

Nataly Kogan

Happiness Expert, Venture Capitalist & Successful Tech Entrepreneur; Co-Founder of Happier

Sam Louie (1 rating)

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Aaron Lazar (4 ratings)

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Melissa Doman, M.A.

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Dan Siegel (1 rating)

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Lisa Cypers Kamen (1 rating)

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M Abeo (1 rating)

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Lisa Damour (1 rating)

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Jodie Sweetin (1 rating)

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Wayne Brady

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Hannah Lucas

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David Feherty

Golf Commentator for LIV Golf; TV Host, Bestselling Author & Former PGA Tour Pro

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Dr. Susan Biali Haas, MD

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Joe Burton (1 rating)

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Alia Crum (1 rating)

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Laura Delizonna

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Ben Nemtin (1 rating)

Creator of MTV's "The Buried Life" & New York Times Bestselling Author

Brendan McDonough

Granite Mountain Hotshot, Subject of the Film "Only the Brave," Mental Health & Recovery Advocate

Anthony Rao

Nationally Recognized Child Psychologist & Author of "The Power of Agency"

Kati Morton (2 ratings)

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Maryellen Dance

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Wil Wheaton (1 rating)

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Mark Henick

Internationally Recognized Mental Health Strategist, Advocate, Speaker, Podcaster, Media Commentator & Nationally Syndicated Mental Health Columnist

Michelle Williams

Gospel Artist & Former Member of Destiny's Child

Eliz Greene

Heart Attack Survivor, Job Stress Researcher, Female Motivational & Business Speaker

​Chien-Chi Huang

Founder of Asian Breast Cancer Project & Executive Director of Asian Women for Health

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Catherine Garceau

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Dr. Delaney Ruston (1 rating)

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Dr. Lawana Gladney

Success Psychologist & Life Strategist

Marie Osmond

Singer, Host, TV Personality & Author of "Behind The Smile: My Journey Out of Postpartum Depression"

Michelle Gielan (5 ratings)

Former National CBS News Anchor Turned Positive Psychology Researcher; Bestselling Author of "Broadcasting Happiness"

Amanda Lipp

Filmmaker, Consultant & Social Entrepreneur Working at the Intersection of Mental Health Care, Storytelling & Technology

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David Romanelli

Health, Wellness, & Mindfulness Expert; Bestselling Author of "Happy is the New Healthy"

Comedian & Mental Health Activist, Clean Comedy

Robert A. Emmons

World's Leading Scientific Expert on Gratitude & Professor of Psychology at the University of California

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Dr. Chloe Carmichael (1 rating)

USA Today Best-Selling Author & Clinical Psychologist

Mark Ballas

Dancing with the Stars Champion & Mental Health Activist

Dave Pelzer

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Leah Marone

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Anna Akana (2 ratings)

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David Granirer

Counselor & Stand-Up Comedian; Founder of Stand Up for Mental Health

Helen M. Farrell

Award-Winning Harvard Psychiatrist, TEDx Speaker & Writer

Comedian & Mental Health Activist

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Dada Nabhaniilananda - "The Monk Dude" (2 ratings)

Award-Winning Songwriter, Meditation Instructor & Yoga Monk; Corporate Trainer, Author, Comedy Writer, Youth Mentor and World Traveler.

Nicole Hockley (3 ratings)

Co-Founder & CEO of Sandy Hook Promise, Gun Control Advocate & Mother of Dylan Hockley

Robert J. Waldinger

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Utkarsh Ambudkar

Actor; Best Known for "Pitch Perfect" & "The Mindy Project"

Darrell Hammond

Comedian, Actor & Second Longest Running Cast Member of SNL

Dorothy Hamill

Gold Medal & Emmy Award-Winning Olympic Figure Skater; Breast Cancer Awareness Advocate

Resilience Expert & Researcher

Barbara Eden

Actress & Philanthropist, Best Known for "I Dream of Jeanie"

Candy Finnigan

Nationally Recognized Interventionist, Speaker & Consultant

Daniel Gilbert

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Allison Schmitt (2 ratings)

Gold Medalist Olympic Swimmer; Mental Health Advocate

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Mike Sullivan

Motivational Educational Speaker; Happiness & Empowerment Advocate

Sangu Delle

Entrepreneur, Author, Clean Water Activist, Soros Fellow & TEDGlobal Fellow

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16 Most Life-Changing Motivational Speeches & What You’ll Gain from Them

It’s all very well reading about ways to get ahead in life, but no account will ever reach you in quite the same way as hearing someone speak about their own experiences. While these people may be household names now, it wasn’t always that way, and this collection of some of the best motivational speeches will move you and inspire you to make your own dreams come true.

From Arnold Schwarzenneger talking about how he filled every moment of every day with steps to fulfil his ambition of becoming Mr. Universe, to J.K. Rowling’s life as an impoverished single mother, these speeches will fill you with the drive and determination to reach your full potential, and not let anything stand in your way.

Some are long, and some last just a few minutes, but each one will make you want to grab life with both hands and go for what you want, whatever it is.

“Most people have done all that they’re ever going to do – they raise a family, they earn a living, and then they die.”

That’s what we’re supposed to do, right? Wrong! Life is made for greater things, and you are meant for greater things.

When Les Brown was a child, he was labeled ‘educable mentally retarded’, and until a chance encounter with another teacher, he believed that he would amount to nothing. But this one teacher planted the seeds in Les’ head which would blossom and grow, and eventually make him one of the best motivational speakers of all time.

This speech will give you permission to rise above other people’s opinions, to break free of their prejudices, and make a success of whatever you do. Watch ‘It’s Not Over Until You Win! Your Dream is Possible’ and take those first steps towards following your passion and making your dream come true.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f0nIhDpXuU

“Stress doesn’t come from the facts, stress comes from the meaning that we give the facts.”

Life is about choices. Every day we’re faced with hundreds of choices, and this speech by Tony Robbins will help you see that it’s the choices, not the conditions, which shape our lives.

Take a moment during this speech to pause and reflect on some choices you have made in the past, and really think about the direction your life took because of them, both good and bad. Tony Robbins explains in his inimitable way that we have the choice to focus on what we want, and that when we focus, we can achieve whatever we want.

Part of Tony’s speech explains how, when the economy is down, some people thrive and some people crash and burn, and the COVID 19 pandemic is the perfect example. Small businesses took a huge hit, and while some of them threw up their hands in despair and said ‘that’s it, it’s over for us’, others adapted, and saw it as an opportunity to expand, diversify, and turn the situation to their advantage.

And that’s the cornerstone of this video – how we react, how we adapt, and how we choose is the difference between success and failure.

“So every rep that I do gets me closer to accomplishing the goal to make this goal – this vision – into reality.”

Be inspired by Arnold Schwarzenneger as he talks about his goal of becoming Mr. Universe. Never wasting a second of his day, Arnie worked in construction, spent 5 hours in the gym, and went to acting classes, all of which took him further along his journey to making his dream come true.

We all have a propensity to waste time, but if you have a goal, if you have a passion that smolders away, take a leaf out of Arnie’s book and make sure that everything you do propels you forward.

And don’t be afraid to fail.

“Your conviction and your convenience don’t live on the same block.”

If you are a fan of The Secret, you will be familiar with Lisa Nicholls. In this video, Lisa tells Tom Bilyeu how she was willing to leave everything and everyone behind in order to grow into the version of herself that she knew she wanted.

Lisa explains how, as a young mother, she was forced to wrap her baby in a towel for two days because she had no money for diapers, and how it was at that moment that she vowed never to be that broke or that broken again.

Change, success, drive…they’re all inconvenient and disruptive, and Lisa Nicholls demonstrates that wonderfully in this emotional and highly motivating interview in which she declares “your story is not meant to be your fortress, your story is meant to be your fuel.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toQmqLwNtho

Eric Thomas had a dream, a goal, and that goal was to be the best motivational speaker in the world. He didn’t achieve this by giving 70%, or 80%…he didn’t achieve it by staying in bed late in the mornings. He achieved it by giving 100% every minute of every day.

Listen to Eric’s words, hear the passion in his voice, and feel the lessons he is giving to you if you want to be the best at whatever you do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtuHZC-ObA8

“If we don’t take control of our environment, it takes control of us.”

This short piece by Tony Robbins has been designed to show you that you are in control of your own environment. Whether you realize it or not, what goes on around you has a massive influence on the way you feel and the way you act.

By taking leadership of your own life, you can defy outside influences and set your own tone for the day ahead, regardless of whatever or whoever is exerting pressure from the outside.

Follow Tony’s example of taking 10 minutes for yourself at the start of every day – for gratitude, prayer or wishes for family and friends, and a recap of what you want to accomplish that day, and your day will continue on that same path of thankfulness, hope, and goals.

“Your mind doesn’t know the difference between something you vividly imagined and something that’s real, literally!”

If you want to emulate the way successful people behave, take these 10 billionaires’ habits and adopt them yourself for 21 days.

Billed by Jim Kwik as being ‘like a magic pill’, these habits will rewire your brain into thinking and behaving like some of the world’s most successful people.

In this 8 minute clip, Jim shares how, for instance, your brain reacts the same way when you imagine your dog walking in as it does when your dog actually walks in, and this can apply to anything. What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.

As much as this applies to positive things, it also can be applied to negative things, so if you imagine failure, that’s what you will get. Fill your mind with thoughts of success and that’s what will happen.

None of these habits are difficult to accomplish, but in doing so you will change your entire mindset into one of a hugely successful person, no matter what you want to achieve in life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fzGPwY40Cw

“Don’t leave crumbs.”

If this sounds more like a housekeeping hint and less like a motivational affirmation, you’re 50% right. Our lives do need housekeeping, and not leaving crumbs – i.e. regrets – which will come back and rob your tomorrow of joy, is one of the chores you need to do on a daily basis.

Matthew McConaughey delivers a powerful speech in a gentle way at the University of Houston Commencement Address.

Discussing the five rules he lives by, he will show you how to avoid falling into a trap of entitlement, and why ‘Unbelievable’ is the stupidest word in the dictionary.

With some invaluable life lessons contained inside a highly watchable speech, Matthew McConaughey is an unlikely but very inspiring speaker who has stayed humble despite all his successes.

“There are a lot of sharks in the world; if you hope to complete the swim, you will have to deal with them. So if you want to change the world, don’t back down from the sharks.”

Spoken with eloquence and quiet assuredness, this six-minute speech draws on US Navy Admiral William McRaven’s experience of survival in the Navy Seals.

He explains how making your bed, while seemingly insignificant and even pointless, will set a series of tasks in motion which will ensure that at best, the first job of the day is done, and at worst, you have a neat, tidy bed to fall into at the end of a trying day.

The world is full of people who want to bring you down (the sharks) but if you stand your ground, they will eventually swim away, leaving you to go on to bigger and better things.

“Sometimes life’s gonna hit you in the face with a brick…don’t lose faith.”

Steve Jobs, chairman, CEO, and co-founder of Apple Inc. was hit in the face with more than one brick during his 56 years on earth. From being given up for adoption as a baby, to being fired from the very company which he founded, he never let anything get in his way.

In this commencement speech at Stamford University in 2005, Steve explained how his love for what he did spurred him on to rebuild his life in spectacular fashion.

Life dealt a further blow when, in 2003, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

This speech focuses on three stories which, when combined, show how life offers opportunities for change and growth, no matter how dire the circumstances.

Steve Jobs never graduated college, but when he died in 2011, aged just 56, he had a net worth of US$7 billion. He achieved this by doing what he loved, and in this speech he will inspire you to do the same.

“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously than you might as well not have lived at all. In which case, you fail by default.”

Let J. K. Rowling inspire you with this 2008 commencement speech at Harvard University. Extolling the virtues of failure and imagination, she tells the graduates how being at rock bottom set her free to pursue her dreams of being an author.

As poor as it is possible to be without being homeless, she created the world of Harry Potter and went on to amass a fortune of £795 million, but that without her failures in life, she would never have had the opportunity to do so.

Let her words become your own mantra, and view every failure in your life as a future success.

“We shine, because baby you just can’t dim the sun.”

A beautiful antidote for anyone who has ever felt or been told that they are ‘too much’, Gina Hatzis’ winning Speaker Slam speech of 2018 will give you permission to be unashamedly you.

Although written by a woman for women, this powerful and sometimes humorous speech about being your own authentic self will inspire anyone – man or woman – to shine and never dim their own light to suit other people.

“The first step you need to take is just that…step.”

If you are in need of a short, sharp burst of motivation, listen to this speech by ex Navy Seal, Jocko Willink.

Running for less than three minutes, this recording will inspire you to take a step into whatever you want to achieve. Awarded both the Silver Star and the Bronze Star for service, Jocko Willink is no stranger to taking those brave steps, having come face to face with Iraqu insurgents in Ramadi. He will spur you on to put one metaphorical foot in front of the other, and will leave you in no doubt as to what you need to do to achieve your goals.

“On the other side of your maximum fear are all of the best things in life.”

If you like your motivation with a side order of laughter, watch Will Smith as he talks about fear. Agreeing to skydive on a night out with friends, Will realizes that he actually has to go through with it.

Discussing how fear ruins things (he couldn’t sleep or eat before the jump), Will also discloses that beyond fear was the most blissful experience of his life, and how that principle can be applied to anything in life.

“Only those that can see the invisible, can do the impossible.”

Tyrese Gibson knows success, and in this speech he talks about how it can be achieved, by anyone who wants it.

Actor, singer, author, model…Tyrese seems to have the Midas touch, but he didn’t get it by luck. Follow his words as he gently but passionately guides you along the path you need to take if you have goals and dreams in life.

“I refuse to be another man who lived and died, and wasn’t significant’”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzl3CQXMRVo

“If it is written, so shall it be.”

When Steve Harvey’s teacher crushed his dreams of being on TV, the one person who believed in him was his father. He told him to put a piece of paper with his dreams on in his drawer, and to read it every morning and every night.

His dreams came true.

It didn’t always come easy for Steve Harvey though – he spent years living in his car when he had nowhere else to go, but the one thing he never lost was his ambition and determination to see his dreams through to fruition.

A firm believer in the Law of Attraction, Steve still has vision boards and still commits his dreams to writing, and encourages you to do the same in this speech that made Obama cry.

These motivational speeches, and many more like them, show how having guts, determination, and a vision will get you anywhere you want to go, no matter your beginnings in life. These inspirational speakers have suffered loss, sickness, and unbelievable hardships, but the one thing that got them through was their desire to win and their belief that they could.

Immerse yourself in their words of wisdom, and take that next step into your best life.

More on Motivation

• 8 Rituals to Cultivating True Self-Motivation That Lasts
• 10 Monday Morning Habits for a Successful Week
• Motivational Quotes

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Carson Daly gives heartfelt speech about his mental health journey: Watch now

On Oct. 10, 2023, Carson Daly hosted the inaugural gala for Project Healthy Minds, a non-profit focused on removing the stigma around mental health and helping people access resources. During the night, he gave a speech about his involvement with Project Healthy Minds and his own mental health journey. Below is the TODAY co-host's speech in full.

I do want to give a little context to my relationship to Project Healthy Minds and this whole movement here. I had sort of the privilege of being around when PHM, as we call it, was born. It was actually six years ago this month.

My friend Logic had performed his song at the VMAs in 2017. It was a song about somebody with depression calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. He did it on the VMAs. And I read an article about how just in the hours after the VMAs, the call skyrocketed to the hotline. It was up by 50%.

Right after that, I interviewed Logic and some guy named Phil Schermer (the CEO of Project Health Minds). Thats where they announced during the interview the birth of Project Healthy Minds.

And that’s when I decided that I didn’t just want to help promote them, I wanted to join them. I wanted to help in the fight.

I had my own mental health story to tell. And I said to Phil, "If you ever need me, let me know."

He called me 20 minutes later.

He said, "You're in." Signed me up on the spot, he’s very good at that. And in the three years since, I’ve watched him work his tail off with his group that are all here tonight. They are helping to change the narrative around mental health. That’s the mission of what we’re here to support tonight.

I want to just quickly share a little bit about my mental health story and how I became involved in the community. Before TikTok and Instagram, before Facebook, before all of that, there was "Total Request Live."

"TRL," if you don’t know, was television for a generation. It was where you went to interact with your favorite singers and celebrities. It’s how MTV brought small-town kids the world’s biggest stories. It’s where thousands of screaming teenagers tangled Times Square traffic every single day.

It was a safe space for young people. And I was a safe host. I was basically the babysitter for the latchkey kids of America.

It’s also where, one September day, I thought I was going to die.

I was in my dressing room and I could sense all the normal live buzz of the show before it went on. I could hear the crowd outside. I could hear horns honking, normal "Total Request" chaos, very usual.

Then something very unusual happened to me.

Out of nowhere in my dressing room, I felt what I can describe as a snap in my brain. My heart started to race and fear went through my body. It was like somebody cracked one of those cold compresses at a little league game and put it on my neck. I could see my producer talking to me in the doorway, totally normal expression on his face, saying something about Hanson, probably. I couldn’t hear him. It looked like he was talking in slo-mo. I was literally leaving reality. I thought, my God, I’m having a a stroke in front of Hanson. It passed in 30 seconds, but it felt like 30 minutes.

Somehow I was able to get through it. I did the show on autopilot. You know. Number six, here’s 98 degrees, just did my thing. But the whole time, beneath the surface, I was absolutely terrified that whatever had just happened to me, it could happen again at any moment.

So right after the show, I went to my doctor and I said, "I need help." He ran an entire battery of tests. I said, "Give it to me straight. Am I dying of cancer? What is it?" He was laughing. He said, "You’re 100% physically healthy." Bullshit. There’s no way. I felt my brain snap in the dressing room. 

And he said, "Your real problem is that your life is unmanageable. And what you had was called a panic attack."

I’ve never heard of a panic attack, much less considered it. What was the trigger of this panic attack? Was it Nick Lachey? I don’t know. As it turned out, the panic attack was a symptom. Stress and anxiety were the cause. I needed to slow down. I needed to make my unmanageable life manageable. 

So I fired my manager. Slowing down didn’t do the trick. I kept having panic attacks. If you’ve never had an intense fight or flight response, the urge to literally drop everything and run, it’s like an out-of-body experience. We call it derealization. Sometimes I can even see myself from above, like I was at Snoops house and he gave me the shit that killed Elvis. This was not an ideal way to live. 

I started thinking, what are the triggers for these panic attacks? How can I avoid them and eliminate them?

I had a panic attack in Aspen, Colorado. Fine. No more altitude for me.

Panic attack at midnight? Going to bed at 10.

Panic attack anywhere? Well, I guess it’s time to become a recluse and stay at home, like Howard Hughes. That’s where I was literally headed, full-blown agoraphobia. 

And that’s when I decided to take the single most important step in my mental health journey. It’s not riveting. So hold onto your seats. Ready for it? Here’s what I did. I took the wildest leap.

I opened up and I talked to a friend.

I did that. Rebel stuff, right? And he looked at me and he said, "Man, I know exactly what you’re talking about. I had those all through school growing up." And just hearing him say that was revelatory.

I was so happy to learn that I wasn’t the only one feeling this way. I wasn’t alone. He said I need to talk to a professional, not a doctor, a mental health professional. And again, this is something I did not know existed. I didn’t grow up with any of this. We didn’t talk about our mental health. It was, "Suck it up."

I found a therapist named Dr. Oakley, who is a director of psychology at UCLA. I liked his vibe. First session, Dr. Oakley says to me, "I want you to hyperventilate in this paper bag. And we’re going to induce the symptoms of a panic attack on purpose."

And I looked at him like he was the one who needed help. And I said, "You gotta be kidding me. Do you have any idea how hard I try to not have those? I almost had one in your parking lot and went home." But he was right. Exposure is important. Taking the time to be vulnerable and learn about yourself is important.

It was time to stop running and it was time to start working on myself.

And over the years, I put in the work to manage and ultimately admire my anxiety.

I learned that the brain can send these false alarms to your body telling you that there’s an imminent threat, like there’s a saber-toothed tiger on the stage about to rip my head off.

But that that doesn’t exist. It’s not actually true. I learned to manage it with a regiment that smart people helped me create: meditation, breathing, taking a cold plunge, focusing on working hard for my family and taking my meds, the prescribed kind, not the kind from Snoop. But ultimately, I came to accept that this is who I am.

And not only do I accept it. I’m stronger because of it.

That doesn’t mean I’m never going to have a panic attack again. The body can always trick the mind. I had one hosting "The Voice." Twelve million people watching. I felt the wave come over me live on NBC. Not a good time to lose your shit. Thought I was going to pass out.

So I just held on. Right hand clutching the microphone, smiling is what you see. Left hand in the pocket. I grabbed my left thigh so hard, I started to bleed. Thirty seconds is what it lasted. But again, it felt like an eternity. But I made it.

In fact, it was worried I was going to have a panic attack today with the duke and duchess or tonight, right here in front of all of you.

I may never cure my anxiety, sometimes it’s tough, but it’s more important that I had the bravery to share my story just in case. It helps somebody the way that my friend helped me.

I think there’s three chapters to the arc in our society of mental health. The first chapter was when mental health was considered something to keep hidden in the shadows. It was something to be ashamed of. That chapter, unfortunately, stretched for the entire history as a species.  

The second started a few decades ago when doctors and researchers did the hard work of changing what we know about science. Advocates did the hard work of changing the hearts and minds. Brave people, sometimes risking their own careers and their reputations, came forward to share their mental health struggles and each of them made it easier for 10 more of us to come forward.

And that brings us to the third chapter in the arc of mental health. And the reason that we’re all here tonight. Building a world where everyone knows that mental health isn’t something to hide from. But a journey to take openly and a journey where you’ll find support along the way. We have a lot of work to do. 

We have a lot of work to do. Sixty-five million Americans are going to experience a mental health condition this year. That’s four times the number of Americans that will be diagnosed with cancer. And it takes far too long to reach them.

I think about it this way: If you roll your ankle on a basketball court in a pickup game, how long does it take you to go to the urgent care to get a diagnosis? Ten minutes. However long it takes you to get there.

The time it takes between somebody experiencing their first mental health symptom and actually getting help is 11 years. Eleven years. And that’s an average. It takes a lot longer in poor communities marginalized communities, communities of color. The distance to access is further and the stigma is greater. 

And all of that is why we have to reach people earlier. We have to show them that they’re not alone.

There is everybody going through something that we cannot see. We have to convince people that grappling with your mental health does not make you weak learning about it, managing it, making it work for you, turning your vulnerability into your greatest strength. That’s what makes you strong.

Mental health is no longer the Scarlet A on our chest. It is the bright red 'S' on our chest. We’re superheroes. We’re the avengers of a galaxy, jocks and misfits, all with their own issues coming together to help people and who knows, maybe even save the world. 

That’s why we’re here tonight to celebrate our own journeys. But more importantly, to help others take their own to build a better world. And I am profoundly grateful to everybody here tonight for joining all of us at Project Healthy Minds in that mission. Thank you very much.

10 Famous Motivational Speeches You Need to Hear

• Carolyn Manion Kinnie
• April 1, 2024

Table of Contents

At The Speaker Lab, we’re dedicated to helping you launch and scale your speaking business. Since we’re dedicated to helping speaking professionals succeed, it stands to reason that we have a few favorite examples of our own! Today, we want to share some of the motivational speeches that our team thinks are most worth the listen. While you can find hundreds of inspirational talks on the internet, we think there’s something really special about these ten talks. Whether you want to be a speaker yourself or just need a mood boost, each of these examples is sure to leave you ample fuel for motivation and reflection! 

Topics of the speeches we cover today range from psychology and relationships, to goal-setting and growth, to effective leadership, to personal stories that carry weighty lessons. For each speech, we’ll include some insights into what really sets these talks apart. We also highly recommend setting some time aside to give each on its own and form your own opinions! Let’s dive into some of these amazing motivational speeches so you can see (or hear!) for yourself why we love them so much. 

1. Brené Brown: The Power of Vulnerability

We’re going to start with almost a too-obvious choice. You will see Brené Brown’s name pop up on just about any  list of important motivational speeches. And with good reason! This 2011 TED talk isn’t just one of the most-watched TED talks of all time. It’s an incredible investigation into the roles that connection, shame and vulnerability play in human relationships. It’s also an eye-opening exploration into why we all tend to shrink from vulnerability and what could happen if we flipped the script. And from a purely public speaking standpoint, it’s a great display of Brown’s wit and charisma. If you struggle with vulnerability in your own life or are trying to understand why a loved one keeps shutting you out, Brown’s short but impactful talk might have some answers for you. 

We covered this motivational speech in our recent article about pathos because Brown is a master of emotional connection. She backs up her argument with ample academic research, but connects her message to real, relatable experiences throughout. As she narrates her own experiences in a therapist’s office, she invites the audience to walk through those experiences with her. Making psychological research accessible to the masses is no easy feat, but Brown manages to do it with storytelling and humor. Her greatest lesson, perhaps, comes in how vulnerability can teach how to treat ourselves kindly.

“Our job is to look and say, “You know what? You’re imperfect, and you’re wired for struggle, but you are worthy of love and belonging.”

2. Simon Sinek: “How great leaders inspire action”

Simon Sinek is a world-renowned author and speaker with an incredible knack for delivering profound and easily intelligible advice on leadership, business, and success. He has written several books and delivered many motivational speeches. His TED talk “How Great Leaders Inspire Action,” which grew out of his first book, is perhaps the most well-known. Similarly to Brown’s speech, we think no list of the best motivational speeches would be complete without it. In short, it’s an analysis of how people like Steve Jobs and Martin Luther King Jr., and the Wright Brothers managed to accomplish amazing, unheard of things. Sinek theorizes that there is a unique way that great leaders communicate, and that’s how they get things done. 

If you’re a leader but don’t understand why your marketing and sales fall flat, or if you long to start a company but don’t know how to tap into what makes people excited about a business, Sinek has wisdom to share for you. His speech is for you if you’ll ever be in a leadership position or struggle to pinpoint your professional mission. And if you’re curious about why people trust certain political leaders and not others, you’ll want to listen to this speech. Sinek is a master of words and he distills a lot of fascinating information into simple stories and lessons about innovation and leadership. Give this one a listen to get fired up about what you believe and how you can make an impact with those beliefs. 

“ People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it. The goal is not to do business with everybody who needs what you have. The goal is to do business with people who believe what you believe.

3. Steve Jobs: Stanford Commencement speech  

Commencement addresses can be hit or miss. Sometimes they fill graduating seniors with energy and inspiration for the life ahead, other times they get a few laughs and more than a few yawns. Even celebrities and business leaders aren’t always up to the task of sending young adults off into the world. But in 2005 at Stanford University, Steve Jobs not only rose to the task, but outstripped expectations by delivering an iconic motivational speech that today is the most-watched commencement speech on YouTube. 

If you’ve been around The Speaker Lab for a while, you know we’re big fans of storytelling . Steve Jobs illustrates our favorite speaking strategy by structuring his remarks as three stories. The first: his experience as a college dropout and how it paved the path to his future. The second: his expulsion from Apple that allowed him to found Pixar and meet his wife, among other endeavors. And finally: his first brush with cancer and the second chance at life he was provided. While the last story rings differently in light of Jobs’s death in 2011, the wisdom he draws from the twists and turns of his life is applicable to far more than college seniors. 

The lessons of Jobs’s commencement address are myriad, and it’s a speech you’ll keep coming back to at different points in your life. Fortunately he summed them up himself:

“ Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” 

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4. Randy Pausch: “The Last Lecture: Really Achieving your Childhood Dreams”

Randy Pausch was a pioneer in software and virtual reality development and a longtime professor at Carnegie Mellon University. In his 40s, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given just a few months to live. He delivered a final lecture as part of a series where academics were asked to give a talk on a topic that was deeply important to them–and he spoke about his childhood dreams.

Pausch showed his cancer scans at the start of his presentation, letting his audience sit with the reality of his terminal diagnosis. But his regular jokes (including onstage pushups) lightened the mood and allowed his audience to embark on a journey following his personal and professional ambitions. His lecture became a viral motivational speech and even landed him an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show a few weeks later.

Everybody has childhood dreams. Some people don’t accomplish them, but few forget them. Pausch’s lecture testifies to how having those big dreams can bear great fruit in your personal and professional life. He also provides great examples from his own journey of how going the extra mile–even if it seems crazy–can help you achieve those dreams. This is a long speech, but we encourage you to listen (or read ) in full because it’s so full of inspiration. But in the meantime, here are a few of our favorite lines: 

“Never lose the childlike wonder. It’s just too important. It’s what drives us.” 

“Remember, brick walls let us show our dedication. They are there to separate us from the people who don’t really want to achieve their childhood dreams. Don’t bail. The best of the gold is at the bottom of barrels of crap.”

5. Kelly McGonigal: “ How to make stress your friend “

Stress is something we all deal with, sometimes to an overwhelming degree. Many people try every possible hack to eliminate stress for their lives or live in fear of it. But what if we treated stress as something helpful–or even as a friend? What if we trusted ourselves to cope appropriately with stress rather than letting it ruin our lives? That’s what health psychologist Kelly McGonigal explores in this viral TED talk. 

Challenging the common parlance of stress as the bogeyman is no small task. McGonigal backs up her research with several studies to show that while stress can have deleterious effects on health, it doesn’t have to. She also undertakes some of our favorite tactics here at The Speaker Lab by interacting with her audience to further engage them. While a pop quiz from the stage probably wasn’t on their bingo cards, her in person audience members got a real-time taste of the “social stress test.” (To fully appreciate McGonigal’s point, we recommend pretending you’re in the auditorium with her and attempting to perform what she commands.) Then, she walks her audience through the stress reaction they just experienced and explains how, equipped with new strategies for leveraging stress, they could use that same reaction to approach the situation constructively.  

McGonigal’s research, which has also been published in book form, is not without controversy in the psychology space. But in an ever increasingly stressed out society, her talk could be the motivational speech you need to tackle your stressors head-on. The best part? Turning to the communities around you during stressful events can help you rather than drain you! As McGonigal says:

“People who spent time caring for others showed absolutely no stress-related increase in dying. Zero. Caring created resilience.”

6. Carol Dweck: “The power of believing that you can improve ” 

You’ve probably heard the term “growth mindset” thrown around in the professional and educational space. But do you know who coined it? Carol Dweck is a Stanford psychologist who researches the impact of mindset on how we approach failure and success. She has studied how believing in one’s ability to learn and improve can radically affect our reaction to challenges. Her research claims that by focusing on effort and strategy, we can help students expand their minds and overcome barriers by having a “growth mindset” rather than a “fixed mindset.” 

While her research focuses on students, her TED talk discusses principles with universal application, such as the profound impact of believing we can change for the better. She also explores ideas for constructive communication with the next generation to set them up for success. Do you feel limited by externally applied standards? Have you been put in a box your whole life that you struggle to break out of? Do you throw in the towel easily because you feel that you just can’t win? Dweck’s motivational speech might give you more confidence in your abilities. Our favorite line?

“…praising the process that kids engage in, their effort, their strategies, their focus, their perseverance, their improvement. This process praise creates kids who are hardy and resilient.”

7. Malala Yousafzai: “16th birthday speech at the United Nations”  

Malala Yousafzai is the world’s youngest Nobel laureate and one of the best known human rights advocates of her generation. Her speech before the U.N. in 2014 is a passionate appeal for setting worldwide injustices right. From her harrowing story of being shot in the head, to her advancement of nonviolence, this motivational speech is a moving reminder of how much work each and every one of us can do to lift the burden of the oppressed. 

Though her audience at the time of the speech was a group of world leaders, we can all learn a lot from Malala that applies to our own lives. In addition to her stirring personal story, she lays out a variety of action items that we can all undertake in our communities to lay a foundation for justice. Furthermore, she emphasizes how education and tolerance rather than violence and politics can help win the fight against terrorism. If you ever feel at a loss for what you can do to change the word, Malala is the motivator you need. This speech is also a great model for using your personal story and character or ethos to persuade your audience, which we cover here .

“Dear sisters and brothers, we realise the importance of light when we see darkness. We realise the importance of our voice when we are silenced.”

“One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world.”

8. Joel Osteen: “The power of I am”

Oprah described this sermon by pastor Joel Osteen as life-changing, and you might find it so too! Osteen is a clergyman, but many of his sermons are functionally motivational speeches that can inspire your life regardless of whether you’re religious or not. “The Power of I Am” is about how excessive negativity can control our lives. Osteen argues that when we say “I am ______,” we’re inviting whatever that is into our lives. If we repeatedly say “I am” statements followed by something negative or something we hate about ourselves, we are just digging ourselves deeper into that hole. 

Osteen’s words are badly needed in a world where the internet encourages negative comparison and loneliness is epidemic. He uses examples from Scripture and from his own life to show how talking yourself down becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. This is something we all experience at some point! You mess up, say “I’m an idiot,” and for the rest of the day your idiocy, clumsiness, or incompetence suddenly seems like the most noticeable thing about you. Or maybe an authority figure once identified you with your failures and you internalized it for years and years. Osteen’s sermon is an amazing call to do better. We can carry ourselves with confidence, not pride, and disconnect our flaws from our sense of self. 

“My encouragement is never say negative things about yourself. Most of us would never go up to another person, at least to their face and criticize them yet we have no problems criticizing ourselves. “I am so slow. I am so unattractive. I am so undisciplined”. That is cursing your future. Do yourself a favor and zip that up. We have enough in life against us already. Don’t be against yourself.”

9. Nicole Walters: “Why Excuses Are the #1 Thing Keeping You From Your Goals”  

Nicole Walters is an incredible entrepreneur and businesswoman who quit her successful corporate career to start her own company when she realized her blog was generating her significant passive income. This keynote from a conference for online creators outlines how she managed to do it all…with blood, sweat, tears, and no excuses! 

While Nicole dishes out amazing strategies for building your business and avoiding excuses, this is also an incredible example of how to give a great motivational speech. Our founder Grant Baldwin even did an analysis of her professional speaking performance here . Nicole uses humor, storytelling, and credible examples from her career to show how to avoid excuses and maintain sustainable innovation as you build your personal brand . If you want to start a business or expand your content creation but struggle with ambition and motivation, Nicole is your girl.

Get ready for some hard truths and a lot of humility, because it’s not easy! You can hear even more of her tips on our podcast here . She also came on our podcast for a conversation about race in the speaking industry , sharing her experience as a black woman who speaks professionally. This is a must listen if you’re interested in DEI and how the speaking industry can improve its diversity and inclusivity. 

Nicole is an abundant source of amazing one-liners and truth bombs. Here are two of our favorites to finish off: 

“Excuses are tools of incompetence. Those who specialize in them, are seldom good at anything else.”

“You’re not Kim Kardashian.” 

“Automate systems, not relationships.” 

What Type Of Speaker Are You?

Click below to discover your Speaker Archetype and how to start getting booked and paid to speak!

10. William Faulkner: Banquet Speech  

For our final must-listen motivational speech, we’re heading back in time. William Faulkner delivered this speech when he received the 1949 Nobel Prize in Literature. The threat of nuclear war hung heavy at the time Faulkner received the award. Faulkner himself eschewed the acclaim and reward that his talent deserved. His speech is a testament to the immortality of art and literature. His words elegantly express how art and literature can help humanity survive beyond dark times. 

Especially in an age of AI, media cycles, and overwhelming access to information, a reminder of the power and importance of art is badly needed. Faulkner’s speech is short, but it’s extremely moving. Every sentence drips with the weight of writers and artists who went before him, carrying humanity through crises and catastrophes and helping rebuild and process their wake. Faulkner himself says it best: 

“I believe that man will not merely endure: he will prevail. He is immortal, not because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice, but because he has a soul, a spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance. The poet’s, the writer’s, duty is to write about these things. It is his privilege to help man endure by lifting his heart, by reminding him of the courage and honor and hope and pride and compassion and pity and sacrifice which have been the glory of his past. The poet’s voice need not merely be the record of man, it can be one of the props, the pillars to help him endure and prevail.”

Mastering how to deliver a great motivational speech is no easy task. We think these paragons of motivational speaking deserve special attention for their mastery and inspiration! And having a solid list of inspirational content to fall back on when you’re feeling down, bewildered, or uninspired is always a good idea.  If you want to become a motivational speaker yourself , taking inspiration from these great talks will help you find your own voice in the speaking industry. ( We can help too! ) 

• Last Updated: April 4, 2024

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Speeches > Carl L. Hanson > Something About Mental Health

Something About Mental Health

Carl l. hanson.

BYU Professor of Public Health

July 26, 2022

I kind of like listening to country music occasionally. Some members of my family believe there are only two types of music: country and western. The other day I was cruising home from work, and a country song by Keith Urban called “Say Something” came on. Basically, the song reminds us that our words have power and encourages us to say something.

That song helped motivate me—a public health guy—to say something about mental health. My interest in mental health as a public health issue began when I was young. I grew up in a law enforcement family, and my late father was a captain in the Oregon State Police Department. Throughout his career, he responded to countless situations related to mental health issues, including substance abuse disorders. Even when he was off duty it was difficult for him to get away from these situations. While it may not have been in best practice, I have childhood memories of being in the back seat of the family station wagon as it took off in hot pursuit of drivers under the influence. Experiences such as these later caused me to wonder about the root causes of mental health issues.

I tried my hand at law enforcement, but my attempt was short-lived. My six-foot-two, 150-pound frame didn’t quite match my father’s six-foot-four, 250-pound frame. I was pretty scrawny. So I chose to come to BYU after a mission, pursue my goals as a student athlete, and study psychology.

Now, getting a job with an undergraduate degree in psychology? That was a bit tougher. Since I still had athletic eligibility to compete another year after I had graduated, I consulted with beloved BYU mentor and track coach Sherald James, who was also teaching classes in the Department of Health Science at the time. As a consummate builder and lifter of people, he encouraged me to combine my interest in psychology with a master’s degree in health science while using my last year of athletic eligibility.

Well, the rest is history. I worked through the BYU master’s program, completed a mental-health related thesis, published my first academic paper on mind/body health, and went on for a PhD.

My purpose today is to encourage us all to “say something” and “know something” more about mental health so that we can all “be something” more and achieve optimal mental health.

Say Something

To say something about mental health, we need to first say something about mental illness. The terms mental illness and mental health are often used interchangeably. Mental illness, also known as mental disorder, refers to “any condition characterized by cognitive and emotional disturbances, abnormal behaviors, impaired functioning, or any combination of these.” 1 There aren’t medical tests for mental illnesses like there are for physical illnesses such as diabetes and cancer. Trained mental health professionals use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) or the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) to make a diagnosis. These tools identify various symptoms that, if experienced over time, indicate a mental disorder. Having open conversations about mental illness can help reduce the stigma or negative perceptions applied to individuals who struggle with mental illness.

Individuals with mental illness are not alone in their condition. Epidemiological data from public health statistics show that in the United States, one in five adults aged eighteen or older report having a mental illness, and more than 5 percent of adults in that age group report that it was serious enough to disrupt major life events. 2 Three-fourths of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by the age of twenty-four, 3 making the traditional college years a particularly vulnerable time—and the situation is getting worse. Symptoms of depression among college students in the U.S. increased 135 percent in the last nine years. 4 Major depression—one of the most common mental disorders in the U.S.—is highest among young adults aged eighteen to twenty-five. 5 Similarly, the number of U.S. college students with symptoms of anxiety increased by 110 percent. 6

Are BYU students immune from these disorders? National data on young adult major depression closely aligns with the burden of this illness among BYU students. According to research conducted on campus by my colleagues and me, one out of five students (20 percent) reported experiencing clinical depression, with nearly one out of three (32 percent) experiencing moderately severe or severe anxiety. 7

Individuals living with mental illness need treatment services. However, more than half of adults with mental illnesses in the U.S. receive no treatment. 8 There are likely two reasons for this: (1) a lack of access to mental healthcare due to lack of insurance, fewer provider options, and cost of care 9 and (2) a personal choice not to utilize available services because of the stigma related to obtaining treatment. 10 We still have much to do to increase access to care and to reduce the stigma so that seeking treatment for these disorders is as normal as seeking treatment for physical health conditions. We must also be careful not to contribute to the stigma, especially since we tend to unfairly link violence with mental illness. While it is estimated that one in every five police calls involves some type of mental health or substance abuse crisis, 11 most violent crime in this country is not committed by individuals with mental illness. 12

Although suicide itself is not a mental disorder, mental disorders are one of the most prevalent causes of suicide. A total of 60 percent of individuals who die by suicide have a mental illness such as major depression. 13 Recent statistics found that Utah averages 657 suicides a year and had the sixth-highest suicide rate in the U.S. in 2019. 14 Think about that for a minute. I recently flew on a regional passenger jet that held seventy-five people. The number of people who die from suicide each year in Utah is equivalent to nearly nine of those planes crashing every year in this state! That would make headlines. In Utah, suicide is the leading cause of death for adolescents and young adults. 15 Suicidal ideation in college students has increased 64 percent since 2013. 16

For those in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, help is immediately available through several incredible resources. As of July 16 of this year, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be accessed 24/7 in every U.S. state by dialing 988. Additionally, the state of Utah offers the SafeUT app, which provides real-time crisis intervention for students, parents, guardians, and educators through a live chat and confidential tip line. BYU Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers some of the best psychological services in the country, with more than thirty-two full-time counselors who stand ready to assist students in crisis with no appointment needed. You can walk in during business hours or reach a trained professional after hours. We can all do our part to prevent suicide by becoming QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) trained. Offered on campus through CAPS, this hour-long best practice training helps you recognize the signs and symptoms of suicidal thoughts and understand how to help someone who is struggling.

Now, mental illness is not the same thing as mental health: “Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.” 17 It is a state of well-being that allows for positive human development and for becoming our best selves. For Aristotle and the ancient Greeks, a state of well-being was referred to as “wisdom” and was rooted in the idea of eudaimonia—living life well and consistent with one’s values. 18 Modern psychologists discuss well-being—or optimal mental health—slightly differently, depending on their perspectives. For example, humanist psychologists such as Abraham H. Maslow refer to this state of well-being as “self-actualization.” 19 Positive psychologists such as researcher Corey L. M. Keyes refer to it as “flourishing.” 20 Flourishing is the notion that individuals achieve higher levels of well-being by focusing not only on eudaemonic components such as developing meaning, purpose, and strong relationships in life but also on hedonic components such as experiencing positive emotions. Flourishing is a state of optimal mental health, and “people who flourish not only feel good but also do good: they experience positive emotions regularly, excel in their daily lives, and contribute to the world around them in constructive ways.” 21

Interestingly, Dr. Keyes noticed that many individuals who were not flourishing lacked a mental illness diagnosis. 22 He called this state of poor mental well-being without a mental illness diagnosis “languishing” 23 and found that these individuals tended to lack a sense of purpose and struggled to enjoy life’s simple pleasures or to be positive about life. They tended to experience a general feeling of “blah.” These findings helped change our assumption that mental health was simply the opposite or absence of mental illness. It is not! Mental health is not simply the opposite of mental illness. Dr. Keyes helped us realize that mental health exists on its own continuum, and we can flourish and achieve optimal mental health or languish in poor mental health whether we have been diagnosed with a mental disorder or not. 24 I would like to emphasize that: we can achieve optimal mental health and flourish whether we have been diagnosed with a mental disorder or not. This should be empowering to all of us.

The idea of languishing may sound a bit familiar and could explain many people’s personal experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic we were exposed to endless sources of information and misinformation, which often heightened our anxieties. The World Health Organization (WHO) referred to this phenomenon as an “infodemic.” 25 In addition, our regular routines were impacted as we were socially distanced, isolated from each other, quarantined, and forced into online learning. Many of us also lost jobs or mourned for those who had died from the virus. Over time, the cumulative effects of the pandemic may have left you feeling emotionally fatigued or just blah! But why should we worry about languishing? Because individuals who languish are significantly more likely to develop a mental illness. 26

Know Something

Saying something isn’t always enough. Knowing something more about the root causes of mental health challenges is critical to developing solutions and achieving optimal mental health.

One thing to know at the outset is that mental illnesses are not the result of sin. During the Savior’s ministry, His disciples wondered about the affliction of a particular blind man. They asked:

Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 27

It is a mistake to equate mental illness with sin.

Indeed, the root causes of mental health challenges, whether mental illness or languishing, are complex. In a 2015 study, Andrea K. Wittenborn and her colleagues reviewed the literature on the root causes of major depression and used a systems-thinking perspective to illustrate the complex interaction between the biological, environmental, behavioral, and social factors that contribute to the illness. Their causal loop diagram shows almost fifty different steps that loop around to different pathways and lead to different behaviors and effects. Their detailed diagram speaks to the complexity of mental health challenges. 28

To make sense of the complexity, root causes for mental health challenges are often organized into risk and protective factor frameworks that practitioners then use to address the challenges. Risk factors increase the likelihood of an individual experiencing the problem. Protective factors mitigate risk and are often simply the opposite of the risk factor. For example, if having very few friends is a risk factor, then having good peer relationships is a protective one. Risk and protective factors are distinct across ecological levels. This is because our thoughts, attitudes, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the environments in which we associate. Ecological levels in which individuals are nested include peer groups, families, communities, and institutions such as school and work.

Some of the more common risk and protective factor frameworks have been developed by organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 30 and the American Mental Wellness Association. 31 Using work my colleagues and I have done here at BYU, I would like to highlight a few of these risk factors, including perfectionism, life stressors, poor coping skills, adverse childhood experiences, and bullying.

One particularly concerning risk factor for college students, especially students here, is having a perfectionistic attitude. Perfectionism is refusing to accept any standard less than flawless. Using the multidimensional perfectionism scale, 32 we asked BYU students how they felt about several statements, including “If someone does a task at school better than me, then I feel like I failed at the whole task”; “The fewer mistakes I make, the more people will like me”; and “Other people seem to accept lower standards from themselves than I do.” The highest possible score for perfectionism using this scale is 40, and our findings revealed that the average score for BYU students was 27! Furthermore, we found a significant correlation between perfectionism scores and mental health outcomes. For example, a perfectionism score of 30 was associated with symptoms of clinical depression and clinical anxiety among students, and we found that depression and anxiety increase as perfectionism scores increase. 33

An additional risk factor associated with mental health challenges is our exposure to stressors at each ecological level and our ability to deal with those stressors. “Stress,” as defined many years ago by Hans Selye, “is the nonspecific response of the body to any demand made upon it.” 34 Stressors are those demands that trigger an automatic physiological fight or flight response, which feels like someone just stepped on your internal gas pedal. Because our bodies strive for balance or homeostasis, a part of our nervous system acts as the brake pedal to bring our body systems back to normal when the threat subsides. However, what happens when exposure to stressors continues over time—or, maybe even worse, when we anticipate and worry about stressors even when there is no immediate danger? Robert M. Sapolsky, author of Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, noted that “when we consider ourselves and our human propensity to worry ourselves sick, we have to expand on the notion of stressors merely being things that knock you out of homeostatic balance.” 35

The stressors we face are significantly different than those that zebras face. Not only do our stressors lead us to develop ulcers, but they are also the root cause of many other physical and mental disorders. A growing body of research is recognizing the power that chronic stressors have to disrupt the immune system, causing inflammation throughout the body that can lead to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers, and depression. 36 Chronic stressors include poverty, neighborhood violence, or environmental changes as well as everyday hassles. Stressors can also involve early life stressors such as adverse childhood experiences or trauma. While a certain level of stress can be beneficial, enhancing immune function 37 and improving performance, 38 the accumulation of chronic stressors and traumatic life events lead to what researchers refer to as allostatic load, 39 or wear and tear on the body and the mind.

My colleagues and I asked BYU students what stressful life events they have been exposed to during the past year. The options ranged from daily hassles such as getting a speeding ticket to more serious stressors such as the death of a parent or a close friend. In our analysis, more serious stressors were weighted higher than daily hassles. For BYU students, the most common stressors were an increase in workload at school, a change in social relationships, and a change in eating habits. Interestingly, BYU students with the highest number of stressful events were freshmen, married students, and students in committed relationships. These groups of students may need extra support in managing stressors. In our findings with perfectionism, there exists a correlation between a high number of stressful life events students were exposed to and elevated symptoms of clinical depression and anxiety. 40

We have also studied the impact of early life experiences on mental health outcomes among college students. Our results showed that the more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) college students have been exposed to, the more likely students are to have difficulties coping with stress, to be languishing, and to experience depression and anxiety symptoms. 41 ACEs include abuse, neglect, and household challenges such as substance abuse, mental illness, suicidal thoughts and behavior, divorce, incarceration, and domestic violence. Being exposed to these stressors as children impacts our mental health and physical health later in life. As a result, we should do all in our power to prevent children’s exposure to trauma. In a general conference address, Elder Patrick Kearon stated that “there is no place for any kind of abuse—physical, sexual, emotional, or verbal—in any home, any country, or any culture.” 42

If you are now worrying about the ACEs in your life, there is more to this story. In our study we also found that students exposed to positive childhood experiences (PCEs) were protected against depression and anxiety symptoms later in life, even when they had also been exposed to ACEs. We found that PCEs lead to an increased ability to cope with stressors, increased flourishing, and ultimately better mental health. Positive childhood experiences include having one good childhood friend, having good neighbors, enjoying school, having regular family meals, and having beliefs that give comfort. Our study demonstrates that while ACEs can weaken college students’ ability to cope, PCEs can increase resilience, promote flourishing, and ultimately reduce symptoms of mental illness. 43

Through the multidisciplinary Computational Health Science Research Lab at BYU, my colleagues and I recently explored the impact of hundreds of possible risk factors on adolescent mental health. Using a machine learning approach to analyze the risk-factor data of some 179,000 high school students in Utah across all ecological levels, we were able to predict with 91 percent accuracy suicidal thought and behavior among this adolescent population. 44 Our findings revealed that the most highly associated risk factors with suicidal thought and behavior were

(1) being threatened or harassed through social media,

(2) being bullied on school grounds,

(3) being in a family that has serious arguments,

(4) being in a family that argues regularly, and

(5) being in a family that frequently insults and yells. 45

Additional interesting findings include the fact that suicidal thought and behavior increased with age (sixth grade through twelfth grade), was more common among females, and was 73 percent more likely if there was not a father in the home. 46 The major findings of this study speak not only to the incredible negative impact that our relationships can have on our mental health but also to the potential positive and protective impact our relationships can have on our mental health.

Our findings from these studies and others are contributing to a growing body of literature on the many risk and protective factors related to mental health. Much of this work points to the powerful influence of our experiences and our interactions with others in settings such as home, school, and communities.

Be Something

Saying something and knowing something about mental health isn’t always enough. To achieve optimal mental health—to be our best selves and to flourish—we must “be something” as well. Because many of the risk and protective factors associated with mental health are addressed by living a wellness lifestyle in an environmental context that supports wellness, I invite us all to be something more by being “wellness wise,” 47 personally and institutionally.

Being wellness wise is an idea hatched here at BYU. It means we recognize that wellness is a personal opportunity and an institutional responsibility. It also means we recognize that wellness is embedded in the very fabric of the mission of this institution. From our mission statement, you might recall that BYU exists “to assist individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life” with the expectation that “all instruction, programs, and services at BYU, including a wide variety of extracurricular experiences, should make their own contribution toward the balanced development of the total person” in order that “such a broadly prepared individual will not only be capable of meeting personal challenge and change but will also bring strength to others in the tasks of home and family life, social relationships, civic duty, and service to mankind.” 48 If we look at it closely, we see that our mission statement makes wellness—and thus optimal mental health—everyone’s business!

Whole-Person Opportunity

Dr. Barbara D. Lockhart and Dr. Ronald L. Hager from the BYU Department of Exercise Science have defined wellness as “a dynamic state of our being characterized by the balance and integration of our whole physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social self.” 49 There are many other definitions of wellness, but Dr. Lockhart and Dr. Hager essentially speak to a personal, active pursuit of a balanced lifestyle. This is what makes wellness a personal or whole-person opportunity. The ideas of active pursuit and balance are referenced in two parts of the BYU mission: the “quest for perfection and eternal life” and “the balanced development of the total person.”

Focus on the Quest

When we consider the “quest for perfection and eternal life,” I know that sometimes the word perfection can freak us out a bit. We learned today that many students on campus are focused too much on perfection, which is associated with greater mental health challenges. Being wellness wise means that rather than focusing on achieving perfection in the here and now, we will focus on the quest for perfection and eternal life. The quest, the pursuit, or the journey toward perfection is about striving and growing to be our best possible selves. It is about knowing that during this quest, we are going to experience challenges, setbacks, and possibly even failure on occasion—no matter how righteous we think we are or how perfectly we live the gospel. President Kevin J Worthen has said:

Failing is an essential part of the mortal phase of our quest for perfection. We don’t often think of it that way, but that is only because we tend to focus too much on the word perfection and not enough on the word quest when we read the mission statement. Failure is an inevitable part of the quest. In our quest for perfection, how we respond when we fail will ultimately determine how well we will succeed. 50

Being a runner, I love the recent success story of freshman Sebastian Fernandez, who came to BYU last fall after having some success as a middle-distance runner in high school. He tried out for the BYU track team in hopes of being a walk-on but ultimately didn’t make the team. Sebastian didn’t let this failure derail his goals. He continued to train with the so-called farm team, a group of other BYU track and field student athletes who weren’t ready for the competition team.

Sebastian commented, “Having that experience of failure helped me realize that nothing is going to be given to me. I have to work hard to earn everything.” 51

By focusing on the quest and having a never-give-up attitude in the face of failure, Sebastian not only made the team this past spring but also broke the all-time facility record at the Robison Track and Field Complex by running the 800-meter race in one minute and forty-seven seconds. That mark ranked fifth on the all-time list here at BYU, propelling Sebastian into the regional meet, in which he qualified for nationals.

Did I mention that he was a freshman who didn’t make the team last fall as a walk-on? Sebastian is a great example of one who stayed focused on the quest.

Focus on Balance and Growth

Consider the phrase “the balanced development of the total person” in BYU’s mission statement. This refers to the even distribution of our efforts to grow in each of the areas that make up the total person. Several years ago, I lost one of the balancing weights on the wheel of my vehicle on my way into work. It made for a very bumpy ride that day. Similarly, if we neglect or exaggerate any of the important domain areas that make us whole and well, we will be out of balance, and our ride through life will be bumpier.

Some of the areas that make up the total person should be familiar to you, as they are the foundation of the Children and Youth program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and are based on the scriptural statement “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” 52 Surely these important areas of intellectual, physical, spiritual, and social growth should be pursued throughout our lives, not just during our youth. Being wellness wise as individuals means we continue striving for balanced growth and development in these important areas throughout our lives. Because they are very important to college student wellness, emotional and financial wellness are also considered part of being wellness wise at BYU. These six wellness-wise domain areas are not mutually exclusive; they overlap as important parts of the whole person. But viewing and discussing them separately provides a way for each of us to evaluate how balanced we are and where we might need to improve. Let’s consider each of these six important domain areas and what BYU Wellness Wise professionals recommend:

1. Spiritual . Spiritual wellness means we believe in Heavenly Father, connect with Him, and live our lives in a way that bring us closer to Him. W. Justin Dyer, a BYU associate professor of Church history and doctrine and wellness-wise pro, reminds us that the Lord has said, “Be still, and know that I am God” and “The Lord of hosts is with us.” 53

First, Dr. Dyer recommends that you believe God loves you and can lift you higher. Dr. Dyer also encourages you to remember that God loves you through your struggles and will help you take steps forward.

Second, find moments and methods to feel God’s love. Our busy schedules tend to push us away from quiet moments, but Dr. Dyer notes that quiet moments are essential for us to feel connected with God. If you are struggling to feel the connection, try something new, such as searching the scriptures and words of the prophets for ways that allow you to better feel God’s love.

Third, dive into your religious community in order to show your love for God and for your neighbor as well as to receive and give much-needed support. If you are struggling to connect in your ward, Dr. Dyer pleads that you do not give up. Seek ways to uplift others in your ward; your unique gifts are needed.

2. Social . Social wellness means we establish positive relationships with others. Having a strong social support system is important for emotional wellness because it can help us cope with and bounce back from challenges. Angela Blomquist, director of the Student Connection and Leadership Center and wellness-wise pro, notes that we are all social by nature.

First, she recommends that you create lasting connections by participating in events, activities, and programs in the campus community. She notes that volunteering is also a great way to gain a higher sense of purpose, build social skills, and increase self-esteem.

Second, foster belonging by embracing diversity, ensuring equity, and practicing inclusion. Angela promises that as you do so, hearts and minds will be enriched.

Third, cultivate communication skills to become a better friend, student, employee, and leader. This may require limiting digital communication and prioritizing face-to-face conversation in which effective communication and active listening can be practiced.

3. Physical . Physical wellness means we balance sleep, physical activity, and nutrition and also practice safe behaviors. Nathan M. Ormsby, director of BYU Student Wellness and wellness-wise pro, loves this President Ezra Taft Benson quote: “With good health, all other activities of life are greatly enhanced.” 54

First, Nathan recommends that you exercise routinely. The benefits of exercise are indisputable, and he says the key to sticking to an exercise routine is simply finding an activity you like to do.

Second, prioritize sleep. Your body craves a regular routine when it comes to sleep. Striving for eight hours of sleep a night is a good goal—but staying up until 3 a.m. and sleeping until noon will leave the body unprepared for bed by 10 p.m. the next night. Routine sleep is necessary for mental function and mental health.

Third, eat well. The body likes regularly eating healthy foods such as vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and whole grains. Healthy foods support brain function, body function, and mental health.

4. Intellectual . Intellectual wellness means we expand our knowledge, skills, and creative abilities. Chip Oscarson, associate dean of undergraduate education and wellness-wise pro, believes that the more we learn, the more we see the connections between the sacred and the secular. Dr. Oscarson has several tips for intellectual wellness.

First, be curious. Do not limit your education by memorizing facts and solely focusing on a profession or material gain. Curiosity is the active part of our learning that demands our agency.

Second, be a good listener and humbly withhold judgment. Truth may be more expansive than what we currently imagine.

Third, ask good questions. Good questions can help you understand truth in more than one dimension.

Fourth, Dr. Oscarson recommends that you discern with the Spirit. The Spirit is given to help us stay balanced and understand how all truth fits together.

5. Financial . Financial wellness means we properly manage our monetary assets. Failure to manage these assets can be a large source of stress. Paul R. Conrad, manager of the BYU Financial Fitness Center and wellness-wise pro, has warned that sustained financial distress may cause us to feel anxious, helpless, and vulnerable. Learning to wisely manage financial resources creates feelings of confidence and peace. Paul has several tips for financial wellness.

First, consider your blessings. You can make yourself miserable when you compare your life with the lives of others. Considering your blessings can help you avoid the feelings of envy, jealousy, and bitterness that lead to discouragement and hopelessness.

Second, find a budgeting method that works for you. Using time while at the university to test, adopt, and refine a budgeting method will help you be more intentional and confident in your spending.

Third, find ways to meet your needs less expensively by aligning your spending with your values and goals. Doing so will help you gain a greater sense of purpose and control.

Fourth, plan for the unexpected. Even small, unexpected problems can be disruptive and stressful. Planning can help you prevent stress and avoid expensive credit-card charges.

6. Emotional . Emotional wellness means we can cope with both positive and negative emotions while learning and growing from emotional experiences. Klint Hobbs, counselor for CAPS and wellness-wise pro, reminds us that “emotions are interwoven with every aspect of wellness, and managing our emotions effectively enables us to be healthy, kind, and compassionate.”

First, be compassionate with yourself, see yourself as a work in progress, and resist the urge to feel threatened when you don’t do as well as you wanted to in school or in other activities. Dr. Hobbs recommends giving yourself the same grace you would give to a good friend who might be struggling.

Second, avoid putting off difficult tasks or things that make you anxious. For example, you may have a tendency to avoid responsibilities by binge-watching episodes of your favorite TV series. This avoidant behavior may bring temporary relief, but leaning into whatever is making you anxious can cause anxiety to go away.

Third, connect with others. This social well-being skill can reduce mental health challenges and improve self-esteem. Sacrificing social time, even for academics, puts mental health at risk.

Fourth, seek balance and avoid going to extremes, even in positive activities. Dr. Hobbs points out that salad is good for you, but if you only ever ate salad, your body would be missing out on vital nutrients from other foods. Similarly, if all you ever do is study with no breaks for other activities you enjoy, you are headed for burnout.

Truthfully, it may be difficult to balance these domains every single day. There will be times when we need to focus on one domain at the exclusion of another—such as during finals week, when we are highly focused on the intellectual domain; during the Sabbath, when we have more church obligations; or during a challenging time in the family, when we are focused on the social and emotional areas. Our goal should be to seek balance over the long haul.

Being wellness wise means we focus on the quest for perfection rather than on perfection itself. It also means we focus on balance and growth in each of the wellness-wise domain areas. As we become wellness wise by embracing wellness as a whole-person opportunity, we “will not only be capable of meeting personal challenge and change but will also bring strength to others in the tasks of home and family life, social relationships, civic duty, and service to mankind.” The phrase “meeting personal challenge and change” speaks to our ability to be resilient when facing the difficulties that will surely come our way in life, and the phrase “bring strength to others” speaks to our becoming self-actualized, becoming our best self, achieving optimal mental health, and even flourishing.

Whole-Campus Responsibility

Finally, being wellness wise means we not only recognize wellness as a whole-person opportunity but also as a whole-campus responsibility. Because we “know something” about the powerful influence that our experiences and environment can have on us individually, we recognize the need for BYU as an institution to focus on a system-wide approach that will influence the conditions in which all may flourish and achieve optimal mental health. Consider the part of the BYU mission that states, “All instruction, programs, and services at BYU, including a wide variety of extracurricular experiences, should make their own contribution toward the balanced development of the total person.” This means that no BYU faculty member, staff member, administrator, or student is excluded from the responsibility of assisting individuals in their balanced development.

Taking this responsibility seriously, a group of BYU staff, administrators, faculty, and students have joined together under the leadership of former CAPS director Steve Smith and Student Life vice president Julie Franklin. Known as the BYU Wellness Wise Coalition, this group exists to break down campus silos and cultivate campus-wide collaborations and initiatives that advance wellness for all campus community members. The word silo is commonly used on farms to describe large storage containers for grain or cattle food. In public health and healthcare, the term silo is often used as a metaphor for teams of people that just don’t work together. The BYU Wellness Wise Coalition exists to ensure that we are a whole campus and that we collaborate to advance wellness for all.

We have such wonderful opportunities and responsibilities before us. It is time for us to “say something” and “know something” more about mental health so that we can “be something” more and achieve optimal mental health. Saying something more can help reduce the mental health stigma and promote the idea that optimal mental health and flourishing is accessible to everyone. Knowing something more can help us understand the risk and protective factors for mental health challenges that can be addressed both personally and institutionally. Being something more by being wellness wise both personally and institutionally provides a framework for taking the actions that will move us all toward optimal mental health. Saying something, knowing something, and being something more—that is “something about mental health.” Thank you.

© Brigham Young University. All rights reserved. 

1. APA Dictionary of Psychology, American Psychological Association, s.v. “mental disorder,” dictionary.apa.org/mental-disorder.

2. See Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (Rockville, Maryland: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2021), 32.

3. See Ronald C. Kessler, Patricia Berglund, Olga Demler, Robert Jin, Kathleen R. Merikangas, and Ellen E. Walters, “Lifetime Prevalence and Age-of-Onset Distributions of DSM-IV Disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication,” Archives of General Psychiatry 62, no. 6 (June 2005): 593.

4. See Sarah Ketchen Lipson, Sasha Zhou, Sara Abelson, Justin Heinze, Matthew Jirsa, Jasmine Morigney, Akilah Patterson, Meghna Singh, and Daniel Eisenberg, “Trends in College Student Mental Health and Help-Seeking by Race/Ethnicity: Findings from the National Healthy Minds Study, 2013–2021,” Journal of Affective Disorders 306 (1 June 2022): 143.

5. See Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators,  31.

6. See Lipson et al., “Trends in College Student Mental Health,” 143.

7. See Carl L. Hanson, Brianna M. Magnusson, Alice Ann Crandall, and Michael D. Barnes, “The Mental Health of BYU Students: A University Report,” BYU Department of Public Health, 2020, 4.

8. See Maddy Reinert, Danielle Fritze, and Theresa Nguyen, The State of Mental Health in America 2023 (Alexandria, Virginia: Mental Health America [MHA], 2022), 8, 21.

9. See Reinert, Fritze, and Nguyen, State of Mental Health in America 2023, 8, 22, 27, 29.

10. See Nathaniel Beers and Shashank V. Joshi, “Increasing Access to Mental Health Services Through Reduction of Stigma,” Commentaries, Pediatrics 145, no. 6 (June 2020), publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/145/6/e20200127/76911 .

11. See Ashley Abramson, “Building Mental Health into Emergency Responses,” News, Monitor on Psychology 52, no. 5 (July/August 2021): 30, apa.org/monitor/2021/07/emergency-responses ; see also Eric Westervelt, “Mental Health and Police Violence: How Crisis Intervention Teams Are Failing,” National Public Radio (NPR), 18 September 2020, npr.org/2020/09/18/913229469/mental-health-and-police-violence-how-crisis -intervention-teams-are-failing ; see also audio and transcript from All Things Considered, NPR, 18 September 2020, npr.org/transcripts/913229469 .

12. See Jeffrey W. Swanson, “Introduction: Violence and Mental Illness,” Harvard Review of Psychiatry 29, no. 1 (January/February 2021): 1; see also Mass Violence in America: Causes, Impacts, and Solutions, ed. Joe Parks, Donald Bechtold, Frank Shelp, Jeffery Lieberman, and Sara Coffey (Washington, DC: National Council for Mental Wellbeing [NCMW] and Medical Director Institute [MDI], August 2019), v–vi, 12–14.

13. See “Does Depression Increase the Risk for Suicide?” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Mental Health and Substance Abuse, hhs.gov/answers/mental-health-and-substance-abuse/does-depression-increase-risk-of-suicide/index.html.

14. See “Complete Health Indicator Report of Suicide,” Utah Department of Health, Indicator-Based Information System (IBIS) for Public Health, 2021, ibis.health.utah.gov/ibisph-view/indicator/complete_profile/SuicDth.html .

15. See “Complete Health Indicator Report of Suicide.”

16. See Lipson et al., “Trends in College Student Mental Health,” 141.

17. “Mental Health,” World Health Organization (WHO), fact sheet, 17 June 2022, who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response .

18. See Daniel N. Robinson, “Wisdom Through the Ages,” in Wisdom: Its Nature, Origins, and Development, ed. Robert J. Sternberg (Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 1990), 16–17.

19. See Abraham H. Maslow, “A Theory of Human Motivation,” Psychological Review 50, no. 4 (July 1943): 382–83.

20. See Corey L. M. Keyes, “The Mental Health Continuum: From Languishing to Flourishing in Life,” Journal of Health and Social Behavior 43, no. 2 (June 2002): 207–22.

21. Lahnna I. Catalino and Barbara L. Fredrickson, “A Tuesday in the Life of a Flourisher: The Role of Positive Emotional Reactivity in Optimal Mental Health,” Emotion 11, no. 4 (August 2011): 938; citing Corey L. M. Keyes, “Promoting and Protecting Mental Health as Flourishing: A Complementary Strategy for Improving National Mental Health,” American Psychologist 62, no. 2 (February–March 2007): 95–108.

22. See Corey L. M. Keyes, “Mental Illness and/or Mental Health? Investigating Axioms of the Complete State Model of Health,” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 73, no. 3 (June 2005): 539–48.

23. See Keyes, “The Mental Health Continuum” (2002); Keyes, “Mental Illness and/or Mental Health?” (2005); “Promoting and Protecting Mental Health as Flourishing” (2007).

24. See Keyes, “The Mental Health Continuum” (2002); Keyes, “Mental Illness and/or Mental Health?” (2005).

25. See “Infodemic,” World Health Organization (WHO), Health Topics, who.int/health-topics/infodemic.

26. See Corey L. M. Keyes, Satvinder S. Dhingra, and Eduardo J. Simoes, “Change in Level of Positive Mental Health as a Predictor of Future Risk of Mental Illness,” Mental Health Promotion and Protection, American Journal of Public Health 100, no. 12 (December 2010): 2369.

27. John 9:2–3 .

28. See figure 4 (causal loop diagram of cognitive, social, environmental, and biological dimensions) in Andrea K. Wittenborn, Hazhir Rahmandad, Jennifer L. Rick, and Niyousha Hosseinichimeh, “Depression as a Systemic Syndrome: Mapping the Feedback Loops of Major Depressive Disorder,” Psychological Medicine 46, no. 3 (February 2016): 557.

29. See “Risk and Protective Factors,” Suicide Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cdc.gov/suicide/factors/index.html .

30. See “Risk and Protective Factors,” Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2019, samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/20190718-samhsa-risk-protective-factors.pdf .

31. See “Risk and Protective Factors,” American Mental Wellness Association, americanmentalwellness.org/prevention/risk-and-protective-factors .

32. See Alexandra M. Burgess, Randy O. Frost, and Patricia Marten DiBartolo, “Development and Validation of the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale—Brief,” in “Advances in the Assessment of Perfectionism,” ed. Gordon L. Flett and Paul L. Hewitt, special issue, Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment 34, no. 7 (October 2016): 620–33.

33. See Hanson et al., “The Mental Health of BYU Students,” 11; see also Carl L. Hanson, Brianna M. Magnusson, Alice Ann Crandall, Michael D. Barnes, Emily McFarland, and McKaylee Smith, “Life Experience Pathways to College Student Emotional and Mental Health: A Structural Equation Model,” Journal of American College Health (April 2022), doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2022.2058328.

34. Hans Selye, “The Evolution of the Stress Concept: The Originator of the Concept Traces Its Development from the Discovery in 1936 of the Alarm Reaction to Modern Therapeutic Applications of Syntoxic and Catatoxic Hormones,” American Scientist 61, no. 6 (November–December 1973): 692.

35. Robert M. Sapolsky, Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, 3rd ed. (New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2004), 6.

36. See Yun-Zi Liu, Yun-Xia Wang, and Chun-Lei Jiang, “Inflammation: The Common Pathway of Stress-Related Diseases,” Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 11 (June 2017), doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00316.

37. See Liu, Wang, and Jiang, “Inflammation.”

38. See Charlotte Nickerson, “The Yerkes-Dodson Law and Performance,” Social Psychology, Simply Psychology (15 November 2021), simplypsychology.org/what-is-the-yerkes-dodson-law.html .

39. See Bruce S. McEwen and Eliot Stellar, “Stress and the Individual: Mechanisms Leading to Disease,” Archives of Internal Medicine 153, no. 18 (27 September 1993): 2093–2101.

40. See Hanson et al., “The Mental Health of BYU Students,” 18.

41. See Hanson et al., “Life Experience Pathways”; see also Hanson et al., “The Mental Health of BYU Students,” 12–14.

42. Patrick Kearon, “He Is Risen with Healing in His Wings: We Can Be More Than Conquerors,” Liahona, May 2022.

43. See Hanson et al., “Life Experience Pathways”; see also Hanson et al., “The Mental Health of BYU Students,” 15–16.

44. See Orion Weller, Luke Sagers, Carl Hanson, Michael Barnes, Quinn Snell, and E. Shannon Tass, “Predicting Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior Among Adolescents Using the Risk and Protective Factor Framework: A Large-Scale Machine Learning Approach,” PLOS ONE 16, no. 11 (3 November 2021): 1, doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258535.

45. See Weller et al., “Predicting Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior,” 6.

46. See Weller et al., “Predicting Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior,” 6.

47. For more information on this university-wide wellness education program, see Wellness Wise , Brigham Young University, wellnesswise.byu.edu .

48. The Mission of Brigham Young University (4 November   1981).

49. Barbara Lockhart and Ron Hager, 21st Century Wellness: The Science of the Whole Individual, 2nd ed. (Bearface Instructional Technologies, 2018), 19; emphasis added.

50. Kevin J Worthen, “Successfully Failing: Pursuing Our Quest for Perfection,” BYU devotional address, 6 January 2015; emphasis in original.

51. Sebastian Fernandez, quoted in Sean Walker, “Walk-On to Running for a Title: BYU’s Fernandez Among 21 Bids at NCAA Championships,” ksl.com , 7 June 2022, ksl.com/article/50419089 .

52. Luke 2:52 .

53. Psalm 46:10 ,  11 .

54. Ezra Taft Benson, address delivered at President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s second annual Council on Youth Fitness at Fort Ritchie, Cascade, Maryland, 8 September 1958; quoted in Clarence F. Robison, “Keeping Physically Fit,” Ensign, September 1972.

See the complete list of abbreviations here

Carl L. Hanson, a professor in the BYU Department of Public Health, delivered this forum address on July 26, 2022.

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Top 75 Mental Health Speakers

• By Brendan Egan
•  Aug 16, 2022

In the U.S. alone, 52.9 million adults have at least one mental health issue, and 14.2 of those adults have severe mental illness. Staying silent due to fear or embarrassment should never be an option. People should feel empowered to talk about their experiences with mental health and work towards a life of embracing self-care and seeking help when needed. Sometimes, just knowing you're not alone is one of the best ways to take one step toward improving your mental health and supporting others through their challenges.

We've created a list of the top 75 mental health speakers who have personal experience with common and less common mental illnesses ranging from anxiety and depression to PTSD and OCD. Our speakers have experienced addiction, poor self-esteem, and a myriad of other mental health issues that can knock you down and make it hard to get back up. They understand and want to share everything they've been through and learned. We're breaking the list down into in-person mental health speakers and virtual mental health speakers to make it easy to find exactly who you need.

In-Person Mental Health Speakers

Have a mental health speaker come to your location and talk to the attendees. You could hire a speaker to talk about the isolating effects of bullying to a high school class or about recognizing the signs of depression and the value of taking time for self-care in a busy workplace. No matter what you want to cover, in-person speakers come to your chosen location and offer an engaging, valuable discussion on mental health.

1. Alison Canavan

Mental health expert Alison Canavan is a UCLA-trained mindfulness facilitator, a master NLP practitioner, a HeartMath facilitator, and a nutritional coach. USA Today named her one of America’s top 8 transformational coaches in 2021. Alison’s workshops and keynotes introduce state-of-the-art, research-based tools that help listeners understand and transform anxiety, depression, and addiction. She believes that to create peace in our life we must carve out time for self-care and create space to heal, learn and grow. She weaves in her own unique life experiences (read bio for more) to create a truly unforgettable client experience and has wowed audiences at corporations like Deloitte and Tesco and at mental health conferences around the world.

2. Aly Raisman

Ali is best known as one of the stars of the United States Women’s National Soccer team. She is an Olympic Gold Medalist and World Cup Champion. Ali has been open about her own struggles with PTSD and has incredible insight on work-life balance, the importance of balancing a demanding job with self-care, and the state of mental health in our country. She’s very popular at mental health events and will work with event planners to make sure she provides the right mix of personal stories with broader mental health commentary to inspire your audience to take control of their own mental health and work actively to improve it every day.

3. Alyssa Petersel

Alyssa, a Licensed Medical Social Worker, is the founder and CEO of MyWellbeing, an online matchmaking service that pairs patients with therapists. In 2021, Alyssa made the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. She and her team at MyWellbeing have supported more than 28 million people through mental health support and content. Alyssa is also a practicing therapist and a writer. She released her award-winning book, Somehow I Am Different , in 2016. She often speaks and writes about the intersection of tech and mental health, contributing to leading publications like Cosmopolitan, Huffington Post, and TechCrunch. Alyssa intimately understands overarching mental health trends but shares mental health tips and tricks with the tender perspective of an individual therapist. An incredible speaker for any corporate mental health event who will customize her message to fit your needs.

4. Ana Melikian

Ana hosts "The Mindset Zone" podcast, is a two-time cancer survivor, and is a highly sought-after keynote speaker on various mental health topics. Her keynote, “The Happiness Fallacy,” re-envisions and revitalizes how we think about and work with happiness for the personal and collective good, sharing that 'true happiness is a fallacy and that pursuing it is one of seven blind spots preventing us from achieving our highest potential for mental wholeness.

5. Arishma Singh

Arishma Singh is an Australian-based, Fiji-born Indian Keynote Speaker, Author, and Eduprenuer who believes that the next new wave of thinking requires a fusion of ancient eastern wisdom and modern western science. She is the Founder of Thrive With EFT, a company that helps high performers achieve sustainable success without compromising their wellbeing. She has over 20 years of corporate experience working and consulting for American Express, Nielsen Media, Google Australia, Pivot Software, and Experian.

6. Ashley Whillans

Ashley holds a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the University of British Columbia and is a tenure-track professor at Harvard Business School. In both 2015 and 2018, she was named a “Rising Star of Behavioral Science” by the International Behavioral Exchange Ashley is an experienced, well-rounded keynote speaker who touches on mental health topics such as reducing burnout, aligning incentives with happiness, using time management to take control of personal wellbeing, and adapting to hybrid work environments. A practical, empathetic, and entertaining speaker, Ashley is a hit with all business audiences and offers a variety of insights and tools that can be easily applied to one’s own life.

7. Baron Davis

Baron Davis is a former professional basketball player for the Hornets, Warriors, Clippers, Cavaliers, and Knicks. Davis speaks to his experience battling mental health issues while starring in the NBA and brings a refreshing perspective on the power of positive psychology. Davis was one of the first NBA players to open up about mental health, inspiring the wave of current players who are open about these topics. His story has inspired millions of Americans battling mental health issues, and his NBA background makes him the ideal person to immediately command the attention and respect of even the most elite corporate audiences.

8. Brandon Guyer

Brandon spent seven years as a Major League Baseball player who played in the 2016 World Series and is a Certified Mental Performance Mastery Coach and Precision Nutrition Certified Coach. His online training platform, Fully Equipped Athlete, equips users with the requisite tools to optimize their mind and body for performance. He speaks actively on mental health topics like dealing with change, self-care, and handling pressure. His goal is to help high achievers from all facets of life bridge the gap between performance and potential through mental skills training.

9. Brian Bogert

Brian teaches leaders, entrepreneurs, and professionals how to be acutely aware of their environmental conditioning, emotional triggers, and behavioral patterns, giving them a deep understanding of why they think and feel the way they do. He opens the door to perspective, motivation, and direction by sharing with leaders how to reprogram their brains, defy their own negative thinking, and how to stop making excuses. Brian learned the wisdom of resiliency through his own early experiences with pain- his left arm detached from his body when he was run over by a truck. As a human behavior and performance coach, speaker, and business strategist, Brian disrupts the normative approach on how to create sustainable growth and lasting change personally and professionally.

10. Chef Andre Rush

Chef Rush has many titles. He’s a retired master sergeant with 23 years of service in the United States Army, a White House executive chef, and a mental health & suicide prevention advocate. Every day, Rush does 2,222 pushups as a way to promote living a healthy lifestyle. He also launched the 2222 foundation, which raises funds and awareness for those battling mental health issues with a special emphasis on serving veterans. Always well-reviewed, his keynotes blend motivational and entertaining stories with grizzled insights about mental and physical wellness. Chef Rush is a can’t miss selection for your next mental-health-focused event!

11. Cheralynne Skolnicki

Cherylanne Skolnicki is an authority on well-being, work-life balance, and human potential. Her company, Brilliant Balance, helps professionals get the most out of work and life through compelling content, comprehensive coaching programs, and a tightly knit community. She also hosts the top-rated Brilliant Balance Podcast which reaches thousands of listeners each week with inspiring messages and practical advice. Her work and guidance have been featured in Thrive Global, The Huffington Post, Forbes, Working Mother, and Women’s Day, as well as in TV appearances on work-life balance, productivity, and purpose.

12. Chris Borland

Chris is a former NFL Linebacker with the San Francisco 49ers. In 2017, in tangent with The Center for Healthy Minds, Chris led the first scientific study of meditation with NFL players in 2017. He is also the founder of T-Mindful, a company integrating meditation into athletics. Chris is a mental health advocate who understands how a healthy mindset can positively impact one’s ability to perform at the highest level. He commands attention on the stage and is a great choice to educate any audience on the importance of mental health, as well as specific actions listeners can take to improve and maintain their own.

13. Dr. Armando Gonzalez

“Dr. Mondo” is a mental health coach for professional athletes and entertainers. With a clientele including Olympians and athletes from the NBA, NFL, MLB, and NSWL, Dr. Mondo has proven his ability to unlock human performance at its highest level and help people find their purpose. He is also the founder of the CHeatcode Foundation, a 501c3 he created to rewrite the narrative around mental health by ending the stigma about receiving support and increasing access to transformational mental health services in the most at-risk and underserved communities. Dr. Mondo approaches taboo mental health topics with a level of vulnerability, compassion, and swag unlike other mental health experts in the space. He brings mental health tactics used by some of the world's best athletes directly to you!

13. Dr. Regine Muradian

Dr. Regine Muradian is a licensed clinical psychologist, author, speaker, consultant and mental health advocate. In her consulting work, Dr. Regine has spearheaded a variety of workshops on mental health, positive parenting, and work-life balance. Dr. Regine has lived around the world and is fluent in English, French, Romanian, and Hebrew, and incorporates her multicultural background into mental health presentations to highlight how environmental differences produce disparate mental health outcomes. She has been featured as a mental health expert in outlets like the Huffington Post, Architectural Digest, Healthline, and Good Day LA.

14. Drew Robinson

Drew Robinson is a former MLB infielder. On April 16, 2020, Robinson survived a suicide attempt with a handgun, resulting in the loss of his senses of smell and taste, and his right eye. Drew has since retired from playing in order to work in the San Francisco Giants' Front Office as a Mental Health Advocate, where he works to create a comfortable atmosphere for players to share their mental health struggles without fear of judgment. Drew openly shares his battles and uses his platform to spread positivity and the power of vulnerability. Through sharing his personal experience- one of the widely-publicized mental health stories of the 21st century- Drew unlocks endless avenues for conversation and reflection.

15. Grant Parr

Parr is a sought-after mental performance coach and keynote speaker. He works with Olympians, college and professional athletes, and business executives and their teams on results-driven mental skills training that addresses mindset, leadership, and culture within an individual, team, and workshop setting. His areas of expertise are mindset enhancement, mindfulness, focus and awareness, mental imagery, emotional control, and success management. He believes mental performance is what separates the good from the elite and is standing by to help you or your team take the leap and develop next-level mental skills.

16. Greg Vogt

Greg Vogt is a professional keynote speaker and mental health author on a mission to share that even our greatest burdens can turn out to be blessings in the end. In his raw and transformational speeches, Greg unfolds his journey from living a typical childhood to overcoming depression, suicide attempts, and spending a year in a mental health treatment center. Greg advocates for the power of vulnerability and the importance of real relationships. In his engaging talks, he drives home the importance of seeking support and supporting those around us to do the same, the power of sharing our experiences, and the benefit of overcoming the fear that we are alone in these experiences. In addition to his advocacy for mental health, Greg works in corporate sales and is active in his church community, providing him with real-life experiences he uses to connect with audiences of any kind.

17. Ivy Watts

Ivy is a former Division II athlete and nominee for NCAA woman of the year. Though she appeared to her college peers as an athletic, high-performing individual who “had it all together,” the truth is that Ivy struggled silently every day with her mental health. After finally seeking help, Ivy dedicated herself to promoting mental wellness and reducing mental health stigma by sharing her story through public speaking and her blog, Beautifully Simply You. Ivy, who is certified in mental health first aid and has her Master's in Public Health, empowers others to speak their truths, know that they are not alone, learn the beauty of self-love, and find the strength to keep fighting for their tomorrow.

18. Jaime Komer

Jamie is an Olympic Silver Medalist and two-time world champion in Water Polo as a representative of the United States. She is now a world traveler, seeker of well-being, and advocate for finding adventure every day. Jamie focuses on guided meditation, metaphysical energy, and purposeful thinking as vehicles for improving mental health. She focuses especially on athletes transitioning from competition but uses these same principles to help employees experiencing change take charge of their mental health during periods of uncertainty. Jamie is a professional speaker who has “walked the walk” and is sure to educate, entertain, and inspire at your event!

19. Jimmy Spencer

As a sports media executive, Jimmy Spencer has built lasting and deep relationships among the world’s most influential athletes and sports influencers. He has carved out a unique path in the mental health space as co-founder of the Cheatcode Foundation, a unique organization that partners with athletes and artists to heal their traumas and in turn bring that healing into communities and spaces which lack the resources to afford or access mental wellness care. Jimmy speaks to mental health in tangible ways with practical solutions and practices. He speaks to how it plays out in both professional and personal relationships and how if not solved for, it can impede workplace culture as well as individual and team productivity. Jimmy believes all people are born inherently good and every person has a purpose, yet traumas big or small can often leave scars that show up in negative beliefs and cycles of behavior that impede our ability to succeed. An exceptional choice for corporate mental health events!

20. Kevin Briggs

Kevin is an international mental health and suicide prevention advocate. Over the course of his career as a California Highway Patrol officer patrolling the Golden Gate Bridge, Briggs, through his compassion, gentle voice, eye contact, and his innate ability of “listening to understand,” encouraged more than 200 individuals to not end their life over the course of his career. Briggs retired to dedicate his life to promoting mental health awareness across the globe through Pivotal Points, an organization he founded. In keynotes, he shares his “Listening to Understand” skills followed up with key active listening points and discusses in-depth his own personal mental health struggles and what the audience can learn from them. Briggs spends the majority of his time speaking & teaching at conferences and companies around the world.

21. Liza Pavlakos

Liza’s ability to ignite and inspire the inner fire in her audiences earned her the prestigious Golden Gavel Award and recognition as one of the Top 10 Female Speakers in the world in 2020. She overcame homelessness, abduction, intense abuse, and human trafficking, and rose from the ashes to become a highly successful entrepreneur and commanding speaker, inspiring over 100,000 audiences globally. She is also the founder of Positive Breakthroughs, an organization of highly experienced chartered psychologists, psychotherapists, counselors, and coaches. Improving mental health is a passion and commitment for Liza and her team, regardless of age, race, culture, disability, sexual orientation, or socio-economic background.

22. Lonnie Mayne

Lonnie is an internationally recognized leadership authority and award-winning keynote speaker. He’s also the author of the acclaimed book, Red Shoes Living - Stand Out for The Positive in How You Work and How You Live, a deeply meaningful philosophy that inspires us to live our best life and do our best work. He is an inspiring speaker who merges mental health with motivational ideas about how to transform oneself by focusing on positive attributes. Lonnie has worked with best-in-class companies who believe in standing out for the positive, including Microsoft, Transamerica, Bose, McDonald’s, and Saks Fifth Avenue, as well as directly with Olympians, professional athletes, politicians, and Fortune-100 executives.

23. Mariangela Abeo

Mariangela Abeo (they/them) is a mental health advocate, speaker, podcast host, and creator of the faces of fortitude movement. The movement began as a series of portraits that document the healing of those affected by suicide – providing a safe, stigma-free space both virtually and in-person for mental health and suicide to be discussed. After losing their brother over a decade ago to suicide, and surviving their own severe attempt as a teen, Mariangela initially started this movement for their own healing. The portraits caught fire online and they quickly saw a need for a safe space for others to share their stories. They are an impactful, sobering speaker on suicide prevention, depression, and other mental health topics.

24. Mark Henick

PEOPLE Magazine called Mark “one of Canada’s most prominent mental health advocates.” He's previously served on the board of the Mental Health Commission of Canada and as the youngest-ever president of a Canadian Mental Health Association division. His viral TEDx talk about the stranger who saved his life has been viewed and shared millions of times. Over the last two decades, he has appeared in hundreds of television, radio, print, and online features about mental health. Mark runs a boutique mental health media consulting firm, and he's an in-demand international keynote storyteller on recovery, resilience, and connection.

25. Michael Landsberg

Michael Landsberg is a legendary Canadian hockey broadcaster. While interviewing a star athlete who had battled depression in 2009, Michael shared his own battles. This changed not only his life but also the lives of many Canadians who suddenly felt that they had a voice in Michael. He has gone on to become one of the world’s preeminent mental health advocates, winning awards like the Canadian Screen Awards’ Humanitarian Award and the Governor General’s Meritorious Service Medal. Michael is funny, irreverent, and totally committed to sharing as deeply as he can. His talks are not sanitized, not corporatized, and definitely not stigmatized. Michael’s rawness is exactly what people need to fortify their belief in themselves. He talks about everything and anything mental-health-related and works closely with event organizers to ensure his talk puts the puck in the back of the net.

26. Minna Lee

Minna is a NYC-based social media influencer and content creator focusing on wellness, mental health, and conscious living. With 30k followers on Instagram, Lee's social media presence allows her to spread positivity and awareness surrounding mental health and activism. Lee also has a Corgi named Benny, with his own Instagram page with 6.5k followers. Lee also has a blog, where she posts content surrounding life, mental health, food, and more.

27. Montee Ball

Legendary University of Wisconsin football player who was drafted by and played running back for the Denver Broncos. Throughout his career, Ball struggled with alcoholism and was often clouded by the effects of binge drinking. Following an arrest, Ball was released by the Patriots in February of 2016. Since the birth of his son, Ball has revitalized his life. He speaks on the mental frameworks he used to revitalize his life and the non-profit work he is doing now. His story is a powerful reminder that mental health struggles happen to everyone, even those who may look from the outside as though they've got it all. A humble, self-aware speaker, Montee can connect with any audience and has received rave reviews at the events he’s done so far this year.

28. Rochelle Gapere

Rochelle is the author of the Amazon bestseller One Happy Thought at a Time: 30 Days to a Happier You. An attorney, entrepreneur, happiness coach, and mental balance expert, Rochelle believes in living a life that is engaging at every level and utilizes practical techniques to teach audiences her unique approach to living a happy life. Her well-reviewed keynotes are chock-full of science-based tools and techniques that listeners can leverage to improve and better understand their mental health. A dynamo on the stage, she’s a strong choice for any mental-health or mental-health adjacent event- check out a previous engagement here !

29. Ryan Leaf

Ryan David Leaf is an advocate for those struggling with mental and behavioral health issues. He encourages audiences to transform their thought patterns on mental health issues and addiction, and is a believer in the mantra “asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness!” Ryan was once the second overall pick in the NFL Draft, right behind Peyton Manning, but battled addiction and depression and was eventually imprisoned for related choices. Today, Ryan is a leading voice in the recovery community and a college and NFL football analyst for ESPN, Westwood One Sports, and the PAC-12 Network. His redemption story is incredible, and he speaks on mental health from the perspective of someone who truly knows that it's the most important thing to get right.

30. Sara Ross

Sara and her company provide brain-based tools to decrease stress and exhaustion and increase Leadership Vitality by strengthening the skills of energy management, emotional intelligence, and resilience. Sara’s ideas and research are earning her a reputation as a fresh and thought-provoking voice in the discussions focused on mental health and the future of work. Balancing relevance and practicality with a contagious energy, Sara integrates cutting-edge science with real-life stories of success and failures. Her approach is guaranteed to challenge the status quo, provide new insights and inspiration, and most importantly, leave audiences with a blueprint of actionable strategies. She has worked with companies like Adobe, New York Life, and Verizon, and she’s often called on to work with some of the most senior, technically sophisticated, and skeptical audiences.

31. Serena Poon

Serena is a wellness expert, nutritionist, and celebrity chef for the likes of Jerry Bruckheimer, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, and Kerry Washington. Her mission is to promote further education around the mindful combination of food, nutrition, and healing intuition in what she calls “Culinary Alchemy™.” Through her focus on how food affects our bodies on a physiological level, as well as how it affects the emotional body, her goal is to support the nutritional, emotional, and spiritual well-being of her clients. In customized keynotes that can focus on her full suite of topics or mental health in particular, Serena furthers her mission of introducing new intentional methods of wellness and mindfulness to her clients and community.

32. Shabnam Mogharabi

Shabnam Mogharabi has nearly 20 years of experience in impact entertainment building organizations, teams, and startups. She was most recently the General Manager of SoulPancake, an inspiring entertainment company she co-founded with actor Rainn Wilson that creates positive, socially conscious videos about human connection. As a leader, she understands the importance of putting mental health first, and her track record speaks to her success in building teams in which mental health is a key value. She is a frequent speaker on the importance of joy, positive psychology, and the power of mentally healthy people to transform organizations. She speaks to the overall impacts of mental health growth and specific leadership strategies to help yourself and all those in your organization unlock their full mental potential.

33. Sheryl Ziegler

Dr. Sheryl Ziegler is a thought leader in the space of workplace mental health, burnout, stress prevention, and resiliency. She has spoken to tens of thousands of employees around the world about workplace burnout, how management can support mental wellness in the workplace, and the cost of chronic stress. Sheryl guides employees on factors known by research to create truly mentally healthy workplaces and support the people who work there. She has spoken at Intel and Salesforce, among others, and is a great choice to present on any and all mental health topics at your event. Popular in both a traditional keynote setting as well as a moderated Q&A or “Lunch and Learn” environment.

34. Tahl Raz

Tahl Raz is a bestselling author who writes and speaks widely on the big ideas in business, technology, and the social sciences that are transforming the way we work and live. Tahl’s works have been translated into over 40 languages and appeared in over 100 publications. Mental health and burnout are two of his favorite topics, and he translates his insights in the way that only one of America's top authors can. He will work directly with the event planner to make sure he delivers a tailored message that hits all the right notes.

35. Tanya L Brown

The loss of her sister Nicole Brown Simpson and her own ensuing suicide attempt has made Tanya Brown no stranger to adversity or trauma. She has made a personal commitment to speak on the issues of how to overcome adversity and promote healthy mental practices for overall well being. She encourages her audiences to find peace amid daily chaos and learn the tools for integrating self-care for a life of optimal wellness. Tanya has become a nationally recognized author, speaker, and life coach who uses the lessons from her experience with Nicole and her own suicide attempt to help others cope with life’s challenges.

36. Victoria Garrick

Victoria is a former Division I and semi-pro volleyball player turned mental health, body image, and self-love advocate. Victoria has an inspiring competitive story as an athlete- after walking on to USC’s #1 ranked team in the nation, she won a PAC-12 Championship and served two seasons as captain. During her sophomore year, she began publicly advocating for student-athlete mental health. She delivered a TEDx Talk on mental health and body-image issues faced by student-athletes, which has since garnered almost 500,000 views. Her personal story and broader commentary about mental health have received standing ovations at multiple Fortune 500 corporations, and her infectious energy and passion for authenticity inspires, motivates, and empowers audiences to become their best selves.

37. Wendy Borlabi

Dr. Wendy Borlabi (Dr. B) is currently working for the Chicago Bulls as the High Performance Coach and is the founder of Borlabi Consulting, a performance psychology firm. In presentations, she integrates elements of peak performance training utilized by NBA players and applies the principles so that they are applicable to environments in corporate and nonprofit America. She presents on mental health through the lens of sports, DEI, and motivation, bringing a true 360 view to a mental health topic or topics of your choosing.

<h3>Virtual Mental Health Speakers</h3>

Sometimes, it's difficult for people to meet in person for one reason or another. With a virtual speaker, people can attend the presentation from the comfort of their home or office. This is an excellent option if those attending are in different areas of the world, cannot afford to travel, do not want to risk their health in a crowded setting, or struggle with social anxiety and don't feel comfortable in a room full of people. Virtual presentations often empower less confident people to speak up and share their thoughts.

38. Alison Canavan

39. Ali Raisman

40. Alyssa Petersel

41. Ana Melikian

42. Arishma Singh

43. Ashley Whillans

44. Baron Davis

45. Brandon Guyer

46. Brian Bogert

47. Chef Andre Rush

48. Cheralynne Skolnicki

49. Chris Borland

50. Dr. Armando Gonzalez

51. Dr. Regine Muradian

Dr. Regine Muradian is a licensed clinical psychologist, author, speaker, consultant, and mental health advocate. In her consulting work, Dr. Regine has spearheaded a variety of workshops on mental health, positive parenting and work-life balance. Dr. Regine has lived around the world and is fluent in English, French, Romanian and Hebrew, and incorporates her multicultural background into mental health presentations to highlight how environmental differences produce disparate mental health outcomes. She has been featured as a mental health expert in outlets like the Huffington Post, Architectural Digest, Healthline, and Good Day LA.

52. Drew Robinson

53. Grant Parr

54. Greg Vogt

55. Ivy Watts

56. Jaime Komer

57. Jimmy Spencer

58. Kevin Briggs

Kevin is an international mental health and suicide prevention advocate. Over the course of his career as a California Highway Patrol officer patrolling the Golden Gate Bridge, Briggs, through his compassion, gentle voice, eye contact, and his innate ability of “listening to understand,” encouraged more than 200 individuals not to end their life over the course of his career. Briggs retired to dedicate his life to promoting mental health awareness across the globe through Pivotal Points, an organization he founded. In keynotes, he shares his “Listening to Understand” skills followed up with key active listening points and discusses in-depth his own personal mental health struggles and what the audience can learn from them. Briggs spends the majority of his time speaking & teaching at conferences and companies around the world.

59. Liza Pavlakos

60. Lonnie Mayne

61. Mariangela Abeo

62. Mark Henick

63. Michael Landsberg

Michael Landsberg is a legendary Canadian hockey broadcaster. While interviewing a star athlete who had battled depression in 2009, Michael shared his own battles. This changed not only his life, but also the lives of many Canadians who suddenly felt that they had a voice in Michael. He has gone on to become one of the world’s preeminent mental health advocates, winning awards like the Canadian Screen Awards’ Humanitarian Award and the Governor General’s Meritorious Service Medal. Michael is funny, irreverent, and totally committed to sharing as deeply as he can. His talks are not sanitized, not corporatized, and definitely not stigmatized. Michael’s rawness is exactly what people need to fortify their belief in themselves. He talks about everything and anything mental-health-related and works closely with event organizers to ensure his talk puts the puck in the back of the net.

64. Minna Lee

Minna Lee is a NYC-based social media influencer and content creator focusing on wellness, mental health, and conscious living. With 30k followers on Instagram, Lee's social media presence allows her to spread positivity and awareness surrounding mental health and activism. Lee also has a Corgi named Benny, with his own Instagram page with 6.5k followers. Lee also has a blog, where she posts content surrounding life, mental health, food, and more.

65. Montee Ball

66. Rochelle Gapere

67. Ryan Leaf

68. Sara Ross

Sara and her company provide brain-based tools to decrease stress and exhaustion and increase Leadership Vitality by strengthening the skills of energy management, emotional intelligence, and resilience. Sara’s ideas and research are earning her a reputation as a fresh and thought-provoking voice in the discussions focused on mental health and the future of work. Balancing relevance and practicality with a contagious energy, Sara integrates cutting-edge science with real-life stories of success and failures. Her approach is guaranteed to challenge the status quo, provide new insights and inspiration, and most importantly, leave audiences with a blueprint of actionable strategies. She has worked with companies like Adobe, New York Life, and Verizon, and she’s often called on to work with some of the most senior, technically sophisticated and skeptical audiences.

69. Serena Poon

70. Shabnam Mogharabi

71. Sheryl Ziegler

72. Tahl Raz

73. Tanya L Brown

74. Victoria Garrick

75. Wendy Borlabi

Take the important step towards building strong support systems at the workplace, in a classroom, or within your group or facility. Educate and support those who need it the most at your school, business, or organization. With a motivational speaker's relatable personal stories, you can help others better understand the challenges that come from mental illness and the steps that everyone can take to lift themselves and others up. Whether it's a virtual mental health speaker or an in-person speaker you need, our top 75 mental health speakers understand what helps others learn the value of self-care and empowerment.

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18 Best TED Talks for Addiction & Recovery

18 of the best TED Talks for addiction and recovery by healthcare professionals, athletes, a Fortune 500 entrepreneur, a former Miss USA, and more.

The best TED Talks for addiction and recovery , along with other powerful YouTube videos to play for clients in a treatment setting – or for yourself or for anyone who desires to learn more about substance use.

The following best TED Talks for addiction are entertaining, insightful, and though-provoking.

1. The 12 Steps According to Russell Brand (2018)

A 10-minute clip of Russell Brand’s interpretation of the 12 Steps . Humorous and honest.

2. Addiction: A Story of Stigma, A Story of Hope | Scott McFadden (2020)

This 18-minute talk delivered by Scott McFadden is one of the best TED Talks for addiction as it addresses stigma and sends a message of hope.

Excerpt: Scott McFadden is a Licensed Addictions Counselor, who also identifies as a person in long term recovery from heroin and other drugs. He shares a harrowing story of incarceration and a long journey to recovery while explaining the dynamics of addiction and the labels, shame, and stigma which have become the greatest obstacles to turning around the opioid epidemic.

He shows us the need to talk to one another to overcome the secret places where shame resides. This is a story of vulnerability and hope!

5. Addiction Neuroscience 101 (2018)

Approximately 25 minutes, an overview of the neurobiology of addiction.

4. Chris Herren Speaking on His Addiction Recovery Story | PeaceLove (2015)

A 17-minute motivational speech delivered by Chris Herren.

Excerpt: Hear former professional basketball player and motivational speaker Chris Herren speaking about his recovery from drug addiction. Since August of 2008, Herren has been drug-free and alcohol-free, and has refocused his life to put his sobriety and family above all other things.

5. Disconnected Brains: How Isolation Fuels Opioid Addiction | Rachel Wurzman (2018)

This fascinating 19-minute video clip from Rachel Wurzman is one of the best TED Talks for addiction as a biopsychosocial disorder.

Excerpt: Addiction to opioids is now officially a national emergency. But why are addiction rates spiking and what can we do about it? Neuroscientist Rachel Wurzman shares new research about how the brain reacts to opioids, replacing the sense of community and belonging human beings are losing. We are beginning to understand that solving the opioid epidemic will require us to focus on social factors surrounding those addicted.

6. Do You Have More Heart Than Scars? | Zackary Paben (2017)

A 17-minute inspirational talk by Zackary Paben.

Excerpt: How can resilience and interdependence impact the arch of our personal narrative to transcend from victim to hero? Since 1991, Zack has been empowering adolescents and adults as a mental health/recovery professional in a variety of modalities, including wilderness and residential.

As he continues to face his own visible and invisible scars, he innately has to acknowledge the wounds of others and encourage them in their own healing process.

7. Everything You Think You Know About Addiction Is Wrong | Johann Hari (2015)

A 15-minute video from Johann Hari. This piece is somewhat controversial because it suggests that addiction is a social/environmental issue while failing to address the impact of trauma, genetics, brain chemistry, etc. This clip is an excellent tool for generating discussions and is one of the best TED Talks for addiction.

Excerpt: What really causes addiction — to everything from cocaine to smart-phones? And how can we overcome it? Johann Hari has seen our current methods fail firsthand, as he has watched loved ones struggle to manage their addictions. He started to wonder why we treat addicts the way we do — and if there might be a better way.

As he shares in this deeply personal talk, his questions took him around the world, and unearthed some surprising and hopeful ways of thinking about an age-old problem.

8. Great Leaders Do What Drug Addicts Do | Michael Brody-Waite (2018)

An 19-minute talk from Michael Brody-Waite, entrepreneur and addict in recovery.

Excerpt: This is my story from drug addiction and homelessness to founding and leading a company on the Inc 500 list. There are 3 principles that saved me from death and set me apart as a leader. They are small enough to fit in your pocket, yet big enough to change your life. The best part is that anyone can take these principles and immediately implement them after watching this talk.

9. The Harm Reduction Model of Drug Addiction Treatment | Mark Tyndall (2017)

This 17-minute video from Mark Tyndall about harm reduction and recovery is one of the best TED Talks for addiction treatment.

Excerpt: Why do we still think that drug use is a law-enforcement issue? Making drugs illegal does nothing to stop people from using them, says public health expert Mark Tyndall. So, what might work?

Tyndall shares community-based research that shows how harm-reduction strategies, like safe-injection sites, are working to address the drug overdose crisis.

10. How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across a Lifetime | Nadine Burke Harris (2015)

16-minute talk by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris on the impact of trauma.

Excerpt: Childhood trauma isn’t something you just get over as you grow up. Pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris explains that the repeated stress of abuse, neglect and parents struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues has real, tangible effects on the development of the brain.

This unfolds across a lifetime, to the point where those who’ve experienced high levels of trauma are at triple the risk for heart disease and lung cancer.

11. Let’s Quit Abusing Drug Users (2015)

19-minute video clip about addiction and recovery reform from Dr. Carl Hart. He discusses drug use in the context of poverty, social injustice, and ignorance. An excellent video for generating discussion and one of the best TED Talks for addiction and policy reform.

Excerpt: Carl Hart, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology at Columbia University, offers a provocative, evidence-based view of addiction and discusses how it should impact drug policy.

12. The Merits of Harm Reduction | Melissa Byers (2019)

14-minute video clip from Melissa Byers about addiction, harm reduction, and recovery.

Excerpt: Melissa shares her family’s personal story of addiction and how harm reduction plays a much more significant role to recovery than people realize.

13. Nuggets (2015)

A 5-minute cartoon clip of a kiwi bird who tastes a golden “nugget.” This simple animation doesn’t require words to send a powerful message about addiction. Hauntingly accurate.

14. The Power of Addiction and The Addiction of Power | Gabor Maté (2012)

This 19-minute speech delivered by Gabor Maté is one of the best TED Talks for addiction.

Excerpt: Canadian physician Gabor Maté is a specialist in terminal illnesses, chemical dependents, and HIV positive patients. Dr. Maté is a renowned author of books and columnist known for his knowledge about attention deficit disorder, stress, chronic illness and parental relations.

15. Recover Out Loud | Tara Conner (2017)

One of the best TED Talks for addiction, this 10-minute video clip from former Miss USA, Tara Conner, is all about her personal experience with substance use.

Excerpt: Tara Conner, Miss USA 2006, shares her life-long struggle with addiction and what she has learned from 10 years of sobriety. Addicts are not bad people that need to get good, but sick people that need to get well.

In this challenging and at times humorous talk, she calls for a different response to the addiction crisis.

16. Revitalize | Living With Addiction | Amber Valletta (2015)

16-minute inspirational talk delivered by Amber Valletta.

Excerpt: Supermodel, actress, and fashion icon Amber Valletta opens up for the first time about her daily struggle of living with addiction.

17. Rewriting the Story of My Addiction | Jo Harvey Weatherford (2015)

10-minute video clip from Jo Harvey Weatherford about her personal recovery journey.

Excerpt: Jo Harvey Weatherford develops and implements drug and alcohol prevention programs on the campus of The University of Nevada. In this candid talk she discusses the importance of the stories we tell ourselves about our behavior, and how she rewrote her own story of addiction to alcohol.

18. The Stigma of Addiction | Tony Hoffman (2018)

This 15-minute video from Tony Hoffman is one of the best TED Talks for addiction. He shares about his substance use and stigma.

Excerpt: There is a stigma which many assign to drug addicts, even long after they have overcome their addiction. Tony discusses how his first time smoking marijuana led to his eventual drug addiction, homelessness, prison, and finally redemption.

For Families – The Island of Insanity: Navigating Through Loved Ones’ Addictions | Karen Perlmutter (2022)

A powerful 13-minute video for anyone who is traumatized by the addiction of a loved one.

Excerpt: With a master’s degree in clinical social work, Karen has seen first-hand that addiction is a tragedy with a profound effect on the family. She has ideas on how we can support families in combatting the devastating effects of this disease After earning her undergraduate degree through the University of South Carolina in 2003, Karen began working with teens and families through a therapeutic foster care agency. She pursued higher education in the field, earning her Master’s in Clinical Social Work at the University of North Carolina (Wilmington) in 2007, and continuing on to becoming a Licensed Independent Social Worker.

Karen has over a decade of experience working as a therapist with individuals, couples, and families. She specializes in the treatment of substance abuse and mental illness, and has developed a particular interest in supporting the holistic needs of families who are affected by these struggles.

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Three Powerful Messages for Promoting Mental Health Awareness in Every School

April 10, 2015

Come see Hakeem Rahim speak at the 2015 NAMI National Convention during the Opening Plenary on Tuesday, July 7.

On March 5, 2015, First Lady Michelle Obama announced the Change Direction campaign, a new mental health initiative designed to raise mental health awareness.  This builds on President Obama’s call two years ago where he urged educators to help “bring mental illness out of the shadows.”

This national spotlight on mental illness, in conjunction with the tragic incidents of violence at schools, increases the need to clearly communicate to students about mental health. Here are three powerful messages every school needs to share to create an open environment for students to talk about mental health at school:

• It’s OK to talk about mental illness
• There is no shame in seeking help
• There is hope after diagnosis

It’s OK to Talk About Mental Illness

To demystify mental health we must define it.

There are a lot of myths about mental illness. Due to stigma , or negative attitudes about a group, and lack of understanding of what mental illness is, both students and educators are being left in the dark. This lack of clarity can lead students to feel isolated, misunderstood and even destructive.

In order to say it’s OK to talk about mental illness we must first remind ourselves that mental illness  can affect anyone, is not the result of character, personal defects, or poor upbringing and are treatable. When we can accurately point out, name and define mental illness we can have a common vocabulary to talk about it. By defining we demystify.  

Showing its OK

Students need to actively see that it is OK to talk about mental health. 1 out of 5 adolescents are diagnosed with a mental illness any given year, but only 20% of those that need treatment will receive it. Moreover, children living in disadvantaged neighborhoods are much more vulnerable to mental health issues and less likely to have access to treatment.  

School leadership in general can help students see that communicating their challenges is ok and is one of the ways to take care of yourself. Showing it’s OK can range from setting up lunchtime safe spaces, to running awareness programs, to ensuring safety protocols are in place. Regardless of the measure, students need to feel supported by the entire school community.

There is No Shame In Seeking Help

What does it mean to seek help.

Students are more likely to seek help from their friends than adults, if they seek help at all. When all of the students are aware of mental health resources available to them, they are also better prepared to help a friend or classmate who may confide in them.

High school students are prone to feeling like they can handle it all on their own, or if help is something that they would consider, they will not get it because of negative beliefs or comments by peers. This is one of the many ways we see evidence of stigma in schools.

Schools must explicitly have a “you can come to me” attitude in order to encourage students to seek help. If your school has a school mental health professional , students need to know who they are, likewise, teachers need to know who to refer their students to. Although it can be difficult to discuss issues with students, following proven strategies such listening non-judgmentally normalizing negative emotions and being compassionate, students can have an opportunity to openly seek help.

Showing Models of Mental Health

Students need to see that there is no shame to seek help by making it an ok thing to do.  By showing cultural icons who talk about their challenges and seek help, such as Brandon Marshall , Demi Lovato and Kendrick Lamar , we help young people embrace the idea that it is OK and expected to face mental health challenges.  By also having intentional time for mental health awareness , students will see the value being placed on this topic and the attitudes they have about stigma will be addressed.

There is Hope After Diagnosis

We all know middle school and high school is a time of dramatic change, growth and developmental milestones . This period of change and growth impacts the mental health of young people. In fact, one half of all cases of lifetime mental illness begin by the age of 14 . However young people who are diagnosed need to know that with proper care and treatment mental illness are treatable.  

Schools are an ideal place to help young people know that they are supported whether or not they are struggling with mental illness. Promoting programs like Michelle Obama’s Change Direction initiative, national programs like NAMI’s Ending the Silence , educational based initiatives like NAMI Queens/Nassau’s Breaking the Silence and Let’s Talk Mental Illness TM , or  local initiatives like First Lady Chirlane McCray of New York City Mental Health Texting Pilot Program ,will reinforce for students that mental health is something to speak about and not to be hidden.

Mental health is now coming front and center. Schools can be places where kids can know its OK to talk about what they are going through, seek help if they need it and receive encouragement when they experience mental illness. Through consistently and openly sharing these mental health messages, schools can begin to create a culture of open expression.

Hakeem Rahim, EdM, M.A.  graduated from Harvard University and from Teacher’s College, Columbia University, start a consulting firm, and become NAMI Queens/Nassau’s Let’s Talk Mental Illness™ (LTMI)  presenter, despite his struggles with bipolar disorder. Hakeem has also testified in front of Congress and featured in USA Today . Find out more about him at  hakeemrahim.com .

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22 Best Motivational Podcasts to Listen to Right Now

Sara Lindberg, M.Ed., is a freelance writer focusing on mental health, fitness, nutrition, and parenting. 

Sean is a fact-checker and researcher with experience in sociology, field research, and data analytics.

Verywell / Laura Porter

Personal Growth

Relationships, financial success, productivity, forming new habits.

If you’re lacking in the motivation department (as many of us are!) and need a serious boost of inspiration, why not try listening to a podcast? These podcasts cover a range of topics from health and happiness, to productivity, forming new habits, and financial success.

To get a better idea of why these are considered the best motivational podcasts out there, grab a set of headphones or turn up the volume in your car, and get ready to conquer the day. 

It comes as no surprise that the topic of personal growth tops the list of best motivational podcasts. Striving to become your best self takes time, practice, perseverance, and a whole lot of patience. And what better way to gain inspiration than to tune in to one of these podcasts? 

The Science of Success

Science meets psychology in this weekly podcast hosted by Matt Bodnar. Guests on The Science of Success range from neuropsychologists and entrepreneurs to FBI hostage negotiators and mindfulness gurus.

The goal of the show is to get you thinking about your potential for success and learn ways to become a better version of yourself.

The School of Greatness

Whether you’re in a growth slump or just need an extra boost of confidence and inspiration to scale-up your life, Lewis Howes, host of The School of Greatness , will give you everything you need, and then some.

Through his own experiences and interviews with influential people, Howes shares stories about facing loss, dreaming big, becoming a champion, attracting wealth, and setting yourself up for success, with the hope of helping you find your sense of purpose. 

Fill your morning commute with tidbits of inspiration, information, and motivation about how to take better care of your health with these podcasts. Get answers to some of your most burning questions all in the time it takes you to get from home to the office.

TED Talks Health

If you have questions about your health, TED Talks Health has answers. Each episode is packed full of information from doctors and researchers on a truly wide range of topics. Whether you're curious about sleep, medication, vaping, or bad breath, this podcast has something for everyone.

Optimal Health Daily

Sometimes all we need is a quick summary of the most pressing health topics to motivate us to take better care of ourselves. With the Optimal Health Daily podcast, you get a daily dose of information about everything from dieting and pesticides to activated charcoal, supplements, and exercise.

And the best part? Each episode is under 15 minutes, with the average running time around eight to 10 minutes. 

The Maintenance Phase Podcast

In the Maintenance Phase podcast, hosts Michael Hobbes and Aubrey Gordon discuss the science behind the wellness industry. Episodes of the podcast work to debunk junk nutritional advice, fad diets, and other dubious health claims.

If you are looking for well-researched takes on wellness trends, the show offers an informative, nuanced exploration of a wide range of topics including diet books, obesity, eating disorders, and more. It will help you feel equipped to make more informed decisions when it comes to consuming wellness trends.

Wishing for more happiness is something most of us are familiar with, but it’s the actions you take that determine how much joy you will have in life. These podcasts will give you a glimpse into the lives of other people and how they are choosing happiness every single day.

The Happier Podcast

If you’ve ever wanted to create more happiness in your life, then The Happier Podcast is for you. Host, Gretchen Rubin, examines daily habits and the role they play in the overall quality of your life.

From work and friendships to productivity and creativity, Rubin uses humor and human nature to deliver simple tips that can help you live a happier life. 

The Good Life Project

The Good Life Project podcast turns your living room, car, or weekend run into an intimate conversation with some of the most inspiring, well-known guests, and everyday people.

Through interviews filled with thought-provoking questions, host Jonathan Fields asks guests to share something unfiltered about their life, and how they’ve turned those experiences into powerful messages of hope and happiness.

The Happiness Lab

Yale professor Laurie Santos, PhD explores the science of happiness in the popular podcast, The Happiness Lab . The podcast itself is based on the psychology course that she teaches at Yale, which has become the most popular class in the school's history. Episodes focus on a range of topics related to happiness including burnout, languishing, and guilt. 

Staying the course is a whole lot easier when you have someone guiding you along the way. Find the motivation you need to stick to your workout routine with one of these fitness podcasts.

Ali on the Run

Runners of all levels will enjoy listening to Ali on the Run . Each week Ali Feller gives subscribers a healthy dose of motivation through her words of wisdom about working hard, running hard, and doing whatever it takes to break a physical and mental sweat. Feller interviews guests about everything from marathon training and yoga to mental health and wellness.

If hitting the gym is your "go-to" when stress levels rise, then Emily Abbate’s fitness podcast, Hurdle , is for you. Appropriately named, Abbate features people facing hurdles or challenges in life, like, we all do, but with a focus on how they integrate wellness into their routines as an outlet for stress and anxiety.

What makes this podcast one of the best, is Abbate’s unique ability to keep things real while pushing forward, which is not always easy to find in the fitness world. 

Home Cleanliness and Organization

When life gets busy, as it so often does, spending time scrubbing toilets and organizing your clothes in super specific ways might be the last thing you want to do. But with the help from these genius hosts, you’ll get your house (and life) back on track in no time.

A Slob Comes Clean

Regardless of how messy your house is, you’ll always feel right at home with Dana K. White. With an extra-large dose of humor and some excellent, down-to-earth tips and tricks, A Slob Comes Clean will motivate you to tidy and scrub every inch of your house, or at least the parts of your house that people see. 

Clutter Free Academy

Imagine how much time you would have if you had a decluttering expert available to you 24/7. With Kathi Lipp’s Clutter Free Academy, you’ll learn how to clean up your house and your life, and still have time to do the things you love. Tune in once a week to get tips and advice to help you start your clutter-free journey. 

Let’s face it: Our days and nights are packed full of to-do lists, tasks, and everything else that needs to get done before your head hits the pillow. It can be hard to find time for your own partner, let alone go out on dates. These podcasts will come in handy when it comes to gathering tips for better relationships.

I Do Podcast

When you can’t make it to couples counseling, and you need some insight and advice about how to manage your relationship, check out the I Do Podcast from husband and wife team, Chase and Sarah Kosterlitz.

They share practical wisdom about their own marriage and raising a family, plus tips from therapists and relationship experts on topics ranging from resentment and loving through differences to learning about your partner’s love language . 

Dear Sugars

Co-hosts, Cheryl Strayed and Steve Almond team up to give you unfiltered advice about all things relationships. Their podcast, Dear Sugars , tackles some of the most frequently asked questions and concerns about family issues, sex, love, divorce, infidelity, and so much more. Plus, they encourage listeners to email them with their most burning questions. 

It’s not uncommon to spend the majority of your waking hours at work. And with all that energy being devoted to your career, there’s a good chance you might need a bit of motivation from time to time. These podcasts will hopefully give you a leg up and make for a great partner on your morning commute.

Whether you’re looking for a way to scale-up in your current job or you need some guidance on how to change careers, Jenny Blake, host of the podcast Pivot with Jenny Blake, has you covered.

This former Google career coach knows all about the connection between motivation and work, and she uses her wisdom to share tips on how you can make your next move.

While geared towards freelancers and entrepreneurs, the Being Boss podcast is actually a good listen for anyone looking to gain knowledge about the mindset, habits, and routines that are either helping you or preventing you from making money doing what you love.

Co-hosts, Emily Thompson and Kathleen Shannon, take on career and work-related topics like setting boundaries, marketing, productivity, self-limiting beliefs, and goal setting. 

There is a certain subset of people who are brilliant when it comes to all things money. And then, there’s the rest of us. The good news? Tuning into a weekly podcast can help boost your financial IQ and put some money back in your pocket.

The Stacking Benjamins

Three days a week, Joe Saul-Sehy broadcasts live from his mom’s basement, which is part of the charm of this awesome podcast that focuses on helping others build wealth. Learn about saving, investing, and risk management from Joe and the variety of experts he brings on The Stacking Benjamins Show . 

Planet Money

NPR has done it again with their twice-weekly podcast, Planet Money , which breaks down what’s going on in the economy and gives you information about finance that actually makes sense.

Through great narration, story-telling, and interviews, this eclectic line-up of hosts will make you feel like you’re having a conversation with your best friend. 

Do you feel like you're always trying to get caught up? Learn how to increase productivity, both at work and in your personal life, with these top podcasts.

The Brendon Show

Do you live a charged life? That’s the question Brendon Burchard, host of the podcast, The Brendon Show , asks listeners each time he goes live.

Burchard keeps it real by sharing what he’s struggling with and working on to help you target the areas in your life you want to improve. He covers topics such as careers, work ethic, tips to boost your productivity, and how to motivate others. 

The Tim Ferriss Show

The Tim Ferriss Show is home to the author of the famous book, “The 4-Hour Workweek,” among others. In his weekly podcast, he interviews experts in various fields on everything from personal and character development, to exercise routines, acting, venture capital, investing, business, time-management tricks, and so much more. 

Breaking old habits and forming new ones can be challenging, especially if you’re not sure where to start. The good news is, you’re not alone. These podcasts will help you feel inspired to dive in and get things done.

The Habit Coach

If you need encouragement to make permanent changes in your life, then The Habit Coach With Ashdin Doctor is for you. Each episode is centered around tips and motivation that encourage you to create new habits that impact your daily life.

Host, Ashdin Doctor, covers topics like nutrition, fitness, health, sleep, and productivity. And the best part? The majority of the episodes are less than 10-minutes long.

Tiny Leaps Big Changes 

Forming a new habit takes time. It also requires tiny leaps along the way, and no one knows that better than the host of Tiny Leaps, Big Changes , Gregg Clunis. This personal development podcast dives deep into the most common daily behaviors and looks at how those behaviors determine results, both positive and negative. 

By Sara Lindberg, M.Ed Sara Lindberg, M.Ed., is a freelance writer focusing on mental health, fitness, nutrition, and parenting.

Speech on Importance Of Mental Health

Mental health matters just as much as physical health. It impacts your thoughts, feelings, and overall enjoyment of life. Your mental wellbeing shapes how you handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.

Without good mental health, life can feel heavy. It’s important to care for your mind as well as your body. Let’s understand why mental health is crucial.

1-minute Speech on Importance Of Mental Health

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today, we talk about a topic close to everyone – Mental Health. Just like we look after our bodies, we need to care for our minds as well. Mental health is not just about being happy all the time. It’s about feeling good about who you are, having balance in your life, and managing life’s highs and lows.

We all have feelings of being down, stressed, and scared. It’s completely normal. It’s just like when you catch a cold or have a fever. But if these feelings continue for too long, it’s a sign that something is wrong. It’s like having a fever for weeks – you know you need to see a doctor, right?

Think about this, you can’t run with a broken leg, can you? Similarly, you can’t live your best life if your mind is not at its best. Your ideas, thoughts, and feelings come from your mind. If your mind is not healthy, it’s like trying to draw with a broken pencil. It’s just harder.

Let’s remember, it’s okay to ask for help. If a friend fell and got hurt, you’d help them, wouldn’t you? Mental health is no different. It’s not a thing to be ashamed of. We all need help sometimes.

Ensuring good mental health can make life better. It can boost confidence, improve relationships, and help us achieve our goals. So, let’s promise to take care of our mental health, just like we do for our physical health. Because a healthy mind is a key to a healthy and happy life.

2-minute Speech on Importance Of Mental Health

Mental health is just as important as physical health. You may ask, “Why is that?” Well, let’s break it down. When you have a cold, you feel tired and weak, right? You might even need to stay in bed. Mental health is similar. When your mental health is not good, you might feel sad, worried, or scared all the time. It can make it hard to do everyday things, like go to school or work.

Let’s imagine our mind like a garden. If you water the plants every day, give them sunlight, and remove the weeds, they will grow well. But, what if you forget to water them, or if they don’t get enough sun? The plants won’t grow well. They may even die. Our minds are like those plants. We need to take care of them every day.

Sometimes, people think that if they can’t see a problem, it’s not there. But that’s not true. Just like you can’t see the wind, but you can feel it, mental health problems are real even if you can’t see them. They can hurt a lot and make life difficult.

Now, you might think, “I am young, I don’t have to worry about this.” But, you are wrong. Mental health is important at every age. Just like a small tree needs care to grow into a big tree, young minds need care too. If we learn to take care of our mental health when we are young, it will be easier when we are older.

Taking care of your mental health is not hard. You can talk to your friends and family about your feelings. You can do things you enjoy, like playing sports or reading books. You can also ask for help if you need it. There’s no shame in asking for help. It’s just like asking for a band-aid when you fall and hurt your knee.

In conclusion, mental health is very important. It helps us to be happy, healthy, and strong. It helps us to learn, to work, and to make friends. It’s something we should all care about, no matter how young or old we are. It’s not something to be scared of or ashamed about. It’s just another part of being human. So, let’s all promise to take care of our mental health, just like we take care of our physical health.

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Advice for the Unmotivated

• Robin Abrahams
• Boris Groysberg

How to reignite your enthusiasm for work

Employee disengagement is rampant in the workplace. We’ve all experienced it as customers encountering unhelpful retail clerks and as colleagues dealing with apathetic teammates. But what happens when you yourself feel dead at work?

This article describes what you as an individual can do to sustain your motivation or recover it, even in the most stultifying of jobs. After synthesizing research on this challenge and experimenting with various strategies, the authors have developed a process for recharging yourself called DEAR.

The first step is to detach and objectively analyze your situation so that you can make wise choices about it, instead of reacting in a fight-or-flight way. At day’s end, review what went well at your job and then mentally disconnect from it to give yourself a break. Meditation and exercise can help you do that and will improve your mood and cognitive function. Next, show empathy. Practice self-care, make friends, recognize the accomplishments of others, seek their views, and help them. Research shows that this combats burnout. Third, take action: achieve small wins, invest in rewarding outside activities, redefine your responsibilities, and turn uninteresting tasks into games. Ask yourself how someone you admire would behave in your situation, and dress in a way that projects confidence. Last, reframe your thinking: Focus on the informal roles you enjoy at work, your job’s higher-order purpose, and how others benefit from your work. All these techniques will improve your mental health and increase the energy you bring to your job—even if it is not what you’d like it to be.

In virtually everyone’s career, there comes a time when motivation and interest vanish. The usual tasks feel tedious. It’s hard to muster the energy for new projects. Though we go through the motions of being good employees or managers, we’re not really “there.” We become ghosts or zombies: the working dead.

• Robin Abrahams is a research associate at Harvard Business School.
• BG Boris Groysberg is a professor of business administration in the Organizational Behavior unit at Harvard Business School and a faculty affiliate at the school’s Race, Gender & Equity Initiative. He is the coauthor, with Colleen Ammerman, of Glass Half-Broken: Shattering the Barriers That Still Hold Women Back at Work (Harvard Business Review Press, 2021). bgroysberg

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