About


Be vocal, be visible, be visionary. There is no shame in stepping forward, but there is great risk in holding back and hoping for the best.
— Higher Education Center


Sally Spencer-Thomas' TEDx  Video


Professional Bio

Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas sees issues of suicide prevention and mental health promotion from a host of perspectives. Clinical psychologist. Mental health advocate. Faculty member. Researcher. And suicide loss survivor.

She has earned an international reputation as an entrepreneur and innovator in social change. Along the way, she’s helped establish many large-scale, gap-filling mental health efforts, including Man Therapy (www.ManTherapy.org) and National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention.

She has held leadership roles with the International Association of Suicide Prevention, the American Association of Suicidology, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, United Suicide Survivors International, and the Carson J Spencer Foundation. In 2016, she was invited to speak at the White House on men’s mental health.

She has won multiple awards for her advocacy including the 2015 Farberow Award from the International Association of Suicide Prevention, the 2014 Survivor of the Year from the American Association of Suicidology, the 2014 Invisible Disabilities Association Impact Honors Award, and the 2012 Alumni Master Scholar from the University of Denver.

She received her undergraduate degree in psychology and studio art from Bowdoin College, her Masters in Nonprofit Management from Regis University and her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Denver.

The Real Deal

Sally lives in Conifer, Colorado at the end of a dirt road in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains with her partner and three sons. And while suicide prevention and mental health promotion loom large in her life, her true calling is her family. In her free time, she loves to ski, hike, explore nature, walk the dogs, and run extreme distances extremely slowly. (She’s attempting to complete a marathon in all 50 states. Over halfway!)

With four male humans and three male pets in the house, her vote never wins on movie night, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.