Private Practice Startup Podcast

Episode 175: How to Become a Dynamic Presenter

Hosts: Dr. Kate Campbell & Katie Lemieux
Date: February 29, 2020

Episode Overview

In this energetic and candid episode, co-hosts Kate Campbell and Katie Lemieux share their personal strategies, experiences, and tips on becoming a dynamic presenter — a valuable skill for mental health professionals wanting to expand their impact, income, or influence through speaking, training, or live workshops. Drawing from their own journey (from hesitant beginnings to running successful live events and trainings), they provide actionable insights for therapists eager to step on stage, keep audiences engaged, and grow their practices.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Presenter vs. Trainer: What's the Difference?

[05:09] Katie Lemieux:

• Presenter: "Just kind of gets up there...and they present their information."

• Trainer: "It's your job to control the energy of the room. A trainer who is really awesome and dynamic...you leave that training feeling like, 'Oh my God, that went by so fast. I had so much fun.'"

  Insight:

  • Dynamic training is about engaging, energizing, and managing the room — not just sharing content.
  • The ability to create a sense of "aliveness" in participants sets dynamic trainers apart from average presenters.

2. The Emotional Power of Presenting

[06:11] Katie Lemieux:

• "We buy based on emotion. Majority of us make decisions based off emotion — I think it's like 70 or 80%."

  Insight:

  • Content alone is insufficient. Audience engagement and emotional connection are critical.

3. Personal Stories: From Boredom to Breakthrough

[02:00–04:50] Kate Campbell:

• Kate shares her journey from being an anxious, introverted non-presenter dreading public speaking, to co-launching multiple successful trainings.

• Their business partnership was sparked by shared frustration over "super boring" required trainings in Florida — which motivated their mission to "never run a boring workshop."

  Memorable Quote:

  • "[After a really boring training] I left that training going, 'Oh my gosh, I can't imagine any other therapist sitting through this...We've got to become presenters.'" (Kate Campbell, 03:04)

4. Tips for Dynamic Presenting & Training

State Changes
[10:45] Katie Lemieux:

• "People need what they call a state change every five to seven minutes."
• Examples: Stand up, brief exercise, turn to your partner and discuss, debrief in groups.

Experiential Learning

• "People really retain information based off experience. It's not about reading off a slide, it's not about your fancy PowerPoints."

Community & Acknowledgment

• Introduce rituals like the "two clap" for participants who ask questions or contribute.
• "The two clap...creates community and...continues to keep the energy up in the room." (Katie, 12:04)

Humor & Play

• Use playful breaks, like the Macarena after lunch, to re-energize the group.
  (Macarena story, 09:42)

Continuous Feedback and Iteration

• Regularly ask for feedback and tweak your training materials accordingly.

5. Overcoming Fear & Introversion

[02:00–02:49] Kate Campbell:

• Admits to a "huge fear of public speaking" and needing "days to recover" after trainings due to being an introvert.
• Practice makes progress: repeated exposure, preparation, and experience build confidence.

Quote:

• "If you guys saw some of our initial videos, you could tell Kate was not comfortable, but she's really awesome..." (Katie, 12:30)

6. Building Your Signature Speech

[17:03] Katie Lemieux:

• Key: Align your speaking topic with your "most passionate about" areas and "ideal client."
• Develop one or a few signature talks, adapt as needed, avoid reinventing the wheel for each opportunity.

Actionable Steps:

• Get clear on your audience and their struggles.
• Survey clients or note patterns in what they ask about.
• Structure your talk around digestible tips, acronyms, or rhymes for memorability.

7. Marketing & Monetizing Your Presentations

[17:41] Kate Campbell:

• "If you aren't clear on who you're serving, then you're not going to be able to create a presentation or content that's going to really speak to them."
• Leverage trainings for direct income or as an entry point to your services.

8. Selling from the Stage & Following Up

[21:15] Kate Campbell:

• Convert cold audiences into warm leads by building "know, like, and trust."
• Offer valuable freebies (vs. generic newsletters): resource PDFs, consultations, video series, or another free workshop.
• Continue nurturing relationships after the event.

9. Authenticity & Presence

[24:04, 23:38] Katie Lemieux:

• "How you show up is authentic, both while you're presenting and while you're not."
• Avoid hiding behind the podium; build rapport through movement, engagement, and realness.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "A trainer...it’s your job to control the energy of the room." (Katie, 05:15)
• "No one is a perfect trainer or presenter out of the gate. You gotta start." (Katie, 25:52)
• "You, as a therapist, are an amazing presenter and marketer because you know how to build rapport." (Katie, 25:11)
• "You want to be engaged in the room. One of the things I do remember...I used to walk up to [someone who asked a question] — that's a no-no, because it makes them uncomfortable. Instead...walk farthest away from them into the back of the room so you engage the whole room in the discussion." (Katie, 20:18)
• On nervousness: "I still get anxious even in the beginning...that's when you are the most anxious and the audience is most skeptical." (Katie, 25:42)
• On selling from stage: "Many years of training and knowing what to say and do is really important...But you know what? I did it. And then I did it again." (Katie, 27:37–28:20)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:00] Kate’s presenting journey, and how the business partnership began
• [05:09] Trainer vs. presenter distinction
• [09:42] The Macarena story — energizing a post-lunch session
• [10:45] The science of “state change” every five to seven minutes
• [12:04] “Two clap” ritual for group engagement
• [13:35] Managing room energy as a leader
• [17:03] Building your signature talk
• [19:02] Avoiding presentation burnout and maintaining expertise
• [21:15] Nurturing relationships post-training and tangible offers
• [23:38] Live events as unique connection opportunities
• [25:52] Recap and encouragement to just get started
• [27:35] Facing fear of selling from stage
• [28:49] Listener shout-out and closing

Final Takeaways

• Dynamic presenting is a learned skill, driven by authenticity, practice, and careful room management.
• Use your therapist strengths — rapport, active listening, empathy — to connect with audiences.
• Start before you're ready; embrace imperfection and learn through doing.
• Engagement, feedback, and passion are more impactful than perfectly polished slides.

Hosts’ Closing Words:
“We just want you to get started. It might not be great in the beginning and no one is, and that’s okay. But with practice, you’ll get better.” (Katie, 25:52)