Become an ally - Public speaking

Writer / Author, Experience expert

1,5 hour

NL, EN

Leadership,
Working / Happiness at work,
Diversity / Inclusion,
Personal development

Connect,
Dealing with adversity,
Happiness at Work

The co-founders of the mental health foundation "Let's Break the Shame" Iris de With and Mae Zaal are expert public speakers for organizations and educational institutions. With unforgettable insight, they change how you see mental health, diversity and inclusion, inspire with their personal and professional experience and touch the core of your business - the people in it.

How can you support someone with mental health struggles? What about diversity and inclusion matters? And how does this impact your organization? Employees' mental health state and feeling of inclusiveness can both hinder or enable them not only to do their own job but contributes to your company's culture and impacts others around them.
Iris and Mae shine a light on what might be impacting your employees and facilitate understanding by sharing their experiences with for example depression, inclusiveness and anxiety. They empower your employees to become better allies for each other and themselves, creating an inclusive culture. From promoting well-being and providing expert guidance on the do's and don'ts in the workplace to giving you the understanding and tools to become an ally, this event is a critical first step in fostering a safer and healthier workplace.

Mae's upbringing in an international environment gave her a unique perspective on the importance of inclusivity. Growing older she observed the negative impact of exclusion on people's mental health, including her own struggles with depression. She earned both a BSc and MSc in Business Administration and Human Resource Management, with specializations in Organizational Change and Development to address this issue. With her academic background and personal experiences, Mae founded Let's Break the Shame in 2018 to promote inclusivity and mental wellness in social settings, schools, universities, and organizations. Her passion for promoting inclusivity and mental wellness has made her an expert in this field regarding training & development, organizational & cultural change, diversity and inclusion. She continues to work tirelessly to make a positive and lasting impact on people's lives through her organization and advocacy.

Iris faced several mental health challenges due to a lack of stability in her childhood, including an eating disorder, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Through these challenges, she learned valuable life skills, such as resilience, independence, and empathy. Iris's struggles taught her essential lessons about self-care, self-awareness, setting boundaries, and more. Iris focused her life on her own well-being and healing process and has through her experience, inspired many people to realize that there is no one right path in life. Every individual has a unique journey to follow, and there is always a way to make things work. Now, she uses her experience in people management, coaching & mentoring as well as diversity and inclusion to teach others the tools that she missed herself. Iris offers a great set of compassion, empowerment, and motivation to help others overcome their struggles and live fulfilling lives.

Together they have helped over 1.5 million people through the foundation's projects and activities. They have also authored 3 books on mental health, inclusivity & diversity and have worked with notable clients such as Vodafone, EVBox, and MCI Global, frequently engaging with over 500 employees.

Do you want to benefit from expert guidance on fostering a culture with allies for a safe and healthy workplace?
Reach out now!

Share this act