A mainstage event not available in the App Store.

SEP 9, 2026 | SAN DIEGO, CA

REAL CONNECTION IS A SURVIVAL NECESSITY,
NOT A LUXURY

RECLAIM YOUR ATTENTION

Big Tech’s bills are paid with our focus. Stop performing unpaid labor for an algorithm that harvests our attention.

DITCH THE DIGITAL PACIFIER

Scrolling is the new security blanket used to avoid moments of silence and boredom. Reaching for a device blocks us from the connection we need.

FIND YOUR “PRE-SMARTPHONE” PEACE

The connection we crave can’t be found with an infinite scroll running in the background. It's in the quiet space we've been conditioned to avoid.

YOUR HOST FOR THIS HELPS US

MARLON MORGAN

Host of This Helps Podcast & Founder/CEO of Wellness Together

Marlon Morgan reminds us what we already know: Connection is the Cure. As a licensed therapist and the leader of the national mental health non-profit organization, Wellness Together, Marlon has dedicated his life to helping people find hope and healing through meaningful relationships. 

But he doesn't just talk about the problem on a podcast. Marlon builds solutions. He has worked with leading organizations and universities, including Harvard Medical School, USC School of Social Work, SXSW, and Amazon.com, to promote well-being.


As the host of This Helps Podcast, he connects with the world’s leading helpers to improve listeners’ mental health, now bringing that mission to the mainstage with This Helps Us.

ON THE MAINSTAGE

Leading voices in psychology, literacy, and human connection trading pixels for presence

DR. JEAN TWENGE

Professor of Psychology & Author of more than 190 scientific publications and 8 books

MYCHAL THREETS

New host of Reading Rainbow and Resident Librarian for PBS

CHRIS DUFFY

Author, Comedian, and Host of TED’s How to Be a Better Human Podcast

[REGISTRATION WIDGET]

Get your tickets to the left to claim a spot for This Helps Us. Consider this your final ‘Add to Cart’ before a full analog experience on Sept 9th.

Arrive and surrender your device to our secure [insert brand experience phone holder name here]. We’ll handle the tech so you can be fully present.

Experience a day of trading pixels for presence. Move beyond the scroll and rediscover what it feels like to truly connect.

ANALOG LEARNING

Put your phone away and engage in learning. No Apps Required.

WHAT TO EXPECT

COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE

Be amongst others who want to take back their attention, etc. (nod to the musical experience maybe?)

EXPERT ENCOURAGEMENT

Hear from people who are leaning into this

COMEDY SHOW WITH DINOSAUR IMPROV

An unforgettable night of improv, laughter, and community. Dinosaur Improv returns with surprise guests, big laughs, and moments you’ll be talking about long after the show ends.

WE TRADED DEPTH FOR DATA

AND CALLED IT CONNECTION.

We’ve become experts at monitoring and measuring our lives while forgetting how to actually live them. Sending memes has displaced those priceless moments of vulnerable connection. Hilarious and entertaining content is great a la carte, but many of us are starved for high-fidelity humanity. It's the kinds of unedited, face-to-face realness that can’t be captured in a 15-second clip or a curated feed that we truly need.

This Helps Us is a 4-hour experience not available in the app store. On September 9, we are gathering in San Diego to be reminded that something doesn't have to be monetized to be valuable. We’re trading the algorithm for an afternoon to hear from the voices of diverse leaders. We invite you to join a room full of people who have chosen to be fully present with data scientists, storytellers, authors, comedians, and mental health clinicians on the mainstage.

The connection we crave is the cure. All you have to do is log off and show up.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • It is a one-day, phone-free event in San Diego focused on real-life connection. The afternoon is filled with curated keynotes, conversations, and shared experiences, followed by an evening of live improv comedy. It’s a chance to put the phone away and remember what it’s like to be fully present in a room full of people.

  • This event is for adults who are looking for more than just a digital connection. It’s designed for anyone who wants to hear from engaging speakers on the topic of human connection and spend a day being fully present. If you’re ready to step away from your phone to hear fresh perspectives and meet people face-to-face, this is for you.

  • Registration begins at 11:00 AM and the first speaker starts at 1:00 PM.

  • This Helps Us will be held at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA.

  • The afternoon session runs from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. After a dinner break, the This Helps Us Comedy Show runs from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM (doors open at 6:30 PM).

For additional questions, please reach out to [—]@[—]

JOIN THE ONGOING CONVERSATION

The Helps Us is just one moment in a larger movement. This Helps Podcast keeps the dialogue going, spotlighting real stories, breakthrough strategies, and the people working every day to improve access to care.