Rebecca Hosey, DC, MS, PA-C

Dr. Rebecca “Becky” Hosey is a licensed chiropractor, physician assistant, speaker, and writer, with degrees from the University at Albany, New York Chiropractic College, and the Le Moyne College Physician Assistant Program. With many years of unique clinical experience, her expertise is in the fields of pain medicine and psychiatry. A life-long learner, Becky has a strong passion for education and has held several academic positions, including Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine.

Becky was diagnosed with Sjögren’s Disease in 2015, and stage four endometriosis in 2021 after years of undiagnosed and severe symptoms. She began sharing her story to inspire others, and is currently writing a memoir documenting her experiences and advocating for patients with chronic illnesses. Becky is a regular speaker in the general public and medical community, and her work is centered around empowering patients to advocate for themselves. In her work with medical professionals, she focuses on the importance of leading with empathy, and on the vulnerability of the patient experience, which can be easily overlooked in the current medical model.

She has appeared on numerous podcasts, news interviews, and has partnered with several autoimmune organizations to share her story. Becky has also been the keynote speaker at various events. She has many published articles, and is a regular blog writer. Becky is the recipient of the 2024 Autoimmune Advocacy Leadership Award (the Autoimmune Association) which was presented during a reception in Washington D.C. She has participated in healthcare reform lobbying while in the Capitol, and during New York State Legislative meetings.

Awards & Honors:

Autoimmune Advocacy and Leadership Award (Autoimmune Association 2024)

Summa Cum Laude Graduate (Le Moyne College 2009)

William G. Allyn Award (“Commemorating Strong Academic Performance, Exemplary Professionalism, Leadership & Community Service” 2008) 

Phi Chi Omega National Chiropractic Honor Society Member (2000-2003)

Clinic Class Representative (New York Chiropractic College 2003)

Speaking Topics

Becky’s keynotes can be tailored to medical professionals or the general public.

Medical Ableism

There has never been a more dire time for the reimagining of disease, especially in light of the growing population suffering from chronic illness and disability. With infrequent discussions occurring in medicine and society, Becky educates and empowers audience members on health related prejudices, and how to eliminate these detriments.

Oh, The Medical Humanity…

An engaging presentation for medical professionals and students alike. Audience members join Becky on a journey through her personal medical mystery to ultimate diagnosis, followed by a discussion of medical humanities and the importance of incorporating these concepts into to everyday practice in order to understand the vulnerable patient perspective.

The Stigma of Health Provider Sickness

A rarely discussed and little- known phenomenon of the unique stigma a medical provider experiences when chronically ill. Becky candidly shares her own personal struggles, as well as uncovering the unwritten truth in modern medicine that healthcare providers are expected to remain healthy, or suffer the consequences of failure.   

Self-Advocating on Your Health Journey

An informative talk for attendees to learn about the importance of self-advocating while navigating medicine. Audience members will discover that healthcare is a consumer based industry, with no greater service more important than their own well-being. Participants will learn to get the most out of their health visits, and how to become empowered patients. 

Sjögren’s Disease: It’s More than Dry Eye & Endometriosis: The Silent Pain.

These individual disease presentations are vital for healthcare providers to learn about two common, but misunderstood conditions. Significant research gaps exist in medicine with respect to women’s health issues, which makes health providers unprepared to properly care for patients. Becky delivers both the patient and provider perspective, as well as essential information that will leave audience members feeling confident and prepared for their next patient encounter.  

Connect with Becky on Social Media:

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube

Medium


Carli Pierson

Carli Pierson is a multi-lingual opinion columnist and editor at USA TODAY, where she writes on a wide range of topics, including parenting (and imperfect motherhood), feminism and sexual and gender-based violence, law and social justice (and racism in policing), mental health and resilience, history (especially ancient Greece, Rome and Sicily), fashion and lifestyle topics (including cannabis), politics, Mexico-U.S. relations, U.S. law, international human rights law, and the war in Gaza. 

Carli is also an experienced moderator and has moderated discussions on abortion rights, WNBA player Brittney Griner’s imprisonment in Russia, qualified immunity and other topics for USA TODAY. 

She recently finished a consultancy for the international feminist NGO, Equality Now, on ending sexual violence in Latin America through good laws, with a special focus on rape laws in the Americas (including Canada and the U.S.). 

Carli was the first person in the U.S. to receive a BA in Islamic World Studies from DePaul University in 2006, and in 2012, received her Juris Doctorate from Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad Law Center, cum laude, with a concentration in international law.  

In addition to academic publications, Carli’s work as a freelance opinion writer and reporter has appeared in: USA Today special edition publications, Open Democracy, Al Jazeera, PBS, Independent UK, National Catholic Reporter, Parents, Romper, Ravishly, and the Women News Network. 

 

SPEAKER TOPICS

Carli approaches serious topics by helping audiences relax with a self-deprecating sense of humor but deep knowledge and compassionate, deeply thought out takes on big, sometimes controversial, issues of the day. She is a vivid storyteller who engages deeply with her audience and takes a solutions-oriented approach to her writing, moderating, and speaking. Carli is available for keynotes in Spanish and English.

  • Sexual and gender-based violence (rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, digital sexual harassment, consent, trauma), gender-based violence (domestic abuse, working with survivors, femicide, parental alienation) from a feminist perspective.
  • Parenting and the difficulties of motherhood in today’s digital, “Instagrammable” society, self-compassion, postpartum depression, “late-bloomers,” and drawing on global parenting concepts from other societies that we can draw on to be better to ourselves and our children.
  • Writing and editing for non-journalism majors: How to get in, get better, get published, and how to be solutions-oriented. 
  • Law: U.S. Law (criminal, family, and immigration), international human rights law and international criminal law as it relates to current issues from Russia’s war on Ukraine, global heating and human rights, rape under international law, and other relevant, timely topics. 
  • Social justice: Racism in policing, gun violence, women’s rights, immigration, the war in Gaza. 
  • Cannabis: social justice issues surrounding its legalization. Lifestyle and cannabis.
  • Politics: Progressive politics and finding humor and areas of agreement across the aisle (can work with conservative audiences on this same issue), political polarization and how it’s hurting our “bottom line.” 
  • Mental health and resilience: Failure and crisis as a source of opportunity

 

BROADCAST MEDIA EXPERIENCE

CNNE (IN SPANISH)

MSNBC – ABORTION BANS IN THE U.S. 

ABC NEWS – PRESSURE ON MOMS TO BREASTFEED
USA TODAY – POLITICS AND FASHION AT THE MET GALA

RADIO ISLAM 

NEWS NATION WITH LEELAND VITTERT – BIDEN PRESIDENCY AND POLLS (STARTING AT 22:21)
SMERCONISH PODCAST – WITH CNN’S MICHAEL SMERCONISH 


Sarah Baldeo

Sarah Baldeo is an experienced neuroscientist, technologist, corporate strategist and entrepreneur, closing on 20 years of leadership experience. She holds an Executive MBA via the University of Toronto, a neuroscience degree from York University, and certifications from Princeton, Ryerson, and University of Illinois. Sarah has successfully founded and exited two consulting firms, while helping three companies IPO. A winner of the 2023 Global Business Elites Top 40 Under 40 Awards, Sarah is currently CEO at IDQ Advisory Group, a boutique IT firm founded in 2010. She lives in Miami, but is a proud Torontonian and recurring guest on Canadian National News for CTV, The Social in Toronto, and CTV Morning Live in Edmonton and Winnipeg.

In 2023 alone, Sarah graced more than 50 stages, gave 24 keynotes, was featured on 960AM radio, and was most recently nominated for the DMZ 2024 Women of the Year Award, as well as the Top 25 Women of Influence Award. You may have even seen her on TV during the Wimbledon Open Commercials!

Sarah has delivered keynotes at TED Conferences, ELEVATE Festival, CBC News, Build a Dream, Gaming Security Professionals of Canada, FEM for STEM, GirlStrong, Powerful Women in Cyber, WomenTech Global, Women in Cyber, Women Enterprise Organizations of Canada, Alberta Women Entrepreneurs, University of Calgary Haskayne Business School and guest lecturing at University of Toronto Rotman Business School.

You can see her in action below: 

The Neuroscience of Vacations on The Social CTV, Canada

Neuroscience of Resilience: Ballistic Process Interruption TEDxTrinityBellwoods 

Media Interviews:

CTV News Winnipeg

CTV News Vancouver

 

Sarah Baldeo’s Speaking Topics

Sarah’s keynotes focus on demystifying tech, science, and change, and illuminating the intersection between neural resilience, innovation, and change management.

  • The Neuroscience of Change

Sarah explores the science behind change; explaining why change is not part of our survival mechanism and what makes it so challenging. Sarah takes the audience on a journey of delving into the mind and the brain; and enables teams with neuroscientific frameworks to enable change, drive innovation, and foster creativity.

  • The Next Frontier of AI: Metacognitive Intelligence 

An overview of Artificial General intelligence and the current landscape of sentient AI, how it’s tested, the results of tests and where self-aware AI is beginning to evolve. The keynote covers the implications for responsible AI and safety as well as concerns around bias in algorithms 

  • Quantum Computing 

What is Quantum Computing? Some experts claim that it will take decades for quantum computers to be real but in late 2024 a 50-Qubit computer is slated to be released. How will quantum computers change our public key infrastructure, how we store data, and how we encrypt sensitive information. What are the risk mitigation approaches we can take in cybersecurity and fraud prevention 

  • AI & Deep Fakes

An overview of multi-factor authentication, KYC/AML, digital identity and the changing landscape of fraud and bias in AI as deep fakes becoming easier to create

Solutions to deep fakes and fraud 

How to detect when ChatGPT or image generation has been used 

  • Neurotechnology – The Next Step 

An overview of the newest neuro-tech available and how it will impact human relationships, brain damage, rehabilitation and the potential to become part of everyday life with wearables and even memory adjustments


Kai Thomas

Kai Thomas is an author and educator. His background and body of work span from land stewardship, carpentry, and small-scale farming to historical research and scholarship.  

His debut novel, In the Upper Country, was awarded the 2023 Atwood Gibson Writers’ Trust prize for fiction and was shortlisted for the Governor General’s Award for Fiction and the Amazon Canada First Novel Award. The work has been featured in news outlets such as NPR, CBC, The New York Times, and the Globe and Mail.

SPEAKING TOPICS

Writing from the Land

How can writing cultivate connection with nature? In this workshop, Kai facilitates exercises of storytelling from the land, offers reflections on how land-based work and play can invigorate and inform writing practice, and opens discussions on the role of storytellers in an era of environmental crisis. 

Approaching the Novel

Novel writing can be a daunting task. In this presentation, Kai makes it less so by speaking candidly about strategies for managing some of the challenges of the process. From topic-selection and drafting techniques to research approaches, participants will learn and engage with valuable perspectives in the craft of prose fiction.

Story-ing the Past

Stories of our past are a powerful way to understand the present. Through personal storytelling and guided reflection Kai holds space to immerse in and meditate on the narratives that have shaped us.

Other topics or types of workshops, consultations, lectures, readings, or interviews may be developed for a particular group or event.

To book Kai Thomas, contact Rob Firing at rob@transatlanticagency.com


Peg Fong

Peg Fong is a journalist and an educator. She is the Vancouver writer for The Economist Magazine, a journalism instructor at Langara College and a business communications lecturer at the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia and Kwantlen Polytechnic University. The former western bureau chief of The Toronto Star, Peg was also a staff reporter at The Globe and Mail, Vancouver Sun and the CBC. In 2020, she was the creator and host of the podcast Alone Together: A Curious Exploration of Loneliness and the author of the young adult book of the same title published in March 2024 by Orca Books. The Spanish version of the show Juntos en Soledad reached the top 10 of the podcast charts in Mexico in 2023. Japanese and Korean versions of the show will launch in 2024.

Her writing has appeared in the Daily Telegraph, The Sydney Morning Herald, New Zealand Herald, the South China Morning Post and The New Quarterly.

Speaking topics

Loneliness and Curiosity

We are living in lonely times. Loneliness is now a global epidemic. The health risks associated with it have cost billions and have factored in everything from cardiovascular diseases to dementia to depression and anxiety. Our sense of isolation is universally recognized, yet it is an intensely private feeling. We all experience loneliness differently. Still, are there things we can share from being alone together? The biggest lessons we can learn about loneliness are found through curiosity and understanding the way we see ourselves and the world around us.

Students and Resilience 

Students today face challenges and distractions that previous generations never did. An increasing number of competing demands on their time and attention can hinder their academic performance. We can’t blame it all on social media. First-generation students have even more unique obstacles and often can’t relate to other students who share the same classroom. Innovative communication and learning techniques can help create communities in the educational environment and bring students together.

Building Social Connections Anywhere at Anytime Through Storytelling 

From boardrooms to classrooms, around family dinner tables, and around the world, the communities created by shared experiences bind us to each other. We can all learn to be better business leaders, colleagues and educators when we listen and become a community through the gift we can all give and receive: storytelling. This talk is a workshop with writing prompts and brainstorming ideas to use stories to solve problems, find solutions and build confidence.

Journalism, Communications and Public Interest

Imagine a world without journalism. Ethical journalism and communications have never been more critical in today’s world. We live in a time when truth and objectivity are considered untrustworthy and unattainable. How can we trump cynicism about how journalists and communicators inform and engage with the public? This talk is an interactive and hands-on workshop where small groups break down how trust is earned and maintained.

Selected Media

CBC TV News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W8HA6wSjrk
Sam Sullivan’s Salon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR1l7o-jU10 
Apostrophe podcast: https://apostrophepodcasts.ca/alonetogether

To book Peg Fong, contact Rob Firing at speakers@transatlanticagency.com.


Brooke Bridges

Brooke Bridges grew up in Los Angeles California as an actress, appearing on TV shows like The Young and the Restless, 90210, Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide, and more. Now, she works as a mental health speaker, having spoken to over 10,000 people ranging in age from 5-65 years old, she works as an entrepreneur making herbal remedies for skin, hair, and self-care through her small business Brooke’s Botanicals, she serves her community as a CSA Assistant Manager at an internationally recognized nonprofit Soul Fire Farm, and she Mothers two young children.

Brooke speaks about what it was like growing up as a child actress and all of the anxiety and worries about perfectionism that came with it. She discusses her own experiences with mental health challenges throughout her childhood and into her young adulthood, and how those manifested in negative coping behaviors such as alcohol abuse and self-harming behaviors, hoping they’d help her escape from the pain she felt.

She discusses how after a cross-country move and a soul crushing breakup, she had planned to take her own life, but miraculously chose to seek help instead. She talks about how feeling completely hopeless actually opens doors for you to do things you never thought possible, and once you begin to realize that real change is available for you, you can be vulnerable and figure out how to turn your challenges into your greatest tools.

Brooke speaks from a place of understanding, love, and a reverence for nature, plant medicine, and an unwavering faith in our own ability to connect with our true selves and with one another to bring about personal and collective healing. Loves to speak about anxiety, vulnerability and healing through storytelling, the impacts of social media on our mental health, how you can’t judge a book by it’s cover, especially yourself, and anything about herbalism and nature immersion and how those things can contribute to our overall wellbeing.

Speaking Topics

Don’t Judge A Book by it’s Cover

In this talk, Brooke discusses what it was like growing up as a child actress, and her own struggles with mental health challenges when she was a teenager. She talks about how looks can be deceiving, and how the stress of saying and doing things the way other people wanted her to impacted not only her childhood, but the rest of her life.

She hopes that her vulnerability will allow others to truly see her, and to feel seen themselves, and she shares tips for developing self-care and self-compassion so that others might show us the same.

Do I Hate My Body? Or Am I just on Social Media?

Studies show that the average US teen spends 4.8 hours a day on social media, and nearly 70% of those teens are on it, despite it causing them to feel anxious, stressed, and depressed. 3 out of 4 children as young as 12 say that they dislike their bodies, because of triggering content they see on social media.

Growing up as an actress, model, and entertainer, Brooke endured severe disordered eating, unhealthy self-image, and body dysmorphia as a teenager. In this talk, Brooke talks about the parallels between being an actress and being a young, impressionable social media user who is presenting a curated version of themselves in order to be accepted, how these pressures inevitably lead to feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt and how to overcome body image issues through being mindful and present in your amazing body.

Shame: Our Imperfections are Perfect

In this keynote, Brooke talks about how Shame has played a role in her healing, and how at times it has made healing hard because she almost felt like she didn’t deserve to feel better because of the negative coping mechanisms she used in the past to deal with her anxiety and depression.

Brooke shares the scary feelings of shame, and how to overcome them through recognizing behaviors that trigger feelings of shame and how to breed self-compassion despite those feelings of shame.

Healing through Nature

As an herbalist, farmer, and nature-lover, Brooke shares the magic of nature with audiences in hopes they utilize it as a resource for healing. This is a presentation best done outside when the weather is nice.

Brooke will lead participants on a foraging walk where they will identify wild medicinal plants, and learn grounding techniques in nature.

If desired, a gardening workshop where participants can plant their own flowers with pots, seeds, and soil provided by Brooke will be present.

To book Brooke Bridges, contact Rob Firing at rob@transatlanticagency.com


Matthew Dawkins

Matthew is a Jamaican award-winning author and poet whose writing explores subject matters including adolescence, race, nationhood, and mental health. His short story about a brave and relentless Black girl is featured in the forthcoming THE ANNETHOLOGY, a collection of Anne of Green Gables re-imaginings (Acorn Press, 2024).

In Matthew’s debut YA novel UNTIL WE BREAK (Wattpad Books, 2022), a Black ballet dancer grapples with grief after a potentially career-ending injury and the death of her best friend. Matthew is currently at work on an adult novel about queerness and masculinity in World War II–era Jamaica.

His work has been featured in Westwind Poetry, Indolent Books, Pinhole Poetry, and in advertising campaigns for Western University and IKEA. Matthew was the 2022-2023 Student Writer in Residence at Western University, where he graduated with a B.A. in Arts and Humanities and English Literature.

Selected Speaking Topics

Spoken Word
In his performances, Matthew combines traditional poetic forms with contemporary subject matters such as adolescence, race, ecology, nationhood, and mental health. His engaging style is influenced by Toni Morrison and Amanda Gorman, and encourages audiences to snap, hum, and nod along. Matthew’s poetry is suitable for ages 16 and up.

Moderating
Matthew is an avid reader, interviewer, and moderator with a passion for exploring the intersection of literature and diverse cultural experiences. His B.A. in English Language and Literature, as well as his lived experience, equip him with a deep understanding of the realities of diverse youth, particularly within the Jamaican/Caribbean and immigrant communities. Matthew’s insightful questions and ability to create a welcoming atmosphere allow audiences to engage deeply with topics such as identity, belonging, and culture. His passion and intention ensures every event is thought-provoking and enlightening.

Your Voice is a Key – Start Opening Doors
For Matthew, classrooms represent more than just homework and required reading; they are spaces where problem-solving skills and creative thinking are developed. In this session, Matthew uses interactive storytelling exercises to empower students, helping them refine their voices and showcasing how their passion and ideas can make a real difference. This workshop is ideal for students ages 12 and up.

In Defense of Storytime: Why We Need More Art in Schools
Matthew’s writing career can be credited to approximately ten staff rooms; worth of teachers who not only sharpened his talent but also supported him with resources. His experience forms the bedrock for this discussion on the significance of deliberately fostering creative talent among young people. In this session, Matthew will underscore the transformative power of a strong arts education and explore how and why adults, mentors, teachers, and administrators can support students’ creativity.

The Art of Self-Care
In this session, Mathew facilitates a brave space to help professionals explore the therapeutic benefits of creative writing and reconnecting with their inner artists. Through a series of hands-on activities, organizations will learn how to use art as a tool for self-care, stress relief, and personal growth. This session will leave teams feeling refreshed, inspired, and ready to tackle professional and personal challenges with renewed creativity and resilience.

To book Matthew contact Léonicka Valcius at leonicka@transatlanticagency.com


Riley Yesno

Riley Yesno (she/her) is a queer Anishinaabe scholar, writer, and commentator, from Eabametoong First Nation and Thunder Bay, Ontario.

She is highly sought after for her words and analysis— called an “Indigenous powerhouse” by the Toronto Star, “one of the brightest young minds in Canada today” by jury members of the Canadian Journalism Foundation, and “a rising intellectual giant by the University of Toronto.

She has been a contributor and commentator for some of the largest media outlets in Canada and the world, including the New York Times, BBC World News, The Globe and Mail, and CBC National News. Riley has also travelled the globe speaking at internationally renowned institutions and events, including the UN climate negotiations, the Stockholm Forum on Gender Equality, TEDx stages, and many others.

She has taught Indigenous governance at Toronto Metropolitan University and is completing her PhD at the University of Toronto, where she is studying Indigenous / Canadian politics and is a Vanier Scholar. Riley is at work on the proposal for her first book of non-fiction, which will look critically at reconciliation in Canada, interwoven with her lived experience.

SPEAKING TOPICS

Beyond Reconciliation
It has been almost ten years since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its Final Report and launched Canada’s reconciliation project into the country’s political and social consciousness. What progress has been made? Where have we failed to take action? In this talk, Riley charts the trajectory of reconciliation from its inception to the present— highlighting Indigenous people’s critiques and the work we must all do to go beyond reconciliation as it has been pursued to date.


The Future is Indigenous
Too often, Indigenous people are wrongly viewed as ‘past people’— stuck in a time of pre-colonization and unable to adapt to the modern world. In this presentation, Riley shows that Indigenous people are, contrary to this racist belief, one of the most adaptable people out there— surviving apocalypse after apocalypse and adapting to every change brought on by colonization— Indigenous people have never let up on their commitment to realizing futures where we all thrive. Drawing on a concept called ‘Indigenous Futurism, ‘ Riley will explain how Indigenous art and activism are writing the story of a bold new future— today.


Indigenous Queerness: The Colonizers Brought the Closet
Over the past few decades in North America, the term ‘two-spirit’ (2S) has been increasingly recognized. As a queer Indigenous person herself, in this talk, Riley aims to break down what ‘two-spirit’ means, where it came from, and common misconceptions of the identity. She will also highlight how colonization has impacted all of our understandings of gender and sexuality and challenge audiences to decolonize their relationships to gender and sexuality as well— whether you’re Indigenous or not.


#LandBack
How did an internet joke turn into a rallying call for Indigenous action that spans across the continent? This is the story of Land Back: Building off of a longstanding history of refusal of the settler-colonial status quo, Land Back has become a point of connection for supporters of Indigenous self-determination and, increasingly, for those who see Indigenous leadership as the world’s greatest hope against climate destruction. This talk will outline how Land Back came to be and how it fits into the larger story of Indigenous contestation, provide examples of Land Back in action, and suggest ways we can all take part in the growing movement.


Lessons in Youth Leadership
Riley was only sixteen years old when she started taking up prominent leadership roles in Canada and around the world. From the Prime Minister’s table and UN negotiating rooms to grassroots youth movements, she’s learned many lessons about what it means to be a truly strong and honourable leader. Drawing on these experiences and teachings from an Anishinaabe worldview, this talk asks audiences to deeply consider questions like: How do you define leadership? How do you move through challenges with integrity? Is leadership about having a seat at the table, or should we be challenging the idea of ‘the table’ altogether?


Transforming Education for Indigenous Peoples
In Canada, we know that public education is not serving Indigenous people in the way it should, even as the statistics improve from year to year. From the closing of the last residential school in 1997 to now, Indigenous people continue to have high school graduation rates far below our non-Indigenous counterparts, and Indigenous representation in higher learning is even further behind. How do we overcome this? How can we decolonize the classroom— both the physical environment and the learning approach— so that all students not just pass, but feel empowered and seen by their education?


Murdered and Missing: Canada’s Failure to Protect Indigenous Women, Girls, and Queer People
The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people was released to the general public in 2019, but it had been a conversation in Indigenous communities for much longer than that. In this talk, Riley traces the history of injustice against Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people from the onset of colonization to now. The goal is to look beyond the data and the public reports and ask bigger questions like: How can we build communities and worlds that truly value non-violence, consent, and accountability?

To book Riley, please reach out to speakers@transatlanticagency.com


Rahim Thawer

Rahim Thawer (he/him) works as a psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, EDI consultant, facilitator and public speaker, sessional lecturer, writer, and community organizer. He began working in the HIV/AIDS sector in 2008 and dedicated over a decade to LGBTQ Muslim community organizing. He was welcomed as an International Visiting Scholar with the South African College for Applied Psychology (SACAP) for the 2021-2022 academic year and has taught as a lecturer at multiple universities in Canada. He’s an appointed Fellow at the Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies at the University of Toronto for his contributions to the field of sexuality.

He was a co-editor and contributor for an anthology entitled Any Other Way: How Toronto Got Queer, which was shortlisted for the 2017 Toronto Book Awards. He’s currently working on books under contract with Thornapple Press and Blue Cactus Press. His self-published essays on shame and sexuality, the social and sexual dimensions of envy, supporting LGBTQ Muslims, and the nuances of doing clinical work in communities you belong to can be found on Medium.

SPEAKING TOPICS

Rahim has spoken on over 35 topics related to queerness, identity, social justice, mental health, harm reduction, psychotherapy, social work practice, and cultural awareness. He uniquely combines EDI topics with the lens of psychological well-being.

BEING ANTI-OPPRESSIVE IN OUR FIELD
We all offer critical front-line services for people who are vulnerable and who need very real forms of support. In the public sector, we encounter people who are constantly enduring the systems and cycles of poverty, abuse, addiction, and illness. While we aim to “meet people where they’re at” we can sometimes falter and forget to reflect on our relative position in the world to the people we work with. Further, we may feel helpless or fatigued to consider the position we’ve been placed in to support individuals who are up against grating systems. Talks that explore anti-oppression concepts focus on power, privilege and oppression and consider how they operate in our world for both our clients and ourselves.

MANAGING VICARIOUS TRAUMA
Talking about trauma has become a big business for good reason. However, it’s useful to take a step back from the jargon and explore the concepts of trauma, trauma-informed, and vicarious trauma. This talk invites participants to examine the roots of trauma and sources of vicarious trauma in their own industry followed by a discussion of micro- and meso-level interventions needed to support individuals. Rahim will present a model for creating healthy boundaries and a burnout prevention plan.

QUEER MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH
We often reduce mental health to diagnostic labels, wellness to the absence of symptoms, and queer men’s health to prevalence rates. If we take an exploratory approach to mental health and wellness we can begin to unravel some of the specific determinants of mental health concerns that affect GBTQ2S guys. As a racialized queer psychotherapist, Rahim examines 13 unique determinants that queer men come up against that impact their well-being. These will include but are not limited to, internalized shame, body image, substance use, ageing, and the landscape of connection-seeking.

OTHER COMMONLY REQUESTED TOPICS
Shame and sexuality; Supporting family members when someone comes out; The matrix of envy; Body image and wellbeing; Innovation in queer relationships; The meaning of substance use in our lives.


Pauline Dakin

Pauline Dakin is the bestselling author of Run, Hide, Repeat: A Memoir of a Fugitive Childhood which won the prestigious 2018 Edna Staebler Prize for Creative Non-fiction. It was also named one of the best 100 books of 2017 by The Globe and Mail.

Run, Hide, Repeat is also the subject of a five-part podcast series of the same name with CBC Podcasts. Amazon called it one of the best podcasts of the year.

In addition, the memoir is the subject of an upcoming feature documentary and is  being adapted as a feature film.

Pauline is a professor of journalism at the University of King’s College, where she specializes in teaching audio and podcasting. She is a fellow of the MIT/Knight Science Journalism program (Cambridge, Mass.) on Medical Evidence.

She’s an award-winning journalist who was for many years a trusted voice on health and medical issues as a reporter for CBC National News. She was also the long-time host of the CBC regional documentary program Atlantic Voice.

Pauline’s reporting and documentary work have been recognized with many regional and national awards.

She lives in Halifax with her husband and their two dogs.

Speaking Topics:

Resilience and Overcoming Hardship (Mental Health)

Resilience, or the ability to cope with and recover from difficulties, is one of the fastest-growing and evolving areas of psychological research. Pauline Dakin shares the story of her chaotic childhood as a lens through which to examine the factors that confer resilience, and approaches that can help people develop it in their own lives. Pauline was told her family was on the run from the Mob, necessitating secret moves without goodbyes to family and friends. The truth was even more bizarre, launching a years-long quest for answers and acceptance.

Delusional Disorder: The Worst Mental Illness You Never Heard Of (Mental Health)

After Pauline published her memoir Run, Hide, Repeat, detailing the exquisitely complex and nuanced delusions that hijacked her family’s lives, she heard from people around the world who’d had similar, if less dramatic experiences. They were relieved to have a possible explanation. Delusional disorder is under-recognized and under-studied, and can be present in people who are high-functioning and appear normal. Because it’s hard to spot, it can pose particular risks to families caught up in the dysfunction. Delusional disorder has been suggested as a diagnosis for cult leader Jim Jones who lead the mass murder/suicide at Jonestown, Guyana in 1978, or more recently the man responsible for the 2020 mass murder in Nova Scotia. Learn about the sub-types of delusional disorder and the remarkable and sometimes horrifying ways in which they impact sufferers and those around them.

Podcasting: Connection for the Ears (Technology and Media)

Everyone wants to make a podcast. This still-growing medium is a way to deeply connect with audiences, whether for journalistic, educational, or marketing purposes. But podcasting is a noisy environment, with millions available to stream and the vast majority of them not connecting. Pauline is the host, co-writer and co-producer of the podcast Run, Hide, Repeat, based on her book of the same name. Amazon named it one of the best podcasts of 2022, and it was the #1 podcast on Apple Podcasts. Learn about the podcasting landscape and what it takes to cut through the noise and grab your audience by the ears.

Misinformation and Disinformation: Countering Fake News in Health Care

The pandemic has shown clearly the risks and harms of false claims and conspiracy theories (ie. Bill Gates’ vaccine chips or bleach treatments.) It’s never been more important to find ways of countering science-deniers and elevating critical thinking. Pauline is a former national health reporter who’s been involved in teaching medical students how to counter evidence-denial and vaccine hesitancy. She uses this experience to help frame and address the problem, particularly in relation to health and medicine.

Storytelling for Scientists: How to Make Your Research Understandable to the Public

We live in an age of disinformation in which science-denying and logic-defying stories proliferate. The pandemic has both exemplified and exacerbated this trend. It’s up to people with knowledge and evidence to share it in a way that is accessible and understandable to the public. Pauline uses her experience as a former CBC health reporter, and a fellow of the MIT Knight Science Journalism program on medical evidence, to help scientists frame understandable messages to share what they know and counter forces of disinformation.

To book Pauline Dakin, contact Rob Firing at speakers@transatlanticagency.com.