19 Must-Follow Mental Health Influencers on Instagram
That promise to inspire, motivate, and educate
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The number of Instagram influencers focused on mental health positivity and understanding is truly impressive. However, that makes it tough to know where to start. We’ve got that covered! We’ve compiled a list of 19 Instagram profiles that truly stand out for their genuine content, interaction, and diverse perspectives on mental health. This list is a great tool for anyone starting a mental health recovery journey or supporting that of a loved one. It includes the most reliable, uplifting, and helpful resources in the vast ocean of Instagram information. So let’s dive in and explore these amazing profiles that promise to inspire, motivate, and educate your daily feed.
Criteria for selection
While there are plenty of mental health influencers on Instagram, it’s wise to be selective when choosing which voices and content to dedicate time to. Only a select few profiles made our top Instagram mental health profile list. Our primary criteria for selection were the following:
- Followers: at least 10k
- Post frequency: at least weekly
- Content quality: visually appealing graphics and video content
- Credibility: content produced by experts in the field, as determined by both credentials and authority in the mental health space
Best all-round mental health resource
@psych_today
Bio
- Follow count: 697k
- Website: Psychology Today
- Offers insights about everybody’s favorite subject: ourselves.
What we love
Psychology Today’s posts are well organized and easy to digest. As it’s a reputable publication, you can also rest assured that all information has been vetted by experts.
Why you should follow
The account has something for everyone. It’s a professional and reliable resource of frequent mental health tidbits and actionable tips.
Best for awareness and activism
@mentalhealthamerica
Bio
- Follow count: 251k
- Dedicated to mental health, well-being, and illness prevention.
- Offers crisis support via call or text to 988, chat at 988lifeline.org, or text to 741741
What we love
Mental Health America (MHA) is a nonprofit organization doing good for mental well-being throughout the US. As part of its mission, it promotes youth mental health by supporting parents, caregivers, and teachers. MHA promotes inclusivity and shares relevant information to diverse populations across the US.
Why you should follow
As a large organization, MHA offers valuable insights and resources for all mental health topics. It is also good at promoting mental health awareness and informing followers about opportunities for activism.
Best for self-love
@vexking
Bio
- Follow count: 1.4M
- Vex King is a #1 Sunday Times bestselling author
- Co-founded by @therisingcircle
What we love
Posts are meaningful, well written, and consistent—great if you’re looking for daily bits of inspiration.
Why you should follow
Vex King is a bit of a legend in the self-help world, as he’s written numerous books on self-love and knows what works for self-improvement. It can be difficult to cultivate self-love, and some struggle more than others. Little daily reminders via Instagram is a great way to ease into the process.
Best for highlighting men’s mental health
@humenorg
Bio
- Follow count: 46.7k
- Aims to prevent men from suffering in silence and dying too young #PreventionBeforeCrisis
- Creators of the world’s first university mental health league table
What we love
Based in the UK, Humen is bringing awareness to specific mental health challenges faced by men. They share quotes from notable male figures, such as Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis, to drive home the message that though it’s not always openly discussed, men suffer mental health issues too.
Why you should follow
Unfortunately, there are few male-focused mental health Instagram profiles out there, making this one exceptionally valuable. Female readers too can benefit from Humen’s content to garner insight into how to support the men in their lives.
Best for emotional intelligence
@yung_pueblo
Bio
- Follow count: 2.7M
- Diego Perez is a mediator and #1 NYT bestselling author
- Author has a new book, The Way Forward
- Co-founded by @wisdomadventures
What we love
You could say this account targets millennials. However, its posts offer short, simple, and honest words of wisdom that we all need to hear from time to time.
Why you should follow
Perez travels around the world speaking at engagements and promoting his books. He’s a major influencer who offers advice on relationships, self-awareness, and self-confidence.
Best for boundaries and relationships
@nedratawwab
Bio
- Follow count: 1.8M
- Nedra Glover Tawwab, #nedranuggets
- Tawwab is a 2x NYT bestselling author, licensed therapist, and relationship and boundaries expert
What we love
This account is educational, yes, but it also provides actionable communication skills and scripts to help people feel confident when communicating.
Why you should follow
If you struggle with setting boundaries in relationships (and really, who doesn’t?), this account is for you.
Best bilingual
@dr.marielbuque
Bio
- Follow count: 260k
- Dr. Mariel Buque, author and trauma psychologist who holds a Ph.D. in psychology from Columbia University
- Author of the book Break the Cycle: A Guide to Healing Intergenerational Trauma @breakthecycleoftrauma
- Also available in Español @drmarielbuque_enespanol
What we love
This account boasts a nice mix of graphics and videos. For Spanish speakers, it’s great that Dr. Buque offers nearly identical content on her Spanish feed.
Why you should follow
The author of Break the Cycle of Trauma and host of a podcast called Growing Up Latina, Dr. Buque brings a unique perspective to her followers. We also love her feed’s “therapy tea sessions.” When they address spicy topics, she endearingly refers to them as “hot tea.”
Best for meditation and stress relief
@michaeljameswong
Bio
- Follower count: 22.5k
- Wong is an author, speaker, educator, and meditator
- Helps followers prioritize their mental health
- Founder @justbreathe
What we love
The content includes many videos, including follow-along videos of breathing exercises and techniques.
Why you should follow
Wong is an avid yogi, wellness influencer, and event speaker, making his account a comprehensive one to follow. He is also the founder of the online/hybrid community Just Breathe, a great resource for those looking for more engagement.
Best for therapeutic humor
@theofficialsadghostclub
Bio
- Follow count: 618k
- The Sad Ghost’s Club is a club for everyone
- Raises mental health awareness through comics and community
What we love
This profile’s posts are frequent and always unique. We also love the idea of expressing difficult emotions through art. Though mental health is a serious topic, sometimes it’s good to make light of darker situations.
Why you should follow
The comics’ main character, the sad ghost, makes followers feel okay about not being okay.
Best for therapy insights
@drjulie
Bio
- Follower count: 1.6M
- Dr. Julie Smith is a clinical psychologist and #1 bestselling author
- Shares life-changing insights from therapy
- Author the the new book Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?
What we love
Dr. Julie shares mostly video content and usually provides helpful visual aids, making the information she shares very easy to digest.
Why you should follow
Because Dr. Julie is an expert in this space, you can feel confident the information she shares is accurate. It can help followers understand what goes on during therapy or find the motivation to seek the professional therapy they need.
Best for uplifting artwork
@thelatestkate
Bio
- Follow Count: 185k
- A focus on art
- From an artist, anxious person, and the creator of Thera-pets
- email: thelatestkate@gmail.com
What we love
Of all the mental health Instagram accounts, this one is perhaps the most “feel-good.” Kate’s feed regularly boasts cute and lighthearted visuals that will brighten your days. We could all use a serotonin boost here and there, right?
Why you should follow
There is much to appreciate about hand-drawn art, and it’s even better that the playful images on this feed come with important messages.
Best for nutrition and mental health
@drumanaidoo
Bio
- Follower count: 124k
- Dr. Naidoo, MD is a food mood chef @harvardmedm and a nutritional psychiatry pioneer
- Author of an international bestseller #ThisIsYourBrainOnFood
What we love
Dr. Naidoo is pioneering the field of nutritional psychiatry, helping to spread the word about the connection between food and mood and the role of food in preventing serious mental health conditions.
Why you should follow
Anyone can benefit from healthy diet tips, so why not seek tips that also support your mental health? This is a great account for those looking for science-based content on diet and mental health. It’s interesting stuff!
Best for adult ADHD
@thepsychdoctormd
Bio
- Follow count: 459k
- Sasha Hamdani, MD, board certified psychiatrist
- A media expert that does not offer medical advice
- Author of Self-Care for people with ADHD and creator of @thefocusgenie
What we love
Dr. Hamdani’s posts are entertaining and relatable videos about living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). She is a licensed psychiatrist and is associated with the app The Focus Genie.
Why you should follow
For those with ADHD—and even those without—this account is often relatable. No one is truly a social media therapist, but if such a job did exist, Dr. Hamdani would best fill the role.
Best for PTSD
@stillbloomingme
Bio
- Follow count: 12k
- Elena shares her experiences as a Boston Marathon bombing survivor facing PTSD. She grows, heals, and blooms every day.
- Contributor @cnbc
What we love
Elena suffered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013. There aren’t many popular accounts out there that discuss PTSD, so we’re happy Elena is sharing her trials and tribulations.
Why you should follow
PTSD isn’t often publicly discussed, and when it is, it is primarily associated with war veterans. This account offers a different perspective to help those who have suffered non-war trauma or who want to learn more about how to help others with PTSD.
Best for postpartum depression
@thebalanceafterbaby
Bio
- Follow Count: 74.3k
- Chelsea is an occupational therapist, MS, OTR/L
- Offers postpartum and motherhood support
What we love
We love the light that Chelsea shines on the topic of maternal mental health and postpartum depression (PPD). She also gives product recommendations and hosts a podcast associated with her account.
Why you should follow
Chelsea’s posts are highly relatable to new moms—and sometimes funny. They bring a lighthearted rawness to the stressful balancing act of motherhood.
Best for grief
@whatsyourgrief
Bio
- Follow count: 64.5k
- #Grief community
- Mental health professionals in Baltimore discuss grief, referencing a host of topics, including ugly cries, Netflix binges, laughter, research, and creativity
What we love
This account has good community vibes. Not every grieving person has people around who understand their pain or offer reliable support. The holders of this account are trained grief specialists, so when it comes to fostering a good community around grief, they know what they’re doing.
Why you should follow
Support is vitally important when going through grief. If you’re enduring this process, this account offers helpful advice and support. And for those who aren’t grieving, it offers insights into the grieving process, offering information on how to help others.
Best faith-based
@cleerelystated
Bio
- Follow count: 277k
- Cleere Cherry Reaves is a speaker, author, and host of the podcast Let’s Be Cleere
- Author of the book The Miracle of You and the three-book set of Be Still, Focus, and Radiate
What we love
This account features the kind of content you want to share with others. Though faith-based, it perfectly intertwines the Bible’s teachings into its messages without making you feel like you are being preached at. It also has associated books and products.
Why you should follow
As an author, Cleere is great with words. Even for those who don’t practice the Christian faith, the page features uplifting and well-considered content.
Best for a financial mindset
@mindmoneybalance
Bio
- Follow count: 14.3k
- Lindsay Bryan Podvin is a financial therapist and speaker
- Democratizes financial therapy to help followers get their minds and money in balance
What we love
This is a niche feed, but it addresses an important area of mental health and is run by a qualified financial therapist. Through her content, Lindsay does a great job drawing connections between money and mental health.
Why you should follow
It’s no secret that money impacts our lives and our mental health, and there is a lot more to money than earning and saving. What guides our money decisions? Much is tied to our individual experiences with money. Also important to consider is that finance-related stress and anxiety can take a toll on mental well-being.
Best for body positivity
@marcelailustra
Bio
- Follow count: 45.6k
- Marcela Sabia, Brazilian artist/illustrator and mental health and body positivity enthusiast
- Commissions are open
What we love
Marcela’s artworks present raw and honest depictions that take a stand in support of body acceptance. She is clearly talented, and her illustrations are a welcome departure from typical content.
Why you should follow
Supporting non-traditional artists can be valuable for fostering diverse views, and Marcela’s works also encourage followers to feel proud of their bodies, seeing even their “flaws” in a new light.
Conclusion
We recommend following these accounts and sharing our list of top influencers with others who could benefit from daily inspiration or specific mental health support. However, just because social media can provide useful self-help tools doesn’t mean it should be the only (or even the primary) tool for managing mental health conditions. All our chosen accounts were created for educational or entertainment purposes, and their content shouldn’t be used as medical advice or for diagnosing mental illness.
If you are suffering, you don’t have to do so alone. Seek a qualified mental health practitioner or a convenient online mental health program that can help you develop a plan and forge a more fulfilling life, no matter what challenges you are facing.
Author: Joel Duncan
SEPTEMBER 14, 2023