The Official Top 10 Speakers on Anxiety and Panic Disorders

Anxiety disorders can affect concentration, confidence, relationships, sleep and performance at work or in education. Panic disorder can cause sudden episodes of intense fear alongside physical symptoms.

NHS England’s Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2023/24 found that 20.2% of adults in England had a common mental health condition. Generalised anxiety disorder affected 7.5% of adults, panic disorder 1%, and prevalence reached 25.8% among 16 to 24 year olds (Source: NHS England).

The workplace impact is also substantial. HSE figures for 2024/25 show that 964,000 workers experienced work-related stress, depression or anxiety, resulting in 22.1 million lost working days. These conditions accounted for more than half of all work-related ill health (Source: Health and Safety Executive).

What Are Anxiety and Panic Disorders?

Anxiety is a feeling of unease, worry or fear that everyone experiences occasionally. An anxiety disorder develops when these feelings become persistent, excessive or difficult to control and affect everyday life.

Generalised anxiety disorder can involve ongoing worry across several areas of life. Panic disorder involves repeated, unexpected panic attacks, which may include a racing heartbeat, dizziness, trembling, shortness of breath, chest discomfort and a feeling of losing control. Fear of another attack can also lead people to avoid certain places, activities or situations (Source: nhs.uk).

Awareness matters because anxiety is not always visible. NHS England found that generalised anxiety disorder among 16 to 64 year olds rose from 4.4% in 1993 to 8.5% in 2023/24. Treatment has increased, but only 47.7% of people aged 16 to 74 with common mental health condition symptoms reported receiving medication, psychological therapy or both in 2023/24 (Source: NHS England).

Who Are the Top 10 Speakers on Anxiety and Panic Disorders?

An anxiety speaker can help audiences understand how anxiety affects thoughts, behaviour and physical wellbeing, while offering practical ways to recognise symptoms and seek support.

The following speakers have been selected for their expertise, lived experience, published work and relevance to audiences seeking greater understanding of anxiety and panic disorders:

• Joshua Fletcher: Anxiety psychotherapist, bestselling author and specialist in panic disorders
• Anna Williamson: Mental health campaigner, bestselling author and lived-experience advocate for anxiety and panic
• Ruth Cooper-Dickson: Workplace wellbeing specialist with lived experience of generalised anxiety and panic disorder
• Owen O’Kane: Psychotherapist, former NHS Mental Health Clinical Lead and anxiety specialist
• Daniel Fryer: Cognitive behavioural psychotherapist and specialist in anxiety disorders
• Anna Mathur: BACP-accredited psychotherapist specialising in anxiety and emotional wellbeing
• Nadiya Hussain MBE: Broadcaster, bestselling author and prominent anxiety advocate
• Matt Haig: Bestselling author and campaigner on anxiety and depression
• Will Young: Award-winning singer and advocate for anxiety, PTSD and mental health
• Ruby Wax OBE: Mental health campaigner, author and Oxford-trained cognitive therapy expert

Joshua Fletcher

Joshua Fletcher, widely known as ‘Anxiety Josh’, is a psychotherapist and bestselling author specialising specifically in anxiety disorders and panic attacks. After experiencing severe anxiety himself, Joshua trained in counselling psychology and cognitive behavioural therapy before establishing a career helping people understand and manage anxiety.

His books include ‘Anxiety: Panicking About Panic’ and ‘Untangle Your Anxiety’, while his speaking topics cover the psychology of anxiety, intrusive thoughts, panic attacks and anxiety in the workplace. Joshua is an excellent choice for organisations seeking a speaker who can combine clinical knowledge with lived experience and explain why panic symptoms occur in an accessible way.

Anna Williamson

Anna Williamson is a television presenter, bestselling author, mental health campaigner and Ambassador for Mind who has spoken openly about living with anxiety and panic disorder. Her book ‘Breaking Mad: The Insider’s Guide to Conquering Anxiety’ explores her experiences alongside practical approaches to mental wellbeing.

Anna has discussed how anxiety and panic affected her career and intensified following a traumatic childbirth experience. Her warm, relatable delivery makes her particularly effective for workplace wellbeing events, parent groups and audiences seeking an honest account of how anxiety can affect otherwise successful and outwardly confident people.

Ruth Cooper-Dickson

Ruth Cooper-Dickson is a trauma-informed coach, workplace wellbeing expert and Patron of No Panic. After developing generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder and chronic burnout during her corporate career, Ruth retrained and dedicated her work to improving mental health within organisations.

Her expertise combines lived experience with an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology. Ruth speaks on anxiety, post-traumatic growth, workplace wellbeing and resilience, making her particularly relevant for employers seeking practical guidance on supporting employees experiencing anxiety while improving wider organisational culture.

Owen O’Kane

Owen O’Kane is a psychotherapist, bestselling author and former NHS Mental Health Clinical Lead. His career has included work in palliative care and senior mental health roles, giving him extensive experience of helping people navigate anxiety, stress and significant life changes.

One of Owen’s core speaking areas is calming the anxious mind and helping people gain greater clarity and control. His ‘Ten to Zen’ approach translates psychological principles into practical daily techniques, making him a strong choice for businesses seeking evidence-informed strategies employees can apply beyond the event itself.

Daniel Fryer

Daniel Fryer is a cognitive behavioural psychotherapist, clinical hypnotherapist and former CBT Therapist at The Priory Hospital. His specialist areas include anxiety disorders, depression and work-related stress.

As the author of ‘The Four Thoughts That F*ck You Up… And How to Fix Them’, Daniel helps audiences understand how thinking patterns can intensify emotional distress. His corporate talks provide practical tools for managing anxiety and challenging unhelpful beliefs, making him particularly valuable for organisations looking for a clinically informed and solution-focused speaker.

Anna Mathur

Anna Mathur is a BACP-accredited psychotherapist, bestselling author and host of ‘The Therapy Edit’ podcast. She specialises in anxiety, self-worth and emotional wellbeing and has built a reputation for translating therapeutic concepts into practical advice.

Her speaking topics include managing anxiety, building resilience, imposter syndrome and the mental load created by work and family responsibilities. Anna is especially effective for corporate audiences seeking compassionate, practical advice on recognising anxiety before it contributes to burnout or reduced confidence.

Nadiya Hussain MBE

Nadiya Hussain MBE is a television presenter, bestselling author and mental health advocate who has spoken openly about living with anxiety. After winning ‘The Great British Bake Off’, she used her growing public platform to discuss mental health and the impact anxiety has had throughout her life.

Nadiya’s warmth and openness help normalise anxiety for audiences who may find clinical discussions intimidating. She is particularly effective for large conferences, employee wellbeing events and educational audiences seeking a relatable public figure who demonstrates that anxiety can coexist with ambition, creativity and professional success.

Matt Haig

Matt Haig is an internationally bestselling author whose writing has helped bring conversations about depression and anxiety into the mainstream. His memoir ‘Reasons to Stay Alive’ documents the severe depression and anxiety he experienced in his twenties, while ‘Notes on a Nervous Planet’ examines the psychological pressures of modern life.

Matt’s work gives audiences a highly personal perspective on overwhelming anxiety, recovery and living with recurring mental health difficulties. His thoughtful approach makes him particularly suitable for organisations, universities and literary events seeking a reflective discussion about anxiety, isolation and hope.

Will Young

Will Young is an award-winning singer, author and mental health advocate who has spoken publicly about anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Alongside a successful music career that began with winning ‘Pop Idol’ in 2002, he has described experiencing severe anxiety linked to bullying, sexuality and wider life experiences.

Will speaks openly about mental health, self-care and the emotional impact of concealing parts of your identity. His experiences make him especially relevant for audiences exploring anxiety alongside trauma, workplace authenticity and LGBTQ+ mental health.

Ruby Wax OBE

Ruby Wax OBE is an award-winning comedian, author and one of Britain’s most prominent mental health campaigners. Alongside her lived experience of depression and anxiety, Ruby completed a Master’s Degree in Cognitive Therapy at the University of Oxford and has served as Visiting Professor in Mental Health Nursing at the University of Surrey.

Her talks use humour to explore stress, anxiety, mindfulness and the workings of the human mind. Ruby is particularly effective for corporate audiences because she combines psychological insight with an entertaining delivery, helping employees engage with serious mental health themes without making the conversation feel inaccessible.

How Can Organisations Better Support People With Anxiety?

Awareness should lead to practical support.

Employers can start by ensuring managers understand that anxiety may affect concentration, decision-making, attendance, communication and confidence differently for each employee.

Useful measures can include:

• Clear workloads and realistic deadlines
• Regular manager check-ins
• Flexible working where appropriate
• Quiet spaces or opportunities to step away temporarily
• Employee assistance programmes
• Occupational health referrals
• Access to counselling or psychological support
• Clear communication during organisational change
• Training for managers on mental health conversations
• Reasonable adjustments based on individual needs

Final Thoughts

Anxiety and panic disorders are common, serious and highly individual mental health conditions.

An experienced anxiety speaker brings these conversations to life through clinical expertise, lived experience or both. Whether an organisation requires a psychotherapist, author, broadcaster or campaigner, these ten speakers can help audiences understand anxiety more clearly while sharing practical tools for improving mental wellbeing.

To hire an anxiety or mental health speaker for your event, fill in our online contact form or give one of our friendly booking agents a call at 0203 9816 296.