Dr. Lisa Bélanger

Speaking topics

Presentations listed below include in-person and virtual keynotes, as well as workshops, fireside chats, and other presentation formats.

• Leading from the Edge: Innovative Strategies for Thriving in Turbulent Times

  We find ourselves in a unique era, tasked with leadership in an unprecedented world. The ever-evolving landscape of technology, work settings, and challenges renders even the most advanced leadership training quickly outdated. Even the most accomplished mentors are navigating uncharted waters. What skills should we cultivate to foster meaningful dialogues and leverage diverse perspectives? How can we prioritize the well-being of those under our guidance?

  In this keynote address, Dr. Lisa Bélanger delves into the art of learning and leading amidst the constant flux of technology and the rapid pace of change. She explores strategies not only for enhancing personal mental agility but also for nurturing the mental agility of our teams. Furthermore, Bélanger discusses how to mentally equip ourselves for the future of work, where disruption is the norm.

• Inclusive Minds, Productive Teams: Nurturing Mental Health Inclusivity at Work

  This keynote is about channeling compassion into workplace policy to make these spaces more inclusive for neurodivergent people and those struggling with mental health challenges.

  Dr. Lisa Bélanger will connect the sciences of organizational management, social psychology, and neuroscience to illustrate how mental wellness is a function of both an individual’s brain and the environment they operate within. With a touch of humour, the audience will learn why it’s in everyone’s best interest to support mental wellness and why the workplace is the perfect place to maximize the impact of these investments.

  Audiences will leave with strategies to increase workplace inclusivity for people with differently wired brains — simple changes that can help better support people with ADHD, burnout, depression, and anxiety.

• The Power of Agility: Crafting Resilient, Strong Minds

  In this captivating keynote, Dr. Lisa Bélanger explores proactive strategies for mental health, peak performance, and the future of work. She outlines a user-friendly guide to unlocking our brain’s potential for enhanced mood and productivity, and to prevent or recover from burnout, grounded in psychology, neuroscience, and workplace research with cutting-edge insights and practical takeaways.

  Learn about the transformative impact of habits, systems, and work designs that bolster proactive mental health and optimize work performance, and explore how, together, we can elevate each other to reach our fullest potential and lead sustainably in today’s ever-evolving work landscape.

• Adaptive Minds: How Your Brain Thrives in Times of Change

  Our brains are finely tuned to flourish when exposed to a delicate blend of routine and novelty. However, the demands of both work and life often disrupt this equilibrium. So, the question arises: How can we equip ourselves and our teams to thrive amidst constant change?

  In this enlightening presentation, Dr. Lisa Bélanger delves into actionable behaviors that can enhance our capacity for clear thinking, productivity, resilience, sustained motivation, and the avoidance of overwhelm. Drawing from the realms of psychology, behavioural science, and neuroscience, she guides audiences in creating an environment, fostering a community, and nurturing teams that excel in high-stress situations and prolonged periods of pressure. Additionally, audiences learn practical tools to fortify mental strength and performance during times of transformation and change.

• Catalysts of Transformation: Change Starts from the Top

  Change is almost always met with resistance, fear, and the attempt to avoid the unknown. Change in a workplace starts from the top down. With a lack of leadership “buy in”, communication, and modelling, many change programs are destined for disaster. As senior leaders or middle management, how do you effectively lead through change and uncertainty?

  Dr. Lisa Bélanger shares key techniques leaders can use to inspire and facilitate corporate change, illustrated by case studies that show how leaders can model behaviours at work (virtual, hybrid, or in-person) that have a direct, positive impact on an organization’s bottom line.

  Beyond personal influence, this talk explores how to set up a physical and social environment and culture to support desired change. Bélanger will lead audiences through what questions to ask and how to develop a clear strategy and understand your role in implementing sustainable, meaningful change for teams and organizations.

• Reimagining Work: Considerations, Skills, Habits and Work Design

  The way we work has fundamentally shifted. Questions we have been asking about the future of work are forced into our present. Companies, teams, and individuals have been offered an opportunity to reflect and redesign work. We will explore the questions and logistics you can be thinking through to make work more enjoyable, productive and meaningful.

  The last two years have emphasized that change is the only constant. As we approach yet another large shift, Dr. Lisa Bélanger explores the behaviours we can implement to optimize our ability to think clearly, be productive and resilient, stay driven, and avoid being overwhelmed. Drawing on psychology, behavioural science, and neuroscience, she’ll walk you through how we can set up our environment, community, and teams to perform well in high-stress situations and when under long-term stress; and how we can use simple tools to increase our mental strength and performance in periods of change.

• Conscious Connections: Unlocking Transformative Potential Collaboration and Community

  In this captivating and thought-provoking keynote, Dr. Lisa Bélanger explores the profound influence of community and connection, both within and beyond the realm of work. She emphasizes the undeniable impact of human connections on mental well-being, career advancement, and overall life satisfaction. Drawing upon the latest research and global case studies, this presentation illuminates the importance of cultivating a supportive, psychologically safe, and collaborative environment as a cornerstone of personal and professional success.

  Attendees will gain a profound appreciation for the indispensable role that community plays in our lives and acquire practical strategies for nurturing meaningful connections. These insights will empower individuals to forge a path towards a more fulfilling and thriving work and personal life, aligning with the age-old wisdom that, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.”

• Unworking Wisdom: High Performance Dynamics of Work and Rest

  This talk serves as a comprehensive user’s guide to achieving high performance by redefining the conventional relationship between work and rest. Drawing from extensive research in psychology, neuroscience, and behavioural medicine, this keynote underscores that work and rest are not distinct, mutually exclusive endeavours but rather integral components of a holistic approach to productivity and well-being.

  By acknowledging and embracing their interconnectedness, this presentation unveils straightforward methods for enhancing both work and rest within the constraints of our busy lives. Through practical capacity-building strategies that can seamlessly integrate into already demanding schedules, individuals can effectively reduce stress, enhance their overall well-being, and achieve outstanding results — all while maintaining a surplus of energy.

• Workshop: Burnout Prevention and Recovery

  This is a four-hour in-person/virtual workshop.

  We all exist somewhere on the spectrum of peak performance to burnout. Burnout is characterized by emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and detachment from work/inefficiencies, and can have a profound impact on executive function such as decision making, self control, and communication. It results in uncontrolled stress.

  Physicians were reporting almost two times the burnout rates of other professions prior to the pandemic, with preliminary data demonstrating that the pandemic has amplified workplace stress and burnout.

  Burnout prevention is proactive, and recovery is a hands-on process, yet we are rarely taught how to properly do either. The good news is that there are skills, habits, and work designs that aid in recovery from burnout and facilitate burnout prevention.

  Based on psychology, neuroscience, and behavioural medicine, we know a shift in mindset, developing social and environmental systems in work and beyond can allow for a more effective approach to work. This session focuses on building a personalized guide with practical application and skill development.

  Learning outcomes:

  • To explain the signs and symptoms of burnout.
  • To identify the six contributors to burnout.
  • To describe the impacts of burnout on the body and mind.
  • To describe how to mitigate stress to optimize recovery.
  • To identify how systems, companies, and teams impact burnout.
  • To formulate a proactive plan to reduce the risk of developing burnout within yourself and within your team.

  This course is for physicians looking for practical science-based strategies on how to prevent and recover from burnout.

• Workshop: Burnout for Leaders

  This is a two-hour in-person/virtual workshop.

  Facing burnout as a leader while trying to support teams and individuals also experiencing burnout is an impossible feat. Burnout affects everyone, and leaders are no exception. How do you care for yourself and your team when the work keeps coming and the future is ever changing? How do you make fundamental changes that prevent burnout from causing more damage in the future?

  This workshop focuses on step-by-step, strategic plan development for addressing burnout within leaders and their teams. Participants will walk away knowing how to:

  • List, understand, and identify the contributing factor to burnout unique to leadership.
  • Describe your own daily recovery plan specific to leaders.
  • Identify your role and influence on creating a culture for proactive mental health and resilience.
  • Formulate a proactive plan to help prevent burnout within your organization and team(s).

  This workshop is geared towards leaders and administration looking for practical science-based strategies on how to prevent and recover from burnout for both themselves and their teams.