Allan Kehler - Mental Health Advocate

05/06/2026

A few weeks ago, I was standing on a stage covered with bright lights in front of 9,000 people. Last night, I was standing on a small stage covered in a Dr. Seuss carpet in front of 17 people at the Wainwright Public Library.

And for me, they were both just as meaningful. (Especially because I got to share that carpet with my wife Tanya Leigh).

Because after 15 years of speaking, I have come to understand that it’s not so much about how many people hear you, but rather how deeply you reach the ones who do. In other words, the size of the room doesn’t determine the weight of the impact.

This profession isn’t just about chasing bigger stages. It’s about honoring every stage you’re given because every single opportunity is sacred.

Thank you Wainwright & District Family Resource Network for welcoming us to your beautiful community with open arms.

04/25/2026

Tanya and I are grateful to be sharing our journey in Wainwright, Alberta on May 5th. If you are in the area we would love to see you!

Thank you Wainwright & District Family Resource Network and Wainwright Public Library for hosting this event.

04/20/2026

What should have been a smooth, routine day of flying yesterday turned into a 20+ hour journey. Delays piled up, flights were canceled, and plans kept changing.

The old me would have fixated on everything that went wrong, causing me to miss out on all the things that went right.

I took this photo last night in Chicago while taking the extra time to pause, to reset, and to reflect.

The situation didn’t change, but my perspective did.

Every day, there is always a loud list of what’s going wrong. But there is also a quieter list of what's going right.

When life feels chaotic and overwhelming, my hope is that you take some time to breathe, to reset, and to surrender to the things you can't control. Rather, shift your focus to the things you can control.

Even a delay can move you forward... if you let it.

04/15/2026

April is Autism Awareness month, and so now is as good a time as any for this post…

I have always felt different from those around me.

For my entire life, I learned to adapt, push through, and mask parts of myself just to fit into a world that didn’t always make sense.

As a young adult, professionals began diagnosing me with various labels and prescribing a range of medications. While not all of these diagnoses resonated with me, many of them helped me feel less alone.

Over a year ago, I was introduced to a truth that I never saw coming. I began seeing a new counselor and she gently hinted that I might be on the autism spectrum. I reacted with denial and even anger. Basically, I scoffed at the idea. After all, I used to teach an entire unit on this at the college level.
Sometimes things are right in front of us, but we just don’t like what it means.

In the softest way, my counselor continued to drop hints and the pieces started to come together. A series of tests, research, and numerous conversations suddenly gave me language for some of my traits.

- My deep resistance to change.
- My challenges with communication.
- My reliance on structure for stability.
- Sensory overload and sound sensitivity.

Eventually, I was able to understand that the things I once saw as weaknesses can actually be hidden strengths.

So why am I sharing this? Well, I don’t really know. Perhaps its as simple as I don’t want to repeat my old patterns and hide from this. Or, maybe it’s about fully embracing my unapologetic self.

Either way, I know that for too much of my life I believed I was defined by my labels. Not true. I am more than any label, and you are too.

My hope is that you don’t have to spend your life feeling alone. May you find people who see you, understand you, and remind you that you belong.

04/06/2026

Four years ago today, my TEDx talk was released. This morning, I have been thinking about the profound impact that Justin’s su***de has had on my life.

The truth is, without his death, I never would have found life.

Justin is the driving force behind so much of the work that I do. And, while I speak on a variety of topics, my passion for strengthening the conversation around men’s mental health will never fade.

Silence doesn’t make pain disappear… it makes it heavier.

Keep talking my friends.

04/01/2026

Fact: Communities thrive when people feel safe addressing challenges openly.

Years ago, I decided to stop hiding my recovery because someone else might need to see it.

Thank you Cal Beyer, for the beautiful moment captured in this video.

If you, or someone you know, is recovering out loud please add their name in the comment.

We are stronger together.

Motivational keynote speaker and mental health advocate, Allan Kehler, speaks about the importance of recovering out loud. With over 15 years of sobriety, Al...

03/26/2026

While most of the world was still sleeping, Jan was already up at 4:00 a.m., making 499 meatballs.

Why 499? Because she’d done the math and figured each Co-op member would have three for supper.

Tanya and I met Jan while setting up for our event, and she couldn’t wait to take us behind the scenes into the kitchen.

Here’s what I learned last night in the town of Unity, Saskatchewan. Everyone has something unique to offer the world. And they are not always in loud, obvious ways. There was no stage, no spotlight, just a secret recipe perfected over years, and care placed into every single meatball.

When I tasted them, they were incredible. Not just because of the flavor, but because you could feel the love behind them.

Later, when Jan walked by our table to clear my plate, I told her that the meatballs were a 12 out of 10. Her face lit up and she beamed with pride. Not in a boastful way, but in a deeply content, almost peaceful way. Like she was saying, this is what I can give. And, it was more than enough.

Jan set the tone for an incredible night. Thank you Delta Co-op for allowing Tanya and I to share our message of connection and community.

And, thank you, Jan, for reminding me that strong communities are built one person and one meatball at a time.

03/19/2026

After my keynote last week, I held a book signing and one particular conversation has stayed with me.

A woman came up to the table, tears already in her eyes, and said, “My daughter attempted su***de last night.” Her voice broke as the tears fell. “She’s in the ICU, but I just knew I had to be here this morning to hear your message.”

I simply listened, unsure how to even respond.

She took a deep breath and continued. “I just needed to know that hope is real. And, you gave me that today. Thank you.”

That one hit me. Deep.

I have been reflecting on that word 'hope'. That four letter word has always been my anchor. The powerful thing about hope is that it reaches places logic never can. Somehow, through all the noise of self-doubt and pain, it gives people the strength to take one more step.

What I’m learning years into this speaking thing is that I am not just delivering words from a stage. I am offering connection, understanding, and a glimpse of a way out of darkness.

And that feels pretty damn good.

Keep talking my friends.

Sometimes, that one message is enough to help someone hold on and keep going.

03/07/2026

Publishing my story took my vulnerability to an entirely different level. It meant putting parts of my journey out into the world that I once tried to hide.

But I have witnessed the incredible power of story, and I believed it was something I was supposed to do.

Yesterday, I found out that my book was shortlisted for a non-fiction book award, and it reminded me of the following: The things that scare us the most often carry the greatest purpose.

Sometimes the breakthrough comes after we find the courage to be vulnerable.

So, if you’re holding back on something that’s on your heart (a dream, a message, or a story) perhaps this is your reminder.

Your courage could impact more people than you ever imagined.

Thank you to each and every one of you that has supported me over the years. It has meant more than I can say in words.

A special thank you Saskatchewan Book Awards for the nomination and Your Nickel’s Worth Publishing for helping to get this message out into the world.

Lastly, thank you to my wife, Tanya, for holding my hand throughout this entire wild journey, and for helping me to find the inner strength I never even knew existed.

03/05/2026

I believe that a generation that can talk openly about mental health is a generation that will build a kinder, stronger world.

This morning, two grade 11 students from Delaware interviewed me for a school documentary on the topic of men and mental health. They both recognized that their fathers struggled with showing emotions, and they wanted to remind people that vulnerability equals strength.

Youth often get a bad rap, but I think that this generation of youth is powerful in a way the world hasn’t always seen before.

Unlike when I was younger, they are brave enough to talk about mental health. They challenge the idea that pain should be hidden, and they’re not afraid to say “I need help.” That’s leadership.

The future isn’t just in good hands - it’s in honest ones.

02/26/2026

This morning, Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas referenced a beautiful philosophy to kick off the Construction Mental Health Summit in Portland.

In Chinese culture, when a bowl cracks, it is not thrown away. With care and intention, the bowl is repaired and the cracks become part of its identity rather than something to disguise. Damage is not seen as a personal failing, but as evidence of a life fully lived.

Interestingly enough, the bowl actually becomes more valuable because of what it has been through.

And, that right there is the journey from surviving to thriving (The theme of this conference). We are not pretending we were never broken, but we are recognizing that healing and growth holds value.

With these thoughts running through my mind, I went for a walk this evening and found this sign of a beautiful rose with the words 'Hope'. That word was EVERYTHING for me during my darkest years.

Tomorrow morning, I will find myself on the stage with my fractures on full display for all to see. And, just like you, I know that my life has value.

From the ashes we rise.