Speaking & Workshops
with Karen Humphries
Karen Humphries delivers thoughtful, grounded speaking and workshops shaped by lived experience, professional insight and deep respect for complexity. Living with incurable stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma and disability, Karen brings a voice that is calm, credible and deeply human - able to hold difficult conversations with clarity, warmth and care. Her sessions are not motivational performances. They are reflective, trauma-aware and designed to support understanding, meaning and genuine wellbeing. Karen works with health organisations, community groups, conferences and corporate audiences across Australia.
Signature Workshop: GUTSY
GUTSY - Courage, Identity and Living Well
GUTSY is Karen’s signature workshop exploring what it truly means to live with courage - not as force or positivity, but as honesty, agency and self-trust.
Designed for individuals and organisations navigating illness, disability or major life disruption, GUTSY invites participants to:
Re-examine common narratives around resilience and strength
Explore identity after diagnosis or life change
Develop compassionate courage grounded in reality
Create space for reflection without pressure to “fix” or overcome
GUTSY is suitable for:
Health and community organisations
Survivorship and wellbeing programs
Support groups and facilitated sessions
Conferences and professional development settings
The workshop can be delivered as a keynote-style session or as a facilitated, interactive experience.
The Seven Wisdoms Workshop
Drawn from Karen’s book Chronic Wisdom, this workshop explores seven core wisdoms shaped by lived experience of chronic illness, disability and profound change.
The Seven Wisdoms framework supports participants to:
Navigate loss and uncertainty
Reflect on identity and meaning
Understand acceptance without resignation
Develop agency within limitation
This workshop is particularly suited to:
Health professionals and support workers
Teams working in complex or emotionally demanding environments
Community and wellbeing programs
Sessions can be adapted for short talks, half-day workshops or ongoing programs.
KEYNOTE SPEAKING & PANELS
Keynote Speaking & Panels
Karen is available for keynote presentations, panel discussions and facilitated conversations across a range of settings.
Her speaking style is reflective and grounded, offering insight rather than instruction, and connection rather than performance.
Karen is regularly invited to speak on:
Living with chronic illness, disability and rare cancer
Cancer survivorship and life beyond diagnosis
Identity, grief and meaning after life disruption
Trauma-aware wellbeing and leadership
Patient voice and lived-experience advocacy
Approach & Values
Karen’s work is grounded in:
Lived experience, not theory alone
Trauma-aware practice
Respect for complexity and difference
Honest language without forced positivity
Creating spaces where people feel seen, not fixed
This approach makes her work particularly impactful for audiences navigating uncertainty, illness or emotionally demanding roles.
Who Karen Works With
Karen’s speaking and workshops are delivered for:
Hospitals and health services
Cancer and survivorship organisations
Community and not-for-profit groups
Conferences and summits
Corporate wellbeing and leadership programs
Sessions are always tailored to audience needs and context.
Enquiries & Bookings
To discuss a speaking engagement, workshop or facilitated session, please get in touch below.
Karen is happy to explore:
Session format and duration
Audience needs
In-person or virtual delivery