Mark Henick: Speaker Kit

Mark Henick is one of Canada's most prominent mental health advocates, a TEDx speaker with more than 7 million views, and the bestselling author of So-Called Normal: A Memoir of Family, Depression and Resilience. He draws on his own lived experience with mental illness, a decade of clinical and policy work, and more than two decades of public advocacy to deliver keynotes that are equal parts personal, evidence-based, and transformative. Mark is based in Toronto and speaks to audiences across North America and internationally.

Mark Henick is one of Canada's most prominent mental health advocates, speakers, and authors. His TEDx talk is among the most viewed in the world. It tells the story of the night he was talked back from the edge of a bridge by a stranger, and what that moment revealed about mental health, human connection, and the possibility of recovery.

Drawing on his own lived experience with depression and suicide attempts beginning in adolescence, a decade of clinical and policy work, and more than two decades at the forefront of public mental health advocacy, Mark delivers keynotes that combine powerful storytelling with practical, evidence-based tools. His signature frameworks, HEAR and NICE, give organizations the language and skills to build cultures where mental health is genuinely supported, not just acknowledged.

Mark is the bestselling author of So-Called Normal: A Memoir of Family, Depression and Resilience (HarperCollins Canada), praised by Rosie O'Donnell, Arlene Dickinson, Dr. Brian Goldman, and many others. He speaks to corporate audiences, healthcare systems, educational institutions, and government organizations across North America and internationally. Mark is based in Toronto, Canada.

Mark Henick is one of Canada's most recognized mental health advocates, keynote speakers, trainers, and authors. Over more than two decades in the field, he has moved from patient to practitioner to public figure, bringing a rare depth of perspective that makes his work both rigorously grounded and profoundly personal.

His TEDx talk, Why We Choose Suicide, is among the most-viewed TEDx talks in the world, with more than 7 million views across platforms. In it, Mark tells the story of the night he stood on the wrong side of a bridge railing, intending to end his life, and how a stranger's act of connection changed everything. The talk has reached millions of people, sparked public conversations about suicide prevention, and helped reshape how many organizations think about mental health support.

Mark began experiencing severe depression and suicidal ideation in childhood, and by adolescence had been hospitalized multiple times. Rather than allowing that experience to define him in a limiting way, he used it as the foundation for a career built at the intersection of lived experience and professional expertise. He studied psychology and pursued graduate training in counselling, spending a decade working in clinical, policy, and advocacy roles, including with the Canadian Mental Health Association, the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and numerous healthcare and government organizations. As CBC Radio's nationally syndicated mental health columnist, he performed nearly 1,200 radio interviews across every market in Canada.

His keynotes go beyond awareness to deliver actionable tools, including the HEAR and NICE frameworks, that audiences can apply immediately to support themselves, their colleagues, and their organizations. Presentations are customized for each audience, whether corporate, healthcare, educational, or government.

Mark is the bestselling author of So-Called Normal: A Memoir of Family, Depression and Resilience (HarperCollins Canada, 2021), which received praise from Rosie O'Donnell, Arlene Dickinson, Jessie Close, Dr. Brian Goldman, Ann Douglas, and many others. The book was reviewed by Kirkus Reviews and received five-star ratings from the Portland Book Review, the US Review of Books, and Readers' Favorite.

He has appeared on CNN, ABC, CBS, CBC, CTV, Global News, and dozens of other outlets, and his writing has been published by CNBC, USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, and The Globe and Mail.

Mark lives in Toronto, Canada, and speaks to audiences across North America and internationally, in person, virtually, and in hybrid formats. He holds a Master of Science (M.Sc.) and Bachelor of Arts (Hon.), with graduate training in counselling and a Postgraduate Certificate in Neuroscience and Mental Health from King's College London.