Dennis Gillan

Author and TEDx speaker 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. He is the Founder and Executive Director of the Half a Sorrow Foundation, which promotes mental health through real conversations, aiming to foster resilience, build genuine connections, and break the stigma surrounding mental health.

Gillan has been deeply touched by suicide, having lost two of his brothers to the tragedy 11 years apart. This personal experience has fueled his dedication to the cause, leading him to work on the suicide prevention hotline and become involved with several non-profits addressing mental health issues. After moving to South Carolina, Gillan got involved with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and is on the board of the local state chapter. In this capacity, he gets to lobby lawmakers for additional funding for suicide prevention and raise funds and awareness to help combat the rise in completed suicides in America.

Gillan’s real calling is telling his personal story with raw honesty, interjecting humor in appropriate and timely ways, and what he has learned along the way. His keynotes cover topics such as Corporate Culture, Inspiration, Mental Health, Motivation, Productivity, Storytelling, Suicide, Suicide Prevention, Well-being, and Workplace Culture. He has delivered a TEDx talk titled "Dying Alone" at TEDxHickory, which, along with his other presentations, has motivated individuals like students at Gardner-Webb University to seek help through Counseling Services. Gillan’s approach is recognized for being gentle, testimonial, and effective in tearing down the walls of silence that have long surrounded mental health issues.