Meeting Invitation

Topic: Life Interrupted, with Laurie M. Martin. Holiday memories can be a joy when you are experiencing a loss or life interruption.

Cost: $29.00 for members and First Time Guests - $39.00 for non-members. A special price of $25.00 for girls 18 or less / students..Cash or Cheque

Dinner: a glass of wine, main course, dessert, tea and coffee will be served (vegetarian meal will be served only by reservation)

Cancellations: will not be accepted. Full charge will apply with no exceptions.. Substitutions for registrants can be made at any time. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding in this regard.

Door prizes! If you want to contribute to a door prize, let us know. You give....you receive.. That's what it's all about!! Please don't forget to bring your business cards with you!

R.S.V.P (please type TORONTO on subject line) by email at: meetings@winwithresults.ca or (416) 226.3288

Topic: Life Interrupted, with Laurie M. Martin. Holiday memories can be a joy when you are experiencing a loss or life interruption.

The Holiday Season is coming up around the corner. November and December can be difficult months for the added burdens of emotional stress. When a loved one dies, or you experience a crisis in your life, it is important that you renew your capacity for love and joy. In other words, healing your broken heart. However, healing also requires the support and understanding of those around you as you embrace the pain of your loss.

Perhaps one of the kindest gifts you can give yourself at this difficult time is to reach out for help from others. Understanding and acknowledging your own loss can be a gift to yourself. Experiencing a loss can be the hardest work you will ever experience. And when it comes to hard work, it’s nice to have someone lend a hand to remove some of the burden. Life’s greatest challenges for you may be raising children, going to work, pursuing a career, getting through school – these can be more difficult during this difficult time.

Sharing your pain with others won’t make the pain disappear, but it will, over time, make it more bearable. Reaching out for help also connects you to other people and strengthens the bonds of love that make life seem worth living again.

Guest Speaker
Laurie M. Martin, Certified Trauma Specialist and Author

Today, Laurie Martin is a successful business leader, president of her own company, and the author of the highly acclaimed book: Life Interrupted - A Guide to Understanding People in Crisis. But, the path she took to get here was anything but paved and straight.

A country-girl for her formative years, Laurie was married by 18, worked at odd jobs for a few years, then studied marketing and settled in to her first “real” job. Several years later, her life began to unravel. Laurie lost her job to downsizing about the time she also learned that her husband of 11 years was a pedophile. Life as she knew it came to a sudden halt. As Laurie described it: “It was like a forest that has been burned to the ground. There wasn’t a blade of green grass to be found.”

After picking herself up and dusting off the shame, the guilt, the grief, the joylessness, Laurie landed on her feet again and began working with one of Canada’s largest general insurance companies as an international marketing coordinator. Determined to succeed and thrive, she began to take full responsibility for her life and developed new skills in risk management education and traumatology.

She also became a grief counselor and began running grief support groups twice a week, after work. As a result of her determination, dedication, foresight, and hard work in the “trenches”, Laurie created trauma education programs with global appeal. The CEO of the insurance company offered a business opportunity and Laurie became president of Trauma Management Training Services Ltd. Life was good and Laurie was well on her way!

But soon, another series of traumatic events would “interrupt” Laurie’s life. She suffered several personal losses over the next ten years. There were also many challenges with work and in her personal life. Laurie fought to stay strong and focused during this time and managed well until she lost her job along with fifteen other employees. Riddled again with anxiety, hopelessness and fear, Laurie “hit the sofa”. What could she do now?

Forcing herself to focus, she put her energies into turning negative experiences into positives, finding light in the darkness. Then she realized that she could do this with other people who were going through difficult times. In fact, finding the positives and lighting the darkness were only part of it. Laurie takes steps further by helping people help themselves grow and develop, and to take control of their life.

In 2003, Laurie founded her own company: Life Interrupted Incorporated. Her clients are forward-thinking individuals and organizations with a commitment to helping others and learning the necessary skills and steps to prepare them for a business or life interruption.

Over the years, Laurie has been an inspiration to many people. Laurie’s story of overcoming adversity, lighting life’s darkest moments and companioning people in a friendly, non-threatening way is a great gift to those who hear her speak.

Her keynote topics include: people preparedness as it fits with emergency planning, risk management, leadership, human resources training and development; and any other topic involving people supporting people. Her focus is to educate, train, challenge your thinking, and inspire. Laurie’s messages leave a lasting impression and her personal stories resonate with audiences everywhere.

Laurie delivers highly customized training and keynote presentations to large and small organizations including: The Canadian Mental Health Association, The American Bankers Association, Human Resources Professionals Association, Insurance Institute of Ontario, Ontario School Boards Insurance Exchange, as well as manufacturing, profit and non-profit organizations. She’s there before you need her!

Laurie M. Martin, CTS
Life Interrupted Incorporated
Phone: +1 (905) 828-7864
Web: www.lifeinterrupted.ca

TESTIMONIALS
“Life Interrupted is a must-read. It is passionately written and offers practical strategies to help us deal with common – yet intensely personal – experiences that challenge us all. Best of all, we are guided through this journey by an experienced and empathetic leader.”

Marion Wright, Executive Director
Canadian Mental Health Association

“Laurie Martin brings it all together in one book. A must read for those dealing with grief at a personal level and for business leaders wanting to be better prepared to respond to employees’ emotions following a crisis that impacts the workplace.”

Ralph Perry
Organizational Development Manager

SPONSORED BY The Ontario Club
located at 7 Commerce Court South, 30 Wellington St. W., 5th Floor, Toronto.

Final Thought: from Nikole with LUV...

Lessons of LOVE,
Lessons of HOPE.

“often it is at our lowest points in life that we learn the most. We say, ‘god, this is too much. Life has disappointed me beyond all belief.’…those low moments are the magical moments. They are the beginning stages of our journey.” - Melody Beattie

Top

	Downtown/Toronto Meeting
	When: Tuesday November 21st, 2006 7:00 to 10 p.m. Registration starts 6:30 p.m. Where: The Ontario Club (416) 862.1270 - directions
	Topic: Life Interrupted, with Laurie M. Martin. Holiday memories can be a joy when you are experiencing a loss or life interruption. Cost: $29.00 for members and First Time Guests - $39.00 for non-members. A special price of $25.00 for girls 18 or less / students..Cash or Cheque Dinner: a glass of wine, main course, dessert, tea and coffee will be served (vegetarian meal will be served only by reservation) Display table: $20.00 for members & $25.00 for non-members. Cancellations: will not be accepted. Full charge will apply with no exceptions.. Substitutions for registrants can be made at any time. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding in this regard. Door prizes! If you want to contribute to a door prize, let us know. You give....you receive.. That's what it's all about!! Please don't forget to bring your business cards with you! R.S.V.P (please type TORONTO on subject line) by email at: meetings@winwithresults.ca or (416) 226.3288 Topic: Life Interrupted, with Laurie M. Martin. Holiday memories can be a joy when you are experiencing a loss or life interruption. The Holiday Season is coming up around the corner. November and December can be difficult months for the added burdens of emotional stress. When a loved one dies, or you experience a crisis in your life, it is important that you renew your capacity for love and joy. In other words, healing your broken heart. However, healing also requires the support and understanding of those around you as you embrace the pain of your loss. Perhaps one of the kindest gifts you can give yourself at this difficult time is to reach out for help from others. Understanding and acknowledging your own loss can be a gift to yourself. Experiencing a loss can be the hardest work you will ever experience. And when it comes to hard work, it’s nice to have someone lend a hand to remove some of the burden. Life’s greatest challenges for you may be raising children, going to work, pursuing a career, getting through school – these can be more difficult during this difficult time. Sharing your pain with others won’t make the pain disappear, but it will, over time, make it more bearable. Reaching out for help also connects you to other people and strengthens the bonds of love that make life seem worth living again. Guest Speaker Laurie M. Martin, Certified Trauma Specialist and Author Today, Laurie Martin is a successful business leader, president of her own company, and the author of the highly acclaimed book: Life Interrupted - A Guide to Understanding People in Crisis. But, the path she took to get here was anything but paved and straight. A country-girl for her formative years, Laurie was married by 18, worked at odd jobs for a few years, then studied marketing and settled in to her first “real” job. Several years later, her life began to unravel. Laurie lost her job to downsizing about the time she also learned that her husband of 11 years was a pedophile. Life as she knew it came to a sudden halt. As Laurie described it: “It was like a forest that has been burned to the ground. There wasn’t a blade of green grass to be found.” After picking herself up and dusting off the shame, the guilt, the grief, the joylessness, Laurie landed on her feet again and began working with one of Canada’s largest general insurance companies as an international marketing coordinator. Determined to succeed and thrive, she began to take full responsibility for her life and developed new skills in risk management education and traumatology. She also became a grief counselor and began running grief support groups twice a week, after work. As a result of her determination, dedication, foresight, and hard work in the “trenches”, Laurie created trauma education programs with global appeal. The CEO of the insurance company offered a business opportunity and Laurie became president of Trauma Management Training Services Ltd. Life was good and Laurie was well on her way! But soon, another series of traumatic events would “interrupt” Laurie’s life. She suffered several personal losses over the next ten years. There were also many challenges with work and in her personal life. Laurie fought to stay strong and focused during this time and managed well until she lost her job along with fifteen other employees. Riddled again with anxiety, hopelessness and fear, Laurie “hit the sofa”. What could she do now? Forcing herself to focus, she put her energies into turning negative experiences into positives, finding light in the darkness. Then she realized that she could do this with other people who were going through difficult times. In fact, finding the positives and lighting the darkness were only part of it. Laurie takes steps further by helping people help themselves grow and develop, and to take control of their life. In 2003, Laurie founded her own company: Life Interrupted Incorporated. Her clients are forward-thinking individuals and organizations with a commitment to helping others and learning the necessary skills and steps to prepare them for a business or life interruption. Over the years, Laurie has been an inspiration to many people. Laurie’s story of overcoming adversity, lighting life’s darkest moments and companioning people in a friendly, non-threatening way is a great gift to those who hear her speak. Her keynote topics include: people preparedness as it fits with emergency planning, risk management, leadership, human resources training and development; and any other topic involving people supporting people. Her focus is to educate, train, challenge your thinking, and inspire. Laurie’s messages leave a lasting impression and her personal stories resonate with audiences everywhere. Laurie delivers highly customized training and keynote presentations to large and small organizations including: The Canadian Mental Health Association, The American Bankers Association, Human Resources Professionals Association, Insurance Institute of Ontario, Ontario School Boards Insurance Exchange, as well as manufacturing, profit and non-profit organizations. She’s there before you need her! Laurie M. Martin, CTS Life Interrupted Incorporated Phone: +1 (905) 828-7864 Web: www.lifeinterrupted.ca TESTIMONIALS “Life Interrupted is a must-read. It is passionately written and offers practical strategies to help us deal with common – yet intensely personal – experiences that challenge us all. Best of all, we are guided through this journey by an experienced and empathetic leader.” Marion Wright, Executive Director Canadian Mental Health Association “Laurie Martin brings it all together in one book. A must read for those dealing with grief at a personal level and for business leaders wanting to be better prepared to respond to employees’ emotions following a crisis that impacts the workplace.” Ralph Perry Organizational Development Manager SPONSORED BY The Ontario Club located at 7 Commerce Court South, 30 Wellington St. W., 5th Floor, Toronto. Final Thought: from Nikole with LUV... Lessons of LOVE, Lessons of HOPE. “often it is at our lowest points in life that we learn the most. We say, ‘god, this is too much. Life has disappointed me beyond all belief.’…those low moments are the magical moments. They are the beginning stages of our journey.” - Melody Beattie Top Copyright © 2000, 2006, Women International Network Inc.