Should You Book Me? An Honest Guide to Who I'm Right (and Wrong) For
Last updated: October 2026 · By Oly NewtonThe short answer
Book me if you want your people to talk honestly about mental health, and keep talking after I've gone. Don't book me if you want a polished, scripted performance, a clinical expert, or a box ticked for Mental Health Awareness Week.
I'd rather tell you that now than have you find out on the day. A speaker who's wrong for your room is a waste of your money and your people's time, however good they are.
So here's the honest version. Who I'm right for, who I'm not, and who to look at instead.
Who should book me
- Teams that don't talk. Before a talk for Vancouver FC, one of the staff told me, "Good luck. They don't talk much, these lads." When I finished, the questions kept coming. If your culture is quiet about mental health, that's exactly the room I'm built for.
- People who look after everyone else. Nurses, teachers, carers, managers. At a nursing conference in Sheffield, over 350 nurses heard my story, and the queue afterwards ran straight through lunch. The people who spend their days looking after others rarely get asked how they're doing.
- Organisations that want honesty, not a script. I talk openly about OCD, anxiety, depression and ADHD. It's my story, told straight, with a bit of Yorkshire humour. That honesty gives other people permission to open up.
- Schools and education leaders. For INSET days and education conferences, I bring the frameworks from my book Connect Before You Correct. It's practical, behaviour-focused, and built around seeing the child before the behaviour.
- Organisations that care about social value. Every keynote funds three assemblies in a school of your choice. If your CSR or social value spend needs to reach real young people, not just a report, this does both in one booking.
- Events that want something to happen afterwards. If you care about what changes on Monday morning, not just how the day felt, we'll get on.
Oly's talk to 350+ nurses at our conference was powerful, inspiring and has stayed with us. Our staff were still talking about it weeks later. His warmth, honesty and genuine care for mental health shone through, and you could tell how much he meant every word. He connected with the room in such a natural way, and we were all incredibly grateful for the experience.
Who shouldn't book me
This bit matters just as much. If any of these sound like you, I'm not your speaker, and that's fine.
| If you want... | Why I'm not right | Look for this instead |
|---|---|---|
| A slick, polished, TED-style performance | I was put through a public speaking course once. It wasn't really my thing. I talk with people, not at them | A professional keynote performer, usually through an agency |
| A clinical expert on diagnosis or treatment | I'm not a clinician. I speak from lived experience, not a medical background | A clinical psychologist or psychiatrist who speaks |
| Skills training your team can be certified in | A keynote opens the conversation. It doesn't train people to respond in a crisis | Accredited Mental Health First Aid training |
| A famous name to sell tickets | I'm not on telly. You're booking the story, not the name | A celebrity speaker through a speaker agency |
| A box ticked for an awareness day | A talk with nothing after it is just an hour. I care about what happens next | Talk to me anyway, and we'll work out how to make it count |
The one I'm most serious about
If you have no support in place for your people, fix that before you book me.
A good talk opens something up. People come forward. If there's nobody trained, no time and no route to help on the other side, the gap isn't in the people coming forward. It's in what they're coming forward to. Get that in place first, and then let's talk.
I take this seriously because I've seen it happen. In all my years as a speaker, I've had one complaint. It was that too many people came forward for support after my talk, and the organisation couldn't handle the demand.
I'll take that complaint every time. It means the talk did its job. But it's also why I'll always ask you about your support before I ask about your stage.
How I keep people safe
Protecting people sits at the centre of everything I do. I follow Samaritans' guidelines for talking safely about suicide. Every difficult moment in my story is there for a reason, and shared with care. I'll talk through your support and signposting with you before the day, so nobody who opens up is left on their own.
Still not sure? Ask yourself three questions
- What do you want people to do differently after the talk? If the answer is "talk more openly", I'm a strong fit. If it's "pass a certification", I'm not.
- Is there support in place for anyone who opens up? If yes, great. If not, sort that first.
- Do you want a performance or a conversation? I'm the conversation.
If you've got this far and you're still nodding, let's talk. I'll be honest on the call too. If I think someone else is better for your event, I'll tell you who.
See my keynotes · Read what organisations say · See my pricing · Check my availability
FAQs
Is Oly Newton a clinical mental health expert?
No. Oly speaks from lived experience of OCD, anxiety, depression and ADHD. For clinical input, book a clinician alongside him or instead of him.
What kind of events is Oly best suited to?
Corporate wellbeing events, staff conferences, education conferences and INSET days, especially where the goal is more open conversations about mental health.
Is a lived experience talk safe for staff who are struggling?
Yes. Oly follows Samaritans' guidelines for talking safely about suicide, and puts protecting people at the centre of every talk. The one thing organisations need to add is support for anyone who comes forward afterwards.
Does a keynote replace Mental Health First Aid training?
No. A keynote opens the conversation. Accredited training gives people the skills to respond.
How much does it cost?
£2,950 + VAT in person, £2,350 + VAT online, with all UK travel and expenses included. Every booking funds three assemblies in a school of your choice, all in one visit on a single school day.
