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David  Granirer

David Granirer

Counselor & Stand-Up Comic

David Granirer

Counselor & Stand-Up Comic

Biography

David Granirer is a counselor, stand-up comic, and mental health keynote speaker. David, who himself has depression has taught stand-up comedy to recovering addicts and cancer patients, and founded Stand Up For Mental Health, his program teaching comedy to people with mental health issues in 2004. His work is featured by media worldwide and in the Voice Award winning Passionate Eye documentary Cracking Up and the award-winning Australian documentary Crack Up.

He has trained Stand Up For Mental Health groups in partnership with various mental health organizations in over 35 cities in Canada, the U.S., and Australia.

He is the recipient of a Welcome Back Award from National Council for Behavioral Health for his work using comedy to de-stigmatize mental illness.

He also received a Champion of Mental Health Award. These national awards recognize individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of the mental health agenda in Canada.

He is also the recipient of a Life Unlimited Award presented by the Depression Bipolar Support Alliance. This is a national award given to individuals who live a life unlimited by their mood disorders and inspire others to do the same.

His program also won a Rotary Shine On Award in Australia for special achievement in mental health.

Since 2004 David and his comics have performed over 500 shows for mental health organizations, government departments, corporations, universities, correctional facilities, and the military.

“What I see is a greater acceptance of ‘out of the box’ ideas both in promoting recovery and fighting stigma and discrimination,” says Granirer. People seem to be ready to use humor to shine a light on some pretty dark and serious issues. I really believe that what they say is true: Laughter is the best medicine.”

Recently, Granirer was awarded the prestigious Meritorious Service Medal for his work with Stand Up For Mental Health by the Governor General of Canada.

Speaker Videos

Speaking Reel

Destigmatizing Mental Illness

What's so funny about mental health?

Stand Up For Mental Health | The Nationals

Destroying the Myths of Mental Illness

Stand Up for Mental Health

The Goals of Stand Up For Mental Health

Cracking Up

Speech Topics

I'm OK but YOU Need Professional Help: Creating Recovery – One Laugh at a Time!

In this hilarious presentation award-winning counselor and stand up comic David Granirer who himself suffers from depression looks at how comedy builds confidence and busts the stigma around mental illness. He’ll show you mental health from a totally different perspective while uplifting, inspiring and educating you.

David will do comedy about his recovery story and tell you about Stand Up For Mental Health, his award-winning program teaching comedy to people with mental health issues. And through video clips, you’ll get to see his comics creating recovery – one laugh at a time!

Stand Up for Mental Health Show

Led by counselor and stand-up comic David Granirer, Stand Up for Mental Health teaches people with mental illness to do stand-up comedy about their mental health journeys as a way of building confidence and self esteem. By doing stand-up comedy, something that most so-called “normal” people would never want to attempt, the Stand Up for Mental Health comics fight stigma by demonstrating what people with mental illness are capable of doing.

This show takes a hilarious look at the lighter side of taking meds, dealing with addictions, seeing counselors, getting diagnosed, and surviving the mental health system. It’s not only funny, but it makes a great awareness-raising event that helps people reevaluate their attitudes towards mental illness and addictions.

For this show, Granirer will take five to ten consumers from your organization, turn them into stand-up comics, and have them perform with him. You’ll laugh your head off and see the courageous, funny, and resilient side of people with mental health issues.

Standing Up for Mental Health: Fighting Stigma in the Workplace!

Mental disability now accounts for 30-40% of workplace disability claims. And people often don’t go for the help they need until it’s too late.

Why? Because they’re ashamed to admit they have mental health issues and afraid of public stigma. So they try to tough it out. But as their mental health deteriorates, so does their work and their relationships with colleagues.

The end result? Problems that could have been dealt with upfront end up costing millions of dollars in disability claims and lost productivity.

This presentation combines comedy and education. Your people will learn:

  • About the challenges people with mental illness face at work
  • How people with mental illness can exceed expectations when given the proper support
  • How to support people with mental illness in the workplace
  • How talking about and accepting mental illness is the key to allowing people to function at their full potential

Getting the Laughs You Need!

In today’s world of mental health, stress is a major challenge to everyone’s well being. Laughter is the cure, the best medicine, a cod liver oil for the soul. And the wonderful thing is that unlike cod liver oil, a dose of laughter is not only good for you, it also feels good to take!

What’s in it for you? This presentation is not just a hilarious keynote. You’ll also learn:

  • Fun and easy stress management techniques
  • How to use to humor to defuse tense situations
  • How to use laughter to enhance physical and emotional well being
  • Positive ways to respond to stressful situations
  • How to use humor to overcome burnout
  • How to use humor to aid in the recovery process

Mental Health from a Different Perspective: Book David for a Virtual Show!

Our virtual shows feature award-winning counselor David Granirer, RPC, MPCC, M.S.M. and his All-Star comics each doing hilarious sets about their mental health recovery journeys. That’s right, you get a group of comics for the price of one! The shows are funny, inspiring, and educational, which is just what we need in mental health during this time of COVID. David and his comics will show you mental health from a totally different perspective!

Testimonials