Mental Health Speakers Archives | Keynote Entertainment Blog

July 17, 2023

Australia’s Top 10 Wellbeing Speakers

“Take care of your employees, and they will take care of your business.”
– Richard Branson

Wellbeing isn’t just good for your people, it’s good for your bottom line too.

In this hyperconnected, hybrid work environment we now live in, workplace wellbeing has never been more important… or more of a challenge.

In an age where competition for talent is fierce, business uncertainty is high and ‘quiet quitting’ is an actual thing, creating a culture that prioritises employee health and happiness isn’t just the ‘right thing to do’ – it’s good business too.

Research clearly shows a positive correlation between employee wellbeing and company performance across a wide variety of indicators, including firm valuations, gross profits and stock market performance. And if that’s not enough motivation, failing to look after the wellbeing of employees is now a punishable offence under new Australian Work Health and Safety laws.

Bottom line? It’s time to create a culture that prioritises wellbeing. And happily, we have some of the world’s best wellbeing speakers on hand to help you!

Australia’s Top 10 Wellbeing Speakers

These 10 passionate and inspiring wellbeing experts are the best in the business, and we’d love to introduce you…

1. Ben Crowe

As mindset and performance coach of some of the world’s most influential leaders, as well as superstars like Aussie tennis legends Ash Barty and Dylan Alcott and world surfing champ Steph Gilmore, Ben Crowe knows a thing or two about winning mindsets. He’s committed to helping people find purpose, confidence and a competitive advantage while living fulfilling lives, and does it by sharing high-performance principles and emphasising the importance of authenticity, vulnerability and storytelling. Read more about Ben here.

2. Emma Murray

With a background in psychology and athletics, leading mindfulness and high-performance coach Emma Murray helps people from all walks of life overcome mental challenges to reach peak performance. Known as ‘the secret weapon’ behind Richmond Football Club’s premiership success, Emma’s strategies are focused on present moment awareness, emotional regulation and sustained focus. With practices rooted in mindfulness and high-performance psychology, Emma is dedicated to empowering people to excel in every moment of their lives. Read more about Emma here

3. Chelsea Pottenger

Chelsea Pottenger is Australia’s poster girl for mental health and mindfulness, regularly featured in the media as a leading authority on wellbeing. As an accredited mindfulness and meditation coach, Chelsea works with organisations to prioritise employee wellbeing, with major clients including global brands like eBay, Uber, Estee Lauder and Mercedes Benz. She’s also a proud ambassador for mental health charities including R U OK? and The Gidget Foundation, and has over 100,000 Instagram followers! Read more about Chelsea here.

4. Stephanie Bown

With extensive education and expertise in psychology, neuropsychology, positive psychology and organisational dynamics, Stephanie Bown offers deep insights into individual and team dynamics. As a transformational change expert and high-performance coach, Stephanie’s mission is to help people reach their full potential by guiding them to lead purpose-driven, successful and well-balanced lives. Stephanie also wrote ‘Purpose, Passion & Performance’, awarded one of Australia’s top 3 leadership books in 2021. Read more about Stephanie here.

5. Mark Bunn

Bestselling author and former AFL footballer, Mark Bunn, draws from a blend of Western science, Eastern medicine and insights from some of the world’s healthiest and highest performing people to provide practical tips for improving resilience, positivity and overall wellbeing. Mark focuses on addressing health issues such as stress, poor sleep, low motivation and burnout, and has coached communities, schools and organisations like NAB, Westpac, Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce and AMP. Read more about Mark here.

6. Leanne Hall

As an integrative psychologist, personal trainer and nutrition coach, Leanne Hall has been transforming lives for over 15 years. Passionate about holistic health and wellbeing, Leanne guides people on a wide variety of topics, including beauty myths, self-esteem, body image, relationships, parenting and mental health. Promoting self-care through a combination of positive psychology and mindfulness techniques, Leanne inspires people to prioritise their mind and body. Read more about Leanne here.

7. Andrew May

Andrew May is a globally recognised workplace performance and leadership strategist with a background in high-performance sports. Partnering with organisations worldwide to establish cultures of wellbeing, Andrew delivers scientifically proven strategies for lasting change. He’s a coach and confidante to many of Asia Pacific’s leading CEO’s, executives and entrepreneurs, has worked with Olympians and is the Mental Skills Coach of the Paramatta Eels NRL Team. He’s also a published author and regular media contributor! Read more about Andrew here.

8. Dr. Michael Nagel

Dr. Michael Nagel is an Associate Professor at the University of the Sunshine Coast where he teaches and researches in the areas of cognition, human development, behaviour and learning. He also helps workplaces incorporate mindfulness practices to tackle the increasing demands and challenges leading to stress, decreased productivity, employee absenteeism and burnout. Michael unpacks the neuroscience around mindfulness and provides practical strategies to help facilitate improved communication and enhanced workplace relationships. Read more about Michael here.

9. Luke Mathers

Luke Mathers is a stress expert and performance coach who uses neuroscience, ancient wisdom and his years of experience running successful businesses to help people harness the power of stress. Luke has helped Olympians, top CEOs, brands and teams, providing practical strategies to reduce burnout and change areas of their life that need to change. Having learned from his own experience in transforming industries, Luke helps people embrace challenges and reset how they look at stress in order to achieve optimal performance. Read more about Luke here.

10. Dr. Amy Silver

Dr. Amy Silver is a psychologist and bestselling author who is regularly featured in the media talking about how fear and other emotions impact our work. With three decades of clinical experience, Amy also holds multiple degrees, including a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, a Masters in Forensic Psychiatry and a Masters in Performance, and has taught and researched at Oxford University. A globally recognised expert, Amy is committed to teaching people how to create psychological safety, trust and open communication in order to shape a better future. Read more about Amy here.

With some of the world’s most highly sought-after wellbeing experts to choose from, selecting Australia’s top 10 Wellbeing Speakers was a difficult task! If you’d like help creating a culture that prioritises wellbeing, and have a specific event brief for us, we’d be happy to provide you with a curated list of speaker choices… simply get in touch with us to get the ball rolling!

February 5, 2023February 5, 2023

4 Antidotes to New Year Burnout

“If you feel ‘burnout’ setting in, if you feel demoralized and exhausted, it is best, for the sake of everyone, to withdraw and restore yourself.” – Dalai Lama

If you haven’t bounced into 2023 feeling refreshed, energised and ready to tackle the new year, you’re not alone. We may only be a month in, but for many that optimistic new year glow has been buffeted by a perfect storm of intensifying forces – from pandemic anxiety, new ways of working and getting the kids back to school to staff shortages and rising interest rates. It’s tough to feel amped up when there’s so much going down. But there are ways you can nip burnout in the bud, and reduce the risk of a chronic problem setting in.

Stress is a normal human response – a normal part of life that, in small amounts, can even be good for you. But when your ability to cope becomes compromised, and the stress continues to mount, you enter burnout territory. Defined as complete mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion, and now officially classified as a mental illness, burnout doesn’t just spring up overnight – it simmers away in the background, building up over time.

Headaches, exhaustion, insomnia, a sense of disconnect, irritability, panic attacks, absenteeism from work, an ongoing feeling of dread, decreased productivity, an inability to find enjoyment in things… they’re all warning signs you’re on the road to burnout.

And while there’s no magic pill, there are four scientifically proven ways you can keep physically and mentally healthy to significantly reduce the risk of burnout taking hold.

1. Set some boundaries… and stick to them!

Boundaries are the ultimate form of self-care. They define what’s acceptable to you, what you’ll compromise on, what you’ll tolerate, what you’ll say no to. The problem is, unless you enforce them, they’re no good to you at all.

High-performance specialist and award-winning author Stephanie Bown believes the way to avoid burnout “is by having boundaries around how and where we choose to spend our time, so that we replenish our energy and enable ourselves to focus when we need to, with our families, in our workplaces, with our friends.”

Elite performance coach Mark Bunn agrees, saying “Life these days is full of requests for our time, energy & expertise. As we like to be needed and feel that we are ‘giving’ to others, we can quickly find ourselves using up all our time…and thus having none left for ourselves.”

Constantly trying to appease our deeply entrenched people-pleaser streak, whether to stay in favour or avoid conflict, is a recipe for turmoil. Because not respecting your boundaries may make you agreeable, but it won’t make you happy. As Author Brianna Wiest said, “Each time you break your boundaries in order to ensure someone else likes you, you end up liking yourself that much less.”

If you’re not sure what your boundaries are, use your body as a guide. Increased heart rate, a tight gut, sweating, that nervous feeling – if something feels unsafe or uncomfortable, that’s a good clue you’ve hit a boundary. They’re there to protect you – if you constantly stretch them in an eternal search for popularity, they’ll break. And so will you!

2. Incorporate self-care into your day

Life gets busy. Things happen. We get it. There’s a grace period for putting yourself on the back burner, but leave yourself there too long and voila… welcome to burnout. Just like on an airplane, you need to fit your own oxygen mask first if you’re going to be any good to anyone else.

“Self-care isn’t selfish, it’s self-preservation,” says accredited mindfulness and meditation coach, and one of Australia’s leading authorities on mental wellbeing, Chelsea Pottenger.

Chelsea recommends incorporating self-care rituals into your day, believing that even little actions can have a positive impact on your wellbeing. To figure out which rituals work best for you, Chelsea suggests writing down as many things you can think of that bring you joy. This can be anything from the smell of vanilla, back rubs and the colour blue, to summertime, going to the beach etc. Then brainstorm ways you can incorporate these into your day, such as filling your space with the colours and smells you enjoy. Morning rituals like 2-5 minutes of meditation, exercise and making a gratitude list also work wonders to set you in the right frame of mind for the day ahead.

Mark Bunn is a big believer that “Your greatest wealth is your health”, and also recommends devoting some time every day to looking after your personal health and performance. He suggests eating ‘light at night’, getting peak performance sleep (before 10.30pm) at least 3-4 nights a week, staying optimally hydrated and starting each day with some physical activity.

Clinical psychologist, personal trainer and nutrition coach Leanne Hall is another advocate for “doing one thing for yourself each day. It may be a pedicure, bubble bath at the end of the day, movie with a friend, or even an early night!” She believes that “Once you are able to listen to your body, it will tell you what it needs, and THAT is what self-nurturance is all about!”

3. Do what makes you happy

You’ve heard the saying “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Well, Mark Bunn goes a step further, suggesting that to stay happy and avoid burnout, you need to combine ‘doing what you love most’ with ‘what you naturally do best’ (i.e. your natural talents). He uses the example of Richard Branson, who is dyslexic and rarely even touches a computer… let alone sends emails. Yet he’s still built a worldwide empire by focusing on his unique talents as an innovative, big-picture thinker and a brilliant self-promoter. Why focus on improving your weaknesses when your strengths come more naturally – and more enjoyably?

Doing what you love doesn’t just apply to the workplace either. If you’re struggling to hit your fitness goals, for example, Leanne Hall says it’s because you haven’t yet found an exercise regime that you enjoy. She says “so many people waste money on gym memberships. Why? Because they like the ‘idea’ of going to the gym, but they really don’t ‘enjoy’ going. For many of these people, joining a team sport or an outdoor bootcamp with friends is a much more enjoyable form of exercise which they can sustain.”

If you find it enjoyable, it’ll make you happy. Simple as that.

4. Let nature take its course

The Japanese-inspired practice of shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) was originally invented to combat corporate burnout by helping people disconnect and reap the therapeutic benefits of nature. With devotees including the likes of Justin Bieber, Gwyneth Paltrow and Dame Judy Dench, it’s fast becoming a global wellness phenomenon. ‘Forest schools’, where learning takes place in natural outdoor settings, are popping up all over Europe and the U.S.

The restorative power of nature is real.

A recent McKinsey study showed that “time spent in nature has a positive effect on attention span and well-being”, noting that “When in nature our brain emits alpha waves that help calm the stress response and reduce anxiety levels, allowing the brain to enter a more relaxed, clear, and creative state.” You’ll find plenty of similar studies to back it up.

An expert on the healing properties of nature, Mark Bunn is a big proponent of ‘green exercise’, or training in a natural environment. He recommends “getting fresh air, natural light exposure or sunlight and maybe even doing it ‘earthed’ (barefoot) if it’s safe to do so.” He also believes there’s huge benefit in “having your lunch in a park, doing your stretches while touching a tree, taking your shoes and socks off and walking on the wet sand if you’re near a beach or a natural body of water”.

The idea is a simple one – take it outside if you can!

So, is there an antidote for burnout? There’s no quick fix, but if you feel it coming your way, what you can do is press pause, take a deep breath, and hit the reset button. Set some boundaries, go play in the garden, find what it is you love to do, incorporate self-care into your day and take some time out just for you. As novelist Anne Lamot said “Almost everything will work again if we unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”

Our wonderful team of leading mental health and performance experts include Stephanie Bown, Mark Bunn, Chelsea Pottenger, Leanne Hall, Dr Michael Nagel, Emma Murray and Jackie Furey. All are dynamic and inspiring speakers who can provide your team with life-changing practical tools to help them become more energised and resilient, better at managing stress and achieving a healthy work-life balance. If you’d like us to introduce you, simply get in touch with us for a chat.

July 5, 2022September 7, 2022

Three Little Words, Life-Changing Impact

Did you know that 1 in 5 Australians experience a mental illness every year, while an estimated 45% of people will suffer from a mental health condition in their lifetime?

Thursday September 8^th is R U OK? Day, a national day of action where all Australians are encouraged to ask ‘Are you OK?’ if they spot the signs that someone might be struggling. The meaningful conversation that those three little words trigger can literally change a life.

With a staggering 35% of 16-64 year olds experiencing high or very high levels of psychological distress, mental health isn’t just a community issue – it’s a workplace one too.

Businesses have a responsibility to create a culture where people feel confident asking and answering the simple yet vitally important question, ‘R U OK?’. It’s not only a legal obligation to provide a safe and healthy workplace, it’s also a moral one.

R U OK? Day is your opportunity to help foster an open, honest and safe work culture where mental health conversations are not only encouraged, but promoted. You just never know whose life you might save.

So how can your business encourage the mental health conversation at work?

1) Make use of free resources: The R U OK? Day website is full of fantastic information you can share with staff, such as this practical guide to asking R U OK? at work. Print off posters and other freely available campaign resources and make them visible around the office.

2) Hold a team event: Whether it’s a morning tea, sausage sizzle or team picnic, get staff together, show your team the R U OK? video and encourage them to think about the motivation behind R U OK? Day. You can even turn it into a fundraiser to support the R U OK? initiative.

3) Get the experts in: Engage a mental health motivational speaker to talk to your team – their unique experience, commanding presence and storytelling ability can have enormous impact and will help drive genuine change in your workplace. Whether presentations are held virtually, in-person or a hybrid mix, our wonderful mental health speakers are guaranteed to make a lasting impression on your staff. Here are just a few that we can introduce you to:

Chelsea Pottenger: Chelsea Pottenger is a proud ambassador for R U OK? and Gidget Foundation Australia, and a leading authority on mental wellbeing. An accredited mindfulness and meditation coach, Chelsea is Australia’s poster girl for mental health and a dynamic motivational speaker. Her presentations take teams on an incredible journey, showing them how to build their resilience and maximise their potential. Chelsea ensures her audiences walk away with life-changing tools to help them become more successful and energised, fully invested in improving their own mental and physical wellbeing. Read more about Chelsea here.

Dr Michael Nagel: Dr Michael Nagel is an Associate Professor specialising in cognition, stress, human development, behaviour and learning. Nominated as Australian Lecturer of the Year every year since 2010, Michael has been a guest on ‘Sunrise’, ‘A Current Affair’, ‘The Project’ and New Zealand TV’s Breakfast program, and has authored 19 books. His powerful presentations unpack the neuroscience around the positive effects of mindfulness, while providing practical strategies to help audiences incorporate mindfulness into their lives. Read more about Michael here.

Emma Murray: As an accredited mindfulness and meditation teacher, NLP Master Practitioner and Clinical Hypnotherapist, Emma Murray is widely considered to be one of Australia’s master mindfulness and high-performance mind coaches. Emma’s strategies, exercises and daily practices are fast and effective methods to attain and maintain awareness, improved emotional regulation and enhanced focus. Her presentations show people how to feel re-energised, connected to their passions, confident and valuable, replacing struggle with calmness, optimism, acceptance and worthiness. Read more about Emma here.

Jackie Furey: A university-trained psychotherapist, Jackie Furey specialises in empowering people to bring out the best in themselves and the people around them in love, life and work. Jackie makes regular radio and tv appearances, and in the past eight years has spoken in over thirty major cities around the world. Renowned for her thought-provoking, dynamic and entertaining presentations, Jackie is passionate about showing people how they can have more of a say in how their life works, to know who they are and to take what they want and need. Read more about Jackie here.

Gus Worland: Gus Worland created and starred in television shows including Foxtel’s ‘An Aussie Goes’ series alongside Hugh Jackman, before hosting Triple M’s popular breakfast show ‘The Grill Team’. He then starred in his own television series, ‘Marathon Man’, which followed his journey from obesity to a lean, mean marathon machine. After losing a close mate to suicide, Gus created the TV series ‘Man Up’ in which he talks to men to find out what it really means to be a man today. Passionate about raising awareness and reducing the stigma of mental health, Gus co-founded mental health organisation Gotcha4Life and presents his powerful story to audiences around the country. Read more about Gus here.

Tom Cronin: Known as ‘The King of Calm’, Tom Cronin is recognised globally for his expertise in leadership, stress management, mindfulness and empowerment, and his insights have featured heavily in media including Thrive Global, Sydney Morning Herald, Channel 9 Morning Show, CBS, Conde Nast Traveller, Huffington Post and Business Insider. Tom has authored 6 books, produced the hit film The Portal and founded The Stillness Project, a movement inspiring one billion people to meditate daily. His captivating presentations include practical tips and strategies, empowering insights and knowledge and a powerful meditation experience that leaves the audience feeling inspired and equipped to be healthy, happy and successful. Read more about Tom here.

Dr Sally Cockburn: Dr Sally Cockburn is one of Australia’s leading health communicators, having been a teacher, mentor and GP for more than 30 years. You may know her by her pseudonym, Dr Feelgood, tackling sensitive health issues and taboo subjects on her talkback radio show with professional ease and aplomb. Sally has extensive experience in mental health issues and, as a member of the Mental Health Reform Council and a board member of VicHealth, is an active policy maker. With an engaging presentation style and over 20 years’ experience as a motivational speaker, Sally is one of our most sought-after presenters. Read more about Sally here.

Taryn Brumfitt: Taryn Brumfitt is on a global crusade to end body dissatisfaction and shift the way the world thinks about themselves and their bodies. As a best-selling author and director of the social-change documentary Embrace, Taryn has been recognised by the United Nations Women, Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls and the Geena Davis Institute and has the support of high-profile personalities including Olivia Newton-John, Rosie O’Donnell and Ashton Kutcher who famously praised her activism as being “good for the world.” Taryn’s positive voice and powerful message has reached over 200 million people via the likes of the L.A Times, Washington Post, Good Morning America, The Project, Australian Story and The Today Show, while she inspires and enlightens audiences around the globe as a renowned motivational speaker. Read more about Taryn here.

Robin Bailey: With more than 20 years’ experience in radio, television and corporate speaking, Robin Bailey is one of Australia’s most well-known voices. You may have heard her on Tripe M’s brekkie show, or seen her on one of her many regular appearances on TV as either a guest or host, entertaining audiences or candidly sharing her own family’s experience with mental health issues. Robin is a natural presenter who is known for her professional, friendly and down-to-earth attitude, and relates to people across all age groups and demographics. Read more about Robin here.

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Our wonderful mental health experts, including Chelsea Pottenger, Dr Michael Nagel, Emma Murray, Jackie Fure y, Gus Worland, Tom Cronin, Dr Sally Cockburn, Taryn Brumfitt and Robin Bailey are all passionate and entertaining speakers, and can help inspire real understanding and change in your team. If you’d like us to introduce you, simply get in touch with us for a chat.