Benjamin McAfee has been public speaking for more than five years, and has spoken and participated in panels at conferences, universities, health fairs, high schools, nonprofit organizations, treatment centers, and at faith-based organizations.  Benjamin McAfee has been featured in Silence the Shame podcast. Benjamin McAfee was a regular contributor to Rizzarr and wrote multiple articles on intersections of identity related to vulnerable populations ranging from LGBT issues to mental health.  Benjamin McAfee, was featured in the award winning BP magazine, one of the most widely read magazines for Bipolar Disorder. Benjamin was also selected by the national chapter of Mental Health America to be part of the Demi Lovato mental health listening tour in 2014, in which he shared some of his experiences living with bipolar disorder.

Benjamin McAfee has experience speaking with health professionals, students, parents, teachers, and peers who live with mental health conditions and addiction.

Benjamin is most passionate about speaking to university students and giving them insights on how they can thrive living with mental health challenges while in school.  Benjamin McAfee seeks to inspire students who may feel misunderstood by the education system, and gives them tangible tools for them to succeed.

In this presentation, Benjamin McAfee focuses on the challenges he has had navigating the education system living with a mental health condition.  Benjamin becomes vulnerable, and shares the experiences he has living with bipolar disorder with depressive episodes to destigmatize mental illness and educate people that it is possible to achieve success while living with mental health challenges.  Benjamin equips students with tips on what worked, and what did not work in his recovery. These include: navigating academics with a mental health condition, strategies on addressing depressive symptoms, and finding resources to help students succeed when experiencing, among others.  Benjamin provides an inspiring message of hope, and this dynamic presentation ensures that students leave understanding that they are not alone, and that there are tools and resources they can use to achieve success.

Benjamin tailors his story to health care professionals.  Through his experience in Peru with psychosis, Benjamin was hospitalized for a month.  Benjamin was treated with compassion from  healthcare providers and actually enjoyed his time in the hospital.  Benjamin experienced a blend of recovery based models and traditional models of mental health.  Benjamin presents the challenges he has had navigating the healthcare system, both his successes and challenges.  Benjamin informs professionals of how insurance policies affected his mental health recovery concerning counseling, medication, and household income.  Benjamin speaks about the importance of other models of care to address mental health that includes utilizing people in recovery as a central focus in helping people with mental health conditions.