Gabe Howard | STORY

When Gabe Howard was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 26, he believed his life was over. He didn’t know anyone who was living well with mental illness and he thought his future was doomed. He felt helpless, hopeless, and alone. But through years of hard work, family support, treatment, therapy, and lots of learning, he reached recovery.

But that feeling of being afraid of his diagnosis was something he never forgot. In fact, it turned into his life’s mission. “I wanted to be really, really vocal, so when the next person is diagnosed with mental illness, they think, you know there’s this one guy. He’s loud and seems to be doing OK,” he says.

Vocal for sure. Today, Gabe is an award-winning podcast host, author, and sought-after speaker. Over the years, he’s had countless public speaking engagements and remains a go-to expert at conferences and in other media on matters of mental health and wellness, living with bipolar disorder, and governmental or social challenges faced by people living with mental illness. In November of 2022, Gabe had the distinct honor of speaking at Oxford University in England.

Gabe is the only person living openly with bipolar disorder who hosts a podcast for a major media company. Inside Mental Health can be found on multiple platforms, like Spotify, iTunes, Amazon, YouTube, and over 1,800 other players. Each week, Gabe interviews celebrities, experts, and other notables about psychology and mental health in a relaxed, conversational fashion anyone can understand.

His show has been honored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) with a Media Award and has received the Wego Health Best Podcast Award. Previous guests have included Dr. Phil McGraw, Alanis Morissette, and Jennette McCurdy, among many others.

Gabe is the author of Mental Illness is an Asshole and Other Observations. He has also appeared in numerous publications and websites, including Bipolar Magazine, WebMD, Healthline.com, and the Stanford Online Medical Journal. He’s been a guest on several podcasts, including Mental Illness Happy Hour, The One You Feed, and The Savvy Psychologist. He also appeared on all four major news networks: ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX.

Among his many awards, he is the recipient of Mental Health America’s Norman Guitry Award and received a resolution from the Governor of Ohio naming him an “Everyday Hero.”

Inspirational, funny, and able to instantly connect with audiences, Gabe is both entertaining and educational. In addition to his keynotes, he offers workshops with more formal training and breakout sessions to teach parents, educators, and corporations how to help those with mental health issues.

Gabe makes his home in Central Ohio with his wife Kendall and a Miniature Schnauzer dog that he never wanted but now can’t imagine life without.