The bestselling author of The School of Life joins us live with an unmissable guide to mental health.

In the world of contemporary philosophy, Alain de Botton occupies a unique place: he is dedicated not to the vagaries of metaphysics but to the practical wisdom we need to live well. He transmutes the wisdom of high art, philosophy and literature – from Schopenhauer to Proust – into witty and humane aperçus that offer consolation and empathy through the trials and tribulations of the everyday.

Now, following his worldwide blockbuster book The School of Life, he joins How To Academy to take us on a mental health journey from crisis to recuperation. He will explore the moments we realise we cannot cope; the acts of self-care and therapy in which we find respite, and the days we finally reclaim a sense of stability.

This will be a talk about getting unwell. About losing direction and hope. About imagining that we have let ourselves and everyone down. And it will also be a talk about getting better. About regaining the thread, rediscovering meaning and finding a way back to connection and joy.

Whether you’ve suffered a relationship breakdown, a career setback, anxiety in the everyday, this is a practical guide that will help you find reasons for hope.

This event is presented in partnership with Penguin.