Speaker for Student Mental Health | From Brokenness to Being

My Journey Back to Wholeness

by Michale Taylor – Education Speaker, Mental Health Advocate, and Youth Empowerment Leader

💬 Introduction:

If you’re looking for a motivational speaker for schools who can speak to the emotional and mental wellness of your students, you’re in the right place. My name is Michale Taylor, and I travel to schools across the country helping students realize they are not a statistic—they are a story still unfolding.

In this blog, I’ll share my personal journey from trauma to healing, and how I now help students R.I.S.E. into their true selves—emotionally, mentally, and academically.

💥 The Pain That Shaped My Purpose

I wasn’t born a speaker. I became one through pain.

When I lost my younger brother, Waki, to a home invasion at just 18 years old, my world shattered. Grief broke me open—but it also awakened a fire in me to reach young people before the streets do.

What I’ve learned, and what I now teach in schools, is this:

💡 "Brokenness is not the end. It’s the beginning of your return to being."

📈 The Mental Health Crisis in Schools

Today’s students are navigating overwhelming stress, trauma, and isolation—often silently.

➡️ Statistic: Over 61% of adults have experienced at least one Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE), which increases the risk of chronic mental and physical conditions later in life. (CDC)

The trauma doesn’t just go away when they walk into your classrooms—it follows them. That’s why we need more than academics—we need healing.

🧩 Introducing the R.I.S.E. Method™

When I speak at assemblies, youth conferences, and PBIS events, I use my R.I.S.E. framework to help students tap into their power:

✅ R – Restore and rebirth:

We cannot heal what we don’t acknowledge. Students are encouraged to reflect on and name their pain safely.

✅ I – Intention:

We shift from autopilot to purpose, helping youth identify what they truly want from life—not what society expects.

✅ S – Self-Love:

Before we build character, we build identity. Self-love is the anchor to making values-based choices.

✅ E – Evolution:

Students leave inspired to grow through what they go through—building resilience, not resistance.

🎤 Why Schools Book Me

As a speaker, I don’t just talk at students—I speak to their struggle. My assemblies, classroom workshops, and youth summits are tailored to your school’s:

• PBIS incentives

• Mental health initiatives

• Graduation rate goals

• School culture improvement

📌 “Ms. Taylor wasn’t just another speaker. She understood what our students carry. And for the first time, they felt seen.” — High School Counselor

📥 Ready to Bring This Message to Your School?

If you’re a school counselor, PBIS coordinator, principal, or SEL advocate looking to:

• Reduce behavioral referrals

• Improve school-wide morale

• Equip students with emotional intelligence

• Support trauma-informed initiatives

Let’s connect.

🔗 Book a School Assembly
🔗 View My Speaker Reel

🔄 Reflection Prompt for Students (Optional PDF Download)

Ask your students to reflect after the assembly with this question:
📝 “What parts of yourself have you been hiding because they felt broken? How can you begin to embrace them instead?”

📣 Final Thoughts

You don’t need to be perfect to be powerful.
You don’t need to be healed to help others.
You just need to start the journey from brokenness to being, and bring students along with you.

Let’s make sure no student feels unseen, unheard, or unworthy. Let’s create school environments that heal and empower.