Do people really want to hear my story? Do I want to relate personal details to strangers? Whether you’re an executive presenting your sales pitch, a college graduate interviewing for your first job, or a high school student speaking with an admissions officer, your personal narrative can be the key to reaching your goals. Telling Read more
Why write my essay now? It’s summer! What rising high school senior hasn’t asked this question at the end of the highly pressured junior year? Completing high level courses, perhaps AP or honors, taking ACT or SAT tests, visiting colleges… add in a sport or school play, community service: this has been a busy year. Read more
Create a Dialogue If I’m giving a presentation, why do I need to create a dialogue with my audience? When you make a presentation — to one or 500 people — you want to capture their attention and engage them so they see your point of view. If you’re simply speaking “at them,” it’s likely Read more
Technology has broken barriers in speech coaching and therapy Not only has technology revolutionized the work environment for millions of executives, but it has also introduced alternatives for speech coaching, executive skills training and traditional speech language therapy. In my practice I have incorporated remote therapy using Skype or FaceTime to help clients in all Read more
Last summer PBS launched an initiative called THE GREAT AMERICAN READ, a six month poll to find the novel most beloved by Americans. They invited 7,200 people representing a geographical cross section of America to nominate their favorite novel. The public was invited to cast their ballots for their most loved novel, perhaps one they have Read more
How important can storytelling be if it’s not taught in school? In a recent article in The New York Times by Frank Bruni entitled, “How to Get the Most Out of College,” he writes: “Every successful pitch for a new policy, new product or new company is essentially a story, with a shape and logic intended to Read more
Stuttering as a form of therapy has been successful for many famous actors. See my interview to find out who they are and why it works. See the full article here. After his interview with Emily Blunt who speaks about her stuttering, Sandy Kenyon became intrigued about how dramatics can help stutterers. He reached out Read more
After childhood, what value lies in storytelling? As adults, the willingness and ability to talk about one’s observations and experiences not only provides a way of keeping verbal skills sharp, but perhaps as importantly, becomes of means of emotional health. As we grown older, many people hide their feelings and experiences out of embarrassment or concern Read more
Whether speaking or writing the following key points apply for effective business communications: Tailor your message to your audience If you’re trying to create a dialogue with another individual, consider the interests of the person you’re interacting with: are they receptive to what you have to say? Do you need to capture their interest? What Read more
Good speakers are born that way. Being shy will prevent you from being a confident speaker. You need to have a theatrical flair to capture an audience’s attention If you believe any of these statements, you’ll be relieved to know that these are merely generalizations. Being able to translate one’s thoughts into words and then Read more