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Keynote and Training Program Descriptions |
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Lois' programs are well-suited for:
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Keynotes - Motivational HumorWhat do you do when life looks ugly? Character Keynote / Signature Story "When life knocks you down, humor is the magic wand that cushions your fall, lifts you back up, and points you in a new direction." -Lois McElravy Lois combines a captivating character performance (Meet Louis) with her brain injury signature story and shares the emotional journey of adjusting to a sudden life change. Participants are reminded of the healing power of humor and the magic of laughter. They are stimulated to examine their own response to challenge and adversity. Lois' Secret Weapons strategies equip participants with daily stress busters, so they can maintain a positive attitude, and dare to feel happy in the midst of trying times. Her universal message offers hope, inspires others to be faithful to do the small things, and motivates them to conquer their challenges one day at a time. (more)Hangin' on with Humor when Life Looks Ugly "Hangin' on with humor and learning to laugh in the midst of trying times rescued me from the distress and despair of adjusting to a sudden life change caused by a brain injury."-Lois McElravy You don't have to have a brain injury to feel stressed out, overwhelmed, frustrated, and tired. The pressures and demands of work and home can weigh you down with seriousness, and leave you feeling worn-out and hopeless. Participants rave about Lois' three-step process which equips them to use the power of humor and the magic of laughter to take the sting out of disappointments, deal with frustration, gain a new perspective, maintain a positive attitude, renew energies and have more fun. (more) When Life Knocks You Off-Balance, Fall into the Humor Safety Net "When life knocks us off balance, humor is our best defense to deflect the crippling effects of stress. Prepared humor statements and strategies equip us with an even more powerful offense so we can push past our difficulties and quickly restore our capability." -Lois McElravy The accumulation of stress erodes our health, damages our relationships, and cripples our ability to perform, make good decisions or problem solve. When we are able to see the humor in a stressful situation and find a way to laugh about it, we can calm down our nervous system, gain control of our emotions, think clearly, problem solve, and do our best job. Participants develop a survival kit of humor strategies and practice prepared responses so they can release stressful emotions and avoid the harmful effects of stress when life knocks them off-balance. (more)Adversity Builds Diversity - Transform Troubles into Triumphs "Brain Injury Survivor was not on my 'who I want to be when I grow up list.' Neither was motivational speaker." -Lois McElravy Adversity challenges us to take risks and try new things. And there's no better teacher than the School of Hard Knocks. Lois entertains and teaches with personal stories that reflect how she learned to manage the daily challenges of living with a brain injury. She relates how she used the same principles and strategies 15 years later to navigate through the unexpected difficulties she encountered when she left her safe, controlled environment and ventured into the "real world" with her speaker business three years ago. Participants learn how they can use humor and laughter to reset stressful emotions. They feel inspired with courage and confidence to try new things, learn how to develop survival strategies and acquire a thriver attitude, so they can transform troubles into triumphs and achieve their goals. (more)Discover the Treasure in Your Trial "Every detail of our life has significance, even the tough times - to teach us a lesson, provide an insight, develop a deeper understanding or turn us on to the path leading to our life purpose." -Lois McElravy Lois teaches participants the step-by-step process that she used to let go of her previous life plans, explore her future possibilities, and discover the "treasures in her trials." Participants gain the courage to "let go" of the things that hold them back, so they can explore new possibilities. They learn how to let go of disappointment when things don't turn out how they expected, transform difficulties into valuable learning experiences, identify their strengths and talents, discover their passion, live with purpose and restore their happiness. (more)Keynotes - Lunch and Dinner TalksIn the Lawn of Your Life, Do You Get Stuck Staring at the Brown Spots? "Humor is the magic wand that turns agitation into appreciation." -Lois McElravy Lois delivers a 20 minute keynote full of lively animation and depicts the bantering that took place between Lois and her husband Larry about the brown spots on their lawn. Not only do guests connect to this message because it illustrates how differently men and women think, the core message reflects the universal challenge - "We see what we want to see, and we don't see what we don't want to see." (more)Humor WorkshopsFlirting with Fun - Developing Playful Relationships "If I am going to do something that shortens or risks my life, I want it to be dangerously fun, like jumping out of an airplane, not arguing with my spouse." -Lois McElravy Scientific studies evidence the toll that relational stress places on our health and happiness. Most of us long for more playfulness, fun and laughter in our relationships, but don't know how to go about it, or have forgotten what we once knew. Do you want to know the truth about flirting? Flirting is not strictly for getting a date nor is flirting limited to making a pass at someone. Flirting is a natural gift that we have had from birth. Flirting is fun. People who engage in "playful flirting" do so with the intention of turning ordinary, everyday situations into magical moments. In this workshop, participants learn ten benefits and the five basic steps of playful flirting, and leave with 20 Flirting with Fun Tips, Tactics and Techniques so they can disarm disputes, create closeness and inject fun into their relationships. (more) Develop Your Humor Habit - How to See the Funny in Your Everyday Ordinary Life "One of life's ironies is that when we need our sense of humor the most, we discover it has escaped." -Lois McElravy Things don't always go as planned and life doesn't always make sense, which is why we need a well developed sense of humor. But, humor doesn't always make sense either. In this workshop, participants expand their knowledge and understanding of humor and laughter, so they can enjoy the ironies and appreciate the humor everyday life provides. They learn how to use the power of humor and laughter to reset stressful emotions, build relationships, deal with the unpredictable swift pace of work and home, and have more fun. (more)Dismiss Ho-Hum and Invite Ha-Ha into Your Workplace "Fun is not the reward for getting all of your work done. Laughter is your pressure relief valve." -Lois McElravy Research reveals that workers list fun as a top priority for job satisfaction, even above salary. Numerous studies show that a fun workplace is not only more productive, but it attracts people and produces profits. Employees are happier, healthier, and work harder. Businesses experience reduced absenteeism and less turnover. Integrating humor and fun into a tense or dull work environment isn't easy. Plus workers worry about risking their professionalism or being perceived as not taking their jobs seriously. Participants learn the do's and don'ts of workplace humor, and how they can effectively incorporate fun into their workplace. (more)The Sensitive Side of Humor and Laughter "Things are not as they first appear. Look past the outward perception to reveal the inner truth." -Lois McElravy Humor and laughter are power tools possessing the potential to uplift and encourage or to offend and cause serious harm. Even when we use humor with the best of intentions, we risk offending someone if we are not aware of the how to use humor in sensitive situations. When we gain a better understanding of how humor works, we are less apt to take offense when someone laughs at us and we minimize our risk of offending others with our humor. Learn the difference between healthy humor and harmful humor, three strategies for responding to hurtful humor and seven guidelines to introduce humor in sensitive situations like change, loss, crisis, illness, death, disaster, or disability. (more)Poking Fun at Your Flaws - Developing the Courage and Confidence to Succeed Just as You Are "Separating who you are from what you do enables you to laugh at the silly things you do, without making fun of who you are." -Lois McElravy The fear of not measuring up or the risk of looking foolish in front of others holds us back from speaking up, sharing our ideas or trying new things. Once we concede to the fact we are human and learn how to accept our imperfections, we can eliminate the critical perfectionist behaviors that block us from exploring possibilities and revealing our potential. Participants work towards accepting the things about themselves that they are not able nor willing to change. They learn how to poke fun at their flaws and blunders, gain the courage to risk appearing foolish, and develop the confidence to boldly speak-up and try new things. (more)Your Child's Sense of Humor - The Unexpected Truth "Adults who attend my humor workshops comment that they have become 'terminally serious' and long for more fun and laughter. They plan to lighten up around kids, so they can appreciate their child's sense of wonder and enjoy their silliness, instead of stifling their laughter and crushing their joy." -Lois McElravy Adults work hard to give children every advantage in life and unknowingly overlook one opportunity that makes a life-long impact. Children who have a good sense of humor tend to be more flexible and cooperative, more resilient, and more like-able. Humor equips kids to be better able to grow their self-confidence, attain higher self-esteem, cope with life's difficulties and experience more enjoyment in life. In this workshop you will gain an understanding of the age-related categories and development of children's humor and learn age appropriate strategies, exercises and activities you can use to help develop and encourage a child's sense of humor. (more) Trainings - Adversity, Change, DiversityThere's Nothing Funny About Managing the Emotional Side of Change "Without any warning, without my permission, and in the blink of an eye, my life changed forever. Adjusting to change requires the confidence to let go of 'what was' and the courage to explore 'what is still to come.'" -Lois McElravy None of us are exempt from experiencing a sudden life change. Companies re-organize, jobs end, marriages fail, friendships fade away, children grow up and leave home (and come back), health deteriorates, death occurs, and accidents happen. Regardless of whether change is forced on us or whether we choose it, a successful transition demands that we manage the human emotions surrounding change. Lois knows first hand about the painful process of accepting change. She shares her emotional journey of adjusting to a sudden life change caused by a brain injury. Participants learn how they can use humor to cope with disruptive change. They gain valuable insights and obtain practical strategies that help them to let go of their fears, eliminate their resistance to change, and move forward in a positive direction. (more)"Whether you have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD or not, if your life is complicated by inattention, impulsivity, or hyperactivity, the 'Big Three' of ADD/ADHD threatens to crush your potential for happiness and success." - Lois McElravy Are you are tired of wrestling with the ADD/ADHD Beast? Are you interested in learning how to gain control over impulsiveness, reduce hyperactivity, improve attention and manage annoying behaviors? Or, perhaps you could benefit from learning how to "deal with" an ADDer, or help them create a "tool kit" so they can overcome their challenges. Lois speaks from eighteen years of personal experience of living with ADHD, a secondary condition caused by a brain injury. She shares the tips, tools, and tactics she uses to master the challenges of living with ADHD and how to tap into the ADD/ADHD Advantage. Participants cling to every word provided by Lois' unique perspective, gaining valuable insight and a better understanding of ADD/ADHD. They leave feeling hopeful, because they are equipped with knowledge and strategies that they can immediately apply to eliminate their confusion, improve relationships, feel good about who they are, achieve success and feel happy. (more)From Start to Finish - Strategies for Getting the Job Done "I was 33 years old when my therapist told me, 'You will develop systems and strategies to compensate for your cognitive challenges. In fact, when you turn 50, your peers will start their cognitive decline due to aging and they won't have the systems and strategies that you do. At that time you will go to the head of the class.' Even though my thinking was slower, I remember feeling appalled that she was trying to cheer me up. Funny thing, I turned 50 last year and started teaching my organization and time management systems and strategies to my peers." -Lois McElravy Does this description fit you? Overwhelmed, don't know where to start, procrastinates, easily distracted, short attention span, disorganized, forgets things, loses things, doesn't hear the full instructions, easily agitated, impulsive, doesn't finish projects? Lois speaks from her personal experience of living with the Attention Deficit Symptoms of her brain injury for the past 18 years. Lois introduces a flexible scheduling system that accommodates fluctuations in energy and is designed to limit distractibility. Participants gain an understanding behind their behaviors and learn step-by-step systems and strategies to get started, prioritize, assist their memory, manage time, be more organized and stay on task, so they can conquer their chaos and get the job done "from start to finish." (more)Make the Most of Your Memory – Systems and Strategies to Assist Your Memory "My systems and strategies are far more reliable than my memory ever was. I don't spend valuable brain power trying to keep everything straight inside my head, and I have eliminated the panic or regret of forgetting to do something or be somewhere." -Lois McElravy Enhance your memory and increase your self-confidence when you gain an understanding of the variables that affect your working memory, and learn how you can boost your ability to remember by using aids you learn about in this training. (more) When There's Too Much To Do and Not Enough of You "Lower your standards without raising your blood pressure? Easier said than done." - Lois McElravy Lois imparts life-changing perspectives, illustrated by real-life examples of how she learned to prioritize and make necessary adjustments to take care of her personal responsibilities - wife, mother, and home-maker and adapt to her new reality - living with a lesser ability imposed by a brain injury. Participants learn systems and strategies they can use to temporarily adjust to unexpected circumstances or over-loaded schedules, so they can survive "the business of living," and dare to feel happy in the midst of trying times. (more)Brain Injury TopicsWhat do you do when life looks ugly? Character Keynote / Signature Story "Never give-up or lose hope. When you least expect, something wonderful happens." -Lois McElravy Lois combines a captivating character performance (Meet Louis) with her brain injury signature story, and shares the emotional journey of adjusting to a sudden life change. Participants are reminded of the healing power of humor and the magic of laughter. Heartfelt and hilarious - Lois' message provides life-changing content for a mixed audience with many take-aways. Survivors feel motivated to take advantage of every resource available to improve their health, attitude, and abilities. Lois inspires survivors to never give-up or lose hope, and evidences that their continuous efforts of doing small things over a long period of time will produce surprising results. Care-givers, family members and professionals gain valuable insights and broaden their understanding of living with a brain injury from a survivor perspective. They feel hopeful, and better equipped to help their loved ones or clients adjust. (more)The Ripple Effect of Brain Injury in Families and Relationships "Brain injuries don't happen to people...they happen to families. Every person who knows or loves the survivor suffers a loss, and deals with it in their own unique way." -Lois McElravy Lois shares how her brain injury affected each of her personal relationships and other aspects of her family members lives. The goals of this session are to remind the survivor to look past their own loss and recognize the losses of others, and for family members, care-givers and professionals to gain a fuller understanding of the survivor's way of thinking. It is full of tips on how to bridge the gap of misunderstanding and improve relationships from both the perspectives of the survivor and the family member/caregiver/professional. (more) Puzzle Club: Brain Injury Survivors Talk Documentary "The Puzzle Club Documentary delivers a hopeful message for anyone affected by brain injury - Brain injury is not the end of a life, it's a new beginning." -Lois McElravy The Puzzle Club is a weekly support group of "higher level functioning" brain injury survivors who meet for a weekly breakfast meeting in Missoula, Montana. Jillian Campana, a drama professor from the University of Montana, wrote and directed a documentary about the experiences of thirteen Puzzle Club brain injury survivors. Lois McElravy is one of the brain injury survivors featured in this documentary. Participants gain a better understanding of living with brain injury by watching the documentary. They also learn how they can start their own weekly support group to meet the needs of the higher functioning survivor and their family. (more) The Sensitive Side of Humor and Laughter "People laughed at some of the surprising things I did or said. Sometimes their laughter hurt my feelings. Other times, my interpretation of their laughter was that I had amused them, when in fact, I had shocked them." -Lois McElravy Disability or no disability, we all have areas of sensitivity. Those unexpected and most embarrassing moments often look humorous to those watching, but do not feel funny to the person creating the comedy. Understanding that laughter is a result of the natural, spontaneous reaction that occurs when our funny bone is tickled, or when we are surprised helps us not to take other's laughter personally. Gaining a better understanding of how to use humor in sensitive situations allows us to use our sense of humor to bless someone, while minimizing the risk of causing offense. Participants learn three strategies to respond to hurtful humor and seven guidelines for using humor to deal with sensitive situations like change, loss, crisis, illness, death, disaster, or disability. (more) Hangin' On with Humor when Life Looks Ugly "Ask any well-adjusted brain injury survivor what enabled them to heal from their loss, accept their new reality, and move on with their life in a positive direction. They will tell you how a sense of humor and laughter rescued them from the distress and despair surrounding their daily life and contributed to their adjustment and recovery." -Lois McElravy Living with a brain injury provides unexpected or uncontrollable situations from sunrise to sunset. The chaos we create is full of comedy. But early on, we are not in a position to see the humor in our circumstances, and we surely don't feel like laughing. Lois' teaches participants her 3-D Hangin' On with Humor Process to access the power of humor and the magic of laughter which equips anyone affected by brain injury with the ability to maintain a positive attitude, overcome obstacles, rebound quickly from setbacks, deal with frustrations, and feel happy while managing the challenges of living with a brain injury. (more)Discover the Treasures in Your Trials "When someone suffers a brain injury, our first response isn't, 'Wow, just think of the personal growth they will acquire!'" -Lois McElravy It takes years for persons affected by brain injury to adjust to their new reality and even longer before discovering their treasures. Recognizing their personal growth acquired creates a paradox of emotion, because the positives don't negate the loss, limitation, and hardship. Rabbi David Wolpe says, "Understanding that we can make loss meaningful is not the same as being glad that the loss happened." This session focuses on breaking down the "defective self-image" by recognizing the strengths and capabilities acquired from living with brain injury. Participants identify their life lessons learned, strengths gained, skills mastered, character developed, insight and wisdom acquired from "living with a brain injury." (more) Adversity Builds Diversity - Transform Troubles into Triumphs "Brain Injury Survivor was not on my 'who I want to be when I grow up list.' Neither was motivational speaker." -Lois McElravy Lois entertains and teaches with personal stories that reflect how she learned to manage the daily challenges of living with a brain injury. She relates how she used the same principles and strategies 15 years later to navigate through the unexpected difficulties she encountered when she left her safe, controlled environment and ventured into the "real world" with her speaker business three years ago. She speaks about what it means to be a "survivor", and defines what it means to live with a "thriver" attitude. Lois illustrates the repeating pattern of "surviving and then thriving" when we expose ourselves to new experiences and as a person living with a disability continues to make advancements. Participants learn how they can use humor and laughter to reset stressful emotions. They feel inspired with courage and confidence to try new things, learn how to develop survival strategies and acquire a thriver attitude, so they can transform troubles into triumphs and achieve their goals. (more) |
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