Speaking
Karen is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable speaker and is able to engage with a wide audience on a diverse range of topics. She is available to deliver talks to school, parent and professional groups. These dynamic presentations offer key insights and practical strategies for understanding and strengthening children and adolescents. Presentations can be delivered as professional development seminars, staff in-services, keynotes, or presentations to parents, and/or students. All presentations will be tailored to suit the individual needs of your audience
Here are some popular topics, or if you have another idea you would like to discuss, Karen can discuss this with you to create a presentation that will be engaging and relevant for your audience.
To talk more about your needs and inquire about availability, please email Karen at .
FOR PARENTS
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Strengthening Children and Teens Against Anxiety
Anxiety is a very normal part of being human, but for as many as one in five children, it can reach intrusive levels, interfering with family life, friendships, and school performance. This transformational session will provide parents and carers with the essential information and powerful, practical strategies to help their children and teens thrive through anxiety, whether it’s everyday levels of anxiety or more intrusive.
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Anxiety During Adolescence – Strengthening Teens Against Anxiety
Anxiety can be tough for anyone, but add in the whirlwind of changes that come with adolescence, and anxiety can intrude on young lives more than it deserves to. If left unmanaged, anxiety can limit their reach into the world and their discovery of their very important place in it. It can also leave the adults in their lives who care about them feeling helpless – but it doesn’t have to be this way. Anxiety is manageable, and our teens have a profound capacity to shift anxiety out of their way and move forward with strength. In this presentation, we will focus on anxiety during adolescence. We will discuss how the changes in the adolescent brain can make teens more vulnerable to anxiety, and powerful ways to engage and strengthen all young people against anxiety through adolescence and beyond.
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Strengthening Against Anxiety in Early Childhood
Early childhood is a time of enormous growth and discovery, which means it can also come with more than its share of anxiety triggers. The very nature of early childhood means it will be full of new situations, new people, and new experiences. As much as this might fuel anxiety in many children, it also brings plenty of opportunities for children to build their capacity to navigate their world with courage and confidence. This dynamic session will provide the essential information and strategies to help all parents and carers lovingly support young children to feel braver in the face of anxiety, and navigate their world with courage and confidence. This is not ‘just another anxiety talk’. We will explore fresh, innovative ways of building courage and resilience in young people, all backed by science. Most importantly, this talk will provide parents with a toolbox of proven strategies and powerful insights.
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Building Courage and Resilience in Young People
Courage and resilience are vital qualities that help children adapt in the face of adversity and challenge, and give them the confidence to move towards life-giving opportunities. We will discuss why resilience is so important and how to nurture these essential qualities in our children.
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Building Emotional Regulation and Social and Emotional Wellbeing in Children and Adolescents
The capacity to emotionally regulate is something that young people will develop with age and with the loving support of important adults. Emotional regulation involves the capacity to manage feelings in a way that doesn’t cause breakage for ourselves or others. In the meantime, things can get messy, not only for children and teens, but also for the adults who care about them. Big feelings can drive big behaviour. Understanding how to respond when young people are overwhelmed can drive calm and connection over conflict. Ultimately, our responses have enormous potential to build important neural pathways that will strengthen them for life. This presentation will explore the powerful ways parents can, quite literally, influence the strengthening of the brain in ways that will build self-control, emotional regulation, and resilience in their children for life.
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Big Feelings. Big Behaviour
Big feelings are a very normal part of development. For many children, big feelings will drive big behaviour which can be confusing and challenging for the adults who care for them. There is a good reason for this, and the more we understand the what, why, and how of feelings and the behaviours they fuel, the more we will be able to respond to young people (and ourselves) in more effective, compassionate ways. Ultimately, our responses will nurture the vital foundations of self-regulation in children, as well as their capacity to feel and express the full range of human emotions in ways that don’t cause breakage for themselves or others. This workshop has been specifically designed for parents and carers. We will explore where big feelings and big behaviour come from, and discuss practical strategies for responding to big feelings and big behaviour in the moment, including the most challenging behaviour. We will also explore how to lead young people in co-regulation rather than co-dysregulation, why this feels tough sometimes (and what to do when that happens), how to repair relational collisions, and how to nurture the development of self-regulation and social and emotional wellbeing in all young people.
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During adolescence, the brain goes through remarkable changes to support the transition from childhood to adulthood. These changes will pave the way for our teens to become happy, healthy adults but in the meantime, things can get messy for everyone – teens and the adults who care about them. By understanding these changes, we can make sense of the behaviours, challenges, and shifts in relationships that are a normal part of adolescence. This information will support parents and caregivers to navigate the sometimes choppy waters of adolescence with confidence and compassion. Designed for parents and caregivers of children at any age, this workshop will provide insights that will resonate regardless of where parents are on their parenting journey.
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Moving from early childhood into school is a big deal for kids and their parents. It can come with excitement, joy, anxiety, tears – all the feels! This dynamic workshop will help you understand exactly what your child needs right now, with plenty of practical ways to support them through this important transition. You’ll learn what your child needs from you to feel safe, supported, and ready to step into this next phase.
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The Neuronurtured Child – Bringing Neuroscience (and Loads of Heart) to Parenting
Childhood is a time of immense development. Most of the time, this will be a source of pure, full-bodied joy. But as magical as it can be, it can also be tough at times, when feelings and behaviour swell big enough to own a room. Thankfully, huge advances in neuroscience have shone a bright light on why children do what they do, and what their growing brains need to thrive. This has helped to make sense of behaviour that often makes no sense at all and given us glowing signposts for how to strengthen the vital foundations for learning, behaviour, regulation, and social and emotional development in all children. This presentation brings neuroscience (and loads of heart) to parenting and caring for children. It will be ideal for anyone who lives or works with young children – parents, carers, educators.
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Let’s Talk
Your questions answered – a heartfelt Q & A about common parenting challenges of childhood and adolescence. Parenting can be the toughest and the best all in the same ten minutes. As isolating as it can feel at times, there is not a challenge we will ever face as parents that many others have not also faced. When we tap into our common humanity and talk about our shared experiences, there will be wisdom and comfort waiting there. This presentation will be shaped by collected or commonly asked questions. It can be adapted for parents of very young children, primary school children, and/or adolescents. It can also be tailored to cover different topics that are relevant to all ages of children.
FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
For teachers, therapists, educators, or any professional who works with children and adolescents.
Each of these topics can be delivered as keynotes or professional development workshops. Topics will be tailored specifically to meet the individual needs of your audience, and presentations can be designed to run from 1.5 hours to a full day.
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Working With Anxiety in Children and Adolescents
Too many young people are being stifled by anxiety, and this number is on the rise. Fortunately, we are more equipped now than ever before to support them to live bravely and discover their full reach into the world, but the expanding impact of anxiety demands a new approach. This dynamic workshop will offer a fresh, innovative approach that pulls in many pieces missing from the way we’ve been responding to anxiety in children and adolescents. Far from being ‘another anxiety workshop’, this comprehensive approach will draw on neuroscience, evidence-based strategies, and highly respected therapeutic models to support practitioners in developing a fresh, impactful approach to working with anxiety in young people. We will explore anxiety from the ground up, developing a ‘roadmap’ for a therapeutic response to anxiety that will include key information, powerful strategies, and new responses to anxiety to effect immediate and long-term change.
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Strengthening Children and Teens Against Anxiety – A Two-Day Intensive
Anxiety is stifling too many young lives, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Modern insights have greatly expanded our capacity to support young people to engage with all aspects of life with resilience and courage. This two-day workshop will present a fresh, innovative approach to anxiety. It will draw on neuroscience, evidence-based strategies, and highly respected therapeutic models to support practitioners in developing a fresh approach to anxiety and the therapeutic responses that will effect powerful change. This will be bolstered by a series of experiential exercises, allowing participants to consolidate learning, deepen their insight into their own personal processes, and acquire a range of innovative therapeutic interventions. (This workshop will complement the one-day workshop, but it is not necessary to have attended the one-day workshop to participate in the two-day intensive.)
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Anxiety in the Classroom – Helping Children Thrive Through Anxiety at School
As much as school can nourish and grow all children, the very nature of anxiety means that school will also be abundant with anxiety triggers. Anxiety loves anything unfamiliar or any situation that comes with any possibility (even if it’s unlikely) of embarrassment, failure, judgement or separation from a loved one. Even the warmest, most welcoming schools will be ripe with all of these. All children and teens need the right support to flourish, and even the smallest considerations can go a long way to supporting young people with anxiety to thrive. This workshop will provide participants with practical, powerful, proven ways to effectively respond to children with anxiety, as well as ways to capture the powerful buffering role school can play in strengthening all young people against anxiety at school and beyond.
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The Brain-Based Classroom – Bringing Neuroscience to Pedagogy to Strengthen Learning, Behaviour, and Social-Emotional Development for All Students
Thanks to profound advances in modern neuroscience, we now have a deep understanding of the neural foundations of behaviour, regulation, and learning. By applying this knowledge to the classroom, educators are in a unique and powerful position to provide the relationships and experiences that will support regulation, strengthen students against anxiety, reduce challenging behaviour, support social and emotional development, and maximise the learning potential of all children. This workshop will translate the latest proven neuroscientific theory into actionable, relatable, practical strategies and insights to support the strengthening of all children. Participants will learn the foundations of calm and connection in the classroom, how to build relationships with children that heal, protect, and strengthen, and the techniques to build a regulated, learning-ready classroom.
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Overcoming Anxiety-Based School ‘Refusal’ Together
For an increasing number of young people, school anxiety is reaching levels that make school feel impossible, unsafe, and out of their reach. We know that ‘school refusal’, as it is commonly known, is not an intentional response. It’s anxiety. We also know that with the right strategies, support, and a holistic, collaborative, ‘wrap-around’ response, children can find their way back to feeling safe, strong, and happy at school. This workshop is designed to offer a sense of community and a way through for parents, educators, and students dealing with school ‘refusal’. It will engage a team approach and proven, innovative strategies to support young people back to school. The pivotal component involves working with a child’s key adults in a collaborative approach. It can take the form of workshops or private consultations for parents and educators. There is the additional option of including workshops for young people, which can be done on a one-to-one basis or to year-level cohorts.
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Working With Adolescents – Understanding and engaging with adolescents to support learning, connection, regulation and wellbeing – A Professional Development Seminar for Schools and Adolescent-Focussed Professionals
The brain goes through profound changes during adolescence that will impact relationships (with peers, teachers, parents and other important adults), self-concept, behaviour, decision-making, motivation, sleep, and mood. These changes require shifts from us in order for us to maximise our capacity to support, guide, and teach them as they navigate their way to adulthood. This workshop is for school professionals or anyone who works with or lives with teens.
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Anxiety in Early Childhood – Protecting and strengthening young children against anxiety
As much as the early learning environment can nurture and nourish all children, the very nature of it means that it can also hold many anxiety triggers, including unfamiliar people and situations, and separation from a loved one. As some of the most important adults in the day-to-day lives of young children, early childhood educators have a profound capacity to strengthen all young children against anxiety. This workshop will support participants in further developing the capacity to effectively respond to anxiety in young children. It will also explore ways to capture the powerful role the early learning environment can play in strengthening all children against anxiety.
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Neurodevelopment from Infancy to Adolescence – Understanding the developing brain to support whole-child development.
Recent developments in neuroscience have expanded our capacity to be more effective in all areas of practice in child development. We now have remarkable insight into what the growing brain needs to thrive from infancy through adolescence and beyond. Drawing on neuroscientific insights, we can ‘neuro-nurture’ the developing child and dramatically influence the growth and development of the young brain to provide the foundations for a happy, successful life. As the need for neuroscientific knowledge amongst practitioners increases, its convergence with key approaches to attachment, trauma, and learning has seen watershed changes in how we understand and support optimal development, behaviour and social-emotional well-being. This opens the way for us to take a more compassionate, targeted and effective response when working with children and adolescents in any capacity. This dynamic workshop will translate neuroscience into powerful insights and practical strategies to support the holistic development of children and adolescents.
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Neuro-Nurtured – The Developing Brain During Early Childhood
Early childhood is a particularly critical time for the developing brain, and the early childhood environment is rich with the necessary experiences and relationships to support children in their development, behaviour, learning, and social and emotional well-being. As some of the most important adults in the day-to-day lives of young children, early childhood professionals have a profound capacity to provide the experiences and relational conditions that will nurture the holistic development of all children. This workshop will explore the powerful role the early learning environment can play in nurturing the strong neural foundations for long-term development in all children.
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Neuro-Nurtured – Understanding the Developing Brain to Support Learning, Behaviour, and Emotional and Social Development in Children and Adolescents
Remarkable advances in neuroscience have given us a solid well of information about why children do what they do, and what their growing brains need to thrive from childhood to adolescence. This has given us glowing signposts for how to support learning, behaviour, regulation, and social and emotional development in all children. This presentation is for anyone who lives with or works with young people in any capacity.
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Big Feelings. Big Behaviour
Big feelings are a very normal part of development. For many children, big feelings will drive big behaviour which can be confusing and challenging for the adults who care for them. There is a good reason for this, and the more we understand the what, why, and how of feelings and the behaviours they fuel, the more we will be able to respond to young people (and ourselves) in more effective, compassionate ways. Ultimately, our responses will nurture the vital foundations of self-regulation in children, as well as their capacity to feel and express the full range of human emotions in ways that don’t cause breakage for themselves or others. This workshop has been specifically designed for anybody who works with children of any age. We will explore where big feelings and big behaviour come from, and discuss practical strategies for responding to big feelings and big behaviour in the moment, including the most challenging behaviour. We will also explore how to nurture the development of self-regulation and social and emotional well-being in all young people.
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The Impact of Trauma on the Developing Brain, and How to Support Children Towards Healing
The effects of trauma on the developing brain can be profound, impacting neural, physiological, behavioural, relational and emotional development. The greater our capacity to understand the effects and various manifestations of trauma, the greater our capacity to respond to children and adolescents in ways that will support healing and minimise the risk of long-term harm. Any caring, stable, responsive adult in the life of a child has an enormous capacity to provide a buffering from the effects of trauma, and strengthen that child towards healing and growth. This workshop is for anyone who works with children or adolescents.
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Trauma-Informed Practice at School
The effects of trauma are pervasive and enduring and can have a detrimental reach into every aspect of a young person’s world, including behavioural, educational, social, relational, and emotional. The complex wounding to children can be compounded by the often significant impact on the adults who support them. A trauma-informed approach will support schools and school staff to better understand and respond to traumatised children in ways that support their healing, minimise the risk of long-term harm, and strengthen them towards growth. It will also place schools and school staff in the best possible position to preserve a positive school experience for all children and the adults who support them.
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Brain to Brain – The Neuroscience of Calm, Connection and Regulation
For anyone who works with children or adolescents, the profound truth is that the brain state and emotional temperature of adults will directly impact the brain state and emotional temperature of the young people in their presence, for better or worse. Ultimately, this will potentially influence a young person’s behaviour, capacity to learn, relationships, and brain architecture. As important as self-regulation is, it can be difficult to achieve at times. We are beautifully human, and along with our great strength and power to heal, calm, and connect, we also have our limits. We can’t help but be impacted by everyday stressors from our own lives, as well as the demands of co-regulating the young people in our care, supporting them through their own pain-based responses, establishing boundaries and responding to challenging behaviour. In this workshop, we will discuss the neuroscience of self-regulation and co-regulation. We will also discuss practical, science-backed ways to gently collect ourselves and the young people in our care to a greater place of calm in challenging, stressful times.
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Supporting Children Through Separation and Divorce
Despite the best happily-ever-after intentions, many relationships are ending in divorce or separation. Children can come through the other side of a separation safely and soundly, but so much of this will depend on how the ending of the relationship is managed. In any divorce or separation, there are things that will make navigating to the other side easier for all children. This workshop is for parents or anybody who works with parents and families, who are going through the ending of a relationship.
FOR ORGANISATIONS
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Strengthening Mental Wellbeing in the Workplace
The very nature of workplaces means that even the most supportive work environment, rich in vital opportunities for growth and challenge, can be fertile ground for the physical, relational, and emotional stressors that can drive anxiety and put pressure on mental wellbeing. Understanding these triggers and their impact on the brain and body can be a vital scaffold in strengthening mental health in the workplace and beyond.
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Neurodiversity in the Workplace
Increasingly, neurodiversity is being recognised for what it is – something to be embraced and sought after, rather than a ‘deficiency’ to be accommodated. Workplaces that adopt neuro-friendly practices and create neuro-friendly environments will ultimately create a culture that is welcoming and respectful for all individuals, allowing everyone to perform to their highest capability. This practical, relatable workshop will explore what neurodiversity means, the challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals in the workplace, the practices that will support an inclusive, respectful culture, the strengths of neurodivergent individuals, and the benefits of embracing neurodiversity in the workplace.
FOR CHILDREN (PRIMARY SCHOOL)
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‘Who Doesn’t Get Anxiety!’ – Discovering Your ‘Brave’.
Children are powerful when we empower them. This presentation will focus on providing children with the information and strategies they need to strengthen themselves against anxiety and build their capacity for calm, courage, and resilience. It will provide them with the strategies and information to help them move through anxiety and extend their reach towards brave behaviour.
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Your Amazing Brain! And how to be the boss of it. Building social and emotional IQ in children.
If you could teach one set of skills to every child in the world, what would it be? What if it could be something that would bring intelligence and compassion to decision-making, reduce violence, and embed within humanity a drive towards kindness and relationships that heal, nurture and flourish those who are in them? Social-emotional intelligence lies at the heart of this, and neuroscience can provide the scaffold to build these vital qualities. In this fun, child-friendly introduction to neuroscience, children will learn about the workings of the brain, and how to use this information to build strong, healthy behaviours.
FOR ADOLESCENTS (SECONDARY SCHOOL)
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Anxiety During Adolescence – How to Strengthen Against Anxiety
Everyone experiences anxiety at some point, but add in the whirlwind of changes that come with adolescence, and anxiety can feel bigger than it deserves to. This presentation will provide adolescents with powerful information and strategies to navigate through challenges, expand their self-belief, discover their remarkable capacity for courage and resilience, and engage with the world with confidence, courage and strength – because the world can’t be brilliant without them.
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Thriving Through Adolescence – Making Sense of the Changes and Challenges by Understanding Your Changing (and Amazing) Brain
During adolescence, the brain goes through the most remarkable changes. This is to provide adolescents with the neural power to learn new skills, experiment with the world and their place in it and stretch beyond the familiar as they make the transition from dependent children to independent, healthy, happy adults. The adolescent brain is wired to drive them through this transition, but there will be challenges along the way. Information is power, and with the right information, adolescents will have an expanded capacity to navigate through the challenges, and see the changes they are going through as positive and dynamic.
FOR ALL STUDENTS – ONLINE, ON-DEMAND
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Stronger Than Anxiety
Young people are powerful when we empower them. ‘Stronger Than Anxiety’ is a short, online, on-demand workshop for children and teens. The content can be viewed by students individually, or in class groups. It presents a strengths-based understanding of anxiety, courage and resilience. The workshop will focus on providing children and teens with the information and strategies they need to strengthen themselves against anxiety and build their capacity for calm, courage, and resilience. Why does the conversation matter? Because whenever there is a call to do something brave, important, meaningful, or challenging there will always be anxiety. That’s what makes these experiences growthful or brave. So often though, anxiety can be interpreted as a stop sign, not a warning. When this happens, anxiety will move young people – any of us – away from challenging, growthful experiences. Young people will always be able to do more than they think they can. The key is supporting them to recognise that they can feel anxious, and do brave.
Please email Karen at if you would like to make a booking, or for more information.
