True healing starts the day you feel understood. When you are real, there are no demons to hide from.
Mitch is one of the top global thought leads in psychology, with a lifelong mission to ‘change the way the world feels’.
His goal is to transform the lives of 1 billion people to be more mentally healthy through his educational platforms, inspiring talks and social impact organisations he’s involved with.
After working at Microsoft for almost 7 years, he left his successful corporate career to devote himself full-time to helping people overcome suffering and reimagine the healing potential of the mind.
His focus is on three core pillars: Human Connection, Emotional Fortitude, and Mindful High Performance, with the common through-line in all of his work being: “go toward the pain”.
Mitch is a mental health expert – holding a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University in New York, and he has over 2 decades of lived experience with mental ill health including anxiety, depression and OCD. He has accrued countless hours of experience researching and delivering evidence based emotional wellbeing practices.
He is most well known for being the founder of Heart On My Sleeve - a leading global mental health movement that helps people drop the brave face and be real about how they feel.
He is the creator of “Real Conversations” – an interpersonal relationship program that transforms workplace culture and family systems toward psychological safety through emotionally intelligent communication skills. He’s delivered workshops to C-level executives on over 4 continents. As an accomplished keynote speaker having delivered talks to tens of thousands of people, including some of the most recognised companies in the world such as American Express, Amazon, Google, KPMG, and dozens more.
He has been an advisor to the United Nations on the topic of youth mental health and won a Man of Impact award by GQ. He was appointed the first-ever ambassador for the Australia and New Zealand Mental Health Association and is currently an expert advisor to the Corporate Mental Health Alliance. He’s been named a Westfield Local Hero and was featured in B&T’s Top 10 Social Changemakers in Australia. He’s been featured in wellbeing campaigns by the likes of Allianz and LinkedIn, and featured in top news publications like Sky News, Huffington Post and Channel 10’s The Project.
He is accredited in Mental Health First Aid and a trained Lifeline crisis supporter. Mitch runs a popular podcast that has featured guests from Harvard Psychologists, media personalities, and world-class Olympians. His social media videos have reached millions of people and he received the award for “most inspiring mental health video of the year”.
Mitch also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from the University of Sydney. He is involved with multiple social impact ventures including Heaps Normal (Australia’s #1 non-alcoholic craft beer), Calm Water stress reduction supplement, and many others.
He shares with us what it means to be human.
Talking Points
Supporting Others
Real Conversations: The counterintuitive approach to being truly supportive, by learning to “sit in the mud”.Supporting Others
5 step proven communication formula that boosts connection skills by up to 400%
We think that ‘talking’ and ‘connecting’ are the same thing. It turns out that they are completely different. Very few people know how to actually connect… until now. Healthy relationships are the heartbeat of life, including business. In our day-to-day interactions with our team and/or coworkers, we are often faced with the confronting reality of supporting people who are going through difficult times. It’s common to feel confused about what to say or do, overcome with fear of getting it wrong, or riddled with guilt that we might make things worse. If that resonates with you, hire this mental health expert who has helped 10,000+ people in similar situations learn a new way to connect with confidence. In this keynote, Mitch shares core insights from his proprietary framework which has been adopted and trusted by some of the world’s biggest companies to boost psychological safety and facilitate conversations that truly move the needle.
Topics and outcomes
- Mitch’s mental health story and the core insight he gained after recovering from a life-threatening mental breakdown.
- The #1 insight that separates helpful/unhelpful conversations that positively transforms the dynamic of personal and professional relationships.
- What NOT to do: How to avoid the 5 core mistakes that push people away and fractures connection, even when you’re trying to be supportive.
- What TO do: How to implement 5 proven tools that unlock unprecedented trust and promote nervous system regulation, without becoming their therapist or exceeding your boundaries in the process.
Best for
- Mental Health Awareness Days – hosting this keynote during important calendar dates such as World Mental Health Day or Mental Health Month helps reinforce your organisation’s commitment to psychological wellbeing and equips employees with practical tools for real conversations.
- Leadership & Team Development – ideal for leadership development days or team-building events, this talk enhances communication skills, strengthens team dynamics, and fosters a culture of trust and psychological safety within the workplace.
- Strategic Offsites & Annual Gatherings – a perfect addition to team offsites or annual gatherings, this session helps align teams on the importance of emotional intelligence, resilience, and supportive conversations, driving long-term cultural change.
- Industry Conferences & Association Events – designed for sectors with high-stress environments, this keynote is invaluable for professionals in retail, hospitality, healthcare, education, infrastructure, emergency response and dozens more – where staff frequently handle clients in distress without the tools to navigate tough conversations effectively.
Supporting Self
Toward the Pain: Cultivating resilience amidst uncertainty to overcome any obstacle.Supporting Self
How to double your nervous system capacity by strengthening your emotional fortitude.
Statistics show that nearly half of us will experience a mental health issue at some point in our lives, and all of us know what it’s like to not be ok from time to time. Navigating life’s ups and downs isn’t always easy, but with the right help, we can grow and thrive. The first step to emotional well-being is to feel understood. In this keynote, Mitch provides a platform for every person in the room to realise they are not alone. This talk is designed to eradicate stigma and increase awareness and understanding of mental health, fostering a deeper appreciation for the experiences of others that may not be well understood at present. It offers educational soundbites that can be applied immediately after leaving the room, helping individuals improve their state of mind and cultivate long-lasting emotional stability.
Topics and outcomes
- The 3 ingredients necessary to get out of the “stuck cycle” and reorientate our perspective toward growth (not surviving)
- The 4 truths about mental health that removes the “them vs. us mentality” with a clear north star to aim for in our personal lives
- 10 resilience tools that form the ultimate mental health toolkit that enables ANYONE to improve the strength of their nervous system
- The #1 call-to-action that motivates people to step forward and take charge of their internal world
Best for
- Company-Wide Wellbeing Events – perfect for organisations aiming to inspire resilience during times of high change, helping employees navigate uncertainty with practical tools.
- Inspirational Conferences – ideal for events that aim to leave attendees inspired and motivated to adopt new, positive behaviours by sharing groundbreaking science and compelling stories.
- Cultural Milestones – a meaningful addition to events that mark significant cultural moments, such as Men’s Mental Health Week or International Women’s Day, helping participants develop personal resilience.
- People Manager Offsites – essential for leaders and managers to learn self-care strategies that enable them to support their teams effectively during challenging times.
Workshop: Real Conversations Workplace Training
Become world-class at the most important skill in business: CONNECTIONWorkshop: Real Conversations Workplace Training
Real Conversations is a learning and development program that results in increased psych safety & productivity, while reducing risk. Create a workplace culture that's so magnetic, top talent queue to be part of it and never want to leave.
This material has been used by 200,000+ people on over 4 continents with a 9.5/10 satisfaction rating and a 400% improvement in capability. Adopted by the likes of KPMG, American Express, Microsoft and dozens of Fortune 500 market leading companies, we help companies find a new level of peak performance by moving beyond ‘box ticking’ people programs, and creating an internal muscle of resilience & cohesion.
• 100% of participants agree this made them a better leader
• 95% of participants said they were supporting colleagues with their mental health conversations at least fortnightly
• 95% of participants used their support skills in their personal & professional lives
• 100% of participants agree the training is valuable 3-6 months post completion
• 80% of our clients work with us over multiple years
Program Inclusions:
Full Day Transformational Group Workshop + 12 months of coaching support, including:
• Live Monthly Masterclasses
• Interactive global community network
• Full eLearning video course
• Exclusive expert interviews
• Interactive workbook
• Support inbox
• Weekly reflection questions
• Downloadable resources
• Conversation collateral
• Meditations & affirmations
Who is this for:
1) Leaders & People Managers (top-down approach)
Are your people managers leaning out when they should be leaning in?
Despite best intentions to be helpful, many mangers don’t know how to connect, subsequently fracturing trust and creating legal, economic & reputational risk for the business. We help leaders find the middle ground of maximum impact. Where they are therapeutic, without being a therapist.
The importance of having people-centric leaders cannot be overstated. It’s the #1 way to create psychological safety in the workplace. You cannot outsource duty of care, you need to internally build the muscle of care. EAP isn’t the answer to a lack of leadership capability. Effectively supporting staff is a basic & necessary requirement for people managers to build healthy high performing teams.
2) Passionate peer supporters (bottom-up approach)
Ignite your most critical mental health support system: passionate peer supporters. Peers are craving a sense of shared understanding. Emotional CPR is part of supporting colleagues, but it’s not the whole picture. Mental Health First Aid is not a peer support program. Establishing a thriving network of advocates within the organisation involves giving them tools to do more than just triage.
The majority of peers don’t know what to say and do to provide assistance to someone who’s stressed, upset, or living with a mental illness, even if they are accredited in Mental Health First Aid.
We help peer supporters find their passion, fuel their knowledge, and support their continuous growth over the long term.
What participants learn
• Master the art of meaningful conversations – Learn how to break through small talk, ask the right questions, and create deep, genuine connections, even in difficult moments.
• Know exactly what to say when someone is struggling – Gain a proven step-by-step framework to navigate conversations about mental health with confidence, care, and impact.
• Handle crises with clarity and confidence – Discover how to manage high-risk situations like suicide, self-harm, and emotional breakdowns without fear or uncertainty.
• Help others without burning out – Set healthy boundaries so you can support loved ones without carrying their pain or feeling overwhelmed.
• Transform the way you listen and respond – Unlock evidence-based techniques that build trust, validation, and emotional safety, making people feel truly seen and understood.
What participants walk away with:
• Unprecedented access to global psychology thought leader - Mitch Wallis
• Knowledge: Learning & practical skills that will put you in the top 1% of communicators.
• Network: New connection with like-minded individuals going through the same thing as you.
• Growth: An understanding of how to take better care of yourself, not just how to show up for others.
• Contribution: Joy and fulfilment from making a positive impact in people's lives.
• Support: Ongoing support and direct allyship from Mitch and his team.
Meet your instructor - Mitch Wallis:
Learn from a psychology thought leader with 20+ years of lived experience with mental health, a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology from Columbia University in New York, and a track record of proven behaviour change with executives from Fortune 500 companies.
Video
Mitch Wallis | Saxton Speakers
Mitch Wallis | One of the Top thought Leaders in Emotional Wellbeing | Saxton Speakers
One of the most credible mental health speakers in the world. Book Mitch to speak at your company, conference or event.Mitch Wallis | Supporting Others | Saxton Speakers
Mitch Wallis | Supporting Self | Saxton Speakers
15 Minutes of Mitch's Story | Saxton Speakers
Mitch Wallis | Real Conversations | Saxton Speakers
Audio
Such a fantastic session and I could've listened for hours from a leaderships side as well as a personal. Such great advice around being more open, a better listener and just being available ... keep reading American Express
It's authenticity. The story that Mitch tells, and the way he tells it, breaks through. We've been having this conversation about wellness for a long time, inside of Microsoft, and making progress. But there's no question that when we introduced Mitch to the team and saw how he shared his personal story it resonated in a way we hadn't been able to get through in the past.
Mitch's keynote events and workshops are always delivered with great proficiency. Mitch is an extremely knowledgeable and engaging speaker in the mental health space who has the ability to capture the audience, across each level of the organisation, with real passion and authenticity. Each program Mitch has delivered across our organisation is met with positive feedback and we have our people continuing to ask for more.
Honest and raw. Mitch shares his story with such passion & authenticity. A must for all in business. The learnings & insights will stay with you.
