"Emma delivered her keynote over lunch to a room with 700 people in it. Her message was so poignant that people stopped eating. You could hear a pin drop."
EMMA M. CHURCHMAN, MDIV
Speaker, Bestselling Author, and Executive Mentor
As a nationally certified trauma chaplain and executive mentor based in North Carolina, I offer keynote talks and workshops in two key areas: (1) creating workplace resilience and (2) education on disaster recovery in rural Appalachia.
Recent research shows that 92% of workers consider emotional and psychological well-being crucial in their workplace (APA, 2023), validating the critical importance of this work.
Drawing from 25+ years of experience and current PhD research in Conscious Business Ethics, I help organizations:
• Implement practical tools for managing workplace stress and trauma activation
• Create environments where psychological safety drives innovation and performance
• Build trauma-resilient teams using the 4-phase recovery framework
• Develop leadership capabilities for crisis navigation and emotional intelligence
Studies demonstrate that psychological safety has enduring protective benefits for workers during periods of stress (NIH, 2024), with 89% of employees reporting it as essential for their well-being and performance.
Through my comprehensive Trauma Recovery Certification program and keynote talks, I empower leaders to:
• Recognize and respond to trauma activation in real-time
• Foster environments of belonging and personal autonomy
• Transform crisis into organizational wisdom
• Build sustainable resilience practices at all levels
My evidence-based methodology integrates both lived experience—chronicled in my upcoming book The Deep End of Hope in the Wake of Hurricane Helene—and research-backed practices from thought leaders like Bessel van der Kolk, Peter Levine, Katherine Manning and Janina Fisher.
Featured in SUCCESS Magazine and endorsed by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council, the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) and Mennonite Disaster Service, my work bridges spiritual intelligence with practical business strategies—helping organizations move from crisis to conscious leadership.
I offer motivational talks and a two-hour wellness training to help employees become more emotionally and mentally resilient. This enhances performance and increases employee retention.
RECENT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
Mennonite Disaster Service 75th Anniversary - February 2025
Keynote talk on disaster recovery in Rural Appalachia
Women Business Empowerment Show - March 2025
Keynote talk on processing trauma in real time
Fontana Library System Staff Training - April 2025
Two hour wellness session on cultivating mental and emotional resilience in the workplace
Warren Wilson College - Recovery, Rebuilding & Rethinking Post-Helene Series - April 2025
Keynote talk on survival, resilience, and transformation in the wake of Hurricane Helene
Virginia Emergency Management Association Faith-Based Caucus - May 2025
Keynote talk on disaster recovery in Rural Appalachia
National Voluntary Organizations Aiding in Disaster (NVOAD) Annual Conference - May 2025
Plenary talk on disaster recovery in Rural Appalachia
Women's Business Enterprise National Council Annual Conference - June 2025
Two hour wellness session: From Crisis to Wisdom - Building Resilient Business Leadership
Why Emma's Story Matters
Timely and Universal Topics: Leadership during disasters, mental, emotional, and spiritual resilience, and creating trauma-informed workplaces and psychological safety for employees and customers.
Inspiring Personal Journey: Emma’s triumph over her own trauma adds authenticity and depth to her message.
Practical Takeaways: Actionable steps for individuals and businesses to navigate and prepare for traumatic events, through the four phases of trauma recovery.
Our team especially appreciated the other tools Emma shared for cultivating mental and emotional resilience, and de-escalation techniques. In fact, one employee shared that she learned more tools from Emma in two hours than she has in five years of therapy!
What sets Emma's training apart is her ability to blend evidence-based trauma recovery techniques with the specific demands of library service. Her practical and profound approach offers immediate solutions while building long-term resilience.
It is sometimes difficult to find a presenter that staff respond to but Emma Churchman kept staff interested and really understood what staff go through day-to-day. The investment in this training has already shown returns in improved staff confidence and more effective patron interactions.
Tracy Fitzmaurice, Director
Fontana Library System
Speaking Highlights and Topics
Practical Strategies: How businesses can create trauma-informed workplaces.
Everyday Resilience: Steps anyone can take to better prepare for unexpected crises, navigate trauma, and cultivate emotional, mental and spiritual resilience.
The Role of a Trauma Chaplain: Why spiritual support is critical in disaster response.
Navigating Disasters in Rural Appalachia: Boots-on-the ground insights from someone who lived through Hurricane Helene and served as trauma chaplain in the wake of the biggest national disaster in the US.
Emma's talk was absolutely insightful and moving. We were brought to tears, inspired and motivated! I could not recommend her more highly.
Laine Sevante Wulkan, President, FemCity Albuquerque
KEYNOTE TALKS
KEYNOTE TALKS
Excerpt from Keynote Speech
at the
Mennonite Disaster Service
75th Anniversary Celebration
in Wichita, KS February 15, 2025
Emma Churchman is a beacon of resilience and transformation. With over 25 years of experience as a spiritual and business leader, Emma has guided thousands through the labyrinth of trauma to reclaim hope and strength. Her powerful work as a trauma chaplain and mentor is rooted in her own journey of overcoming acute childhood adversity.
Her book, The Deep End of Hope in the Wake of Hurricane Helene, takes readers on an unforgettable journey of spiritual resilience during one of nature’s most catastrophic events, which Emma lived through. Emma is a sought-after speaker and coach, teaching trauma recovery techniques that empower individuals and organizations alike.
As a PhD candidate in Conscious Business Ethics, Emma bridges the gap between soulful leadership and practical strategies for navigating life's storms. From the picturesque mountain peaks of Gerton, North Carolina, where she lives with her husband Jeff and their dachshunds Winston and Leroy, Emma inspires people to find strength even in the darkest of times.
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