Meet Jehan Casinader: Award Winning Journalist and Mental Health Speaker

TV journalist, author and mental health advocate Jehan Casinader helps audiences to unleash the power of storytelling. He reveals how storytelling can improve your mental health, strengthen your performance – and even save your life.

One of New Zealand’s most-booked keynote speakers and MCs, we’re thrilled to welcome Jehan to the ICMI roster. To mark the occasion, we thought we’d pick his brain, touching on the unique perspectives he brings from his professional and personal experiences.

Your reporting is widely lauded, often managing to find hope and optimism in tragic stories, what do you think sets your approach apart?

I’ve always believed that journalism is about searching for gold nuggets in the rubble of other people’s lives. You turn up on someone’s worst day – often while they’re trying to come to terms with a huge loss or tragedy. While it’s easy to focus on their pain, I’m always searching for the life lesson.

After interviewing hundreds of people, I firmly believe that our toughest experiences can make us stronger, wiser and more empathetic. I’m fascinated by how people turn their most painful experiences into opportunities for personal growth.

I think Western culture tricks us into thinking that we’re entitled to health, wealth, comfort and “happiness” – and that we can avoid suffering. That’s just not possible, as we learnt during the pandemic. But if you can find meaning in challenging experiences, you can live a much richer and contented life, despite what’s happening around you.

How did you come to end up being such a powerful advocate for mental health? How is it informed by your own personal experience?

When I was young, I thought I was bulletproof. I was an ambitious young reporter, and I peered into other people’s lives, thinking, “Wow, I’m so glad I don’t have to go through what they’re going through”. But at age 26, I was hit by a wave of depression and suicidal thoughts which lasted for four years.

As I found a way out of that hole, I thought I would be a hypocrite if I didn’t tell my story – because I had convinced so many other people to go on national TV, to share theirs.

When it comes to mental health, we’ve come a long way in Australia and New Zealand over the past 20 years, but topics like suicide are still wrapped in shame and stigma. I wanted to do my part to change that.

What makes storytelling such a powerful tool for gaining new perspectives about life?

We understand the world through the stories we tell. There’s a field of research called “narrative psychology”, which explains that each of us is the main character in our own internal story – and also the author of that story.

The stories we tell become our reality. They shape the way we see the world, how we build relationships, how we spend money and how we show up at work. Remarkably, people who can tell more hopeful stories about their lives have better mental health outcomes.

What do your keynote speeches focus on? Why do you think they have such an impact for your audiences?

I focus on how people can use storytelling to improve their wellbeing, lead others through uncertainty, and grow their influence. Often, we think about “Storytellers” with a capital “S” – people with microphones and loudspeakers, like bosses, politicians and celebrities. But the reality is, each of us has a story that’s worth telling.

I love seeing members of an audience have lightbulb moments, as they begin to realise that they can use every part of their life experience – the highs and lows – to tell great stories. That can change lives. For me, changing my story actually saved my life.

Book Jehan as a Speaker or MC

In addition to Jehan’s engaging keynote presentations, he is also an experienced MC, host and facilitator. Capable of tailoring his approach to any event from black-tie dinners to conferences about complex issues, Jehan uses his broadcasting and interviewing experience to seamlessly facilitate events and create an engaging, dynamic atmosphere.

Jehan is available for virtual events at any time as well as in-person bookings in Australia and New Zealand during 2025.

If you’re interested in booking Jehan for an event, contact the ICMI team today. Call us now on 1800 334 625 or make an enquiry online.