Public Speaking

Presentation Topics

Explore the topics below or let me design one just for your group.

✤ The Space Effect -
How and Why We Become The Spaces We InHABIT!

✤ Dwell in The Sacred

✤ Nest Building and High Performance by Design

✤ The Space, Scale, and Light /Behavior Connection

✤ Family Bonding by Design

✤ Creating Positive Change In Your Behaviors, Through Modification
Of Your Environment

✤ Enhance The Triple Bottom Line Through Simple no-to-low Cost To Low Cost
Workplace Modifications

✤ Returning Kilter to Our Lives (…and What it Means to be ‘Out-of-Kilter’)

✤ Architecture as a Health Resource, Architects as Healthcare Providers

✤ Space as a Gateway to the Sacred

✤ Environments for Possibility

✤ Beyond Feng Shui and Extreme Makeovers

✤ Journey To Home – The Art of Creating Supportive Home and Office Environments

✤ Total Quality By Design and How Building Design Affects the Quality of Performance

✤ Change Your Space, Change Your Life

✤ Energizing Your Home/Office for Good Health and Longevity

✤ Real Estate of a Higher Order

✤ The Inner and Outer Ecology of Home Design

✤ Manipulating Spaces – What We Do To Them and What They Do To Us

✤ Architecture As A Yogic or Middle Path

✤ Inner and Outer Ecology Becoming One With The Natural and Built Environment

A microphone image symbolizing a public speaking event

Ideal Requirements For
Speaking At Your Event

➤ As best possible, a space appropriately sized for expected audience
➤ Normal fee for your organization’s venues?
➤ A sign in and handout materials table

➤ A back drop as dark as possible behind presenter
➤ A podium that will hold a lap top computer
and mouse pad 

➤ Proper length extension cord and projector cables

➤ Quality sound system suitable for the environment

➤ Quality space and podium lighting, with control by presenter during presentation, if possible
➤ Projector and screen, I can bring my own projector as back up, and screen if necessary

➤ No clearing of dishes or other audience distractions during presentation

A woman raising her hand at a public speaking event

Book Me For Your Event

If you’d like to book me to speak at your event, please schedule a free discovery call and, if possible, provide the following details in your message. I will reach

1. Date of event
2. Location of event
3. Name and web site of the sponsoring organization
4. Type and duration of desired presentation (90-minute presentation, 45-minute after dinner speech, half-day workshop)
5. Your topic preference(s)
6. Estimated audience size (number of attendees)
7. Your contact info

Honorarium Guidelines For Talks

➤ These presentations are primarily for educational purposes. The main purpose for offering these programs to public organizations is to expose people of all ages to the profound connection that exist between space and behavior, and how easy it is to craft spaces that relax, comfort, heal, inspire and awaken – through affordable humane design, often at no/low cost.

➤ Equipment maintenance and replacement, however, are ongoing real costs. Financial capacity, number of programs presented, and travel distance and expenses are the basic considerations for deciding on an appropriate and fair honorarium for all concerned.

➤ $150 for a single “local” (close to where I live in Central Massachusetts) talk is typical, and a more substantial fee is usually requested for multiple showings or for out-of-state or long-distance overnight programs.

➤ Talks are often offered free-of-charge or on a sliding scale if the organization has limited finances.

➤ Often, only travel expenses are requested. Honorariums are always tricky, and I would generally never let it stop me from doing a presentation to a worthy group wherever they are… In any event all participants must be pleased and comfortable with the financial arrangements…

➤ Because of the preparation required and time involved for a half-day or full-day workshop, there is a negotiable fee arrangement. Often a $45 to $65 donation per attendee is suggested. The final suggested cost and host/presenter percentage split depends on many factors.

Audio Demo Of My
Speaking Voice And Style

Radio Interview On The Eco-Logical Home:

The Eco-Logical Home is a weekly audio program about sustainable choices for your home and community. In a focused 15 to 30-minute format, architect and host Terry Phelan interviews guests that practice ways to design, organize, build, and maintain healthy, comfortable, and resilient places to live.

Featured Past Venues

  • Belfast Free Public Library, Belfast, ME
    Blue Hill Public Library, Blue Hill, ME
    Forbes Public Library, Northampton, MA
    Jones Public Library, Amherst, MA
    Camden Public Library, Camden, ME
    Castine Public Library, Castine, ME

  • Fitchburg Art Museum, Fitchburg, MA
    Portland’s History Docents Training Sessions in collaboration with Greater Greater Greater Portland Landmarks and Maine Historical Society, Portland, ME

  • AIBD (American Institute of Building Design), Washington, DC
    MEBSR (Maine Businesses for Social Responsibility), Portland, ME
    Living Earth Productions, First Parish Church, Portland, ME
    CAFAM (The Chinese – American Friendship Association of Maine), Portland, ME
    MIDA (Maine Interior Design Association), Waterville, ME
    Greater Boston Chapter of the Unitarian Universalist PSI Symposium, UU Church, Wellesley Hills, MA
    Augusta Mental Health Institute (Grand Rounds), Augusta, ME.
    American Society For Quality Control, Portland Chapter
    Portland Club, Portland, ME
    Shelter Institute’s 25th Anniversary, Bath, ME
    J.S. Kitchen & Bath Design, Gloucester, MA
    National Kitchen & Bath Assoc., Radison Inn, Marlborough, MA
    National Kitchen & Bath Assoc., Bangor, ME
    Princeton Community Center, Princeton, MA
    Women’s Network, Worcester, MA

  • Coldwell Banker, Los Angles, CA

  • Horizons 55, Lewiston ME
    University of New England – Elderly Hostel Talk, Portsmouth, NH

  • Holliston Adult Education, Holliston High School, Holliston, MA
    University of Southern Maine, Portland
    Portland School of Art, ME (now Maine College of Art)

  • Interface Foundation, Inc., Cambridge, MA
    Listening Center, Barre, MA
    All That Matters, Wakefield, RI
    Body, Mine & Spirit Expo, Manchester, NH
    Common Ground Fair, Unity, ME
    Whole Health Expo, Northampton, MA
    Crystalline Matrix, Auburn, MA
    Blue Hill Healing Arts Center, Blue Hill, ME
    Agape Center, Portland, ME
    Amethyst Point, Worcester, MA
    Stiles for Relaxation, Portland, Oregon
    Oasis Center, Tigard, Oregon
    On Balance, Portland, ME
    Flow Form Yoga, Worcester, MA