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Susan Stewart

Comedian | Author | Mental Health Advocate

Susan Stewart
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Life Can Be Hard
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Tragedy + Time = Comedy
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Susan
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Susan Stewart
Speaker Reel
Stewart Thumb 1
Life Can Be Hard
Stewart Thumb 2
Negative Fortune
Stewart Thumb 3
Tragedy + Time = Comedy
Stewart Thumb 4

Comedian Susan Stewart delivers a blend of wit and wisdom to help people see the lighter side of life. While giving audiences lots of good laughs, she delivers powerful messages about stress management, resiliency, and mental health.

After earning a degree in theatre arts from the University of Waterloo, Stewart began performing stand-up comedy. Three years into her comedy career, she fell into a clinical depression and struggled with anxiety which eventually led her to step away from the stage. When she got back on her feet, Stewart transitioned into the world of human resources (thanks to a lot of serendipity and a wee bit of nepotism) as an organizational learning and development consultant with the Ontario government. She went from stand-up comedy to sit-down comedy.

A year into her new career, Stewart was asked to create and deliver a comical presentation about wellness for an upcoming staff professional development day. Her presentation was a smash-hit, and she eventually left her HR career to deliver comical presentations about wellness full time. For the past 18 years, Stewart has been entertaining audiences and sharing ways to meet adversity with courage, confidence, and a sense of humour.

Stewart is the author of three books: Reaching the Laugh Resort: Why the Journey to Remembering Who You (Really) Are is Worth the Jet Lag; Your New Lenses are Ready for Pick Up: A Guide to Seeing the Lighter Side of Life; and You Gotta Laugh: Wit and Wisdom About Not Taking Life (Or Yourself) Too Seriously. She’s also released a comedy album, Relentless, and is the host of the podcast Still a Hot Mess, both available on Spotify and iTunes.

Inspired by her own experience with a mental health crisis in 2023, Stewart’s powerful programs share her story to reduce the stigma around mental illness and help people see the humour in their struggles.

Speaking topics

Presentations listed below include in-person and virtual keynotes, as well as workshops, fireside chats, and other presentation formats.

  • A Bit More than a Rough Patch: What a Comedian Learned about Taking Mental Health Seriously

    After enduring a mental health crisis in 2023, Susan Stewart shares her story to reduce stigma, normalize experiences such as depression and anxiety, and help people see the humour in the hard parts of our lives.

    “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 to 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 and made a heavy subject easier to discuss but also just how relevant the topic was.”

    – Erin Christopher, Town of Newmarket

  • You Gotta Laugh: Healing Stress with Humour

    Packed full of laughs about the challenges we face at work and in life, Susan Stewart shares how humour relieves stress, improves our outlook, and prevents burnout.

  • You Gotta Laugh: Building Resiliency With Humour

    While giving your group some much needed laughs, Susan Stewart shares how we can meet our challenges with confidence, curiosity, and a sense of humour.

  • 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 Stewart offers some shifts in perspective that can help your group be resilient in the face of adversity and uncertainty.

    Note: A version of this program that focuses on seeing change in a positive light is also available.

  • 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.

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Related Content

More great information and resources.

Books

  • You Gotta Laugh by Susan Stewart
    You Gotta Laugh

    Susan Stewart offers humorous observations about life (and how it dares us to complain each and...

    → Read More
  • Your New Lenses Are Ready for Pick Up by Susan Stewart
    Your New Lenses Are Ready for Pick-Up

    The new lenses that await you require no prescription or trip to the optician and yet,...

    → Read More
  • Reaching the Laugh Resort by Susan Stewart
    Reaching The Laugh Resort

    In Reaching The Laugh Resort: Why The Journey To Being Who (Really) Are Is Worth The Jet...

    → Read More

Articles

Client reviews

  • McMaster University

    Susan was is an incredibly thought-provoking and hilarious speaker whose stories and experiences are extremely easy to relate to. If you are looking for a top-notch speaker who is easy to work with and will have your audience in stitches, look no further than Susan.

  • Ontario Hospital Association

    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.

  • Peel District Catholic School Board

    There are very few individuals who can capture an audience, entertain, motivate and offer hope. Her words illustrated vivid imagery that the audience related to on a personal level and will be talking and laughing about for months to come.

  • Occupational Health Nurses Association

    Susan’s upbeat, laughter-filled presentation ended the conference on a high note…

  • Natural Resources Canada

    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.

  • Ottawa Catholic School Board

    …A first class presenter who made us all laugh our heads off while allowing us to learn how not to take ourselves too seriously. Susan is the perfect package!

  • Portage College

    Our employees absolutely LOVED Susan. Everyone in the audience was able to relate on some level to Susan’s message. Her presentation was both uplifting and funny.

  • YWCA Niagara Region and Niagara Leadership Summit for Women

    Susan was so much fun and brought great, positive energy to our event. Her message really resonates with everyone – no matter your background, life experience or age.

  • Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation

    I thoroughly enjoyed Susan’s session – it was energetic, uplifting, and exactly what we needed – I personally got so much of it!

  • City of Toronto

    Susan kept our attention with important key messages, humour, and energized the entire room!

  • Women In Business Conference

    Susan was fabulous, funny, entertaining and sincere in her delivery. I would highly, highly recommend her. She rocked the house!!!!

  • Brantford-Brant Chamber of Commerce

    Susan was TRULY AMAZING!! My cheeks still hurt from laughing.

  • Caledon Public Library

    Our staff absolutely loved Susan’s presentation – it had such a great message and so many of the things Susan talked about our staff related to and saw themselves in what she was saying.

  • Region of Waterloo Public Health

    Susan was fantastic! I have heard nothing but good reviews of her talk. Everyone keeps telling me how much fun she was and how inspirational she was and she got them laughing! Susan is truly amazing at what she does!

  • City of Hamilton

    Be prepared to have a few good laughs and also learn strategies to deal with daily work difficulties. I highly recommend Susan.

  • Ministry of Natural Resources

    Susan came to speak to a team experiencing stress as they manage a very large change management process. Her highly energetic and very creative presentation had people laughing while learning how to recognize the signs of stress. Susan shared many excellent and practical tips for dealing with stress using humour in a very respectful and funny way!

  • Women in the New Century Conference, Ottawa

    Susan is an amazing presenter who shares her valuable message with great humour. We organize an annual conference and before we met Susan we hired a new keynote speaker each year. Since hiring Susan our attendees have begged us to bring her back each year. This is unheard of in our experience but once you’ve heard Susan you understand.

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