My speaking career began in 1982 following recovery from a major depression.

My focus was on turning negative experiences into positive ones. I have really enjoyed public speaking and over time I have broaden my speaking material and subjects to correspond with new experiences and trials. My speaking opportunities ranged from church meetings to community classes to EFY at BYU. When I speak I play my guitar and sing songs that help involve the audience bring a spirit of unity and fun as well as reinforce the ideas I am sharing.

If you are interested in booking me as a guest speaker please e-mail me at patripotts@gmail.com

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Simply tell us that you are interested and you will be notified of the next workshop. Cost is $10, but smaller donations can be worked out on an individual basis. Have a group? Tell me how many are interested and I may be able to set up a workshop at your convenience.

Presentation Topics & Descriptions

Up, Up With People

In a world where we are sometimes down on each other, it's good to be reminded of the positive. In "Up, up with people," Patricia explores new ways to enrich and enliven our relationships, including self, spouse, children, parents, grandchildren and others. She offers solid ideas that can be implemented today! Through song, stories and analogies sprinkled with plenty of humor she will transport you to a place of hope, laughter and love.

First Aid for Feelings

Have you ever experienced emotional pain? Do you want an easy way to replace negative emotions with positive ones, and infuse your life with powerful, life-changing thoughts? If so, then this is the class for you!

Learn how to recognize the signs of negative feelings and how to stop them before they take hold. Using methods like "Stop, Drop and Roll" and "A Pencil a Paper and a Percolator," Patricia introduces creative ways to help participants go home with new methods to fight the battle of the blues.

CPR for Feelings

It has been said that the deeper the hole, the higher the hill. Having lived through the dark days of depression herself, Patricia has known deep holes and high hills. She relates to others who wonder if the sun will ever come up on their world again. She also provides hope to victims of depression through sharing the tools that helped her to once again find the excitement and gratitude of new days.

In this workshop we learn how to:

1. Recognize and learn three stages of grief.
   • Guilt, anger and frustration
   • Acceptance
   • Rebuilding
2. Learn how to apply these stages to their own lives.
3. Use a form of Cognitive Therapy to process negative feelings and learn how to find positive within the negative.

I teach these concepts through personal experiences, the wisdom of ages, stories and songs accompanied by the guitar. We will enjoy a few pertinent sing-alongs as well as some songs I sing as solos, each one chosen to deepen the ideas we are discussing.

Other Topics

A summary of these topics is available upon request. Simply email me with two to three topics you have an interest in and I will send the summary to you.

• Emotional Energy Leaks
• First Things First
• Time Out for Me
• Who's Pulling my Strings?
• Handle Your Stress Before it Handles You
• New Lease on Life
• How to Understand and Overcome Depression
• The Only Power Left
• Beyond Guilt, Anger and Frustration
• Moving my own Mound of Dirt
• Living Prayer by Prayer
• Love Notes from Heaven
• Overwhelmed and Underscored!
• Building from the Inside Out
• Where Art Thou Lord?
• My Weary Feet
• Lying in the Hammock of Life&
• Accepting the way things Are
• A Pick to Reach my Heart
• Stop, Drop and Roll!
• Mary Had a Little Lamb until Her Lamb was Lost

I have spoken on a variety of subjects. Like most speakers/teachers, there are a variety of subjects I can speak on. Regardless of the topic chosen, I try to prayerfully tailor my comments to the needs of your group. If you need a subject covered that is not listed below, give me a call. I may be able to address the subject or refer you to another speaker.

Credentials

I have learned these truths through three dysfunctional depressions, a brain tumor surgery, a handicap that left me in and out of a wheelchair for 18 months and the suicide of a family member. I also had a daughter on drugs and began attending Twelve-Step meetings, later becoming a facilitator (a position I held for seven years). I currently work on-call at the VOA Women's Detox which gives me further insight into the reality of the devastation depression can bring.

I have been published in LDS Living Magazine, Latter-day Woman Magazine, Deseret Morning News, Meridian Magazine and other publications. I wrote and compiled a book called First-Aid for Feelings published through Windhaven Publishers. My second book entitled My Journey from Darkness to Light is now available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook.  It describes the tools I have learned for overcoming depression through the light of Christ.

Organizations for which I have been a speaker or teacher include:
• St. Marks Hospital Youth Wellness program
• Charter Summit Hospital
• Major County and City libraries
• Community education courses
• Retirement Association
• Salt Lake County Daycare Association
• Utah Displaced Homemaker Association
• Teachers Association of Utah
• Westland Elementary PTA Association
• United Secretaries Association
• Mother of Twins club
• Utah Homemakers of America
• Numerous clubs, church groups and community associations
• Utah State Prison
• BYU Especially for Youth
• Salt Lake Community Seminar
• Volunteers of American Center for Women and Children