Book Karen Drake for your event

Karen Drake

BSc(Hons); PhD; Dip. TCM; Cert. CIPD Learning & Development; Dip. Development Training; Dip. NLP & Hypnotherapy; Cert. Positive Impact Coaching; Cert. Complementary Therapist

Inspiring, motivating talks…overcoming challenge, achieving goals, positive thinking, performing through change, and teamwork…

“Karen is an inspirational speaker and has converted many an audience to look at diversity and disability with fresh and positive eyes.” Shane Winser, Head of Expedition Advisory Centre, Royal Geographical Society – Institute of British Geographers

Karen believes that life is an exploration…an adventure to be enjoyed and learned from. As a keen runner and mountaineer, she was paralysed in a rock-climbing accident and despite the challenges of combining wheels with wilderness, she was compelled to continue escaping the world of concrete for the inspiration of the natural environment. Along the way she has hand-cycled across the Central Asian and Himalayan mountain ranges, the length of the Japanese archipelago, and kayaked Alaska’s Inside Passage. Karen completed her most ambitious project to date in June 2006– a journey into the Arctic Wilderness. She became the first paralysed woman to ski across the Greenland icecap in a sit-ski. Karen joined five able-bodied adventurers in what has been billed as the "first inclusive traverse" of the icecap by a British woman. The crossing went from near Tasilaq on the east coast to Kangerlussuaq on the west.

Becoming paralysed radically changed Karen’s life and was a ‘wake-up’ call for her, and catalysed her interest in human development. She is passionate about people, and the development opportunities which life offers to us. Karen is a qualified hypnotherapist, NLP and motivation coach, complementary therapist and eight years experience with a multinational in a learning and development role. She focuses on helping people be all they can be – unlocking the energy and potential that lies within us all. Karen is an inspiration and motivation to others who begin to view their mental obstacles as insignificant in comparison to the challenges and ventures which have become a part of her life.

Karen is currently working on her book “My Divine Spine”, a biographical story which aims to motivate people facing trauma or challenge to find strength in adversity and see the positive side of even the most difficult events. Her first book was also a biographical story highlighting the futility of asking “What If?” and the importance of finding courage to leave the past behind.

Karen is committed to breaking down the barriers that prevent disabled people from experiencing the outdoors, and the knowledge and expertise developed through her expeditions is shared with others through running regular outdoor activity programmes. She is a founder of Interventure, a charity developing sports opportunities for disabled people, a competing athlete in the British Orienteering Team and a Millennium Award winner.

Karen Darke’s main presentation topics include…

Inspirational adventure, using photographic material from expeditions tailored to focus on various elements – teamwork, goal-setting, challenge, overcoming adversity, leadership etc.
Personal Motivation…turning life changing difficulties into positive personal challenge
Dealing with personal changes and transitions
Understanding individuals and teams in order to improve performance and motivation
Embracing change
Motivating people towards positive living and wellbeing
Diversity

The topics of challenge, choice and change are key to her talks.

Recent adventures include competing at the World Orienteering Championships in Japan and completing a cycle trip in the Indian Himalayas. In 2007 Karen sets off on a new challenge … a 1000km kayak journey around the Mediterranean island of Corsica. Being paralysed, the biggest logistical challenge will be leaving her wheelchair behind for the five week journey, and Karen admits to being worried about the possibilities of encountering big surf and great white sharks! But, the temperatures will feel tropical compared to her previous adventure, sit-skiing across the Greenland icecap last Spring. Karen lives by the motto, “If life isn’t an adventure, it’s nothing at all”. You can read more about Karen’s adventures in her latest book, “If You Fall”

What others say…

“Just meeting Karen is an uplifting experience at a personal level, her passion and enthusiasm are bound to rub off on anyone who works with her….she is a natural communicator & coach…working equally effectively one to one, with small teams and in large group situations.. I admire the way she has turned life changing personal difficulties into positive opportunities and ever stretching challenges. She changed her career from being a highly regarded technical specialist to becoming a coach, mentor and life long learning adviser and a champion for diversity in a very non-diverse multi national organisation.”
Steve Spreckley, Internal Change Consultant, Shell Europe

“To overcome adversity and to succeed with humour requires self belief and motivation. Karen`s philosophy is to consider that nothing is impossible and that life is just one big challenge. To Karen there is no such word as can`t.”
Dave Gittus M.B.E.

“Karen is an inspirational role model to us all – a Winston Churchill Fellow and achiever of prestigious awards for her ventures and work pushing the boundaries of inclusive adventure.”
Anna McCormack, British Adventure Racing Team Manager & Athlete

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To discuss any bookings, please email Matthew Willetts or call 08448 000 058.