Influential Mental Health Guides

One of the highest priorities is to eliminate stigma and provide accurate, top-quality education on addiction and mental health disorders. To help achieve that goal, there are many guides who promote dialogue and accurate sharing of data on these subjects.

That’s why we’re highlighting champions of mental wellbeing, experts, and authors who are leading the mental health awareness push.

1. Hilary Hendel

Hilary is a licensed clinical social worker and the author of the award-winning novel, “It’s Not Always Depression: Working the Triangle of Change to Listen to the Body, Discover Core Emotions, and Connect to Your Authentic Self.”

2. Natasha Tracy

Natasha is an award-winning writer and lecturer on mental wellbeing who has bipolar disorder. She has published over a thousand bipolar disorder articles and a book, “Lost Marbles: Insights into My Life with Depression & Bipolar.” Because of her own experience overcoming her illness while also attempting to build her best possible life, she is motivated to give help and high-quality knowledge to others.

3. SickNotWeak

Sports broadcaster Michael Landsberg’s life was transformed by just 90 seconds of airtime. He briefly expressed his experiences with extreme depression during a segment on his show, “Off the Record,” which connected with viewers and sparked a passion for speaking up about mental health. He launched sicknotweak.com in March 2016 with the intention of transforming the mental health discourse with a declaration, “I am sick, not weak. “Since then, hundreds of stores have been shared on the web by celebrities and “everyday people,” bringing a group together and providing a safe space to belong and speak up. The platform allows him the rare chance to use the worst thing in [his] life (depression) as one of the best things in his life (helping others),” Landsberg says.

4. Claire Eastham

Claire Eastham is an award-winning mental health writer and best-selling author who also draws on her own experience of social anxiety and panic attacks. Claire recognizes that being diagnosed with mental illness, particularly with the complicated or ambiguous language sometimes used to explain these conditions, can feel frightening and isolating. “Her objective is to “bridge the gap between practitioners in mental health and people with a mental health condition.

5. Blurt

The World Health Organization reports that there are more than 300 million people living with depression in the world meaning that this mental health disorder directly or indirectly affects a large part of the population. That’s where it comes to blurtitout.org. Blurt is a social organization committed to supporting depression-affected individuals, from empowering you and your loved ones to accept depression, to offering valuable support and a group of those like you.

6. Lukasik Daniel

Dan Lukasik is a lawyer and the current Director of the Mental Health Association’s Occupational Well-Being in Buffalo, New York. Dan has fought with depression as well. Ten years ago, to share his personal experience of dealing with depression, learning to handle it and coping with the stigma that surrounds mental illness, he founded lawyerwithdepression.com to help those in the legal profession who also struggle with depression.

7. Talkspace

Founded to provide therapy about the way we live now, Talkspace publishes a blog written by staff authors and experts in mental health. From the convenience of your own device, their subscription service offers high-quality mental health services and has been used by over 1 million people

8. Anita Sanz

Anita Sanz is a licensed psychologist who helps people learn how to make life more comfortable and improve their mental health.

9. Tracey Marks

Dr. Tracey Marks is a therapist who works with patients to solve difficulties related to burnout, anxiety, depression and other pressures. She specializes in sleep disorders as well.

10. Dr. Keely Kolmes

In California, Dr. Keely Kolmes is a licensed psychologist with an inclusive practice that welcomes and assists all individuals with depression, anxiety and relationship problems.

11. Miriam Slozberg

Miriam Slozberg, who struggles with major depressive disorder, is a journalist and blogger. She’s an advocate for mental wellbeing and mental disease destigmatization.

12. Mark Henick

Mark Henick is a consultant and advocate for mental health who has learned about the social stigma against mental illness from his personal and professional encounters with the current mental health system. With 5.9 million views as of May 2019, his TEDx chat, ‘Why We Choose Suicide’ is one of the most viewed ever.

13. Doctor Denise McDermott, M.D.

In both adult and child psychology, Denise McDermott is a medical doctor with board certification. She’s also an author, podcaster and advocate of mental wellbeing who is passionate about putting psychology, science and spirituality together in the health discussion.

14. David Susman

A licensed clinical psychologist, mental health advocate and an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky, David Susman, Ph.D. Dr. Susman has treated thousands of patients with severe mental health and drug use problems during his 24-year career. He believes that using his expertise and unique insight to provide useful, easy-to-understand mental health information and send the message that “help is available, treatment works and there is hope for a brighter, more fulfilling future” is a personal and professional calling.

15. Thérèse Borchard

You may have seen, heard or read Therese’s work already. She is a prominent advocate of mental health who has appeared on TV shows such as “Fox & Friends” and “ABC News Now She is a frequent guest on radio shows around the country and has written “Beyond Blue: Surviving Depression & Anxiety and Making the Most of Bad Genes” and The Pocket Therapist: An Emotional Survival Guide” for several national publications and her own titles. She says that her goal is to provide a light in the dark and help people feel less alone in their fight for well-being.”

16. Nedra Glover Tawwab

To engage with an audience of 249K fans, therapist Nedra Glover Tawwab uses her Instagram account, Nedra Tawwab. She sees Instagram as a place for people to gain a deeper understanding of mental health problems and learn how to reach out to experts. She’s the founder of Kaleidoscope Counseling, which offers North Carolinians in-person and online therapy. Her personal Instagram account and the company are also loaded with guidance on how to pursue healthy mental behaviors.

17.  Beth Evans

Beth Evans, like Daisy, is an influencer who uses her art in a relatable way to explore mental health. She has more of a minimalist style, but the effect of her designs does not diminish that. Her Instagram account has more than 315K followers.

18. Hannah Daisy

Some influencers in mental health use their art to shed light on heavy issues. Artist Hannah Daisy has an Instagram account loaded with vibrant creations that concentrate on subjects such as self-care, anxiety and distracting thoughts. She is also a supporter of the LGBTQ community and much of her content draws attention to the issues of the community. There are more than 116K followers to her account, makedaisychains.

19. Mariel Buquè, Dr.

Another therapist who posts mental health tips on Instagram is Mariel Buquè. She makes it clear, though that her posts are no substitute for actually attending and seeking personalized treatment from a local therapist. She claims that, particularly when it comes to minority populations, social media can help to destigmatize the concept of therapy. Mariel Buque, her Instagram account, has more than 41.4K followers.

20. Brené Brown

Professor Brene Brown, a researcher, is an authority on guilt, vulnerability and bravery, so she has tips that can direct you towards better mental health. She is renowned for her various best-selling novels, including “Braving the Wilderness,” “The Gifts of Imperfection” and “Dare to Lead.” She is as persuasive as she is in her books on the stage. No wonder she has an audience of 2 million fans.