Mitch Wallis is one of the world's leading voices in applied psychology - a keynote speaker, author, and founder on a mission to change the way the world feels. His work sits at the intersection of clinical training, lived experience, and cultural relevance. His ambition is to positively impact the emotional wellbeing of one billion people by helping them build connection and resilience as a core capability.
In 2016, after nearly seven years at Microsoft in senior global roles, Mitch had a mental breakdown in Seattle that nearly ended his life. By every external measure he had made it. One inch beneath the surface, he wanted to die. That collision became the work.
He left Microsoft to devote his life to helping people overcome suffering and reimagine the healing potential of the human mind. He completed a Master's in Clinical Psychology at Columbia University and brings more than twenty years of lived experience with anxiety, depression, and OCD - diagnosed at age seven with one of the most severe cases doctors had seen. That combination of clinical training and personal insight allows him to translate complex psychological science into practical tools that change how individuals, families, and organisations behave.
Mitch is the founder of Heart On My Sleeve, a global mental health movement that has reached millions by helping people drop the brave face and speak honestly about how they feel. He is also the creator of Real Conversations - an interpersonal communication framework delivered to 10,000+ people across four continents and trusted by Fortune 500 leaders at American Express, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, KPMG, Allianz, and hundreds more. In 2025, his book Real Conversations was named a finalist in the Australian Business Book Awards.
He has advised the United Nations on youth mental health, serves as an expert advisor to the Corporate Mental Health Alliance, and was appointed the first-ever Ambassador for the Australia and New Zealand Mental Health Association. He has been named GQ Man of Impact, Westfield Local Hero, and one of B&T's Top 10 Social Changemakers in Australia. His work has been featured across Sky News, The Project, Huffington Post, and global campaigns with Allianz and LinkedIn.
Mitch holds a Bachelor's in Commerce from the University of Sydney, is accredited in Mental Health First Aid, trained as a Lifeline crisis supporter, and hosts a podcast featuring leading psychologists, cultural leaders, Olympians, and global change-makers. He is also involved in social impact ventures including Heaps Normal, Australia's leading non-alcoholic craft beer brand.
From people managers to parents, Mitch's teachings have been described as the most helpful framework for moving through emotional pain. At the core of his work is a simple but uncomfortable belief: real healing, real leadership, and real connection begin when we are willing to go toward the pain, not around it.
Testimonials
"Wow, I am blow away by Mitch and his message. I have had the opportunity to attend numerous mental health webinars over the years and of late and this one-hour talk is the best I have attended. What stands out most for me is the way in which both scientific information and personal insight were presented and the balance between the two. Mitch is personable and delivers the scientific material in an easy-to-understand and relatable fashion. His personal story is gut-wrenching and powerful motivating the audience to action. Often webinars are either too scientific and not relatable or they are too fluffy, for a lack of a better word, offering no real takeaways. Mitch's delivery was well balanced, authentic, and educational.
- Chantel (audience member providing feedback)
- Chantel (audience member)
"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"
Microsoft
"It was really incredible having Mitch here telling his story. Because if we can't lead by example, we can't make it real. And to have someone be so vulnerable and so open, that was a gift to everybody... and I think it's just inspired 14,000 people to wear their heart on their sleeve"
Salesforce
"As we are discovering more about the importance of mental health in creating a safe work environment, it was suggested by one of our colleagues that we invite Mitch to speak to our organisation about his experiences. Mitch spoke with such openness about his journey with mental health that our colleagues were inspired to share their own stories and experiences. This lead to us implementing the Real Mates program, a source of peer support for our colleagues as we navigate our way through these challenging times of 2020. I'd like to thank Mitch for sharing his story with us, and I hope he has the chance to spark more positive change across other organisations as the awareness of mental health grows"
Amex
"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"
KPMG
"Mitch has a personal story to tell, but he is much more than that. Mitch's commitment to challenging stigma and improving the mental health of Australians is based on deep research and learning about what will work in an organisational context. The Heart on My Sleeve movement is impactful and adaptable to your organisation's needs"
Mercer
"Mitch is real. Raw. And incredibly powerful. His content is well grounded, technically sharp and simultaneously accessible, a rare combination. He is a charismatic storyteller who understands how to balance science and emotion to create compelling content and connect with his audience. Mitch has helped to break down walls and open minds and hearts. There is such wisdom is his words."
Allens (international law firm)
Mitch is an exceptional keynote speaker. He presented at a recent partners meeting where the audience was a combination of health care professionals and office-based staff and we all found Mitch to be authentic and inspiring. Sharing a personal journey is difficult but Mitch was open and honest about his journey and was generous with his learnings. His ability to connect with us all is a result of his willingness to be vulnerable, which in turn encouraged us to do so. He is truly an amazing person. Thank you Mitch, for bringing mental health to the forefront of workplace dialogue - it literally has the ability to save lives.
Blooms The Chemist
"Mitch is truly an inspirational and authentic speaker which is the reason we sought after his services. You can really feel his passion for mental health in his talk and that he is striving to make a difference in the world. The combination of scientific data and real-life stories made it easy to listen to and feel engaged. We look forward to hiring Mitch again to speak to our clients"
The Consulting House
"Honest and raw. Mitch shares his story with such passion & authenticity. A must for all in business. The learnings & insights will stay with you."
MGA
"Mitch's presentation at the dinner was so very well received and you, quite literally could hear a pin drop as everyone completely focussed on Mitch and every word that came out of his mouth. His storytelling was so captivating with just the right amount of humour too. Mitch very generously stayed behind afterwards and shared his valuable time with a wide range of our guests for which we are very grateful. Mitch touched a lot of hearts and minds that night; mine included."
Australian Government Comcare
"Mitch's talks at J&J have been a real highlight in our mental health program. His authenticity and openness in talking about such sensitive topics, has been refreshing and completely inspiring. We continue to receive such positive feedback from our teams about Mitch sharing his own story, his engaging description of mental health and the tips he recommends. I would highly recommend Mitch as a key note speaker."
Johnson & Johnson
Mitch Wallis is the real deal. He has lived through hell and come out the other side, and because of this lived experience, he makes connections with his audience and gains instant credibility.
The impact Mitch had on both my staff in an intimate 90 minute session, to a 60 minute keynote for 700 at a national primary principals' conference, was utterly inspiring. People were moved and absolutely hung off his every word. Mitch is a story teller of truth and doesn't shy away from the hard content. Without a doubt, Mitch Wallis was my pick for the most outstanding speaker at the 2022 APPA conference.
The Australian Primary Principals Association (APPA)
Mitch delivered a powerful and moving session to our people. Being an IT company with a lot of highly intelligent employees who can feel "talked-out" after hours on the phone helping customers each day, we wanted to offer them something supportive that they could listen to without feeling the need to actively participate if they chose not to. Mitch's IT background and story was incredibly relatable to our people. Every single person was able to take away something positive to use in both their personal and professional lives.
EFEX
"Mitch gave a keynote presentation to our organisation to tie in with R U OK? Day. It was extremely well attended, and the feedback from employees has been incredibly positive. Mitch spoke so authentically and used vulnerability as well as his expert knowledge of mental health psychology to connect with and educate us. A fantastic session which I continue to get rave feedback about. Thanks so much Mitch."
GPT
"Having Mitch present to our business was a great conversation starter. Mitch brings a story that many people can relate too and he also brings a vulnerability that some have never seen before. This combination is very important in our industry as many people involved in our industry have not been exposed to such vulnerability. Mitch's presentation started conversations that some may not have been able to start without this sort of presentation. Mitch's knowledge, advocacy and lived experience provided a safe space for our staff to reflect and think about their own experience."
Hotondo Homes
"On behalf of Kablamo, I wanted to sincerely thank you for your key note talk at our summit last Friday. We have received so much positive feedback about your talk. People really took to heart what you said and I think your content and story resonated extremely well with everyone. Personally, I found your advice about how best to support others extremely helpful. I realise that you have a very busy schedule and it was very generous of your to give us your time. It was truly impactful."
Kablamo
"It has been a privilege to work with Mitch Wallis and co-create a mental health and wellbeing program for the TBWA Group. When we launched the program, Mitch shared his story as part of our Disruptor Series. For all the good intent behind the program, it would have not been as successful had it not been for Mitch's engaging talk to frame it in the right way. Simply put, he is a brilliant speaker. His authenticity, his knowledge on the subject combined with a robust program has meant our culture is more empathetic, more educated around mental health and we have all benefited from having Mitch in our midst. Mitch is highly regarded and is now firmly part of our agency"
TBWA Group
