Testimonials

Last week, we had the chance have Dennis Gillan come to Youngstown State University to share his message, Journey Towards Recovery. We had a packed house thanks to sponsorship from our Athletic Department, Housing & Residence Life, Student Activities and the Coalition for a Drug Free Mahoning County. Even though it was a tough topic to present on, Dennis was able to relate to the audience with a good mix of humor and gravity that engaged our students throughout the presentation. He definitely touched some hearts on our campus and made in impact on how they will approach this subject matter moving forward. If you are looking to cover this topic on your campus, please consider booking Dennis Gillan.

Dennis spoke to students at the University of Pittsburgh last night to end out our Mental Health Awareness Month series of events. He spoke candidly about his personal struggle and the ways to address and solve the suicide crisis that is plaguing young Americans. He highlighted the need to normalize the conversation about mental health, which I think struck a chord with people in the audience who may be weary about talking about their struggles. He balanced heavy, emotional anecdotes with uplifting, encouraging messages that perfectly suited the audience. Thank you Dennis!

I had the pleasure of welcoming Dennis to Mercy College as a guest speaker for my organization's very first event and what a success it was! Though a very heavy topic, his story was an uplifting one and I found myself both laughing and crying throughout. Dennis is a wonderful speaker with a great message and an all around wonderful guy.

The talk that Dennis gave was exactly what my college campus needed. His approach was tactful and his message moving. I would recommend his services to any organization that would like to tackle this difficult issue. He has a profound story and knows how to engage an audience!

I had the pleasure of seeing Dennis speak at Mercy College and he was incredible. He captivated the audience with his first hand experience and offered support and suggestions in the most genuine way that was very relatable with students - not coming across as preaching at all but just sharing a very personal experience. You can feel how much he wants to help others avoid the pain he and his family have gone through. This is a very important message for young people to hear. And Dennis makes the talk so engaging - and even injects a lot of humor (appropriately of course). Keep doing your important work Dennis!

Dennis spoke at our psychopathology class (USC Columbia) 2-3 weeks ago. He was very open and honest, provided his insight and personal/professional experience, with mental health and suicide. Great speaker and covered topics that need to be addressed/bring awareness to more.

Informative and personal. He came to Missouri S&T and was very open about his background about this serious issue. I appreciate everything his is doing to combat suicide and recommend his presentation to anyone!

Dennis came and spoke to my sorority on campus the other month. He does a great job of making the conversation around mental illness/suicide more comfortable. He reminded our members they must support each other and to reach out for help if needed. This talk was moving and genuine, our members were locked in the entire time!

I've never really been able to talk to people about what I've been threw in my life with suicide but today he came and spoke at my unit and i was able to talk to him briefly about what i have experienced and it has helped me grasp what I've been threw and i am very appreciative to have been able to meet him

Dennis was exceptional throughout the entire process. When I first found Dennis and inquired about having him come to our event, we talked for hours and I knew we had to get him. In the weeks leading up to Friends 4 Friends Fest, Dennis constantly checked in with me and worked with our student speakers to make sure they were comfortable and ready! Dennis brought amazing energy and is such a natural at what he does. He weaved our student speakers in and our of his speech in a way that was casual, relatable yet so impactful. Despite rain on the day of our event, Dennis had all eyes and ears on him. Dennis helped us touch so many students. I highly recommend you hear this man speak!!!!

Dennis was at USC Aiken on 9/6/18. He also presented earlier in the day in a different setting for community members. I have no idea how he delivers such an emotional speech only a few hours apart. He is genuine, informative, and moving. Both community members and students were highly impressed with him and his story

The work that the Half a Sorrow Foundation is doing is crucial. Dennis speaks on the topics of suicide, mental health and how to cope with the loss of someone to suicide. He speaks with compassion, understanding and heart. I highly recommend his talk to all organizations! Everyone could benefit from his talk.

Dennis Gillan provides a light of hope (mixed with humor!) for those struggling in dark times. He reminds everyone that each of us has a purpose in living and to keep going. Thank you, Dennis.

Dennis came to our insurance office and spoke. He speaks with passion and experience. He provides people with resources and a space to be vulnerable and understood. I highly recommend him!

I heard one of Dennis Gillan's presentations back in 2020 when everything was virtual during COVID. He is a dynamic speaker who shares his story with vulnerability and grace. It was a POWERFUL presentation that inspired me to support the Half a Sorrow foundation financially. Dennis and his organization are saving lives through their initiatives.

I am an HR Representative for an insurance company in Ohio and we decided to have Dennis fly out for a Mental Health Speaker/Event during May 2023. Our goal was to provide additional support and resources to our employees during Mental Health Awareness Week while ending the stigma around these topics. During the first meeting that we had with Dennis, we instantly knew that he was a perfect fit for our culture and employees. This is because Dennis showed an incredible amount of flexibility, dedication, charisma, and personal experience with mental health. Our event was a major success with hundreds of employees attending and receiving outstanding feedback after the event. We would love to continue working with Dennis in the future as he was a delight to work with and positively impacted employees on a hard topic.