David Woods Bartley has seen his fair share of successes and setbacks, from directing a nationally recognized nonprofit to battling the long-term effects of childhood sexual trauma and a life-threatening mental illness. The latter, a brutal knock-down, drag-out fight with clinical depression, led David to a suicide attempt.

Thanks to the support of many people and being shown the necessity of putting one’s self-care on a pedestal, David continues the essential yet challenging journey from the isolation of mental “hellness” to the inclusive space of mental wellness.

His life having been saved, David is committed to moving the conversation about
suicide, male sexual trauma, and mental illness from the dark shadows where they now live to the forefront of public concern. In doing so, his mission is to shine a bright light on the crisis we now face and open doors to the possibility of mental health for everyone, everywhere.

Currently, David is a member of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the International Association for Youth Mental Health, and the National Storytelling Network’s Healing Story Alliance. In addition, David holds certifications in Mental Health First Aid for Adults and Youth, SafeTALK (Suicide Awareness for Everyone), and the suicide prevention technique known as QPR (Question, Persuade, and Refer).

In addition to giving two TED talks, being named a 2021 Mental Health Champion by the prestigious Steinberg Institute, and being recognized as a global thought leader, David has presented more than 800 times to audiences across the United States, Canada, Central America, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, and India, giving in-person and virtual presentations on the subjects of suicide, resiliency, male sexual trauma, mental health, organizational culture, and servant leadership.

Some of the organizations David has been invited to present to include tens of thousands of service members of the Army, Coast Guard, Airforce, and Marine Corps, the Food and Drug Administration, NASA, the Veterans Administration, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, Sutter Health, the California Highway Patrol, the Indiana Organization for Nursing Leadership, the University of Connecticut, Boston College, Boston University, the California Northstate School of Medicine, and a wide range of elementary, middle and high schools, community organizations, and diverse faith denominations.