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In 2016, I had the honor of visiting the UK for the first time. During my trip, I learned a lot about the efforts that people are making to address the subject. Also in 2016, the Duke and the Dutchess of Cambridge (Prince William and Kate), along with Prince Harry, began advocating to transform the stigma […]...

In Black culture, more often than not, men are not encouraged nor given a chance to be open with how they feel and be in touch with their feelings. The cultural pressure to be a ‘strong Black man’ can be psychologically and physically taxing. Men may feel that seeking treatment for mental health issues may […]...

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression is one of the most common mental health conditions that you can live with. Approximately seven percent of the population in the United States of America lives with depression. In my opinion, the percentage is actually much higher because so many people are ashamed to admit it. […]...

“I don’t think people realize the power one person can have to change a situation or impact someone’s life.” – Lizzie Valasquez When I think about how to prevent suicide, one of the keys is to get into the habit of sharing selfless stories. Share those stories that show you in a not-so-positive light. These are […]...

The following article was created from my podcast, The Mike Veny Show. This is from episode 2, How to Become a Professional Motivational Speaker for Youth Events. I invite you to listen to this episode on iTunes, Stitcher, Sound Cloud, or below. It’s the second part of a series. If you haven’t done so, read part 1… Please remember […]...

This following article was created from my podcast, The Mike Veny Show. This is from episode 2, How to Become a Professional Motivational Speaker for Youth Events. I invite you to listen to this episodeon iTunes, Stitcher, Sound Cloud, or below. Please remember to leave a comment at the bottom. https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/239590445&color=a720f0&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user...

The Highs and Lows of Life – Hakeem Rahim My good friend Hakeem Rahim shares his deeply personal story about mental illness. What makes Hakeem a unique presenter is how powerful and poetic he is. Most importantly, he paints a great picture of what it feels like to have a manic episode and live with bipolar disorder. How to […]...

Here’s a the presentation that I delivered at TEDxNormal on November 7th, 2015. The theme of the event was “Anything But Normal!”  Here’s a transcript of my presentation: “How well do you understand your own thoughts, feelings, and behavior? For our discussion today I’d like to go over a few terms that I’ll be using. When I use […]...

When people ask me what I do for a living, here’s what I say: I talk about my issues and I hit stuff! After a moment of silence, most people then ask me to elaborate. I then explain that I am a professional drummer and a mental health speaker. The career path for a professional drummer is […]...