Brian Knowler

In this presentation, Brian discusses the concept of post-traumatic growth and outlines the lessons he learned as he fought through, and then fought back, from trauma. While trauma and other mental health issues are extremely trying periods in a person's life, one can not only overcome these periods, but come through them a better, stronger, more empathetic and better parent, partner, spouse, child, and employee.

Modern leadership must include an innate and empathetic understanding of mental health issues both large and small. Mental health concerns in society are growing in both scope and severity, and this trend will not be reversing itself anytime soon. The concept of CAPITAL L Leadership is built on enhancing, or, if necessary, developing, skills and traits that today’s leaders need to ensure that the mental well-being of those they lead is paramount. Ahead of profit margins, ahead of stock prices, ahead of the bottom line, the health and wellness of the team is the best barometer of how successful an organization is. During this session, Brian, the creator of the award-winning CAPITAL L system, will lead you through core elements that leaders need to ensure both themselves and their teams successfully navigate the many impacts that mental health issues, from routine stress to suicide, can have in today’s world.

In October 2004, Brian Knowler was a young police officer who thought he had his career and life nailed down. One cold night, however, he watched a friend die in his arms as a result of a fatal auto crash, helpless to do anything despite his training, ambition, and passion for the job. That friend's death led to a ten-year downward spiral of trauma, depression, alcohol use, isolation and thoughts of suicide. In this presentation, Brian discusses how strong leadership played a pivotal role in helping pull him up from the depths of his post-traumatic stress. In turn, Brian then began to understand how important offering this leadership back to others in need was, creating a constant cycle of learning and mentoring. It's never too late or too early to start creating your own legacy of mentorship, especially in the ever-growing and ever-changing fields of mental health, substance misuse, trauma, and stigma. Learning, growth and compassion are possible, even after trauma!