Speaking Engagements
Most Recent Talks

A Snapchat Worthy Life: The Pitfalls of Seeking Moments to Post Rather than Experience

Centering Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-Oppressive Clinical Practice

Your Blueprint for Happiness: Keys for Creating a Well Lived Life

The Trailblazer Experience: Impostor Syndrome and Self-Care for Graduate Student Pioneers

Recognizing and Responding to Microaggressions
*All talks can be tailored to other audiences
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Talks
Social Justice 101: The Long Road to Liberation
SUMMARY
Many people are aware of and use the term “Social Justice”, but are the truly aware of the historical and cultural lineage of the term or the major events that have gotten us to this term?
This presentation is a guided exploration from overt hate and oppression to equity and the concept of liberation as the highest goal.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Ability to define the following terms: diversity, inclusion, and justice
- Ability to articulate the difference between equality and equity.
- Identify key points in civil rights and social justice history
- Gain a larger concept of what justice is.
Responding to Microaggressions
SUMMARY
This presentation begins with an overview of what Mircoagressions are, the types, why they occur, and the common psychological impacts they have based on the research of Derald Wing Sue Ph.D. This is where most other training stop. The majority of the time is spent assisting employees, students; faculty, clinicians, or staff consider their options of actually responding to the event either in the moment or afterward. I present a flow chart to help with the decision-making process and feeling empowered to speak one’s truth. The best part of the training are the role-plays. This is why this training has gained so much popularity and positive feedback. We actually get to practice as a group, and work out real examples, unique dynamics, and difficulties in real time. The types of microaggressions are tailored to the audience.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Be able to define and identify microagressions
- Understand the short-term and Long-term mental health impacts of microaggressions
- Identify ones options for responding
- Appreciate that one can commit as well as be a victim of microaggressions
- Practice in responding
- Acquire new language
- Increase feelings of autonomy and empowerment for dealing with this situation directly and as a bystander.
The Trailblazer Experience: Managing Impostor Syndrome
SUMMARY
Many of us feel fraudulent in our abilities. Instead of accepting this anxiety provoking phenomena of impostor syndrome, we can learn how to harness doubt and courageously blaze a path that is unique. This presentation defines Impostor Syndrome and then redefines it as The Trailblazer Experience.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Acquire the ability to explain Impostor Syndrome phenomena.
- Identify the psychological impact to mental health.
- Define and understand how being a Trailblazer is different.
- Employ the presented skills for anxiety management and thriving with uncertainty.
Black Lives Matter: Treating Trauma within the Black Community
SUMMARY
This workshop begins with a difficult and honest historical review of how Black lives have NOT mattered in this country. An education of the origins and mission of BlackLivesMatter is provided. The focus shifts to attend to the students, staff and employees of color that are impacted and best practices to counsel and support them. The H.E.R.S. model is taught as a framework for clinicians and managers to approach this topic.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Understand the historical context of BlackLivesMatter
- Become aware of the effect of watching black death on television.
- Practice having courageous conversations about oppression.
- Integrate the H.E.R.S model into existing constructs of providing support.
Social Class 101
SUMMARY
We do not talk about money, but in this workshop we will. Answering question like: how is socioeconomic status defined and measures? What is the difference between wealth and income? What is the role of education? And how is class related to how people are treated and feel about themselves?
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Ability to define the following terms: SES, upward mobility, classism, and meritocracy.
- Ability to articulate the role of social class and income inequality in society.
- Identify ones own class history and experiences.
- Gain a larger concept of how social class fits into the social justice agenda.
- Identify how class intersects with other social identities such as race, gender, nationality, ability status, religion etc.
The Forgotten “ism”: Social Class Status and Classism on Campus
SUMMARY
We all have a social class identity and culture. Social class and money has always been taboo to talk about and this workshop gets to the heart of this discomfort. Economic inequality and classism is one of the largest and pervasive forms of oppression and it is time we recognize and reconcile the impact of classism in our classrooms, relationships, workplace and community.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Ability to define social class as a cultural variable
- Identify one’s social class status
- Define the 3 types of classism
- Develop awareness to one’s own classist behaviors
- Gain the ability to acknowledge and minimize classist behaviors and ideology
Support Student Mental Health and Creating Inclusive Classroom
SUMMARY
Professors, Lecturers and TAs should strive to make the classroom an environment where all students call learn regardless of identity and mental health history. This workshop shares the fundamentals to creating inclusive classrooms for students with Anxiety and Trauma histories
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Learn the diagnostic criteria for anxiety and trauma and how it can manifest in the classroom.
- Tangible examples on inclusive syllabi and classroom activities
- Acquire the ability to model nonjudgmental teaching
- Identify when a student needs more support and how to refer to professional services
Workshops & Trainings
Self-Care for Women in STEM
SUMMARY
“Self-Care” has become a buzz word. This workshop offers a new perspective on the biological and psychological importance of replenishing particularly for women in a male dominated filed.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Define and identify what is true self-care
- How to develop a personalized and sustainable self care plan.
- Understand what happens when we do not engage in self and community care
- How to advocate for systems Self Care (self care needs supported by your department or agency)
True Self-Care for Educators
SUMMARY
A great deal of attention is place on the STEM disciplines, yet teachers and educators are unsung heroes that often need more replenishing than they have time for. This workshop acknowledges the rigor of an educator schedule and offers tangible tools to recharge.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Define and identify what is true self-care
- How to develop a personalized and sustainable self-care plan.
- Understand what happens when we do not engage in self and community care
- How to advocate for and Systems Self Care (self care needs supported by your department or agency)
Activism and Self-Care
SUMMARY
The duties of an activist can seem like a never job. However, if one does not manage their own well-being, the work for the cause will suffer. This workshop teaches activist how to fight the good fight without getting fighter’s fatigue.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Defining and expanding what it means to be an activist
- Identifying signs of burnout
- Addressing activist guilt
- Understand the role of delegation and how to do it well.
- Learn how to maintain stamina and vision
Clinician's Workshops
SUMMARY
Cultural competence is a practice and never a destination. Learn how to embody a stance of anti-oppressive practice toward all clients.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Recognize and articulated the role of one’s own identity in the therapy relationship.
- Identify personal areas or privilege and disadvantage
- Define and recognize true cultural competence from case vignettes.
- Understand the nuance and case by case nature of cultural competence
- Acquire the ability to craft culturally competent interventions in role-plays
Incorporating Social Class into therapy
SUMMARY
The climate of college mental health has changed. Our student need a variety of services. Outreach has emerged as leading intervention, yet many clinicians still feel hesitant to engage with students outside of the office. This training will equip and empower event the introverted therapist to shine and share their expertise with students, campus partners or community members.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Identify the various forms of outreach
- Gain skills creating an outreach program from scratch
- Acquire confidence and skills on facilitating a outreach program
- Learn tips on advertising, funding and evaluating outreach programs
Clinician and Client Identity Matching
SUMMARY
A hushed and fervent debate happening in clinical offices everywhere is how best to match clients with clinicians? How much does similarities of ethnicity influence the therapeutic alliance? How should you answer this question ethically and with cultural competence? Explore the answers to these questions in this training.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Understand the recent literature on the topic
- Reflect upon and articulate personal opinions and experiences
- Learn how to conduct a more precise assessment of fit at intake
- Discover the questions you’re afraid to ask, but ought to ask.
- Identify how to spot when you are not practicing within your cultural competence and what to do about it
Testimonials
Hire Dr. O’Reilly to Speak
Please complete this form to book Dr. O’Reilly for a speaking engagement.
Speaking Topics:
- Mental Health and Wellness Keynotes
- Diversity, Social Justice Training & Workshops
- Motivation & Procrastination
- Graduation speeches
- Compassion
- Happiness
Sponsors








Use this form to get in touch with Meag-gan for speaking, consulting, group therapy, or individual therapy.