About Dr. Ann Steiner, Keynote and Workshop Presenter

Ann Steiner, Ph.D., MFT, is a licensed marriage family therapist who has professional and personal experience with chronic physical illness. This makes her a dynamic and powerful speaker invited to give keynote addresses and other talks throughout the US and internationally for medical and mental health organizations, consumer groups and other illness-related organizations. 

Dr. Steiner has published over twenty articles, spoken nationally and taught about the important, yet taboo, topic of preparing for illness, death, relocation and retirement among therapists.  Her writings on the Professional Will have been:

• Cited in The Wall Street Journal
• Included in a textbook entitled, Skilled Empathy: Creating Safety Through Therapeutic Attachment (Gollnick, 2005.)  Additionally her work has been
• Incorporated into the curriculum for FilmTx, a continuing education provider
• Reprinted in the CAMFT journal The California Therapist
• Her 2004 article has been posted on the CAMFT website
• Published in The New Therapist, a journal distributed in South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. [last article linked]

She has presented workshops about coping with chronic medical illness or the Therapist's Professional Will for organizations such as the:

• American Group Psychotherapy Association
• California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
• International Human Learning Resources Network
• California Psychological Association

To see a list of upcoming speaking engagements for therapists, click here to jump down to Upcoming Workshops and Presentations for Mental Health Professionals. You can see a partial list of organizations to which Dr. Steiner has made presentations as well as detailed information on her qualifications and experience on her Biography page.

Please see the page about booking Dr. Steiner for your organization for more information.

Sample Talk Topic Menu

Law & Ethics

• The Therapist's Professional Will: A Practice Necessity?
• Planning for Therapist Absence: Illness, Retirement, or Relocation

• The Rollercoaster of Chronic Illness: How to Add Joy to the Ride
• Understanding the Normal Stages of  Coping with Chronic Illness
• End of Life Issues:  How to Reduce Everyone's Pain
• Helping  Patients and Families  Cope with Progressive Illness
• Caregivers Need Tender Loving Care Too

About  Group Therapy

• What Every Therapist Should Know About Therapy Groups
• The Nuts and Bolts of Starting and Maintaining Healthy Groups

• Believing in Ourselves:  One Woman's Journey From Wheelchair to Motivational Speaker

Sample Presentation Description

1. The Therapist's Professional Will

Title:
How to Write Your Own Therapist's Professional Will: Preparing and Planning for the Expected, Unexpected & Inevitable Absences

Description:
A Therapist's Professional Will spells out your wishes for the continuing care of your patients in your absence.  The concept resonates with helping professionals, but the prospect of putting one in place is daunting.  By completing such a will you will have done everything possible to assure the continuity of care for your patients, will have given yourself peace of mind and reduced the trauma for family and friends.  This keynote presentation gives you the tools to start your own Therapist's Professional Will.

2. Chronic Illness, Aging and Disability Related Topic

Title:
The Rollercoaster of Chronic Illness: How to Add Joy to the Ride 

This presentation will help you:

• Understand normal reactions to illness and disability
  
• Improve your communication skills
• Improve team work with family and friends
• Increase your comfort asking for, giving and receiving help
• Make room for comfort and joy
• Deal more effectively with health care providers
• Increase compassion for yourself and others
• Learn ten tips for the emotional care and feeding of caregivers
• Beware of the hazards of being a care-partner for a loved one
• Know the warning signs of burnout

MEETING PLANNERS, CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEES

Dr. Steiner is passionate about helping patients and therapists live life to the fullest. She gives keynote addresses, leads workshops, is a motivational speaker, and consults with patients, organizations, practicing therapists, attorneys, and health care workers. Any content area can be presented as inspirational keynote presentations, in-service training events, half or all-day workshops, group discussions, etc.

I prefer to design each presentation to address the particular needs of your membership or organization.  Depending on the needs of your membership, the format can include interactive sections, short small group discussions etc.

If you have any questions or want to discuss whether and how I can be of assistance, please feel free to contact me directly by sending an email with your phone number and a variety of times when it would be convenient for me to return your call. 

National Speakers Association