Every year, International Stress Awareness Week raises awareness for stress-related mental health issues, including the stigma preventing people’s recovery and the importance of stress management professionals, like our speakers.

Check out our selection of top stress management speakers in this article, along with everything you need to know about International Stress Awareness Week 2023.

What is Stress Awareness Week?

Coined in 2018, International Stress Awareness Week expanded upon Stress Awareness Day, which started in 1998, to draw further attention to the issue.

Founded from one of the most important international days, the event works in unison with the Mental Health Awareness campaign to impact business leaders, Governments, and the public alike.

The purpose of Stress Awareness Week is to highlight the physical and mental impact of stress, as well as what we must all do to safeguard our wellbeing.

When is International Stress Awareness Week 2023?

International Stress Awareness Week runs from the 30th of October to the 3rd of November 2023.

As Covid-19 has caused an increase in mental health issues, particularly loneliness and grief, this International Stress Awareness Week will focus on emotional management. It will also discuss the lack of investment in mental health services, as highlighted by the pandemic's devastating impact.

Why is stress management important?

With 74% of people reportedly unable to cope with the levels of stress in their lives, stress management is more important now than ever. The psychological effects of stress result in 61% feeling anxious, and a worrying 32% with suicidal thoughts.

What are the most common causes of stress?

• Pressure to Succeed – 60% Young Adults
• Self-Image – 49% of Young Adults
• Health – 36% of Adults
• Body Image – 36% of Women & 23% of Men
• Housing – 32% of Young Adults
• Work – 26% of Adults
• Debt – 22% of Adults

With such staggering statistics in mind, International Stress Awareness Week is a vital event for us all to recognise, particularly in the workplace where burnout is common.

As the humble office is the cause of so much stress, which includes the financial and emotional pressures of work, corporate speakers are in high demand for their transformative power.

Stress management speakers are regularly booked to arm employees with a toolbox of wellbeing strategies, ideal for reducing their stress levels at work.

(Source: Mental Health Foundation & The American Institute of Stress)

Stress Management Speakers

Below is a selection of our influential stress management speakers, perfect for a multitude of events, from corporate workshops to global webinars.

Samantha Clarke

Owner of Samantha&, Samantha Clarke’s consultancy service has benefited the likes of Shopify, Virgin Media, and Giorgio Armani. She is a pioneer of happiness and wellbeing, using her knowledge of psychology she sets the standard for workplace culture, reducing the impact of stress in offices across the globe.

When booked for events, Samantha supplies a toolbox for mental wellbeing, equipped with startling statistics and transformative techniques. A speaker like Samantha will ignite passion in your team.

Previous testimonials of Samantha’s include:

"It was very obvious that Samantha loves what she does and cares about helping people. She genuinely cared about the problem we were having on our team and thought very critically about what could be done to help solve it."

- Shopify Studio Team

Dr Sam Wass

Specialising in child psychology, Dr Sam Wass has dedicated his career to the study of stress, as well as such disorders as Autism and ADHD. In children, stress can have a devasting effect on their neurological development, as discovered through Dr Wass’ studies.

He uses these discoveries to educate parents and schoolteachers, highlighting the impact of their behaviour and the importance of emotional support. Audiences will recognise Dr Wass from his role on Channel 4’s Secret Lives of Four-Year-Olds, where he supplied insightful psychological analysis of the children’s behaviour.

Previous testimonials of Dr Wass’ include:

“Asking Dr Sam Wass to be keynote speaker at each of our four Annual Conferences was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. Absolutely every delegate raved about his presentation.”

- Early Excellence

Ollie Ollerton

Driven by his military experiences, Ollie Ollerton is a leading authority on stress management. Having suffered from PTSD, he understands more than most the impact of mental health on every facet of our lives.

Now, Ollie is a trained PRISM practitioner and founder of Break-Point, a corporate training programme that fuels communication, collaboration and emotional wellbeing. Ollie’s workshops are renowned for their strategies on stress management. Best known from SAS: Who Dares Wins, audiences resonate with Ollie’s story.

Previous testimonials of Ollie include:

"Ollie was brilliant, his speech was insightful, motivating and relevant. We had really good feedback from those who attended and our Project Director was very impressed. Ollie was a pleasure to work with yesterday so please pass my thanks and feedback on to him. From myself, and on behalf of the LM Leadership, a massive thank you to Champions and Ollie."

- LM JV

Dr Brené Brown

Bestselling author and top TED talk speaker, Dr Brené Brown is a pioneer of the emotional intelligence philosophy. Her research lectures are world-renowned, as Dr Brown’s unbeatable insight into vulnerability, stress management and leadership are respected by professionals across the globe.

As a speaker, she has presented for Disney, Google, and NASA, to name just a few of her previous bookings, a testament to Dr Brown’s reputation on the circuit. Awarded the 2019 HR Dive’s Innovator of the Year, her podcast, lectures, and speeches uncover the secrets of stress management.

Dr Brown’s speaking topics include:

• Dare to Lead
• Rising Strong
• Braving the Wilderness
• Courage & Determination
• Emotional Management

Simon Cohen

A speaker with a difference, Simon Cohen’s unique perspective on leadership has benefited business owners from across the globe. He specialises in innovation and emotional wellbeing, a signature approach that has led Simon to appear on Sky News and present at the International Festival of Creativity.

Simon has been booked by the World Economic Forum and UNESCO, to name a few of his previous clients, a testament to his global reputation. When booked for events, he discusses the secrets to emotional management.

Simon Cohen’s speaking topics include:

• Leadership
• Social Innovation
• Successful Start-Ups
• Sustainable Business Growth
• Communication

How to Book a Speaker:

To book one of our impactful stress management speakers, browse and select the desired topic and simply complete our online booking form or call us on 0207 1010 553. For all your webinar needs, check out our free ultimate guide.

If you or someone you love is struggling with mental illness and need somebody to turn to, please see Mind’s helplines.