Keynotes & Seminars

Karen speaks to groups of all sizes on a range of topics from politics, women’s issues, assertiveness, leadership, communications skills, & more. 

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FATLASH! Food Police & the Fear of Thin
Workshops & Seminars Tailored for Your Audience

FATLASH! is a memoir and a cautionary tale about the backlash that can result from regulating others people’s diets (especially children). It’s also about Karen’s real-life experiences in child beauty pageants and the way in which some parents live vicariously through their children. Woven through her story are Karen’s unique perspectives and insights as a mental health professional and consultant. Karen’s book encourages a compelling discussion about authenticiy, finding your own path in life and the value of boundaries: Those between parent and child, between person and society and between public pressure and personal responsibility. Karen invites us to look closer at what inspires each of us to strive for mastery in our lives, to persist in the face of adversity, and to use what we learn to create a better future. A broad range of audiences will find Karen’s humor and insights relevant to a variety of modern challenges.

TAGS: Authenticity, Direct Communication, Empowerment, Inspirational, Image/Self Esteem, Attitude, Parenting, Psychology, Family, Generation Issues, Mental Health, Mind/Body Medicine, Motivation, Nonverbal Communication/Body Language, Bullying

 



TODDLERS AND TIARAS: What Will They Be Like as Adults?

Children on Display, Parents Who Live Through Them

   From “Toddlers and Tiaras” to “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.” Many are horrified by these shows and yet they are bigger than ever. They wonder how these kids will turn out in 10 or 20 years. Hear from an adult who has been there and from a clinician who knows the likely and tragic consequences. Karen had a “stage mother on steroids” and though her stories are funny and entertaining, they also hold a message and are a cautionary tale about what not to do. Karen explains why this social trend hinders healthy growth and what you can do about it.

TAGS: Womens Issues, Women In Society, Womens Health, Attitude, Creativity, Difficult People, Education, Empowerment, Ethics/Integrity, Etiquette, Family, Generation Issues, Image/Self Esteem, Leadership, Mental Health, Mind/Body Medicine, Motivation, Body Language, Parenting, Psychology, Vision/Purpose, Weight Control, Current Events, Hot Topics



FOOD POLICE: Preventing a Problem or Creating One?
What’s the True Impact?

  A four-year-old girl brought a lunch packed by her mother, to school at West Hoke Elementary School in North Carolina. It consisted of a turkey and cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread, a banana, potato chips, and apple juice. The Department of Health and Human Services determined that the lunch wasn’t “healthy enough.” The lunch was thrown away and the child was given chicken nuggets. * In Scituate, Massachusetts, a PBS reporter proposed a measure to prevent any new fast food restaurant from coming to town after a Dunkin’ Donuts opened. * Mayor Michael Bloomberg first moved to ban trans-fats and then, too much salt. He has taxed or restricted certain foods for purchase and supported publicly-funded ads that demonize normal ingredients. Most recently, Bloomberg proposed a ban on soft drinks sold in containers larger than sixteen ounces. * In San Antonio, Texas, cafeteria cameras record what and how much kids eat at school. “Nutritional report cards” are then sent home to parents. What’s going on here? When did “nutritional education and caring what we ourselves eat, turn into food bans and food restrictions that police what other people eat? What are the real-life consequences of such restrictions, whether they are from parents or bureaucrats? Hear Karen’s personal story, punctuated by her clinical and professional insights. A lively audience participation discussion is part of this presentation.

TAGS: Health, Nutrition, Women In Society, Womens Health, Abuse, Attitude, Author, Bullying, Change, Communication, Conflict Resolution, Difficult People, Empowerment, Ethics/Integrity, Etiquette, Health/Nutrition, Healthcare, Humor, Image/Self Esteem, Leadership, Lifestyle, Mental Health, Mind/Body Medicine, Motivation, Body Language, Psychology, Relationships, Current Events, Hot Topics



GUTSPAH: The Way to LEAD with the TRUTH

Assertiveness for Women (& Everyone Else!)

   (pronounced good-spa) is authenticity, assertiveness and intelligent truth-telling. It helps people tell the truth in a way that resolves conflict and reduces incivility. GUTSPAH builds leadership, credibility and trust by improving communication skills. GUTSPAH is just the GOOD STUFF! Empowering, uplifting and fun, It’s good chutzpah! You need GUTSPAH if: – you’re having trouble standing up for who you are and what you believe. – you’re starting to believe that how things appear is more important than how they really are. – you know what needs to be said but you’re having trouble saying it in a positive and constructive way. You’ll clear the air, elevate your relationships and be the leader you were meant to be. Honest, direct communication is critical to getting what we want in almost every area of our lives. Sometimes, it seems as if others get what they want by lying, hyping or even bullying. But in the long run, it takes a heavy toll on their happiness and self-esteem. When the truth comes out, as it so often does, credibility is damaged and trust is gone—along with productivity and peace of mind. Happier workers, free of conflict with themselves and others, make more productive workers. Happier spouses make more caring partners and of course, their partners are happier as a result. Gutspah is a creative method to boost honest and direct communication…for any occasion!

TAGS:Assertiveness, Communication, Conflict Resolution, Women’s Issues, Authenticity, Difficult People, Education, Elementary/Secondary Education, Entertainment, Ethics/Integrity, Abuse, Anger Management, Healthcare, Humor, Leadership, Lifestyle, Relationships, Social Services, Vision/Purpose, Weight Control, Women In Society, Womens Health

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