Biography of Connie Merritt, RN, BSN, PHN

Worldwide speaker, award-winning author and healthcare expert, Connie Merritt, RN, BSN, PHN, adds value to and enriches your meetings with informative, inspiring, interactive and often humorous programs. Her presentation style promotes using new skills immediately and retaining them longer. As a professional speaker since 1984, she synthesizes the latest research on medicine, psychology, sociology, and business as related to your specific needs. To date, she has helped more than 1 million people work and live better.

Merritt’s presentations bring the latest research on the state of our ailing healthcare systems to corporations and associations. Fields such as genomics, bioinformatics, and pharmacogenics get the full treatment; Merritt explores the options and opportunities for teaching wellness and coordinating patients with their environment, technology, and treatments.

Lifestyle life support. Merritt volunteers weekly teaching Equine Assisted Therapy to physically and cognitively disabled persons. She chairs community fund-raising events that net more than $1,000,000. She founded the Free Clinic in Laguna Beach, which is now fully funded by Orange County.

Other monumental moments include starring in the National Geographic underwater film, The Beauty of Long Point and successfully avoiding collision with a California condor during her first cross-country solo flight. Merritt augmented her American Medical Association scholarship by yearly appearing on Hollywood Squares and she performs a stand-up comedy routine on men, women and relationships. 

Taming the jungles of daily life. Nicknamed “The Lion Tamer” for improving relationships in the workplace and in the home, Merritt’s programs draw from her experience as a nurse, author, coach, speaker, volunteer, sales star, fundraiser, standup comic, actor, wife and recovering superwoman. Connie is part college professor, part philosopher, and part comedienne as she spins humorous, instructive tales while being open and down-to-earth on stage. She’ll link her experiences (such as flying the Goodyear blimp and being a trauma nurse) to lessons and skills you can use.

She’s the author of Finding Love (Again!) The Dating Survival Manual and The Taming Guidebook Series (on difficult people, men and women, stress reduction and desk yoga), contributor to Chocolate for a Woman's Soul and God’s Vitamin C for the Spirit of Women. She volunteers as the nurse on equine facilitated therapy team teaching horseback riding to the physically and mentally disabled. Her next books to be published by McGraw Hill: Raiders of the Lost Spark tackles “busy” as the latest status symbol; offering a practical plan for bringing new vitality, balance, fun and a sense of purpose back into life.

SPEECH TOPICS

"Tame the Lions in Your Life"    Dealing with Complainers, Bullies, Grumps, Curmudgeons and Other Difficult People  
Are difficult people cutting into your productivity and general well being? Would your boss win awards for "Curmudgeon of the Year"or is your co-worker always having a "Whine ‘n Jeez" Party? Difficult people are the "lions" that can tear you apart, decrease your productivity and increase your stress. Identify the one powerful skill for resolving conflict, options for handling hostility and how to reduce frustration, intimidation and manipulation by those who demand, bully, complain or are passive-aggressive. This current, interactive, applicable, energetic program gives step-by-step tools and approaches to use when faced with the frustration, intimidation and manipulation from difficult people. You'll get confidence, professionalism and can-do competence. 
 
"Where is Marcus Welby?" - The Future of Healthcare & Our Ailing Systems
Do you wonder what healthcare will be like in a decade? What will be the impact of technology and healthcare changes be on your future as a healthcare provider? You must be ready for an extensive shift in focus in the management of disease toward concentration on maximizing the length and quality of life. You'll literally be a space-age Marcus Welby – dealing with new fields such as genomics, bioinformatics and pharmacogenics. By examining the ten trends for the future of healthcare, you have tools to flourish while delivering quality attention and care. With the information in this program you explore your options and opportunities for teaching wellness and coordinating patients with their environment, technology and  treatments.