Mental Health Speakers for Workplace Wellbeing

Mental health issues can have a significant impact on the well-being of your staff and are one of the primary causes of long-term sickness absence.

In today's fast-paced and demanding work environment, the well-being of your employees is paramount. Mental health issues, often overlooked, can profoundly impact the productivity and overall health of your staff. They are also one of the leading causes of long-term sickness absence, which can disrupt the harmony of any workplace.

The statistics are staggering. According to the NHS, approximately 1 in 4 people in the UK will grapple with a mental health condition in any given year. Even more striking, in England, 1 in 6 individuals report experiencing anxiety and depression in any given week. These numbers underscore the urgency for employers to prioritise mental health support in the workplace.

Today, we’re looking at the top mental health speakers for workplace wellness to help open the conversation and reduce mental health stigma. These experts don’t just raise awareness but will also inspire, providing invaluable insights and strategies to promote mental health and resilience among your workforce. Join PepTalk as we explore their vital role in creating a mentally healthy workplace for your employees.

Real-world mental health speakers

The lived experience of our real-world experts can inspire and motivate your team, showing that there is always light, even in the darkest of times.

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Poorna Bell

Champion diversity within your team and open the conversation to mental health with Poorna Bell, Writer, Mental Health And Diversity Activist. Poorna, an award-winning journalist, motivational speaker, author, and influencer, works across many areas, including women's journalism. Poorna is the founder of Fix My Life Workshops and Events and a sought-after public speaker and event facilitator. She has authored two acclaimed books, Chase the Rainbow and In Search of Silence. Her third book, ‘Stronger,’ combines memoir and manifesto, drawing from her experience in competitive powerlifting after her husband's death.

Josh Connolly

Discover the keys to successful and regular mental health maintenance with Josh Connolly, one of the UK’s leading resilience experts. Back in 2012, Josh was seriously planning his suicide. The pressure of the daily grind was spiralling out of control, and with it, his anxieties had become almost paralysing. But Josh found a way to embrace life and his vulnerability, and now, he is one of the UK’s most influential mental health advocates. Josh has spoken in the House of Commons, contributed to mental health policy and even advised the scriptwriting team on Channel Four’s long-running teen drama Hollyoaks.

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Josh Roberts

Josh Roberts is a writer, broadcaster and public speaker specialising in mental health. In 2016, Josh experienced an intense mental breakdown, which culminated in him being diagnosed with a Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Writing about his experience in an article for The Times, Josh received an outpouring of public reaction from others who also found themselves in the same situation. Making it his mission to help as many people as possible by sharing his experience of anxiety and mental health issues, Josh penned his first book, Anxious Man.

Max Dickins

Create a safe and non-judgmental space for everyone to share about their mental health with Max Dickins, author, male loneliness and mental health expert. No one wants to end up ‘billy no mates’. So why does it happen to so many men? Writer for the page, stage and screen Max Dickins explores this in his book Billy No Mates and now, his PepTalk. Male mental health and their connection to each other and loneliness have been front and centre in the cultural conversation.

Qualified mental health speakers

These trained professionals can help teams make sense of their inner workings and provide tangible suggestions and solutions for getting the right kind of help.

Kimberley Wilson

​​Discover how to build a healthy brain with top-quality insights from Kimberley Wilson, chartered psychologist and nutritionist. Kimberley  is renowned for her book "How to Build a Healthy Brain." Operating a private practice in central London, she formerly governed the Tavistock & Portman NHS Mental Health Trust. She also led therapy services at HMP & YOI Holloway, Europe's largest women’s prison. Kimberley champions a holistic approach to mental health, integrating nutrition and lifestyle with psychological therapy under her Whole Body Mental Health philosophy. She actively demystifies psychological theories through social media, podcasts, television, live events, and expert panels. 

Dr Alex George

Explore the foundations for good mental fitness, and learn how to open up the conversation around mental health in the home or workplace with Dr Alex George, Government Ambassador for Mental Health and Former Love Islander. Dr Alex has become a well-known and respected figure amongst healthcare professionals in the UK, from his years as an A&E doctor, bringing the nation accessible and reassuring advice directly from the frontline throughout the pandemic.

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Emma Reed Turrell

Learn to stop putting others ahead of your needs with Emma Reed Turrell, psychotherapist, author of 'Please Yourself' and podcaster. Emma has spent the last fifteen years working with individuals and organisations to help them realise their full potential and support their wellbeing. Emma recently published her first book, Please Yourself: How to Stop People-Pleasing and Transform Your Life, which presents an alternative to people-pleasing. Through the stories of people-pleasers across all walks of life, she offers insights and techniques to help anyone understand themselves more fully and live authentically. Emma also co-presents the podcast "Best Friend Therapy" with Elizabeth Day. If you want to support your team’s growth by helping them challenge and overcome their limiting beliefs, look no further than Emma.

Julia Samuel

Julia Samuel, a psychotherapist specialising in grief, has spent the last three decades working with bereaved families. She has worked in private practice and in the NHS at St Mary’s Hospital Paddington, where she pioneered the role of maternity and paediatric psychotherapist. In 1994, she helped launch and establish the charity Child Bereavement UK and continues her role as Founder Patron. Julia was awarded an MBE in the 2015 New Year’s Honours list for services to bereaved children. She also authorises the best-selling book Grief Works: Stories of Life, Death and Surviving. She is the vice president of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and had an honorary doctorate from Middlesex University."

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To book any mental health speakers for workplace wellbeing, email us at hello@peptalk.cc.

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Workplace wellbeing experts

Workplace well-being speakers can focus on reasonable adjustments and provide practical tips on how employers can help make workplaces healthier, more inclusive and more productive. 

Nic Smith

Bring to light the wellbeing areas your organisation needs to focus on, minus the fluffy stuff, with Nic Smith, speaker, positive psychologist, workplace wellbeing and leadership expert. Nic combines over 20 years of experience working with talent and leadership and the latest research from positive psychology with her background in facilitation to deliver innovative ways to help organisations flourish. To do this, she applies bespoke interventions using science and research from positive psychology. Suppose you've not heard of positive psychology before. In that case, it’s the scientific study of optimal human functioning. It is focused on enhancing the good in life to move individuals and organisations from average to great rather than fixing what is wrong or bad. Using this methodology, Nic consults and works with teams so they can improve in all areas, from improved overall well-being in the workplace to strengthening the skills of leadership teams.

Charlie Hoare

Support your team's wellbeing and beat anxiety with Charlie Hoare. Charlie is a wellbeing consultant, entrepreneur, life coach, speaker on male mental health and, most importantly, a father. Personal experience of depression and anxiety led him to write ‘MAN DOWN: A Guide for Men on Mental Health’. He co-founded TÅPPED birch water, having worked for Innocent Drinks, Air Asia and start-ups in London, Hong Kong and Malaysia, where he cycled the 10,000 miles home (perhaps ironically for mental health charity SANE!). He has an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology and wants to help men open up.

Justin ‘JC’ Coghlan

​​Openly discuss the vital subject of men's mental health with Justin ‘JC’ Coghlan, co-founder and director of global innovation for the Movember Foundation.While encouraging men worldwide to look like the moustachioed Beatles in their Sgt Pepper days, Movember is a global foundation that educates and raises awareness for men's health — from prostates to brains. From its grassroots in 2003, Movember has raised over $1 billion and has grown into the world’s most significant men’s health movement, ranking in the top 45 out of the best 500 NGOs worldwide. The impact this has had on men’s health is ever­last­ing.

Tania Diggory 

Eliminate burnout and bring a sense of calm to your team with Tania Diggory, speaker, founder of Calmer, and mental health and wellbeing expert. A qualified NLP practitioner, mindfulness teacher, and mental health trainer, she is devoted to highlighting the crucial balance between mental well-being and business success. Tania's sessions are ideal for teams seeking an uplift in well-being, offering practical strategies to integrate better mental health practices into daily life. Her expertise and guidance are invaluable for those looking to enhance their mental resilience in business.

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To book any of these mental health speakers for workplace wellbeing, email us at hello@peptalk.cc.

Key dates to bring in mental health speakers for your workplace

Time to Talk Day
1 February 2024

One in four of us will experience a mental health problem, but many still feel isolated, ashamed, and unable to open up about their lived experience. This day encourages everyone to be more open about mental health – to talk, listen, and change lives.

Children's Mental Health Week
5-11 February 2024

75% of mental illnesses start before a person’s 18th birthday. With most long-term mental health problems beginning in adolescence, there’s a growing need for support for young people. This week highlights the importance of mental health support from a young age.

Eating Disorders Awareness Week
28 February - 5 March 2024

An eating disorder is an unhealthy attitude towards food, which can make you obsessed with your eating patterns. The charity BEAT runs Eating Disorders Awareness Week annually to tackle myths and misunderstanding around eating disorders.

Self-Injury Awareness Day
1 March 2024

Self-harm is the intentional act of harming or injuring our body. Self-Injury Awareness Day is a global observance dedicated to raising awareness about self-harm and self-injury.

University Mental Health Day
14 March 2024

University Mental Health Day brings together the student community each year to make mental health a university-wide priority across the country and to create continued change to the future of student mental health.

World Bipolar Day
30 March 2024

Bipolar disorder can make someone’s mood change dramatically from extreme highs (mania) to extreme lows (depression). These changes can be overwhelming and distressing. World Bipolar Day is organized to bring global awareness to bipolar conditions and to eliminate social stigma.

Stress Awareness Month
April 2024

Stress Awareness Month has been held every April since 1992 to increase public awareness about the causes and cures of our modern stress epidemic. This year, the focus is on sharing tips and coping strategies to help you manage your mental health and well-being in the workplace.

Mental Health Awareness Week 2024
13-19 May 2024

Mental Health Awareness Week will take place from 13 to 19 May 2024. It's an opportunity to learn more about mental health.

National Schizophrenia Awareness Day
24 July 2024

Schizophrenia is a common mental illness that affects 1 in 100 people in their lifetime, yet the condition is widely misunderstood. National Schizophrenia Awareness Day shines a light on the challenges faced by people living with a diagnosis of schizophrenia in the UK and beyond.

World Suicide Prevention Day
10 September 2024

The International Association for Suicide Prevention hosts World Suicide Prevention Day to raise awareness of suicide and suicide prevention.

World Mental Health Day
10 October 2024

World Mental Health Day is run by the World Federation for Mental Health. It's an opportunity to support mental health initiatives.

OCD Awareness Week
10-16 October 2024

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder affecting 1 in 100 people in the UK. OCD Awareness Week aims to bring about a greater understanding of the condition and how it affects people.

National Stress Awareness Day
2 November 2023

National Stress Awareness Day was set up by the International Stress Management Association to raise awareness of the effects of psychological distress in the workplace and strategies to address it.

Men's Mental Health Awareness Month (Movember)
November 2024

Every November is home to men’s mental health awareness month, also known as Movember. It aims to tackle the stigma surrounding men's mental health.

Anti-Bullying Week
11-17 November 2024

Anti-Bullying Week and Odd Socks Day aims to make a noise about bullying and to not stay silent when we hear bullying dismissed as ‘just banter’.

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💡 Interested in a PepTalk Live session on mental health and workplace wellbeing? We have a wealth of expert speakers and storytellers in our network, here to help ensure you and your team can win at the business of life — email us at hello@peptalk.cc, and we'll set up a free strategy call.