Nick Bracks

Nick Bracks is an Australian mental health advocate, author, actor, entrepreneur, and public speaker focused on destigmatizing mental illness through personal storytelling and evidence-based wellness strategies. Raised in a prominent Australian political family as the son of former Victorian Premier Steve Bracks, Bracks entered the public eye at a young age and initially pursued a career in fashion modeling, television presenting, and acting. He secured international modeling contracts and appeared regularly on Australian television as a presenter and personality. Bracks has acted in several films and held a two-year role on the Australian soap "Neighbours."

In his speaking engagements, Bracks shares his experiences with severe anxiety, depression, and ADHD, which began at age 11. He discusses periods of substance abuse as a coping mechanism and the challenges he faced following an injury that ended his early athletic career. A significant turning point occurred after a widely reported drunk-driving accident in his early twenties, which prompted him to address his mental health challenges directly. The media attention following the crash led to a modeling career and participation as a contestant on "Dancing With The Stars," where Bracks spoke publicly about his battle with depression and anxiety, contributing to mental health advocacy in Australia.

Bracks has delivered more than 1,000 seminars at schools and corporate events worldwide and has given two TED Talks. His TEDx presentation, "The Cruelest 40 Seconds: The Growing Suicide Epidemic," was delivered at TEDxDocklands. He has collaborated with organizations such as Movember Australia, Headspace, and One in Five Association Inc to advance awareness, reduce stigma, and promote practical mental health strategies. Through storytelling and self-discovery techniques, Bracks encourages audiences to understand the effects of poor mental health and aims to normalize conversations around mental health, offering science-based approaches for long-term well-being.

Bracks released his first book, "Move Your Mind," with publisher Wiley and hosts a podcast of the same name. In "Move Your Mind," Bracks provides practical tools and lessons to help readers make measurable daily changes for improved mental health, drawing on his own experiences and a holistic approach that covers exercise, nutrition, sleep, mindfulness, and meditation. The "Move Your Mind" podcast explores the mindset of successful individuals through in-depth conversations with leaders in business, science, sport, and the arts, including Harvard psychologist Ellen Langer, UFC Champion Alex Volkanovski, U.S. Congressman Adam Smith, and Olympic Gold Medalist Greg Louganis.

In addition to his advocacy and acting work, Bracks has pursued various entrepreneurial projects since earning a Bachelor of Business at RMIT. He has launched several companies, including the men's underwear label underBRACKS, a restaurant venture, a nutritional supplements company, Happy Waves, and a digital mental health educational organization. Bracks has also developed a comedic TV series, "Amiss," inspired by his experiences as a millennial Australian expatriate in New York City. Through his work in mental health advocacy, media, and entrepreneurship, Bracks contributes to the ongoing global conversation about mental health, emphasizing the importance of vulnerability and resilience.