Narrative Consultant and Presentation Coach

Susan works with C-suite executives and cross-sector professionals as a story catalyst stimulating creative ideas for businesses and brands to use story/narrative for communication and growth. Businesses include DRK Foundation and Fuse Corp in California, and Synectics World in Massachusetts. She serves on the Arts Staff of the annual Bronx Public Defenders Trial Academy in New York. 

Coaching sessions are geared specifically to the speaker’s level of expertise.  “Speaking with an authentic voice” has been the very reachable goal in this work. Crafting the message is a comprehensive affair, paying attention to the details of intent, target audience, grammar, format, sequence, sensibility, and delivery style.

Susan will help you learn to be confident, comfortable, and composed and to deliver your message with purpose and passion. 

Editing

Helping clients say what they mean and mean what they say.

Workshops

Susan Klein is known internationally for her dedication to providing a comfortable yet lively and challenging learning environment where participants thrive. Fueled by her innate sense of humor, she encourages responsibility for effective decision-making, and provides the tools for self-affirmation during the creative process. Natural strengths are celebrated; areas requiring improvement are nurtured with constructive feedback and suggestions. Susan’s critiquing style is intuitive and honest, and her work as a coach is in service to the communication arts.

SPICE OF LIFE—Organizing Memoirs

"Susan Klein is a facilitator who skillfully guides a group with a common goal—reflecting, organizing, and composing their life stories. Therefore, most helpful is the way that Susan functions as the workshop leader. While she has developed a framework with specific session topics, the flexibility within the overall workshop plan allows everyone to work at his or her own pace, pursue personal investigations, share stories through discussion and written work with peers. The combination allows everyone to revisit life events. In the process of reflecting and dredging, “ah ha” moments occur.

"Through the process of learning more about one’s self, Susan intentionally provides information and encouragement for participants to make connections between what was happening within their personal life experiences and the societal/global context within which their livers were occurring. Her gift as a teacher is to wisely provoke and guide the assembled to find their voices—tell their stories. In support of the quest, she provides supplies, templates, buckets of humor, gentle cajoling, and reassurance. The regularity of the weekly workshop session serves to ground the writers so that working on memoir isn’t just a fleeting desire."

–Carol Darcy, Ed. D.

A DASH OF THIS—A PINCH OF THAT
Celebrating the Keeper of the Hearth Through Creating a Family Cookbook

While we organize our recipes from cards, slips of paper, pages crammed in cookbooks—and maybe from Grandma’s treasured recipe file, we explore the nature of providing for our families and friends. We ponder, write, chat, share memories of the spaces where we were nurtured and learned to nurture others. Recipe sharing is welcome!

PUBLIC SPEAKING—Empowering one’s authentic voice and making friends with Center Stage

Participants are provided the opportunity to address the challenges of confidently and effectively speaking before a group. Activities will include work on:  voice maintenance, stage preparation, controlling nerves, proper use of a microphone, and how to develop the confidence and comfort needed to take any stage with poise and power.

OBITUARY WRITING—Getting the Story Straight

This is your chance to write your own life story in the briefest of formats, not necessarily as a chronology, but as a celebration of who you really are. No one knows you the way you do!

STORY WISDOM—Telling the Stories Dearest to Your Heart

This workshop is for intermediate and seasoned storytellers from all walks of life who wish to connect more deeply with their listeners. Examination of repertoire and telling style; learning to transport and be transported by story in its many guises; and tightening and refining the story to cradle your message in the most effective way are just some of the in-depth activities of this workshop.