The talk around mental health has been gaining attention over the past few years. Yet in 2025, it’s time for conversations around mental health to no longer be whispered behind closed doors. It’s happening openly on global stages, podcasts, boardrooms, and sports arenas. What used to be hidden or brushed aside is now leading the way for deeper understanding, empathy, and healing. From athletes to psychologists, from authors to entrepreneurs, these individuals are not just talking about mental health. They are shaping how we live with it, support it, and prioritize it. Their voices are helping millions navigate burnout, loneliness, pressure, and vulnerability with clarity and courage.

Here are ten mental health voices who are making a difference this year.

Jay Shetty

Author, podcaster (“On Purpose”), former monk

Jay brings the wisdom of ancient practices into modern life. With a background as a monk and a bestselling author, his teachings are deeply rooted in mindfulness but translated into relatable daily rituals. He speaks often about digital overwhelm and how intentional living can transform emotional health. Jay’s calm presence and tools like screen boundaries, gratitude journaling, and purposeful action are helping people feel less reactive and more grounded in their inner life.

Susan David, PhD

Harvard psychologist and author of Emotional Agility

Susan speaks with profound grace about our emotional lives. Her concept of emotional agility teaches people to navigate inner experiences with honesty and flexibility rather than control or suppression. Instead of forcing positivity, she invites us to listen to our emotions as data. Her work has helped countless people stop judging themselves for having difficult feelings and start showing up with emotional courage.

Brené Brown

Research professor, bestselling author, and vulnerability expert

Brené has become one of the most powerful voices in mental health by showing that vulnerability is essential to healing. Her work explores the emotional weight of shame, anxiety, and self-doubt while offering tools for compassion, connection, and courage. She speaks from both research and lived experience, reminding people that strength is found in being honest about what we feel. Her approach has helped countless individuals and leaders build deeper emotional resilience, not by hiding struggle but by facing it with openness and care.

Mayim Bialik

Neuroscientist, actor, and host of “Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown”

Mayim blends neuroscience with storytelling to create safe spaces for honest mental health conversations. She’s been open about living with anxiety and depression and has used her platform—from acting to podcasting—to break down what healing actually looks like. Whether she’s discussing therapy, medications, or mindfulness, Mayim’s voice feels deeply human and never prescriptive. She speaks not as an expert removed from pain but as someone walking through it with insight and empathy.

Shawn Achor

Positive psychology research and author of The Happiness Advantage

Shawn’s research at Harvard sparked a global rethinking of how happiness and success are connected. Rather than being something we chase after success, he shows how happiness—cultivated through habits like gratitude, journaling, and connection—can actually drive better performance and well-being. His message is especially resonant in times of burnout and high stress, helping audiences reframe how we build emotional resilience from the inside out.

Jenn Lim

CEO and co-founder of Delivering Happiness; workplace wellbeing expert

Jenn has spent years helping people and companies understand that happiness isn’t just a feeling—it’s a culture, a commitment, and a form of clarity. Her work focuses on values-based leadership and the link between purpose and well-being. After experiencing loss and burnout, she began championing the need for psychological safety in the workplace. She continues to lead workshops and keynotes that invite companies to design not just for profits but for people’s mental and emotional needs.

Jesse Israel

Founder of The Big Quiet; meditation leader and speaker

Jesse transformed his own struggle with anxiety into a movement that brings silence to stadiums. Through The Big Quiet, he’s led mass meditations with thousands of people, blending music, storytelling, and community healing. Jesse’s message is simple yet radical: calm is not something we pursue alone but something we can experience together. His work encourages people to slow down, breathe, and find connection in stillness.

Simone Heng

Human connection specialist and author of Let’s Talk About Loneliness

Simone’s voice resonates deeply in an era of digital disconnection. Her work focuses on loneliness not as a flaw but as a biological signal for deeper human contact. After leaving a high-profile media career to care for her mother, she began exploring the role of intimacy, vulnerability, and belonging in healing. Her talks and writing encourage people to turn away from performative connection and nurture meaningful bonds that truly feed the spirit.

Alastair Campbell

Author, broadcaster, political strategist, and mental health campaigner

Alastair has never shied away from talking about the toll depression has taken on his life. Once a top advisor to the UK Prime Minister, he now uses his visibility to dismantle stigma. His books and talks are filled with raw honesty, making it clear that mental illness doesn’t care about status or success. His advocacy is rooted in the belief that structural change—like better healthcare and public policy—must follow personal vulnerability.