Eric Kussin

Eric Kussin founded and leads #SameHere – The Global Mental Health Movement, dedicated to normalizing mental health as a universal experience affecting “5 in 5” people through, life’s inevitable challenges. A magna cum laude Cornell graduate, Eric built a 15+ year career in professional sports. He started at the NBA League Office, advanced through roles with the Chicago Sky, Phoenix Suns, and New Jersey Devils, ultimately becoming Chief Revenue Officer with the Florida Panthers. A severe mental health crisis in his mid-30s left him bed-bound for over 2½ years. Through integrative healing, he recovered and launched #SameHere in 2017. The movement unites athletes, celebrities, experts, advocates, and everyday people to promote open conversations, connection, and proactive well-being tools. #SameHere delivers programs to K-12 schools and college campuses nationwide (Michigan to USC), professional teams (Golden State Warriors, New York Mets), corporations (CNBC, JPMorgan Chase), and agencies like the NYPD and Department of Defense—now expanding globally. To empower educators and students, Eric’s team created the SameHere Scale app, a Polyvagal science-backed tool for daily emotional check-ins, trend tracking, nervous system regulation exercises, and supportive school environments through shared language. He co-hosts the podcast We’re All A Little ‘Crazy’ with NHL star Theo Fleury, sharing relatable stories and strategies. Eric also continues consulting for sports organizations while authoring his upcoming book, “DiagNOsis: How We Defeat the Mental Health Epidemic by Labeling Less and Connecting More”, offering educators a connection-focused approach. His journey from crisis to advocacy, paired with #SameHere’s workshops, assemblies, and technology, helps schools build resiliency, and foster inclusive cultures where mental health is a universal priority.