Speaker: Dennis Gillan, Executive Director & Mental Health Advocate @ Half a Sorrow Foundation
PRESENTATION SUMMARY
With a very personal history of suicide, Dennis guides us through coping with such loss, the power of sharing, the importance of coworkers and much more. Dennis’s real calling is telling his personal story of how he recovered from his losses and what he has learned along the way. Dennis Gillan is on a mission to reverse the current trends in completed suicides and to seriously reduce the stigma associated with getting help for one’s mental health. Key learnings from this talk include: Learners will be able to recognize there is no stigma concerning anyone’s mental health. Learners will be able to identify the importance of utilizing available resources with an emphasis on the value of an employee assistance plan and the role the HR person plays in all of this. Learners will be able to list what to look for in others that are possibly struggling mentally, including their colleagues, friends, and families.
SPEAKER BIO
Dennis Gillan is a national thought leader on the topic of Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Advocacy. He travels internationally speaking, raising awareness, and opening up the conversation of mental health. Dennis has been deeply touched by suicide after the losses of two of his brothers to suicide 11 years apart. After years of sitting on the sidelines, he jumped into helping those in need by working on the suicide prevention hotline when he lived in Chicago. After moving to South Carolina, Dennis got involved with several non-profits that take on mental health issues and this allows him to lobby lawmakers and raise awareness by sharing his story. Dennis has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from West Virginia University and a work history rich in influence and persuasion. President and Speaker for Mental Health/Suicide Prevention for DGIF, LLC Inside Sales Manager at gEHRiMed EHR Integrated Marketing/Media Sales Executive at Green Wizard Sustainability Business Development at NSF International Business Manager at Merck Sales Manager at Manchester Industries Account Rep at Med Publishing
