Workshops & Corporate Training

"Geraldine has discovered a "door" for us to enter into
 in this competitively crazed world and allow softness,
 gentleness to inherit the earth."  Sam Calabro, Martial Arts Teacher

 

“ Communicate Connect is one of the best investments you can make”


Geraldine’s Communicate Connect is one of the best investments you can make for yourself. She teaches in such a warm and gentle way that you really do learn and grow by osmosis. She led us gently by showing us herself and her work is like magic.

I am so grateful that I chose to do this course because now I feel that I have something to say that is worth listening to. I wanted to be more comfortable in my business to be able to charge what I’m worth and to be comfortable speaking from within, to a small or large group. I think it is an amazing program. Everything Geraldine asked us to trust would happen – did happen.

I know now that I can be confident in talking and connecting with people by just being myself. Somehow my life experiences had knocked that out of me but Geraldine taught me to believe in myself again. Thankyou.
Lisa Sharpe, Photographer & Filmmaker, Bangalow.

“…I felt like I was rewriting my life in the positive.”

 
I was surprised how easy it was to speak using the neutral gaze, breathing and pause techniques. Also, how excited I was at the challenge of it all. How much I looked forward each week to the next session. The highlight was how each week, with or without preparation, the story would arise from within me and come out my mouth.  The gentle promptings re content caused me to review my life and I felt like I was rewriting my life in the positive. I felt the group bonded very quickly and we were all there for each other and very supportive of each other. It’s a great personal development program about finding your authentic voice.
Elestial

“…after every class I came away with a sense of accomplishment.”


“Timidly I stepped into the arena of public speaking. With Geraldine’s gentle yet professional manner, my shyness dissolved and a new confidence emerged. It became an adventure and after every class I came away with a sense of accomplishment. Thankyou Geraldine for turning my fears in to a joy!” 
Patsy de Winter, Byron Bay

 

“If you are afraid of connecting and communicating to groups of people, this is the course for you. “


(Communicate Connect) Susan Powell, Wemoon P/L

 

“ a subtle yet powerful course…”


(Communicate Connect is) a subtle yet powerful course /method to overcome and let go of old patterns and transform. It’s a very supportive and healing way of learning to speak well in public and develop communication skills extending from simply becoming more comfortable with ‘the self.’
Jessie Chapman, Yoga Teacher, Radiance Retreats

“…really boosted my self confidence in public speaking.”


My purpose was to gain professional education hours in something that sounded interesting – absolutely achieved it. I think Geraldine was very encouraging, non judgemental and good at allowing us to find our own path. It was fun, challenging and really boosted my self confidence in public speaking.
Carolyn Adams, Accountant, Bangalow

“ I have now learnt and felt the difference between performing and being authentic.”

I needed to find the place where I stopped performing and started connecting with who I am and my audience. Before I reached that point I was in a comfort zone and I wasn’t really taking the process seriously. When I see an actor in a great movie that moves me, it’s because they are really connected with authenticity. They are not trying to emulate an emotion or feeling, they the emotion or feeling and in turn I feel connected to them and the story. I have now learnt and felt the difference between performing and being authentic.
John Wilson, Case Worker

“ It is a “must do” to explore the public speaker that is waiting to be released from within. “ 

(Communicate Connect) Mark Wright, Business Owner

“ Just one of the best workshops I have ever attended. “

 (Speak & Expand participant,) Ruth McJannettt, Wollongong

“ One of the best training sessions I’ve encountered - “


“ One of the best training sessions I’ve encountered – actually came away with useable techniques and felt enriched.”
Speak & Expand participant, Rosemary Worley, Wollongong.

“ It was a highlight of the conference! “


“ The ALIES Committee (Australasian Libraries in the Emergency Sector) hired Geraldine Barkworth to run her 3.5 hour How To Be A Relaxed Overachiever workshop for the 30 members attending our April 2006, four day conference at the Emergency Management Australia Conference Centre, Mt Macedon, Melbourne. The conference was called "Disaster, Terrorism, Corruption, Crime ...a Librarians' Role in Uncertain Times."

Geraldine opened our conference and got us warmed up, relaxed and focussed. We often referred to her workshop throughout the four days. It was a highlight of the conference! I have received continuing positive feedback about ongoing results from participants and one participant said: " I have been to other personal development programs before - this has been one of the best, if not the best. "

We packed in a lot of very useable techniques, tips and exercises into the session. Overall an excellent presentation, well managed and a fun way to absorb new information.” 
sandra.harvey@police.tas.gov.au

“ It was fabulous – thankyou! “


“ It was fabulous – thankyou! I found all of it extremely useful and relevant – breathing techniques to calm down, gaining connectivity with an audience and putting a personal spin on the topic to keep it authentic - as well as the MC role play practise. Geraldine, you are obviously passionate about teaching people how to become efficient and effective speakers. I felt you did everything exactly how you were teaching us to do – you practise what you preach. I haven’t got a lot of experience with public speaking or being an MC, but now I have the confidence to stay calm and collected and not find it daunting. “ 
Speak & Expand participant, Julie Horton, Wollongong.

“ The whole workshop was a highlight… “


“…but learning how to prioritise was the “top 20%”!” “I enjoyed Geraldine’s pace of presentation – calm but time focussed – this really modelled the relax / achieve balance. Thank you for exemplifying a “relaxed overachiever”.
Librarian, Relaxed Overachiever, Auckland, NZ

“Practices what she preaches.”


“ We practiced real techniques rather than just talking about them. There was no low point – the high point was how calm I feel now.” “Geraldine practices what she preaches. Models the behaviours and is well prepared – she presented the most important points out of a possible welter of techniques.” 
Participant,  Relaxed Overachiever, Wellington, NZ.

“..behaviour changing without being too confronting.”


“ It was a really great workshop, using easy techniques to calm nerves which with a bit of practise made everyone speak more comfortably. I think the best thing about it was the facilitator - Geraldine is a good presenter for this subject, as she is a natural performer. The content covered personal development type info as well as tips and checklists for what an MC should actually say and also how to plan an event. It was behaviour changing without being too confronting. I’m looking forward to the next one. “ 
Participant, Speak & Expand, Brisbane

“...informative & inspiring”


“ (I’m going to) focus on the 20% of stuff that really matters from now on. Geraldine is a most informative and inspiring speaker. She has a down to earth, energetic style. What I like most is her “realness.”
Participant, How to Be A Relaxed Overachiever, Darwin.

“This has given me a lot more confidence in myself…”


About one year ago, I attended public speaking workshops 1 and 2 (Speak & Expand) with Geraldine Barkworth. I thoroughly enjoyed them and felt that I had gained some valuable experience and some self-confidence. I thought I’d go out in the world and practice and become a reasonable public speaker. Being very busy with work and life in general; I forgot all about it.
 
Just recently, I was offered a spot in workshops 3 and 4 (Speak & Expand) and jumped at the opportunity. After completing Workshop 3 with Geraldine, I decided to push myself into public speaking opportunities whenever possible.

The day after workshop 3, the mother of a good friend died. My friend mentioned to me that she didn’t have anyone to speak about her mother at the funeral. I didn’t hesitate to offer. We wrote the eulogy together and I read it with a pounding heart two days later.

I’ve never done anything like it and without Geraldine’s help, I would never have volunteered to do it, let alone carry it off. Many people congratulated me afterwards and I felt I’d really done it well. This has given me a lot more confidence in myself and I intend to take as many future opportunities to speak as I can.
Wendy Scroope, Team Leader, Mobile Library Service.


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