Here is the list of experts who will be presenting at the Conference and Festival and running Workshops and Trainings workshops.
Merv Neal
Merv has owned and operated his own businesses for more than 51 years. Following a work related life threatening health issue in 2002, Merv found out first hand that “Laughter is the Best Medicine”. Check out You Tube The Laughing Man for his full story.
Merv is a Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Researcher, Medically Published Author, Author of the book The Business of Laughter, and runs the Tuesday Online Laughter Club.
- 27th and 28th Oct – Laughter Conference and Joy Festival
- 29th Oct – Workshop: Developing Productive Workplaces by Managing Stress
- 29th Oct – Workshop: Developing the Productive Workplace by Managing Stress using Laughter
- 5th and 6th October: Laughter Leader Training
Bianca Spears
Using a fusion from her training in Life Coaching, Laughter Yoga, Laughter Wellness, Laughnosis and Quantum Play, and a passion for psychology, neuroscience and somatic techniques, Bianca’s approach is enjoyable, effective and science-backed. Over the years, she has empowered entrepreneurs and leaders across the world to build better businesses, change their habits and enrich their bank accounts, relationships, health and lives…all while having fun of course!
Bianca will be presenting: The NeuroPLAYstic Way. This session will explain the cross-section between laughter, play and neuroscience, and leave audience members with a technique to take away and use in their lives for deep transformation.
- 27th Oct – Conference: The NeuroPLAYstic Way.
Dr Rosemary Colston
Rosemary is a psychologist who has been working in private practice since 2011 and done a doctorate research project with the University of the Sunshine Coast. This gave birth to her final study: the Happy Club, which is a ten week facilitated play group for adults focused on delivering the art of play combined with the principles of well-being to participants. Her vision is to have Happy Club operating nationally so that she can do her part to uplift the population during these difficult times while also getting paid to play.
Rosemary will be presenting the results of her research examining the barriers to play experienced in adulthood. She will help the audience to understand the paths they need to take in order to become the adult players they are through their engagement with Laughter Yoga and their other play preferences.
- 27th Oct – Conference: Barriers to Adult Play.
Annie Harvey
Annie is an expert in emotional health and wellbeing with work experience in London, Spain, and Australia. She is known for making the complex simple with her practical and simple strategies to build self-leadership and beat burnout in many ways perhaps you haven’t considered. As well as delivering keynotes across many industries globally and teaching mindfulness to teens and local communities in Adelaide.
Annie will be presenting:The Giggle Game: A mindfulness-based laughter program for 4 to 94 year olds.
- 27th Oct – Conference: The Giggle Game.
Ros Ben-Moshe
Ros is an adjunct lecturer at the School of Public Health and Psychology at La Trobe University and coordinator of a world first Laughter, Resilience, and Wellbeing online short course for professionals. Ros’s latest book is “The Laughter Effect” and her previous book was Laughing at cancer. She is often called on for expert opinion in mainstream media and has written for publications including The Canberra Times, Huffington Post, and Wellbeing Magazine.
Ros will be presenting:The Laughter Effect: How to Build Joy, Resilience, and Positivity in Your Life.
- 27th Oct – Conference: The Laughter Effect.
Spaceman Africa
Spaceman hails from Canberra and acquired his name after an adventurous holiday in Ireland. As a recovered alcoholic he mastered the art of overcoming adversity and found the determination to turn his life around. He currently runs The Laughing Space every Thursday night and also finds laughter and happiness through music by writing and performing comedy rock songs that reflect the funny and unique experiences from his life.
Spaceman will be presenting:Spaceman The Musical: An Interactive and Entertaining Singalong.
- 27th Oct – Conference: Spaceman The Musical.
Jennifer Karlich
Jennifer has taken 55 trips around the sun to grow more fully into her true nature and purpose in order to encourage and create opportunities for others to embrace all parts of themselves. The beauty of her offerings lie in their simplicity and her willingness to trust that if we wake up every day and energetically let the light in, whilst also honouring the shadow parts of our humanness, that wholesome is where the magic abounds. Her presentations will guide us on how to utilise and invent WORDS with humorous intent at the Conference, and then contribute to a WOOD and WOOL collaborative art installation designed to encourage you to befriend your emotions and express yourself at the Joy festival.
Jen will be presenting:Inspired by W (Parts 1 and 2): How to use Words, Wood, and Wool
- 27th Oct – Conference: Inspired by W (Part 1) and 28th Oct- Joy Festival: Inspired by W (Part 2).
Katrina Leigh
Katrina lives in Sydney where she has been a disability worker since 2001, and has now written a book about sharing her story in the hope to help and inspire others. Her book has been written by someone who has experienced more tough times than most. By tackling all the obstacles she’s had to deal with, she has proven that she can overcome almost anything. This book shares her story including the ways she continues to heal the wounds from her past. And in particular how laughter has played (and continues to play) a big part in her life.
Katrina will be presenting:How Laughter Saved Me: A Memoir of Her Story of Survival
- 27th Oct -: How Laughter Saved Me.
Lea Singer
Lea has conducted workshops and classes in aged care centres, with people with disabilities, yoga studios, universities, colleges, workplaces, wellness retreats, and festivals. In her workshops Lea facilitates using the following practices of restorative body movements, elements of Tai Chi, Qigong, Yin Yoga, Laughter Yoga, dancing, lymphatic body and face massage, vocal exercises, and active and sensory meditations.
Lea will be presenting:An interactive workshop for vocational education and training students who study Community Services, Disability, Allied Health Assistance, and Individual Support.
- 28th Oct – Joy Festival: Supporting Happiness, Satisfaction, and Wellbeing.
Mary-Kate Hoogland
Mary-Kate has worked in the health sector for 23 years. As an exercise physiologist she has worked with juvenile justice kids, helping them get motivated and find purpose through exercise. She has incorporated Laughter Yoga into group programs for young children, and works one to one with NDIS participants and troubled youth. Mary-Kate also does Laughter Yoga in schools for kids with disabilities, as well as School Camps for teenagers.
- 27th Oct – Conference: Laughter and Exercise for Children