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Keynote SpeakerAlex Dawson

Co-Founder of The BroProject, Mental Health and Wellbeing speaker and Movember Ambassador

Alex Dawson was a police officer until 3rd December 2023 when he was medically retired due to a diagnosis of chronic PTSD. Having been a Detective Sergeant for 20 of those 25 years he saw the worst sights, investigated the worst crimes and had to deliver the worst news. A lot of this now sits in a box in his head and when he is triggered, the box opens and he has to deal with what comes out. This led... Read More

Biography

Alex Dawson was a police officer until 3rd December 2023 when he was medically retired due to a diagnosis of chronic PTSD. Having been a Detective Sergeant for 20 of those 25 years he saw the worst sights, investigated the worst crimes and had to deliver the worst news. A lot of this now sits in a box in his head and when he is triggered, the box opens and he has to deal with what comes out.

This led to his breakdown in 2018 and some very dark thoughts. Back then, he didn’t realise it was ok to not be ok, that he could ask for help, that others would be going through the same thing. He thought he just had to carry on being a dad, a husband, a son a friend and a police officer. He didn’t realise he wasn’t really being any of these things, but was in some kind of survival mode. On Tuesday 27th March 2018 the question he asked his wife that brough everything crashing down was “What colour are the cupboard doors?” The most insignificant question to anyone else, but, maybe, the most significant question he ever asked.

A couple of hours after this he was with his GP. She ended up signing him off for almost 6 months. The journey Alex went on during this time and post his return to work in September 2018 has been hard, but, a very different person now, Alex Dawson is able to talk openly about how he feels, what he went through and still goes through. Alex talk honestly about living with mental ill health, depression, anxiety and vulnerability. He talks positively about his ongoing experience with mental ill health and how it has motivated him to create a community, free of any stigma, that supports everyone and anyone.

"Thank you for organising this Sian. It was so insightful, and Alex is a great ambassador for mental health awareness. The work he is doing is inspirational, showing that anyone can be affected." Consumer Care Manager, Ecotone
"The talk today was great and really brought home the seriousness of mental health issues in men in particular, and the need to talk. It was really brave of Alex to stand up and talk about the hard times he’s been through with a bunch of strangers so all credit to him." CSR and Ethical Controller, Ecotone
"Alex’s talk was an inspiration, takes a huge amount of courage to be vulnerable in front of people! Please say a HUGE thank you to Alex from us and for coming all that way as well." HR Assistant, Ecotone
"Alex agreed to attend our company wellbeing day in January to share his story with us about the state of his mental health following his time in the police force. The long-term effects and impact on his, and his family's life were extraordinary and personal, but the symptoms and illness that followed are all too common with today's life pressures. Alex has used his experience to great use by starting the Bro Project, which has helped him and is already helping many others going through similar issues. What he has done and achieved is inspirational and this resonated will all of our staff." MD, Bridge Civil Engineering
"His honesty and humility in sharing his own experiences plus his commitment to provide support for others made him the perfect guest speaker at our company wellbeing day. Thank you, Alex and the Bro Project, for coming along and sharing your story, it was a great addition to our company day and we look forward to continue supporting you." Accountant, Bridge Civil Engineering
"Alex, I just wanted to sincerely thank you for your incredibly moving and powerful talk with us on Monday. It was so brave and honest of you to share your story in all its depths and we have had amazing feedback from colleagues so far!" Culture and Inclusion Manager, NHS Greater London
"I just wanted to provide a belated thank you for your really engaging talk with our field teams recently. Your talk was authentic, genuine, emotive, and full of energy. Your talk has led to immediate change in our department, and we now have circa 20 volunteers operating as mental health champions. The combination of activity and your presentation was the ideal mix to get people talking." Team Leader, Environment Agency

Popular Talks by Alex Dawson

  • Mental health and wellbeing

    What it is to me? What it could be to you? How we deal with it & How we improve it.

  • Resilience in the face of adversity

    Just when you think you are doing well, something happens. Whether big or small, you have to come back from it and recover. How do we do that?

  • Wellbeing

    Putting our own mask on first, then we can help those around us.

  • Sharing Vulnerability