2026 Event Trends: Why Mental Health & Burnout Keynotes Need a Human Connection Focus
Look, we’ve all been through a rough few years here on planet Earth. Not that some don’t have it worse than others, or vice versa, but it’s been an emotionally turbulent ride! No matter what level of a company you sit at, you’ve felt the stress and wear and tear. It’s palpable. You can feel it. When we are overcome by the slog of constant onslaughts of negativity and toxicity in social media and the vitriol on division that we’ve all witnessed, it becomes difficult to focus on the task at hand. This is the case for CEOs; it’s the case for students. We are all human. That is why human connection is necessary to talk about wellness and mental health.
Today on the blog, we want to highlight a few things and talk about why you may want to consider booking a Human Connection specialist to come speak at your mental health keynote.
Resilience is Hot Right Now
Mental health is on everyone’s minds, and for good reason. It’s great that mental health has become a bit less stigmatized over the last decade or so, as younger generations are becoming more accustomed to being open about their mental health. We have seen how people of all different styles have started to show a bit more emotion, for better or for worse. One key factor to consider when talking about mental health is resilience.
People need HELP to become more resilient.
Helping your team become more resilient and overcome challenges is something everyone is looking to do in 2026. We can’t agree more. Resilience is a powerful tool, but how do you get there? A Keynote speaker can help! But what kind?
Wellness, Motivational, or?
Wellness speakers are masters of speaking on topics of health. They help individuals to reassess their current life and provide unique ways to help their mental and physical well-being.
Motivational speakers can get a crowd fired up. They help individuals to find a fire inside them and use that fire to create results.
Mental health speakers will create awareness, transparency, and eloquently teach individuals about themselves, others, and how they can potentially help themselves.
So, which type of category should you choose to help build resilience and avoid burnout?
Wellness or motivational talks could fall short without the inclusion of HUMAN CONNECTION.
The Human Connection Difference.
We started this bureau because we pride ourselves on being human connection specialists. Our speakers all have both an innate and trained ability to connect with other humans and help other humans connect with other humans.
The bottom line is speakers (like ours) that have a unique blend of empathy, belonging, and real storytelling drive deeper impacts. Deeper impacts drive more measurable RESULTS. This is of course, why you hire a speaker in the first place, no?
Here are a few speakers we feel could rock your event and help build resilience for your attendees.
Mike Shoreman
This guy could have called it quits, but he took a diagnosis and turned it into a new athletic challenge. He’s now widely respected for overcoming his disease, achieving his goals, and inspiring others.
Lauren Pires
This beautiful queen was once embarrassed to have an “invisible” disability. Now she's one of the fastest-growing speakers on resilience in North America.
Darryll Stinson
This former pro athlete was fully committed to ending it all at one point. He stands proudly today as an incredible advocate for mental health and suicide awareness.
These three people are only 3 of our speakers, who are all incredible at connecting with the human spirit. If you have an event or need help building resilience with your team, we can help. Get in touch via our contact form, and our booking team will be in touch ASAP to work with you to find the best speaker for your event!