Speaking Engagements
From Understanding the Teenage Brain to The Impact of Too Much Screentime
Forget the psychobabble. Danelle is authentic, original, and carefully describes complex mental health issues, with real-life understanding. Her presentations are simple, easy to follow, and packed with her own personal experiences with her teen clients. She has an intuitive sense of what her audience is looking for, is caught up on the latest research in adolescent & adult brain science, and has a wealth of knowledge on what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to teens, tweens and their parents 😉
But most importantly… because Danelle is surrounded by easily influenced youth for most of her day… she stores her sarcasm, her preference for puns, and her dry (perhaps unedited) sense of humour for her adult audiences.
Watch the Lionheart Foundation, 2018 Girl Power Luncheon featuring Danelle Spence as one of four panelists discussing Teens and Screens.
Presentation Topics
Teens & Screens
Understand what is occurring in your teen’s brain and the factors that influence healthy development. One of those factors is technology. Technology can provide many amazing opportunities for learning and connecting, but it also poses some challenges. Learn how to successfully navigate tech with you teen. Each 1 hr presentation is concluded with a 30 min Q & A period.
The Teenage Brain
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – This 90 minute presentation is designed to provide a thorough understanding of healthy child brain development. More specifically, it will provide participants with strategies on how they can directly shape a young growing brain to avoid things like: anxiety, disordered-eating, obsessive-compulsive patterns, depression, self-harm or maladaptive perfectionism. Followed by a 30 min Q & A period.
Navigating Girl Relationships
Tribes, Squads and Frenemies – Drawing on 25 years of child and adolescent experience, this presentation will delve into all the friendship nuances of Girl World. Specifically, understand what your daughter will need from you in order to develop healthy and happy relationships.
(Dis) Connected
Finding Screen-LIfe Balance in this Digital Time.
There is growing evidence to support the connection between screen time and our relationships, focus and mental health, for members of Gen X through to Baby Boomer. The good news is that there are also research-supported strategies to help us combat the possible negative impacts of social media. Danelle will take you through these in her 60-minute presentation.
Teens & Screens
The Research
Studies show that self-control is a better indicator of success than intelligence. Learn how to help your child develop these ‘self-control’ brain patterns as it relates to technology. The results being: less anxiety, better sleep, healthier relationships, and improved emotional well-being.
Begin with a basic, yet comprehensive, explanation of adolescent brain development.
Why boredom, downtime, and play are essential for the developing brain.
Learn how technology can impact: sleep, relationships, focus, memory, learning & overall emotional wellness.
Recognize the neurological impact of social media and video games.
How to set healthy boundaries when it comes to screen time (by guiding vs. punishing!)
Understand the importance of modelling healthy "netiquette" as a family.
Begin with a basic, yet comprehensive, explanation of adolescent brain development.
Why boredom, downtime, and play are essential for the developing brain.
Learn how technology can impact: sleep, relationships, focus, memory, learning & overall emotional wellness.
Recognize the neurological impact of social media and video games.
How to set healthy boundaries when it comes to screen time (by guiding vs. punishing!)
Understand the importance of modelling healthy "netiquette" as a family.
The Teenage Brain
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
This 90 minute presentation is designed to provide a thorough understanding of healthy teen brain development. More specifically, it will provide participants how they can directly shape a young growing brain, to avoid things like: anxiety, disordered-eating, obsessive-compulsive patterns, depression, self-harm or maladaptive perfectionism.
Understand the emotional health issues of children & adolescents from a brain development point of view.
How to support high academic achievement, without creating increased anxiety or maladaptive perfectionism.
Why healthy relationships are essential for adolescent well-being.
Why non-catastrophic mistakes & failures are necessary.
Understand why boredom, downtime and play are essential for healthy brain development.
How to help children & teenagers navigate things like good sleep etiquette, technology-use, and other cultural pressures.
Understand the emotional health issues of children & adolescents from a brain development point of view.
How to support high academic achievement, without creating increased anxiety or maladaptive perfectionism.
Why healthy relationships are essential for adolescent well-being.
Why non-catastrophic mistakes & failures are necessary.
Understand why boredom, downtime and play are essential for healthy brain development.
How to help children & teenagers navigate things like good sleep etiquette, technology-use, and other cultural pressures.
Navigating Girl Relationships
(Dis) Connected
Finding Screen-Life Balance in this Digital Time
Social media connects us to people, causes, news, and opens up our world. But what’s on the flip side of being so connected?
There is growing evidence to support the connection between screen time and our relationships, focus and mental health, for members of Gen X through to Baby Boomer. The good news is that there are also research-supported strategies to help us combat the possible negative impacts of social media. Danelle will take you through these in her 60-minute presentation.
Understand the negative impact too much screen time has on all of our brains (not just our kids!)
Why sleeping with your phone is BAD and going to a restaurant without your phone is GOOD.
Learn how to get technology to enhance your life not hinder it.
Figure out how to set boundaries and limit your time on social media.
Gain a better sense of how excessive screen time can negatively impact focus, memory, sleep, relationships, and increase things like anxiety and depression.
Danelle will share her experiences, and proven brain-based tips to help you implement simple changes to promote a healthy relationship with technology and social media.
Presentation can be adjusted according to audience: parent, educator or professional groups.
$600 for a 60-minute presentation followed by a 30-min Q&A period.