My Story
About Tana
Tana Macpherson-Smith is a dynamic, world-class speaker on a mission to transform the way we understand and approach mental health — in education, workplaces, and beyond.
How it all began…
Tana Macpherson-Smith founded ClearMinds Education in 2015, following a 25-year career as a teacher, Senior Mistress, and housemistress. Over the years, she witnessed a sharp rise in emotional and mental health struggles among her pupils – bright, capable young people quietly battling anxiety, overwhelm, and deep-rooted self-doubt. Tana knew something had to change.
But her story is more than professional – it’s deeply personal. From the death of her mother when she was just seven, to emotional abuse, a catastrophic mental health breakdown, and later a cancer diagnosis, her life has been marked by profound adversity. A shock six-month stay in a psychiatric hospital became a turning point – fuelling her determination to get to the root of why so many children and seemingly “ordinary” people are overwhelmed by mental health issues.
Leaving her teaching career behind, Tana committed to years of research, study, and therapeutic training – all in pursuit of workable, preventative solutions. Each chapter of her journey became a catalyst, transforming pain into purpose.
Today, Tana is a leading voice for prevention-first mental health. Known as the ‘Monkey-Mind Speaker’ she is an author, therapist, and mindset coach delivering keynote talks, INSET training, and transformational workshops for staff, students, and parents across the UK and internationally. She also runs a private therapy practice for children and adolescents and is an accredited Luminary with The Big Talk Academy.
Tana’s belief is simple but powerful:
“The solution to the global mental health crisis doesn’t lie in patching up the wounded – through therapy and medication alone – but in preventing the wounds from forming in the first place.”
She champions a new model of mental health: one that begins with transforming children’s everyday experiences from conception onward.
Her mission is to educate everyone who raises, teaches, or supports children – from parents and carers to educators and policymakers – about the profound impact of words, behaviours, and emotional responses on a child’s developing sense of self. Just as importantly, she empowers children and teenagers to recognise how their actions and language shape the emotional wellbeing of others.
Prevention, she believes, is not just possible – it’s essential – and key to transformation the mental health landscape for future generations.
Tana’s belief is simple but powerful:
“The solution to the global mental health crisis doesn’t lie in patching up the wounded – through therapy and medication alone – but in preventing the wounds from forming in the first place.”
She champions a new model of mental health: one that begins with transforming children’s everyday experiences from conception onward.
Her mission is to educate everyone who raises, teaches, or supports children – from parents and carers to educators and policymakers – about the profound impact of words, behaviours, and emotional responses on a child’s developing sense of self. Just as importantly, she empowers children and teenagers to recognise how their actions and language shape the emotional wellbeing of others.
Prevention, she believes, is not just possible – it’s essential – and key to transformation the mental health landscape for future generations.
Big Conversations.
Bold Compassion.
I’m Tana Macpherson-Smith – known to many as The Monkey-Mind Speaker.
My journey through childhood trauma, a catastrophic breakdown, and cancer taught me one undeniable truth: real healing begins when we stop hiding our pain.
Today, I help others navigate their own stories with clarity, courage, and emotional freedom – whether I’m working with my young clients, with parents and teachers, on stage, leading school workshops, or supporting leaders across education and organisations.
At the heart of everything I do is one unshakable belief:
Mental health must be met with humanity – not shame.
That’s where the boldest conversations – and the deepest transformations – begin.