Learn more about his programs here.
We have a serious problem happening at colleges and universities around the country. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, college students are more than twice as likely to have serious suicidal thoughts. And, those in the same age range (18 to 25 years old) are three times as likely to die by suicide. Statistics like these are proof that we need to address the issue of mental health with students enrolled at colleges and universities. There are many college mental health speakers who are available to educate and inspire mental wellness in college students to help reduce these statistics.
Here are the four main reasons why mental health needs to be addressed at the college level:
1. Students are experiencing a new level of pressure to succeed
Students go to college because they want to succeed. However, even students who perform well in high school find there is a new level of pressure when they reach the college level. They are faced with a larger workload. They have high expectations for themselves and can feel the weight of others’ expectations on them as well. This intense combination of expectations and pressure can lead to anxiety and depression if students are not taught how to deal with it in a healthy way.
2. Students are going through a big transition
Many students go from kindergarten through high school with the same group of peers. When they reach the college level they are faced with a bunch of new lifestyle changes. They are forced to find a new way to fit in with a new group of peers. It doesn’t matter how outgoing or shy they are because there is a new order that will be established and they have to make constant adjustments to find their place. On top of this, many are facing a new level of freedom that they have not experienced before.
3. Students show up at college with mental health challenges
Not all mental health challenges develop during the college years because of the issues listed above. In fact, according to many studies, half of the mental health issues in youth begin before the age of 14. Another 25 percent develop challenges before the age of 25. These issues include (but are not limited to) struggles with major depression, substance abuse, and anxiety disorders.
When a student arrives at college already struggling with mental health challenges the new added pressure and expectations can quickly escalate into serious problems.
What do students need to hear?
college mental health speaker
Students often feel alone. As people, we’re all great at hiding our struggles if we don’t want others to know about them. When students show up at college they don’t usually have someone close to them to reach out when they start experiencing challenges. Fear and shame cause them to turn inwards instead of seeking help.
We need let students know that they should proactive and intentional about seeking out someone to talk to, and they don’t need to feel bad about doing so. Students need to hear what the signs are of struggling with anxiety and depression. They need to learn how to recognize the symptoms of those, plus other mental health challenges in themselves and their friends, and most importantly, tools they can use and steps they should take when they spot it. We need to educate these students so we can help them succeed in not only college but life.
Finding the right college mental health speakers
As a college mental health speaker, my Transforming Stigma® in College program has helped students on campuses throughout the country. I’ve had the honor of presenting for groups such as Active Minds and NAMI on Campus. There is an enormous need for mental health speakers at the college level. When a college or university reaches out to me about delivering a presentation on campus, I encourage them to make sure that I am the best fit for their particular event goals. Honestly, sometimes I am not the best fit. While corresponding with me, they are also looking at several other speakers and I want to help make sure they are choosing the best fit for their specific needs and goals.
What to consider before choosing a speaker
Before you start your search for a speaker you need to determine what the specific needs are for students at your school. Are you bringing in a speaker as a preventative measure or has your school recently lost a student or students to suicide? What are you trying to accomplish by bringing a speaker in? Here are a few things you should consider to help you determine what kind of college mental health speaker you are looking for:
- Event date – Know your set date unless you are set on a specific speaker and don’t mind working around their schedule. Many speakers’ schedules are booked over a year in advance and fill up fast.
- Type of meeting – Are you planning on holding a large event that is in the style of a lecture? Or, are you looking to have small group sessions where students can go deeper in developing the skills that they need? Do you want a meeting that is only for the campus or will it include your local community?
- What is the goal? Are you looking to educate students on mental health challenges that they should be aware of? Do you want to talk specifically about suicide prevention? Understand what your goals are to understand what kind of speaker you are looking for.
- Budget – Most speakers in the mental health field would love to be able to speak for free because we are passionate about spreading the message of education and hope for those struggling with mental health challenges. However, speakers have to pay the bills too so you will need to understand what your budget is so you can find a speaker that is in line with it.
If you are searching for college mental health speakers, I believe these are some of the best ones that you can hire (listed in no particular order):
Jeff Yalden
Jeff Yalden is an amazing speaker and suicide prevention expert, that uses his own personal story in his messages. He has been brought into multiple school districts after they have been rocked with multiple suicides and has been able to successfully work with them to put ideas in place to prevent future suicides. Jeff focuses on three areas during his speaking engagements: depression, stress and anxiety, and suicide.
Jeff believes that
“One of the problems is our young people don’t want to seek professional help. They don’t want to be told what to do. And they don’t want to be told how they’re feeling. One of the things I do is share the symptoms, and share what they might be feeling inside. I ask them questions so they make the diagnosis themselves.”
He teaches students that it is both courageous and awesome to ask for help when they need it. Jeff shares with students tactics on how to deal with stress and reduce anxiety. He works with them to teach them how to go about asking for help, and how to help friends that are struggling.
Jeff has struggled on and off with mental health challenges throughout his life. He has learned strategies on how to overcome his struggles and how to continue adapting as new struggles arise. He has learned how to seek help when he needs it and wants to help every student do the same.
Yalden is the author of the book Boom and has a podcast by the same name. He has spoken at schools of all sizes from small community colleges all the way up to the University of Notre Dame and the University of Michigan.
Joshua Rivedal
Joshua Rivedal has a long list of accomplishments including being an international public speaker, author, playwright, curriculum developer, educator, and arts entrepreneur. But along with all of those things he is also a survivor of loss, a suicide attempt survivor, and an abuse survivor.
Joshua lost his father and grandfather to suicide. Later he went through his own suicidal crisis as he struggled with feeling like it was his turn next since there was a family pattern. But, he learned that suicide is preventable and that we can get help for ourselves and our loved ones. He focuses on suicide prevention, mental health, diversity/inclusion, and anti-bullying with lessons from his personal story. He wants students to know that they do not have to be a slave to their brain. They can make choices and put in safety nets and precautions for depression and suicide prevention. He wants students to learn how to recognize the symptoms in themselves and their friends.
Joshua also encourages students to use creativity, in any area, to help them work through their struggles. He even has a one-man show telling his story that he incorporates into some of his speaking engagements.
He created the mental health-based curriculum Changing Minds, which is a six-module series that uses group discussion, storytelling, lecture, and improv theatre to enhance emotional development. It includes The Basics of Mental Health, How to Develop Coping Skills, The Importance of Storytelling and Support Systems, Living With a Mental Health Condition, Suicide Awareness and Prevention, along with Anti-bullying/Diversity and Inclusion
Ross Szabo
Ross Szabo was the Director of Outreach for the National Mental Health Awareness Campaign from 2002 to 2010. He helped to create the first Youth Mental Health Speaker Bureau, develop effective high school programs to teach students how to seek help, and has trained over 50 speakers. He graduated with a B.A. in psychology and served in the U.S. Peace Corps from 2010 to 2012. Upon returning to America he started a company to help close the gap in getting people the vital mental health messages that they need to hear.
When Ross was just 11 years old he went to the University of Pennsylvania Hospital to visit his brother in the psychiatric unit. Then, when he was 16 he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder himself. He struggled with psychotic episodes and anger management problems. He started sharing his own story as a 17-year-old and then was hospitalized after attempting to die by suicide as a senior in high school. Later he had to leave college when he experienced a relapse with his bipolar disorder struggle.
Ross is a great example of all that can be accomplished by someone who struggles with mental health challenges. He is the author of Behind Happy Faces; Taking Charge of Your Mental Health, which is used at universities and colleges all around the country.
Active Minds Speakers Bureau
Active Minds was started by Allison Malmon. Her brother was a good student at an Ivy League University. During his freshman year, he started to struggle with depression and psychosis. He was scared and ashamed so he hid his symptoms. When he was a senior he finally sought the help that he needed, but ended up dying by suicide just a year later. Allison set out to help provide other college students with a place to share openly and get the help they need.
When she graduated from college she started a nonprofit and there are now chapters in schools around the country. Their goal is to help connect people and to give students the ability to thrive academically and emotionally. It is about listening to each other and looking out for each other.
Active Minds has a group of young adult speakers that you can choose from to speak at your school. They use a peer-to-peer style that works for college-age students. They understand the struggles that students go through as they transition with new people, a new workload, changes in eating habits, and everything else that goes along with it. And, they use their personal stories and share them through presentations that are educational, inspiring, and entertaining. You can view videos of their speakers on the website to find one that will be a great fit for you.
Campus Speak
Campus Speak educates and inspires college students to find success during school and after they are out of school. They have a large selection of speakers to choose from, each with their own story and perspective. They are also able to provide a variety of services for your school including:
- Keynote Speakers – They are able to present to any size group.
- Interactive workshops – Campus Speak has a dozen different curriculum options to help students with critical challenges. One or two facilitators will come to your school to lead your student leaders through the training. This includes exercises, action planning, discussion, and problem-solving. The workshops are completely customizable for your situation and school.
- Consulting – If you have a deeper set of challenges, then you may be interested in an expert coming in to help address the problem. This may include a keynote speech, small group session, staff training, individual and group consultations, and review of policies over several days.
- Online education – This can reach whole communities while still being able to provide personalized content. Personal stories are used to help students relate
- Custom programs – They can create a program that meets your needs.
The bottom line is this – college students are struggling with mental health challenges. This age group suffers more loss from suicide than any other age group and it needs to change NOW. Students need to learn how to overcome mental health struggles so they can succeed in school and life. The first step to turning this problem around is educating our students.
