Brandi Heather

The Future of Personal and Professional Mental Health and Wellness, Inclusion and Creativity

Brandi Heather is an award-winning educator and conference keynote speaker with 25 years of lived experience and expertise in disability inclusion, mental health, and therapeutic play. From college professor to CEO, she inspires creative, informative and humorous solutions for today’s ever-changing workplace. She specializes in promoting workplace mental health and wellness, inclusion, engagement and stress reduction by utilizing the serious science of play.

She holds a Master’s Degree in Physical Education, A B.Ed in Special Education, a Diversity and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University and Advanced Certification in Play Therapy. As a four-time nominee for the Alberta Women’s Entrepreneurship Award, and winner of the Women of Excellence Award, she is committed to building organizations where people want to be.

Brandi will show you that play is not what we do, it is who we are. Play drives problem-solving, resilience, conflict management, resourcefulness and adaptability.

Brandi’s research and experience show that being “in play” is one of the most vital, science-based tools for improving your personal and professional mental health, resilience, and creative drive. She is a one-of-a-kind conference keynote speaker whose presentations and workshops share her personal journey as an educator, business owner, and as a person living with mental illness as proof that the solution is always in play.

Stay in the game and return to play.

Programs By Brandi Heather

Healing Our Caring Systems: Who is Taking Care of The People Who Take Care of People?

What we want most for clients is what we first need to give the people who care for them every day. EVERYTHING flows through them! This conference keynote shows the audience how powerful and resilient people can be when we create employee experiences that connect directly to your desired client experience. If we want clients to feel this: • Cared for • Competent to make their own decisions and learning strategies • Courageous enough to try new things, fall down and get back up • Collaborative and safe to communicate their needs and their voice • Creative enough to imagine outside their wildest expectations then we need to also give this back to the people who work with and heal them every day. Come prepared to laugh, connect and reconnect to the strengths and gifts that get weighed down by uncertainty, overwhelm and the unpredictable.

Building Organizations Where People Want To Be: Innovation and Inclusion Start With An "I" For A Reason

This workshop will provide you with inspiring and strategic tools for creating workplace environments that ignite belonging, innovation and growth. When people feel overwhelmed, vulnerable and anxious they are less likely to connect, collaborate and come up with innovative ideas and solutions. Brandi leads you through three eye-opening steps to help you to promote inclusion and innovation in your organization: Brave Me: How to uncover the diverse strengths and talents of people the people we work with and for; Brave Us: How to share those strengths and talents with others and consider different perspectives; Brave Business: Discover how the first two steps affect customer service, retention and recruitment This energizing workshop is full of ah-ha moments and practical ways to get your team moving together inclusively and creatively.

Return To Play: Why Play Is The Future of Workplace Wellness and Organizational Performance

Work can be hard, don’t forget to play! Play is Brandi Heather’s signature strategy for thriving personally and professionally. Watch children play – they don’t have to tell you they are playing – you know. When you are “in play” you will know it. Play is not what we do, it is who we are. Play is not silliness, it is science. Play is as variable as people themselves. Find out how being “in play” can: Reduce chronic stress and burnout Ignite your imagination and creativity Improve interpersonal relationships Promote mental and physical wellness In this conference keynote let Therapeutic Play and Inclusion Specialist Brandi Heather help you stay in the game by returning to play.

Personalized Employee Experiences : Creating Collaborative Workplace Communities That Flourish

Want this? Companies with the most engaged employees were 22% more profitable than those with the least engaged employees (Gallop 2021) Do this: Figure out the effect of massive change and challenge on connection and collaboration in your workplace and support people to brave connection again. There are reasons people are feeling disconnected and disengaged that cannot be solved with surveys and office parties. When people are faced with new, unfamiliar and changing circumstances they stop communicating and collaborating in order to “protect” themselves. This is totally natural – it’s moving forward that takes practice. This conference keynote is full of creative solutions for learning what makes people feel safe, valued, included and motivated. Move forward together by getting to know what really matters to the people you work with and for.

Brandi Heather Speaking Video

Taking Care of the People Who Take Care of People : Rebuilding our Caring System

What Clients Say About Brandi Heather

“I was introduced to Brandi when seeking a facilitator for an inclusive leadership workshop in celebration of International Women's Day. Brandi came highly recommended and did not disappoint! Through thoughtful, inspiring and curated content, she made instant and deep connections with all participants, ultimately equipping everyone with tools to identify their personal strengths to benefit their teams, companies and beyond! Brandi is warm, engaging and supportive and offers a safe space for leaders at all levels to be vulnerable, reflect and grow. It was an absolute pleasure working together.”

Brandi is one of our secret weapons for our success in our clubs over the last while (we are bursting at the seams with both kids and staff) ! Over the last few years we have been working closely to train our team with one of the most incredible Educators I have ever worked with. Brandi’s background coupled with her passion and enthusiasm makes her an absolute powerhouse when it comes to inspiring others whether that be other educators, businesses, or corporations to create inclusive, diverse, and positive work (and play) environments.

“Being an organization that serves a wide range of children and families means that we must constantly strive to meet diverse needs and adopt inclusive practice.Brandi challenged us to evaluate and reflect on our current practices and spaces and to look for opportunities to grow as a team to better serve our community.Brandi’s dynamic facilitation had our group constantly engaged and smiling while at the same time building our capacity for inclusion. The sensory assessment process was a powerful tool for understanding how our environment impacts not only our members, but our staff, leading us to identify numerous opportunities for positive change.Our team is stronger because of having participated in these programs and I strongly recommend this training for any corporate, non-profit, or small business as it is nothing shy of invaluable.Thank you just doesn’t quite do it.”Executive Director BGC (formerly Boys and Girls Club) Cochrane and Area – Jill Bilodeau

Brandi was an amazing facilitator and the PLAY Webinar was exactly what my team needed after not seeing each other for so long!! The webinar provoked thoughts and opened up space for conversations that supported how we can implement our learnings into all of our programs and services with play in mind. Brandi has a positive, kind and fun attitude that made everyone feel comfortable to participate. She made variations to ensure all individuals were successful in the training.

Return To Play: Rebuilding Resilience, Risk and Reconnection

Can play be the answer to some of our most significant and complex social challenges of the 21st century? This book reveals that the return to play creates a common ground to share hopes and fears, vulnerability and strength.Play gives us the inspiration and courage to confront, "what do we do when no one has the answer?" It gives us the creative certainty to build solutions to seemingly insurmountable issues and asks us to brave connection in the face of fear. Join me on this journey as I show you that play is worth risking a little of yourself to become more yourself in the process. "Play is a willingness to not win and still be ok with the journey, that's what it is for me" New York Times Best Seller Seth Godin personal communication "If we rehabilitate play, we might simultaneously resurrect our ability to get along and trust each other" New York Times Best Selling Author Daniel Pink - personal communication “What Brandi touches is magic! A book that the world has awaited for the longest time. Now is the time to play, if not now, then when?”Susanne Mueller, “Take it from the Ironwoman” Executive Coaching & Consulting, New York & Switzerland