Resilience Training and Workshops
Positive Psychology in Education This month I had the opportunity to give a speech on positive mental health practices to 700 people at the Greater Essex County District School Board in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Audience Members The audience was comprised of education support staff and front line workers, including Education Assistants, Child and Youth Care... Continue Reading →
Live Zoom Conference At a recent leadership conference, student leaders from St. Clair College's Student Representative Council SRC had the opportunity to ask questions live during the final portion of the virtual training event. Ask Dr. D The student leaders raised the reflection bar high during this discussion period. One Question Stood Out The Most... Continue Reading →
Healthy Workplace Awards I recently did a virtual keynote at the Healthy Workplace Awards Ceremony. Watch Video: Click Here Given all we are collectively going through, I thought the notes and video from the virtual keynote presentation would be helpful to everyone. News Release: CTV News Especially as we wrap up 2020. A year where... Continue Reading →
Staying Hopeful I wanted to share how I have been keeping hope alive in my heart and soul during COVID-19. Specifically, by expanding my reach with new virtual experiences. Beginning in the spring with my first "live" recorded internet event with Sam Piercell, a fitness entrepreneur, from Windsor, Ontario. F45 "Live" Event: Community Resilience with... Continue Reading →
The most common question people ask when they discover I'm a retired psychologist is - "Is This Normal?" This question is a significant motivator for creating this psychology blog in the first place. Because too often people suffer because of lack of understanding versus a diagnosable medical condition. differential diagnosis · the process of differentiating... Continue Reading →
When things go wrong, what do you focus on first? The world outside you or the world within you? The following is a video and activity overview from Part 2 of the 2020 SRC Leadership Development Workshop. Click Here for Part 1.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVEjYGl9c0k Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of... Continue Reading →
On January 11, 2020, I had the opportunity to work with the student leadership team at St. Clair College in Windsor Ontario. MISSION AND VISION The goal was to strengthen the bonds between team members and harness the power of their mission for the 12,500 students on campus. We talked about the many ways challenges... Continue Reading →
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlkaArLVg28 Psychology Keynote In this video you will hear the remarkable stories of teachers, social workers, and principals who suffered greatly through illness, injuries, and difficult pregnancies. Eventually rising up with time and support to greater heights in their current lives. Personal Experience In this video I share examples of how my parents coped with dark times... Continue Reading →
PUBLIC SPEAKING TIP How to Turn Fear into Excitement Neuroscience Solutions & Insights Did you know that fear and excitement share the same set of neurotransmitters, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine. Opposite emotions. Identical neurotransmitters. Same neural activity. Different Cognitive Appraisal. And the best way to shift from performance anxiety to excitement is to say... Continue Reading →
Stop saying “Um,” or “Ah,” during speeches with this one simple tip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpr9HR-Ur2I&feature=youtu.be The next time you have a speech to give, try taking a pause between thoughts. In doing so, you allow your message to sink in. Giving yourself and the audience a much needed break. Allowing time for everyone to digest the information.... Continue Reading →
Why Can't I Remember Anything? One of the most frequent questions I was asked as a practicing psychologist and more recently as a psychology professor is why can't I remember anything. The problem is most likely a focusing issue — not a memory issue. An important distinction between memory and attention that I share in... Continue Reading →
Psychology in Your Life The intention for this post is to introduce you to one aspect of the diagnostic process — specifically: differential diagnosis. And ultimately to help you understand that psychological assessment is a complex, worthwhile process. What’s normal 🆚 clinical? To answer that question, I would like to invite you into my clinical psychology class. ... Continue Reading →
Nathalie Begin author of the Gutsy Feeling Blog invited me to give a positive psychology workshop called Optimism Bootcamp at a Symposium for Crohn’s & Colitis Canada. The audience was filled a very special group of people. Individuals that have been battling the chronic condition of Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) their whole lives. Optimism and Health... Continue Reading →
LESSONS LEARNED In this post, I share the lessons learned at a thriving teams thriving leaders board retreat. It was a true team effort! With the team-building and leadership exercises equally led by the student leaders and myself. Please join in and explore the reflection questions, interactive activities, and workshop videos with the teams... Continue Reading →
Psychology Class The Shadow Effect https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aECfb8QNp0 One of the things I love to do is share what’s happening on campus in my psychology class. Today’s Topic: The Shadow Effect Watch this short video and consider the following questions: What is your shadow?How does it serve you?Where does it come from?How do I bring it into... Continue Reading →
Belief plays a pivotal role in success. Believing that you have what it takes. Believing that you can try again. Believing in something greater than yourself. Believing you are never alone. Believing your power is greater than your pain. Believing that things are going to get easier. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKimTCawJls In this 5 minute training video, I... Continue Reading →
Thriving Under Pressure 