Martin Binette personal biography

Martin Binette has been living with mental illness for over 25 years. At the age of 19, he experienced his first panic attack followed by a first depressive episode. Prisoner of a body that no longer responds to his commands and paralyzed by fear, he is forced to suspend his studies and stop working.

After several stormy years, paved with ups and downs, periods of recovery and relapse, he was diagnosed with a mood disorder as well as a generalized anxiety disorder. In August 2014, affected by the tragic death of Robin Williams, he made the decision to speak openly about his mental illness. A decision that changes his life forever.

Since then, he has contributed, through his blog and testimonials, to breaking down prejudices and stigmas around the subject of mental illness, both at the organizational level and in society.

His writing has been read by hundreds of thousands of readers and he has been invited several times to speak on mental health on television, radio and in the workplace.

Thanks to the good care of his doctors and the support of his family, he now has the chance to live a healthy and balanced life on a personal, social, and professional level.

Martin Binette professional biography

Martin Binette has been involved in group insurance benefits and health and wellness for 24 years.

He began his career in 1999 at Manulife Financial as a New Business Technician and later as a Disability Case Manager.

Over the next 10 years, he worked in the field of disability and absence management as a Case Manager, Trainer and then Senior Advisor for another major insurer, Medavie Blue Cross.

In 2012, still with Medavie Blue Cross, he reoriented his career in Group Insurance Sales and Customer Service as a Business Service Representative.

In 2016, he was appointed Director and Senior Advisor at Morneau Shepell, a benefit consulting firm, and then National Practice Leader where he did oversee the operations of more than 45 employees from coast to coast.

From 2019 until 2022, he worked as COO of the health and wellness firm, Optima Global Health (now Dialogue). At the time of his departure, he had more than a hundred employees under his responsibility and managed a turnover of $17 million annually.

He is now Senior Director, Business development and growth at Relief, a non-for-profit organization that helps people living with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and their loved ones.