Fee Range for Susan Stewart
$7,501 - $10,000
Susan Stewart's Videos
Videos & Resources
Speaker Overview (Seeing the lighter side of adversity & uncertainty)
LATEST BOOKS:
A Bit More Than a Rough Patch - Susan Stewart
In her latest book speaker Susan Stewart talks about the hardest year of her life that nearly ended it. Then she did what any comedian would do: she wrote a show about it.
Comedian and mental health speaker, Susan Stewart, thought she knew a thing or two about resilience. She had survived depression before, built a career helping people see the lighter side of life, and spent years believing she had beaten it.
Then 2023 happened.
When depression (and severe anxiety) came roaring back, Stewart was convinced she could handle it. She exercised. She meditated. She read the books. She self-helped the hell out of herself. But as things got worse, she resisted the very help she would have encouraged anyone else to get. What she dismissed as a “rough patch” eventually became a mental health crisis that culminated in a suicide attempt which forced her to confront the shame, stigma, and destructive thought patterns she could no longer outrun.
Based on her hit comedy show, A Bit More Than A Rough Patch, is Stewart’s sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking, always true account of losing hope and finding it again — from psychiatric care and “therapy camp” to learning how to accept help, trust treatment, and find her way back to herself. With the wit of a comedian and the perspective of someone who has been to the darkest edge and returned, Stewart reminds us that taking mental health seriously doesn’t mean we have to stop laughing.
You Gotta Laugh
In this book Susan Stewart offers humorous observations about life (and how it dares us to complain each and every day!) along with advice about how to lighten up about the challenges that come your way. You Gotta Laugh: Wit And Wisdom About Not Taking Life (Or Yourself) Too Seriously will help you meet life with a positive outlook, a resilient spirit, and of course, a sense of humour.
Your New Lenses Are Ready For Pick Up: A Guide To Seeing The Lighter Side Of Life
The new lenses that await you require no prescription or trip to the optician and yet, they’ll make you look and feel like a million bucks. Well, maybe they won’t make you look any better, but then again, isn’t everyone more attractive when they smile? Susan Stewart offers up an entertaining collection of insights, ideas, and concepts aimed at seeing the lighter side of life’s inevitable changes and challenges. With healthy doses of optimism, buddhism, and spirituality, Susan draws on her (far too extensive) personal experiences of taking life too seriously and offers up this entertaining and inspiring book full of perspectives that will help you live with more ease.
Susan Stewart
Comedian & Mental Health Speaker;
The Lighter Side of Work & Life
About Susan Stewart
Susan Stewart is a Canadian comedian, keynote speaker, author and mental health advocate based in Toronto, Ontario. She uses PG-rated, corporate-friendly stand-up comedy to help audiences manage stress, build resilience and talk openly about mental health.
A former stand-up comic turned Ontario government learning and development consultant, Susan has delivered humour-based wellness keynotes full-time since 2008. After surviving a mental health crisis in 2023, she created A Bit More Than A Rough Patch, a comedy show and book about depression, recovery and finding hope again. Her programs combine big laughs with honest lived experience, giving audiences practical ways to meet adversity with courage, confidence and a sense of humour.
Susan speaks to corporate, government, healthcare, education and association audiences across Canada, both in person and virtually, and also works as an event emcee.
Susan Stewart's Expertise
- Humour for Stress Relief — Uses laughter as a practical tool to release workplace and life stress and reset how audiences feel in the moment.
- Building Resilience With Humour — Shows how a sense of humour helps people meet adversity with courage and confidence.
- Mental Health Awareness — Builds understanding of depression and anxiety and stresses the importance of seeking support.
- Reducing Mental Health Stigma — Normalizes mental illness by speaking openly and humorously about her own 2023 mental health crisis.
- Depression and Anxiety — Draws on lived experience from early in her comedy career and again in 2023 to describe recovery and hope.
- Workplace Wellness — Delivers comedic wellness programs shaped by her years in Ontario Public Service human resources.
- Navigating Change and Uncertainty — Offers perspective shifts that make change and uncertain times feel more manageable.
- Perspective and Mindset — Applies the "golden rule of comedy" (truth) to help people see the lighter side of life.
- Corporate-Friendly Stand-Up Comedy — Performs a full hour of PG-rated stand-up, ideal as an event opener or closer.
- Event Hosting and Emceeing — Keeps agendas on time and crowds engaged for conferences, awards and staff events.
- Lived-Experience Storytelling — Turns personal struggles into relatable, funny stories that leave audiences feeling seen.
Susan Stewart's Bio
Susan Stewart is a Toronto-based comedian, keynote speaker and author who uses stand-up comedy to help people talk honestly about stress, resilience and mental health. Her programs are built on a simple idea: if you can find the funny in something hard, it becomes easier to manage.
Susan earned a theatre arts degree from the University of Waterloo and launched her career on Toronto’s stand-up stages. About three years in, clinical depression and anxiety forced her to step away from comedy. After recovering, she moved into human resources with the Ontario government, working as an organizational learning and development consultant.
Her return to the stage came by accident. A year into her HR role, she was asked to write and deliver a humorous wellness presentation for a staff professional development conference. It was so well received that she was soon presenting it at events across the Ontario government, and in 2008 she left HR to speak full-time.
In 2023, Susan lived through a serious mental health crisis of her own. She turned that experience into a comedy show, and later a book, called A Bit More Than A Rough Patch, which she has performed at venues including The Gladstone in Ottawa and Aeolian Hall in London, Ontario. Her talks now pair corporate-friendly humour with a candid message about depression, seeking help and finding hope again.
Susan has spoken for organizations such as PepsiCo Foods Canada, Global Affairs Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Health Canada, the Ontario Hospital Association, McMaster University, Queen's University and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation. She also works as an emcee for events including the Richard Ivey School of Business and the Ontario Public Service Human Resources Awards.
She is the author of A Bit More Than A Rough Patch; You Gotta Laugh: Wit And Wisdom About Not Taking Life (Or Yourself) Too Seriously; Your New Lenses Are Ready For Pick Up: A Guide To Seeing The Lighter Side Of Life; and Reaching The Laugh Resort. She also hosts the podcast Still a Hot Mess and released the comedy album Relentless.
Contact Us for Susan Stewart's speaker fees, and date availability.
Susan Stewart's Presentation Topics
Susan Stewart is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She delivers keynote presentations, fireside chats, and moderated Q&A on a variety of topics. Presentation lengths can be a minimum of 45 minutes to a maximum of 90 minutes. Most conference keynotes are typically 60 minutes. Each presentation is unique, customized and tailored for audiences, industries, conferences and event formats. All of Susan’s programs are also available for virtual events.
You Gotta Laugh: Healing Stress with Humour +
Packed full of laughs about the challenges we face at work and in life, Susan shares how humour relieves stress, improves our outlook, and protects our mental health. --
You Gotta Laugh: Building Resiliency With Humour +
While giving your group some much needed laughs, Susan shares how we can meet our challenges with confidence, courage, and a sense of humour. --
How The “Golden Rule Of Comedy” Can Help You See The Lighter Side Of Life +
The “golden rule” of comedy is to talk about the truth. Anytime you laugh at what a comedian says, it’s because it’s true. Susan highlights 5 important truths about life and shares how remembering these truths can make times of adversity and uncertainty appear more manageable. --
Your New Lenses Are Ready For Pick Up: Seeing The Lighter Side Of Life In Challenging Times +
With the humour she is best known for, Susan offers some shifts in perspective that can help your group be resilient in the face of adversity and uncertainty. --
A Bit More than a Rough Patch: What a Comedian Learned about Taking Mental Health Seriously +
After surviving a mental health crisis in 2023, Susan shares her story to reduce stigma, normalize mental illness, and help people see the humour in the hard parts of their lives.
With the vulnerability she is well-known for, Susan contributes to the mental health conversation that is (thankfully) growing and helps people feel seen as they navigate their own struggles and the struggles of others.
A mental health speaker who both entertains and inspires, Susan will help your group gain a better understanding of depression, emphasize the importance of seeking support, and send the strong message that brighter days are ahead. This is a funny, yet powerful program about losing hope and finding it again. --
Stand-up Comedy:
The Last Laugh
This program is 100% pure PG-rated, corporate-friendly, stand-up comedy and a perfect ending for your event! Packed full of laughs, Susan Stewart will make your event stand out from the rest and send your group off feeling energized and uplifted.
Book Susan Stewart to speak at your next conference or corporate event.
Frequently Asked Questions About Susan Stewart
Who is Susan Stewart? +
Susan Stewart is a Toronto-based Canadian comedian, keynote speaker, author and mental health advocate. She combines corporate-friendly stand-up comedy with practical messages about stress, resilience and mental health. --
What does Susan Stewart speak about? +
Susan speaks about using humour to relieve stress, building resilience, navigating change and uncertainty, and mental health. Her program A Bit More Than A Rough Patch shares her own 2023 mental health crisis to reduce stigma and encourage people to seek support. --
Is Susan Stewart a comedian or a motivational speaker? +
She is both. Susan began her career in stand-up comedy and now delivers keynotes that mix laughs with practical takeaways, as well as a full hour of PG-rated, corporate-friendly stand-up called The Last Laugh. --
Is Susan Stewart’s comedy appropriate for corporate audiences? +
Yes. All of Susan’s programs are PG-rated and designed for workplace, association, government and education audiences. --
Can Susan Stewart speak about mental health in the workplace? +
Yes. Susan draws on lived experience with depression and anxiety, and on her background in Ontario government human resources, to talk about mental health in a way that is relatable, funny and stigma-free. --
Does Susan Stewart emcee events? +
Yes. Susan works as an emcee and event host, keeping audiences energized while making sure the agenda runs on time. Past hosting clients include the Richard Ivey School of Business and Health Canada. --
How long are Susan Stewart’s presentations? +
Presentation lengths can be a minimum of 45 minutes to a maximum of 90 minutes. Most conference keynotes are typically 60 minutes. --
Does Susan Stewart offer virtual presentations? +
Yes. All of Susan’s programs are available for virtual and hybrid events. --
What books has Susan Stewart written? +
Susan is the author of A Bit More Than A Rough Patch; You Gotta Laugh: Wit And Wisdom About Not Taking Life (Or Yourself) Too Seriously; Your New Lenses Are Ready For Pick Up: A Guide To Seeing The Lighter Side Of Life; and Reaching The Laugh Resort. --
Where is Susan Stewart based? +
Susan Stewart is based in Toronto, Ontario, and speaks to audiences across Canada and North America. --
What types of events is Susan Stewart best suited for? +
Susan is a strong fit for conference openers and closers, staff appreciation and professional development days, Mental Health Week and Bell Let’s Talk programming, International Women's Day, wellness events, and awards or association gatherings. --
How much does it cost to book Susan Stewart as a keynote speaker in Canada? +
Susan's current fee range is $7,501–$10,000, with final pricing confirmed through K&M Productions Speakers & Shows based on event format, location, audience size and customization. Contact K&M Productions to check date availability and arrange a pre-event call. --
Is Susan Stewart represented by a speaker's bureau in Canada and how is the contract handled? +
K&M Productions Speakers & Shows represent Susan Stewart for conference keynotes and corporate events. They coordinate bookings and handle the contract-agreement with the client. Keynote speakers in Canada often work through a bureau to take care of their contracts and payments while they look after the creative and content aspects of their topics and presentations. Bureau representation ensures consistent communication between the client and the speaker as well as an "insurance policy" for your conference in the unlikely occurrence of speaker illness or cancellation. --
How do I contact Susan Stewart to check her date availability and begin the booking process for events in Canada? +
Contact K&M Productions Speakers & Shows to check Susan Stewart's availability, discuss your event's goals, and receive a customized proposal for keynote or workshop formats. --
How do I book Susan Stewart for my event? +
To book Susan Stewart, simply contact K&M Productions Speakers & Shows, who will help you choose the right program and handle all the booking details in a very straightforward and transparent process. K&M Productions can also arrange for a no-obligation pre-event call with Susan to confirm her content aligns with your event objectives, prior to booking. --
This speaker profile was last updated by K&M Productions on October 8, 2026.
What Clients are Saying About Susan Stewart
Susan shared about a subject that many find very difficult to talk about and she did so with humour. Her natural storytelling ability and the ease with which she connected to the audience by being vulnerable and real was truly amazing. Susan is also really funny! The feedback I have received from the team has been great – they loved Susan and the talk! Something that really amazed me was how comfortable the team was asking questions of Susan about her experience and what she would recommend to help others who may be struggling. That to me reiterates just how well she not only connected with the audience, made a heavy subject easier to discuss but also just how relevant the topic was.
–Erin Christopher, Town Of Newmarket
Loved her! Perfect mix of laughs, key messages and she even referenced the topic of anxiety/stress which related to the previous speaker's message. Great repetition of take aways and left everyone leaving on a high. Susan was the PERFECT choice to close our conference – she kept it light, and moving, with great strategies to use. I couldn’t be happier.
–MISA Ontario (Municipal Information Systems Association)
Everything went great! Susan was very professional, and her presentation was seamless.
–Fortis Inc. (2024) (Booked by K&M Productions)
Susan’s energy is infectious! Susan does a really great job of breaking down big concepts into small nuggets that you can use to help you in your daily life. Susan will make you laugh from your belly and has a way of warming your heart and seeing the lighter side of life.
–Ontario Hospital Association
We had about 180+ attendees and although their cameras were off, the chat was going crazy! Susan was hilarious, engaging, and most importantly relatable. In a time of uncertainty we really have to make it a choice to be happy and Susan really made it easy that day.
–PepsiCo Foods Canada
Susan was fabulous, funny, entertaining and sincere in her delivery. I would highly, highly recommend her. She rocked the house!!!!
–Women In Business Conference
Susan's upbeat, laughter-filled presentation ended the conference on a high note...
–Occupational Health Nurses Association
Susan’s delivery captured everyone’s attention and kept them laughing and thinking! My event was a complete success and Susan played a vital role.
–Natural Resources Canada
...what a great speaker you are! I found you to be extremely entertaining, very engaging, and most importantly, informed.
–Ministry of the Attorney General