Positive Health Online

Eric Kussin is the founder of #SameHere, The Global Mental Health Movement, a worldwide initiative working to normalize mental health conversations and advance the message that mental health impacts “5 out of 5” of us, not just “1 in 5.”

A magna cum laude graduate of Cornell University, where he walked on to the Big Red basketball team, Eric spent 15 years building a successful career in professional sports. He began at the NBA League Office, earning four promotions in five years, before advancing through leadership roles with the Chicago Sky, Phoenix Suns, New Jersey Devils, and Florida Panthers. He became the NHL’s youngest Chief Revenue Officer while with the Panthers and was part of two WNBA championship teams with the Phoenix Mercury.

At the height of his career, Eric experienced a debilitating mental health crisis that left him largely bed-bound for more than two years. After numerous unsuccessful treatments, including more than 50 combinations of prescribed psychotropic medications and electroconvulsive therapy, he ultimately found progress through an integrative approach focused on strengthening the connection between the body and mind. The experience transformed the direction of his life and, in 2017, led him to establish #SameHere.

Today, #SameHere brings together athletes, celebrities, media members, expert practitioners, advocates, and everyday people around a universal approach to mental health. Eric is a sought-after global keynote speaker and program developer who has worked with professional sports organizations, major corporations, schools, law enforcement, and military organizations. The movement’s reach includes organizations ranging from the Golden State Warriors and New York Mets to CNBC, JPMorgan Chase, the NYPD, and the Department of Defense, as well as K-12 schools and college campuses across the country and events in international markets.

Eric continues to consult with professional sports teams and leagues on ticket and sponsorship strategies, bringing together his extensive business experience and mental health advocacy. He is the author of the book Diagnosis: How We Defeat the Mental Health Epidemic by Labelling Less and Connecting More, which presents an approach to mental health centred on connection and practical tools rather than diagnostic labels. He may be contacted via https://samehereglobal.org/