Mark Henick

Mark Henick is a Canadian mental health advocate, bestselling author, and keynote speaker whose personal story of survival has reached a global audience. His TEDx talk, "Why We Choose Suicide," is among the most watched worldwide, with millions of views. Inspired by this widely viewed TEDx talk and his subsequent journey to find the individual who intervened during a suicide attempt, Henick explores the impact of connection and how brief moments can alter life trajectories.

Henick's experiences range from being a suicidal teenager to becoming a recognized mental health advocate. As a teen, he struggled with depression and anxiety, leading to several suicide attempts. During a critical moment on a bridge, a stranger intervened and saved his life, an event that profoundly influenced Henick's path. His memoir, "So-Called Normal: A Memoir of Family, Depression and Resilience," published by HarperCollins, details his upbringing and the events leading to that night.

Henick has played multiple roles within the mental health system, including patient, clinician, program manager, and policy influencer. He has served as the youngest president of a provincial Canadian Mental Health Association division, a board member for the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and a national spokesperson for the Faces of Mental Illness campaign. Henick has also worked as National Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Canadian Mental Health Association. He is the principal and CEO of Strategic Mental Health Solutions, a consulting firm specializing in guiding organizations and individuals from basic mental health awareness to actionable strategies.

As executive producer and host of several podcasts, including "So-Called Normal," "Living Well" for LifeWorks, and "Modern Minds" for Hartford Healthcare, Henick has interviewed a wide range of experts, public figures, and individuals about mental health topics. His work has appeared in television, radio, print, and online media across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and internationally, including CTV National News, Entertainment Tonight, The Globe and Mail, CNN, Chicago Tribune, The New York Daily News, The Independent, The Daily Mail, The Sun, AsiaOne, Trud, The Epoch Times, Reader's Digest, Buzzfeed, and The Huffington Post.

Henick holds a Master of Science in child development, a Bachelor of Arts with interdisciplinary honors in psychology and philosophy, and certificates in trauma counseling, suicide intervention, mental health first aid, and knowledge exchange. He is also completing graduate certificates in applied neuroscience at King's College London and cognitive psychology at the University of Cambridge. Henick's combination of lived experience, clinical expertise, and policy leadership positions him as a significant voice in the global conversation on mental health, recovery, and resilience.