Dr. Suzanne Dextras

Expertise:  Personal and Leadership Development

Contact Data
Director, Ministry Leadership Formation, Via Christi Health System
Phone:  316-858-4945
Cell Phone: 316-258-9329                                         
Fax: 316-859-4199
Address:  VCHS 3720 E. Bayley St., Wichita Kansas 67218
 
 
Experience:
Years receiving payment as an independent speaker:  Off and on for 8-10 years. 
Much of what I do is contributed services as a result of our health care system.
 
 
Speaking Experience:  I have had a variety of experiences from college commencement speaker, to health research departments, physicians, front line staff, managers and executives for 8 years.  Most of the topics I have delivered have been related to either higher education administration or health care administration and leadership.  I have a sample list of some of the topics delivered.
 
Started speaking to groups:  Early in my career, around 1972 as a secondary teacher, then at orientations on the college level with parents and students, progressing to public speaking on a larger scale around 1984 in higher education moving on to 1998 in health care which commands a highly varied and multi-disciplinary constituency, to current, where I do speaking for a living with 15 sites within our health system.
 
Awards received: 
1. Administrator of the year (2);
2. Distinguished graduate fellowship;
3. Who's Who In America.
 
  
My philosophy has been if people out do me, out succeed me, learn and apply more than I, contribute more to other human beings than I, then,
I have been an excellent educator!
 
Providing programs or sessions with people has given me an opportunity to challenge and to provide points of inspiration which people may
know, or feel, but have not been secure enough to implement in their lives, relationships, and work environment.  Courage is a virtue.

Many people have goals, aspirations, dreams, and vision, but they do not have the courage to actualize these.  As a result, they are not able to achieve excellence.  Courage is living as I was intended to live.   Rather, all too frequently, people enter the realm of mediocrity and sameness which may potentially constitute depression, lack of joy for life, and most of all, it may negatively influence relationships reducing the potential of persons to average.  Expressed another way, if we do not have courage we invite people to be less rather more of who they could be.  Many people are highly capable of achieving personal and professional goals, but instead of doing this, they choose not to develop and grow. 

In a word, we often leave people where they were instead of where they can be.  Leaders must be courageous!  Leaders must challenge others to be more than they think they can be.
 
Lecture Titles:
 
1.  In Search of a Life of Balance
2.  Obstacles to Success:  Simple Principles for Dynamic Change
3. Co-dependent Relationships  (must purchase book for each participant)
4.  Communication or Conflict?  (must purchase booklet for each participant)
5.  Burnout or Just Wasting Your Life?  (Must receive permission for use of some materials).
6.  Hearing the Call, Finding the Way:  Foundations of Christian Spirituality (based on a 3 hour course).
7.  Left Brain, Right Brain: Your Way of Making Ethical/Moral Decisions  (Based on Myers-Briggs but brings in the discipline of
ethics and decision-making processes--permissions needed for some of the material).
  
Seminar/Workshop Titles:
 
1.  IN SEARCH OF A LIFE OF BALANCE:  we think and believe we are accomplishing much in our lives, but why are we so harried, miserable, and at odds with those we love and respect?  This presentation gives participants insights into the significance of our choices in life. Once we make a choice the choice is in control of us.  The neat thing is that we can make more choices.  The task is to unstick the stuck!
 
2.  OBSTACLES TO SUCCESS:  These basic, relevant, and sound principles are guideposts toward success as a person.  When we know more about who we are, where we are going and why, we are more inclined to be successful.  Why?  Because we are more free from personal concerns so that we are able to concentrate on other goals and healthy ambitions. What are the obstacles to success?  What is preventing you from becoming the person you want to be?
 
3.  CO DEPENDENT RELATIONSHIPS:  Are we all co-dependent? If so, why? If not, why not?  This presentation combines a unique set of disciplines:  psychology and theology which provides a real solid set of guidelines backed up by research explaining the reason for co-dependency, types of co-dependency, and how to more fully integrate life experiences toward healthier living.
 
4.  COMMUNICATION OR CONFLICT?  What is it that we do not hear?  What is it that we do not see?  Why is it that some people seem not to care, while some others care too much?  This presentation provides some concrete rationale under guidelines for communication which are eye-opening and solid.  People will leave this presentation more aware and more secure in their understanding of interpersonal relationships and communication skills.
 
5.  BURN OUT OR JUST WASTING YOUR LIFE?  Do you wonder why you do what you do?  Do you enter the work place with your fillings fused?  Do you prepare to face negativity each day?  Do you believe "they are out to get you"?  Or, did you ever think that perhaps you have accomplished goals you set years ago and that is why you are in the game of blaming, criticizing, evaluating and labeling others?  Look inward! What is really going on?  Are you stuck and wasting your life?
 
6.  HEARING THE CALL, FINDING THE WAY:  This presentation is for those who are in search of a deeper understanding of life from a theological, spiritual perspective.  What is the background for our understanding of personal quest?  How does our call to life and what we do correspond to happiness and life-giving instead of death-dealing relationships?  Is life a mystery, or do we just not take the time to invest in it...and say it is a mystery?  Let us find out more and then decide--Who am I?  Where am I going?  Why?
 
7.  LEFT BRAIN, RIGHT BRAIN.  YOUR WAY OF MAKING ETHICAL/MORAL DECISIONS.    "That person is a dolt, and the other person is pure
gift!"  Why do we make these judgments?  What is behind "opinions" about others?  Why can't we get issues off of the table and into strategies?  There are reasons for these dilemmas.  Each of us has a construct or belief system which influences us in our ethical and moral make-up as persons.  This presentation will help clarify and substantiate why we seem to lack progress in our day-to-day encounters as well as in the board room as we make decisions.


 
9-19-07