Shaun Robinson on Mental Health, Leadership, and Loving Who We Are

There’s something deeply grounding about listening to someone who has learned to love every part of themselves — not because life was easy, but because it wasn’t. In this conversation, Shaun Robinson reminds us that mental health and leadership are not separate worlds. They are threads of the same human story: how we live with our struggles, how we learn from them, and how we choose to lead through them.

Shaun’s openness about his journey with bipolar disorder is as disarming as it is inspiring. As CEO of the Mental Health Foundation, he sits at the intersection of policy, leadership, and lived experience — a rare place where intellect and empathy meet. Yet what stands out most is not his title or achievements, but his honesty. “I now just accept a lot of who I am,” he says. “I don’t feel as stressed about needing to be this or that. I’m just me — this mashup of all my life experiences. Some were terrible, others were wonderful, and I’ve learned from them all.”

That kind of acceptance doesn’t come easily. Shaun’s journey spans decades of self-discovery — from growing up as the son of a Presbyterian minister in small-town New Zealand, to rebelling against expectations, to confronting depression in his twenties and eventually receiving a bipolar diagnosis in his thirties. His path wasn’t linear. It was filled with questions: Who am I? Where do I belong? What does it mean to be a man who leads with both intellect and heart?

In our conversation, Shaun spoke about the tension between achievement and nurture — two values he inherited from his parents. His father was driven and career-oriented, while his mother embodied warmth and compassion. Shaun’s leadership now reflects both. He is firm but kind, structured yet deeply human. “I think I get as much joy from nurturing my children and colleagues as I do from achieving goals,” he reflects. “That balance has shaped who I am.”

But leadership, for Shaun, also comes with vulnerability. He recalls moments of self-doubt — wondering whether others would trust him to lead once they knew about his bipolar diagnosis. “When I first applied for the CEO role, I didn’t tell the board,” he admits. “Later, over coffee, I said, ‘I need to be honest — I have bipolar.’ And the chair just smiled and said, ‘If that’s going to be a problem, then we’ve got a bigger problem.’”

That simple act of acceptance — of being seen fully without fear — became a mirror for how he leads others. Shaun believes true leadership begins with self-reflection and radical honesty. “If you’re terrified of making mistakes, you’ll never make any decisions,” he says. “Authentic leadership is about courage — not the absence of fear, but the willingness to act with self-awareness.”

Shaun’s story also challenges the idea that mental health challenges disqualify people from leadership. In fact, he argues the opposite. Living with bipolar has given him empathy, perspective, and a deeper understanding of what it means to be human. “One of the gifts of mental illness,” he says, “is that you learn so much about yourself. You learn to hold your emotions with compassion instead of shame.”

He shares how his understanding of mental wellness has evolved over time. “When I feel depression coming, I don’t fight it anymore,” he says. “I notice it, I say hello to it, and I double down on the things that keep me well — good food, rest, exercise, connection. I know now that it will pass.” His reflections turn the experience of depression into something familiar and almost tender — not an enemy to conquer, but a companion to understand.

Throughout our conversation, Shaun reminds us that mental health is inseparable from social justice. He speaks passionately about homelessness, inequality, and the need for compassion-driven policy. “If you didn’t have a mental health problem before sleeping on the street,” he says, “you will after three nights. We can’t separate wellbeing from dignity.”

What makes Shaun’s voice powerful is not perfection, but humility. He acknowledges the privilege he carries — as a white, educated, middle-class man — and how that shaped his path differently from many others living with mental distress. His leadership is rooted in accountability, not authority. “Power itself isn’t bad,” he reflects. “It’s what you do with it. The responsibility of leadership is to reflect, to admit mistakes, and to use power to serve.”

By the end of our talk, I was struck by how gently Shaun speaks about self-acceptance — not as a grand destination, but as an ongoing practice. “We spend so much time trying to figure out who we’re supposed to be,” he said. “But the real work is learning to love who we already are. That’s the core of mental wellness.”

Shaun’s story is a testament to what authentic leadership looks like — not a polished image, but a real human being who dares to lead from within. His message stays with me: that healing and leadership both begin in the same place — with the courage to be honest, imperfect, and whole.

Watch the full conversation: Shaun Robinson on Mental Health, Leadership, and Loving Who We Are