My favourite UK mental health speakers
I know that there are probably another twenty rock solid mental health speakers who could be on this list, but I’ve only included people whom I’ve actually listened to at events near me. People who I’ve personally witnessed, as I wanted to make sure that everyone was top notch… which they are by the way!
Feel free to leave a comment below with some further recommendations in your area of course, as I’m always on the lookout for mental health advocates to connect with. I know that a lot of workplaces in particular want to chat about wellbeing, so definitely leave some links in the comments for me to check out!
Jo Love
Since I met Jo a few years ago I’ve felt so lucky to have her in my life. I watched her speak at a private event for influencers who talk about mental health and then saw her host a birthday party for her business where she talked on a panel of women who all really know their stuff. She’s one of the most humble and intelligent mental health speakers on Instagram, and always makes time to talk directly to everyone she meets at events. She talks mostly about PND and depression but is always open to talking about the benefits of therapy too. She even did me the honour of hosting my book launch event which was the ultimate compliment.
Bryony Gordon
I’ve seen Bryony talk once and I find her a pleasure to listen to. Even with the jaw-dropping success, she’s had with her many, many books she still manages to be completely honest when she’s not feeling 100%. I think that’s all you can ask for in a mental health speaker. I find raw, candid speakers the most relatable people to watch.
Jessica Jones
Also known as The Fat Funny One, you can always rely on Jess to maintain a healthy balance of good humour and self-reflection when she speaks about mental health and wellbeing. I feel like I know her so well from her Instagram stories, and I am constantly inspired by her quest to make women of all shapes and sizes feel body confident. She regularly runs events centred around self-love and confidence.
Mary Meadows
Life coach, NLP practitioner and writer – this woman is everything rolled into one! I used to be sceptical of the term ‘life coach’ until I saw Mary (badass) Meadows speak. She’s one of those people who can instantly spot your vulnerabilities and use them to make you stronger. One of those people who can look deep into your soul and figure you out in a second. Her tagline ‘everyone needs a Mary Meadows’ sums it up perfectly!
Chris Young
I interviewed Chris in the past for an article I wrote about dissociative identity disorder, something which he explores in more detail in his book Walk A Mile: Tales of a Wandering Loon. I asked him to speak at a mental health event I was hosting and found myself chuckling away for almost forty minutes as he recalled the highs and lows of walking around Scotland talking to strangers about mental illness. A great, inspiring character to liven up any event.
Jana Dowling
Creator of My Arkeo, a mental health fitness tracker app, Jana knows first-hand what its like to live with mental illness. She brought herself back from the brink of suicide by taking a methodical approach to her recovery in the form of mood tracking. That’s what formed the basis of the app, and she now speaks openly to others and trains them how to find tools to manage their own mental health with a systematic approach that really works. Jana is also a seasoned stand-up comedian so you can always rely on her to brighten up the room with a few jokes.
Kirsty Hulse
Confidence coach, author and business owner Kirsty has experienced burnout whilst running a company from her bedroom. She learned the hard way that success doesn’t always need to be linked to your bank balance, and has now made it her mission to help other people find confidence at work. Her book The Future is Freelance is an entertaining look at the realities of working for yourself
Fiona Thomas
Oh come on, you know I couldn’t make this list without sneaking my own name in at the end! My speciality is speaking about the power of social media for people who feel isolated by mental illness. I truly believe that it can be a force for good, can help build communities, be a tool for those with social anxiety and ultimately act as a lifeline for those who are struggling to connect in real life. My book Depression in a Digital Age is my own personal journey, one which I know is mirrored by young people across the globe.
