The Top 5 School Mental Health Speakers

Mike Veny

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Mike Veny is a mental health motivational speaker for middle school and high school students.
Learn more about his programs here.

How would the world be without the young people? Would striving for a better future be worthwhile? Would we, the human race, be sure about tomorrow without the young generation? I bet not. With a well-guided, dynamic, open-minded, and prospective youthful generation, we can be sure of better days soon. Seeing a young person grow to become successful in life could bring out the best in a parent or guardian. Therefore, bringing up our children in the best way possible should be our top priority as a society.

We can all agree that what happens during our youth in life affects our mental health as adults. I mean, who doesn’t acknowledge the pressure that comes with books, exams, assignments as well as peer influence? Also, as one advances academically, discovering new passions, trying out different things, and enjoying the freedom that comes with being a young adult could result in mental health challenges. Understanding this fact, we ought to do everything possible to ensure our children have reliable tools and resources for mental wellness.

With a healthy, pressure-free, and relaxed mind, a child performs exemplarily in various areas including education, sports, the arts, and most important of all, socially. Wouldn’t you like to see your child grow to be a successful, well-rounded adult?

school mental health speakers

Today, talented individuals have risen to the occasion to ensure our children develop mental wellness during their youth. With the availability of professional school mental health speakers, any caring parent/guardian can feel more assured. Ensuring our children’s mental well-being via school has never been easier.

In this article, I share some insight into who I feel the top 5 school mental health speakers are. The individuals discussed are not only talented but have also mastered the art of speaking about mental health to teens, young adults, parents, as well as professionals. So, who are the top 5 school mental health speakers? In no particular order, here they are:

Jeff Yalden

Speaking and enlightening young people about suicide prevention and mental health issues is not an easy task. But Jeff Yalden does it in an extraordinary way. He’s a talented and enthusiastic man who bonds with young people in a very unique way. His passion for seeing the young generation grow in all aspects allows him to deliver highly contagious speeches that leave young adults, changed and challenged.

For the last 24 years, Jeff has been on the move. From high schools to community colleges all the way to the top universities like the University of Notre Dame, he continues to inspire, challenge, and enlighten his college audiences with his touching stories of mental health challenges, especially depression.

Jeff understands the power of the heart. He reminds youth that when the heart is touched the mind follows suit. He knows that today, the youth are desperately seeking the attention of caring individuals who recognize and understand their problems. Jeff believes that by holding the hands of the young adults and speaking with them peacefully and honestly about their challenges, changing their thinking and how they approach various situations becomes very easy.

Jeff’s prolific “About Life” high school assembly has changed the lives of many teens. He prefers to call it an awakening. Jeff believes that by failing to talk to our teens, we leave them wandering around aimlessly in a thick fog. By awakening them, Jeff enlightens the teens to discover who they are. He gives them practical guidance on their path to their purpose. For many students, a new life unfolds for them. They start to see the positive side of life. Their mental health improves dramatically.

Apart from being a successful school mental health and suicide speaker, Jeff has also written a book titled, Your Life Matters. His deep passion for the lives of teens and young adults across the globe has allowed him to come up with this valuable piece. In the book, he answers most of the tough questions that disturb the minds of young adults and teens. Even more, he shares the priceless and timeless lessons learned during his life-defining moments.

Learn more about Jeff Yalden…


Josh Shipp

Josh Shipp is a widely-sought global youth empowerment specialist, author, and acclaimed speaker. His prolific documentary TV series on A&E opened his doors to incredible work with teens. He is also known for the national bestseller book, The Teen’s Guide to World Domination.

Nothing touches the hearts and minds of children, teens and young adults like a mental health speaker who uses his life experiences to deliver excellent speeches. Josh Shipp is a living testimony that a life full of challenges, when handled positively, is worthwhile.

He has spoken at major universities like Stanford, MIT, Harvard, and UCLA. Even more, he is a widely-sorted teen expert for various media platforms like CNN, MTV, New York Times, FOX as well as Good Morning America.

His work extends to educators, parents, as well as mental health professionals. Josh Shipp has spoken to 2 million+ teens and impacted their lives significantly. Josh also mentors youth online through his platform, A Year of Awesomeness. He works towards achieving his lifetime goal of helping as many people across the globe.

Apart from speaking to people, Josh also trains speakers through the Youth Speaker University. Even more, through his open newsletter, Josh Shipp continues to provide exclusive strategies to educators, parents, and young workers on facing various life challenges.

His belief that caring adults have a great impact on the lives of growing children allowed him to discover his passion: Speaking life into children’s hearts and minds.

Josh Shipp experienced some tough challenges while growing up. In fact, as he says, he “would be dead, homeless or in jail were if not for the actions of one caring adult.” He was removed from many foster homes by the age of 14. Was it because he was an outcast? Absolutely no! He just didn’t have anyone to guide him through the first initial steps in facing life’s challenges.

It’s Josh’s belief that for a child to be successful, he/she needs at least one supportive adult. He focuses on discovering the interests of children. Then he spends time with the children by participating in these activities with them. As a result, the invested time converts into meaningful conversations. By talking to children, Josh Shipp mentors and molds their minds and hearts.

Josh says that by spending sufficient time with kids, they learn to trust adults. When he was a child, he had no one to converse with about the scary and crazy things that were going on in his life, and he opted to act out. Fortunately, when he realized that his current foster parents were very caring, he began to change his ways.

Josh speaks potential into children. He lets them understand that they were born for a purpose. He shows them that they are opportunities to the world and not problems.

Learn more about Josh Shipp…


Natasha Tracy

When your mental health deteriorates significantly, or when you need someone to let you see the positive side of life, Natasha Tracy is the person to consult. She is an award-winning speaker, writer, as well as a social media consultant from Pacific Northwest. She’s got all you that you need to boost anyone’s mental health significantly.

Natasha lives her passion for mentoring people by writing about mental illness and mental health for a vast number of publications. Also, she speaks to audiences about these matters. She has been to various schools, conferences, community events, and corporations, as well as other occasions helping individuals become mentally healthier as well as their approach to life’s challenges.

Natasha’s presentations are always full of valuable content. She has studied mental illness for more than ten years. Natasha has lived with bipolar disorder for 18 years. Therefore, her presentations connect with the audiences because of her real-life experience. She makes people learn to face challenges fearlessly.

Natasha Tracy is available to speak in schools, offices, community organizations as well as other events. She can talk for 1-2 hours, delivering excellent speeches that touch hearts and minds.

Learn more about Natasha Tracy…


Kevin Hines

When life throws challenges at us, many of us lament and stop trying. We forget that we have a much greater purpose. Some people even try to end their lives. But is that the right approach to challenges?

Kevin Hines came into the limelight in 2000 when he tried to end his life at the Golden Gate Bridge, an area known for the death of more than 2000 people who jumped off the bridge since 1937.

Luckily, Kevin survived, and coincidentally, the event changed his life forever. It’s now 16 years since Kevin Hines attempted to take away his life. Kevin realized his purpose: Impacting the lives of children, parents, friends, spouses, and other people experiencing mental difficulties. Statistically, mental illness is the leading cause of suicide attempts. Therefore, by speaking hope to people faced with various psychological pressures, Kevin continues to prevent many suicide events across the globe.

Kevin Hines offers the audience a rare glimpse into life and death. He brings with his honesty, advocacy, and the realism of the various severe conditions that lead to mental illness. He acknowledges the need to deal with societal discrimination and stigma.

Through his story, Kevin Hines has changed the lives of many children, teens, young adults, and even old adults.

He has won many notable awards including one from Mental Health America titled The Clifford W-Beers Award, a Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Council of Behavioral Health, among others.

He is also a member of the International Bipolar Foundation, the Mental Health Association of San Francisco, the Bridge Rail Foundation, and the Survivors Committee of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

He visits universities, colleges, corporations, high schools, the military, clinicians, clergy, law enforcement organizations, as well as other organizations helping people see the positive side of life while helping individuals tackle mental illness in the best way.

Learn more about Kevin Hines…


Joshua Rivedal

Joshua Rivedal is an excellent speaker who believes that life, despite its challenges, need not be taken so seriously. He is a widely known public speaker who looks into critical issues affecting today’s society.

Joshua Rivedal is a man who believes in diversity. At the age of 21, he migrated to New York City from New Jersey with great anticipation of making it in the world of popularity. He began his success-seeking journey with Broadway and fortune with the hope that, with time, he would rise to Hollywood.

However, after facing the real side of life, tackling a devouring economy, and learning to face life in a diversified way, Josh Rivedal molded himself into a powerful, internationally acclaimed public speaker, theater producer, author, educator, marketing consultant, playwright, and an entrepreneur. He is the right blend of pleasure and business, logic, and creativity, among other compelling aspects.

Josh is a distinguished public speaker who focuses on suicide prevention. He delivers powerful and life-changing speeches, in universities, colleges, high schools, at seminars, among other occasions. He shares his experience as a loss and attempt survivor. What’s interesting, Josh pairs his speeches with one-man shows of his “Kicking My Blue Genes in the Butt” act influenced by his book- The Gospel According to Josh.

He also talks about mental health, diversity, arts marketing, arts entrepreneurship, small business marketing, as well as resilience in facing life’s challenges.

Josh Rivedal has also partnered with Skookum Hill, a publishing and theater production firm to come up with exclusive content that entertains, educates, inspires, and transforms lives.

He is always available for any consultation. Josh is the man to help teens and young adults develop a conscious mind and grow both professionally and socially.

Learn more about Joshua Rivedal…


The Value of School Mental Health Speakers

A helping hand to the young people surpasses the greatest gifts. Providing teens and young adults with the best mental health support will help the world improve significantly in all aspects. We all have a duty to always be there for the young generation; Listening to their challenges and helping them face life in a bold, fearless way.

A school mental health speaker plays a significant role in helping young people to see life from a different angle. Mental health speakers are blessed with the power to rejuvenate the human spirit and lead us to live mentally well.

If you own or run a school, then hiring a school mental health speaker to speak hope into the minds and hearts of your students could be the wisest decision you will ever make. Begin to impact the lives of young people by showing them that life is a gift, a present. Teach them to cherish it always.


Mike Veny

Mike Veny won Corporate LiveWire’s 2022 & 2023 Innovation & Excellence Awards for his work as a Certified Corporate Wellness Specialist®. He also won NAMI New York State’s 2023 Leader Of Mental Health Awareness award. As a PM360 ELITE Award Winner, he was recognized as one of the 100 most influential people in the healthcare industry for his work with patient advocacy. Determined to overcome a lifetime of serious mental health challenges, Mike’s career began as a professional drummer and evolved into becoming a change maker in the workplace wellness industry. Mike is the author of several books, including the best-selling book, Transforming Stigma: How to Become a Mental Wellness Superhero. He is currently furthering his knowledge at Maharishi International University, pursuing a Consciousness and Human Potential degree.
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