Mental Health Awareness Month (US)

Everyone has mental health, and every May, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) leads Mental Health Awareness Month across the US to put it on the agenda. An estimated 1 in 5 US adults experience a mental illness in any given year, yet access to care remains uneven: an estimated majority of US counties have no psychiatrist practising locally at all, and the gap between need and access is widest in rural areas.

Mental Health Awareness Month is a time for workplaces, schools and communities across the US to unite, increase awareness, and encourage open conversation. Together, we can fight stigma, provide support, educate the public, and advocate for policies that help the millions of people in the US affected by mental health issues. It's also a natural moment for organisations to bring in an expert mental health speaker — whether for an all-hands session, a wellbeing week, or a smaller leadership briefing.

Mental Health Awareness Month Speakers

Dr Mimi Winsberg

Transform your team's approach to modern mental health with cutting-edge insights from Dr Mimi Winsberg, a Stanford-trained psychiatrist, psychologist, and pioneer in digital therapy solutions. Her sessions work well as a keynote or a moderated Q&A, giving leadership teams practical language for talking about mental health at work.

Learn more and book Dr Mimi Winsberg →

Brandon Marshall

Advocate for mental health reform with Brandon Marshall, 13-year NFL veteran and CEO of House of Athlete. Diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Brandon has made it his life's mission to support others on their mental health journey. He says, "We all have a purpose... I am here to help bridge the gap in the mental health community. [...] I realised that football was only my platform, not my purpose."

Interested in booking Brandon? Get in touch with the PepTalk team.

Dr. Chloe Carmichael

Enhance your team's mental resilience and learn to leverage anxiety for success with Dr Chloe Carmichael, bestselling author and clinical psychologist. She's the author of Nervous Energy, which outlines nine tools to help audiences harness their energy for a more productive and fulfilling working life. Handled well, the nervous energy some people label as anxiety can become a source of stimulation, productivity, and fulfilment.

Learn more and book Dr. Chloe Carmichael →

Alison Canavan

Foster resilience and holistic wellbeing in your workforce with Alison Canavan, a transformational coach and wellness expert. Alison spent her early career as one of the world's top fashion models, while privately facing depression, anxiety, and addiction. She transformed her life using simple, practical tools, and now shares them with corporate audiences.

Learn more and book Alison Canavan →

Caleb Campbell

Cultivate authentic leadership and emotional wellbeing in your organisation with Caleb Campbell, a West Point graduate, former NFL player and mental health advocate. Caleb's journey shows audiences that we all have the capacity to get up and dust ourselves off, no matter how bad it gets.

Learn more and book Caleb Campbell →

*NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.

How Employers Can Mark Mental Health Awareness Month

A single keynote rarely changes a culture on its own, but it's a strong way to open the conversation. Organisations getting the most from Mental Health Awareness Month tend to pair a session with something ongoing: a manager training follow-up, a wellbeing resource hub, or a peer-support programme that outlasts the month itself. If your event calendar already covers wellbeing, our piece on mental health speakers for workplace wellbeing looks at formats beyond the standalone keynote, including panels and smaller leadership briefings.

Session formats worth considering for May include a lunch-and-learn Q&A, a manager-focused workshop on spotting early warning signs in a team, or a company-wide keynote followed by breakout conversations. Speakers on this list can typically flex between a 30-minute virtual session and a longer in-person keynote, so it's worth sharing your format and audience size early when you enquire.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Mental Health Awareness Month?

Mental Health Awareness Month takes place every May in the US. It was established in 1949 and is supported by NAMI and a wide range of mental health organisations.

Why was Mental Health Awareness Month created?

It exists to reduce stigma around mental illness, encourage open conversation, and point people toward support and treatment. The awareness push extends into workplaces, schools and healthcare settings across the country.

What's a good way to mark it at work?

Many organisations book a guest speaker, run a wellbeing week, or launch a manager training programme during May. Pairing an event with an ongoing resource, such as an employee assistance programme or peer-support network, tends to have more lasting impact than a single session alone.

How do I book a mental health speaker for my event?

Get in touch with the PepTalk team with your event date, format and audience size, and we'll recommend speakers who fit your brief and budget. See our roundup of World Mental Health Day for further speaker options if you're planning content beyond May.

💡 Interested in a PepTalk Live session for Mental Health Awareness Month? 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 — drop us an email at hello@getapeptalk.com to set up a free strategy call.