This upbeat virtual workshop makes awkward subjects—depression and anxiety—easy to talk about. Attendees will build an effective communication toolkit that will boost connection and collaboration.

After completing the workshop, you will have tools to help you:

• Listen and respond comfortably to a coworker talking about their depression/anxiety
• Avoid common pitfalls that may annoy many people with depression/anxiety
• Know when and how to initiate a conversation about somebody’s depression/anxiety

If you personally experience depression or anxiety, and choose to talk about it at work, you will gain tools to help you:

• Present your condition(s) in a casual and positive way
• Make it easy for coworkers to hear you and react with support

About your Hosts
Bill Bernat is a speaker and author (Talkward: The Joy of Connecting With Coworkers About Depression and Anxiety) who is focused on helping create more moments of happiness that occur when people connect.

Bill got his start in IT working for NASA and ended it working 16hr days at a successful dot-com. He had a parallel odyssey through depression, addiction, social anxiety, and other islands of growth.

After becoming a high achiever in the field of self-destruction, he built a new life clean (11yr). He learned how to live well with his bipolar 2 condition. He developed a new career in technology marketing, helping a tiny startup to seven years of consecutive growth.

Bill became a speaker (TED) and comedy storyteller (The Moth Radio Hour). He has spoken at Ignite Seattle and been featured by Goalcast. He performs an award-winning comedy show about depression and anxiety in the US and Canada, and has made numerous radio and television appearances.

Caroline Garry is a Texan who finally found the Pacific Northwest in 2016. She is a business owner of a healthcare consultancy specializing in human-centered design with an emphasis on customer experience, brand strategy, service design and systems thinking.

Caroline is passionate about two things: being a mom to her 4-year-old son Marshall, and advocacy. Caroline has lived with obsessive compulsive disorder and general anxiety disorder for over two decades, and began publicly speaking about her fight with mental health in 2018. She is a seasoned public speaker and has made numerous media appearances in advocacy.

Talkward Live is available for bookings worldwide using our technology (Zoom) or any solution your organization prefers.

Bill has one mission in life. To create more moments of happiness that occur when people connect, particularly around depression and anxiety. Over 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or a similar condition in their lifetime (US Center for Disease Control).

We are all impacted directly or indirectly, yet most of us are afraid to talk about it. We don’t know what to say or how to say it, so we often say nothing or brush it off. Bill helps people connect by bringing joy to the discussion of his journey through depression, addiction, and social anxiety to living well.

Bill worked in IT for many years before forging a new career in tech marketing. So he knows business world’s challenges and its rewards as only an insider can. Bill helps businesses succeed by creating a more open culture that inspires good people and engenders collaboration.

Short Bio:

Bill’s TED Talk on How to Connect with Depressed Friends has almost two million views. He is a recovering addict (12 years clean) living with bipolar II condition who advocates for mental health awareness. A tech industry veteran, Bill knows first-hand what it’s like to succeed in business while living well with depression and anxiety.

Bill is also an accomplished comedy storyteller (The Moth Radio Hour), inspirational speaker (Goalcast), and award-wining playwright (Becoming More Less Crazy).

Bill’s story “Oreo Relapse: was featured on The Moth Radio Hour, syndicated on over 200 NPR stations. It was also featured separately on Seattle’s KUOW.

Give a talk that makes people talk (and act)! Whether your are presenting about mental health or want to tackle another subject altogether, professional guidance can make you shine. TED speaker and certified Living Proof Advocacy™ speaker coach Bill Bernat offers individual coaching and group trainings to help you:

• Engage people. Get your audience’s attention from the start and keep it.
• Look and sound great. Display professional polish and confidence even if you feel nervous.
• Get results. Motivate people to take action.

Coaching and training sessions can be done in person or virtually. Bill can also write and edit your speech for you, or help revise a talk for greater impact. Contact us to learn more.