Travels from: Lehigh Valley International Airport, PA   Click here to inquire about or book a speaker Leslie Vernick Leslie's passion is helping people understand themselves better and grow in their relationship with God and others so that their faith changes from head knowledge to heart-based trust. Leslie Vernick speaks from a tender and gentle heart. She not only draws you to a deeper awareness of God; she shows you how to walk more intimately with Him day by day. Leslie is the kind of speaker you can listen to again and again for her godly wisdom and depth of insight. Her warmth, enthusiasm for God's Word and genuineness make her a popular speaker for women's conferences, marriage retreats, banquets and professional seminars. Growing up in a broken home, Leslie learned first hand how difficult it can be to overcome a painful past. Her relationship with God has taught her that His Word has power, that truth is stronger than lies, and that evil is indeed overcome with good. Her experience as a Christian counselor lends credibility to her journey as she helps people find help and healing through the truth that sets them free. Leslie Vernick, DCSW, LCSW, is a licensed counselor in private practice with more than twenty-five years experience. She is a guest lecturer at Westminster and Biblical Seminaries in the Philadelphia area and is one of the featured speakers on several of the American Association of Christian Counselors Video Teaching Series. Leslie is the author of How to Live Right When Your Life Goes Wrong (formerly The TRUTH Principle), How to Act Right When Your Spouse Acts Wrong and How to Find Selfless Joy in a Me-First World. She has also written numerous articles and has contributed to The Soul Care Bible, Competent Christian Counseling, Silver and Gold, Praying Through Life's Problems, and Intimate Moments with God. Leslie and her husband, Howard, are active members in their local church and have two grown children. Women's Retreats "Leslie is one of the most insightful, practical speakers I have heard in years. A trained therapist, her message is compassionate; and as a follower of Christ, she never compromises the truth. How to Live Right When Your Life Goes Wrong is easy for audiences to grasp, take home and apply. I loved it! Her approach is one of empathetic reality - to everyday irritations, as well as the problems that shake the foundations of our faith." ... Becky Freeman, popular speaker and author of numerous books including the best selling book Worms in My Tea and Other Mixed Blessings Leslie's most requested retreats are: Transformation: A Change of Heart This retreat is based on Leslie's book, How to Live Right When Your Life Goes Wrong. Whether in big ways or little ways, we all struggle to genuinely live out our faith while experiencing the trials of daily life. Leslie invites participants into a journey of personal growth and spiritual discovery that leads them back to the central tenet of the gospel: Truth isn't something you learn but Someone you know-and the Truth will set you free. Session 1: What Moves Our Heart to Change Our Ways? Session 2: Moving Our Faith From Head Knowledge To Heart-Based Trust Session 3: Learning to Walk in the Truth Session 4: Becoming Our True Self in Christ How to Find Selfless Joy in a Me-First World Have you been searching for joy and happiness in life only to end up disappointed and empty handed? Perhaps you've been looking for it in the wrong places. In this retreat, Leslie challenges the popular cultural mindset of finding self, fulfilling self and loving self and gently leads us back to the biblical-and vastly more rewarding-model of valuing self in right relationship with God and others. Session 1: The Happiness Paradox Session 2: What is Selfless Joy and How do We Find It? Session 3: Jesus: Our Example of Selflessness Session 4: A Life Well-Lived: Discover the Secret of a Satisfied Soul Becoming The Best Possible You! This retreat combines several of Leslie's individual sessions to help women understand God's plan for them and how they can live with purpose and with passion. Session 1: Developing a Biblical Self Image (part 1) Session 2: Developing a Biblical Self Image (part 2) Session 3: The Secret of Great Relationships Session 4: Becoming a Peacemaker, Not A Peacekeeper Each retreat can be shortened or lengthened by a session to accommodate your groups needs. Some of Leslie's most popular single topics for women audiences are: Head to Heart Journey of Change Most of us know our faith in our head, but find it much harder to live it out from our heart in the midst of life's difficulties. Leslie shares a 5 step model called The TRUTH Principle to help us take that long head-to-heart journey of change. Kindred Spirit Friends Do you have a best friend or kindred spirit? Today more and more women feel isolated and are experiencing more depression as a result. Find out how to make and keep meaningful friendships. Are You A Peacemaker or a Peacekeeper? Many women avoid conflict at all costs but end up feeling taken advantage of or resentful. Learn practical steps for dealing with conflict, disagreements and interpersonal difficulties. Becoming Your True Self In Christ Women tend to experience low self-esteem and poor self-images. In this session Leslie helps women understand how to have a truthful self-image and appropriate self-love. Marriage Retreats "Leslie Vernick has been a speaker at Sandy Cove's Married Couples Conference for the past 5 years. Her warm personality and thoroughly biblical teaching has made her one of our favorite MCC speakers. Leslie demonstrates great compassion in her desire to see lives transformed by Christ, and we respect her for being so dedicated to God's Word. I highly recommend Leslie as a speaker." ... Jeff Vogan, Vice President of Ministries, Sandy Cove Ministries, North East, Maryland Some of Leslie's most requested topics for married couples are: Heart to Heart - Developing Emotional Intimacy Sharing one's innermost feelings is an important aspect of marital oneness, but couples often struggle with how to do it. Learn five steps that will enhance heart-to-heart communication and deepen emotional intimacy. How to Act Right when Your Spouse Acts Wrong God designed marriage not only for our happiness but for our growth in holiness. Leslie shows how God uses the differences, weakness and even sins of our spouse to help us grow to be more like Christ - for marriage isn't about finding the right person, it's about becoming the right person. The Secret of A Great Marriage The problems in most marriages are not a result of poor communication or gender differences, but because of the sins of pride and selfishness. This session helps couples understand how essential humility is to experiencing marital happiness and genuine love. Affair Proof Your Marriage Leslie reveals the individual heart issues as well as marital problems that make people more prone to affairs. Affairs are preventable when couples practice preventive maintenance. Professional Seminars "Leslie's professional seminars are always characterized by clarity and thorough preparation and the qualities that make her an outstanding individual counselor are just as obvious in more public settings." ... Edward T. Welch, Ph.D, Director of Counseling at CCEF, Author of When People Are Big and God is Small Some of Leslie's most popular training topics include: Domestic Violence - A Biblical Response This seminar provides church leaders, pastors, elders, and counselors a greater understanding of the dynamics of spousal abuse and a biblical approach to counseling both the victim and abuser. A Change of Heart - Using the TRUTH Principle as a Counseling Model The TRUTH Principle is an invaluable tool for counselors and pastors. It functions as a template to biblically understand what the problems are and as a roadmap to effect lasting change. Understanding and Treating Depression Depression is considered the common cold of mental illness. This seminar focuses on the many causes of depression and how to help people from a biblical perspective. The Aftermath of Adultery Handling the crisis of disclosure is the first step when counseling a couple who has experienced adultery. Often it is the only step taken. This seminar teaches what the individual counseling needs of the partners are as well as some of the deeper heart issues that must be addressed in order to fully restore the marital relationship. Counseling Adult Survivors of Childhood Abuse The long-term effects of childhood abuse can be devastating and may hinder current functioning. Comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of abusive families as well as counseling strategies will be covered. Leslie is available for women's seminars, retreats, marriage weekends, leadership training, banquets, and professional training. CLASServices, Inc. Copyright 2001

Looking for a Speaker? CLICK HERE   Are you planning an upcoming event? Need some help in the planning and details? Click here for the article "Secrets of a Successful Meeting" * * * * * * What Others Have Said: "Leslie has a beautiful way of weaving her message around the gospel! She was a blessing to us. She would be a true asset to any event." ... Michelle Cavinder, Director, Women's Ministry, Crystal Cathedral, Garden Grove, California "Leslie has a heart and passion for providing women with the tools they need to grow. I would highly recommend her as a retreat or conference speaker to anyone desiring to move into a deeper, more consistent, more honest relationship with themselves, God and others!" ... Sue Rima, Director of Women's Ministries, Columbia Baptist Conference, Seattle, Washington "Leslie was terrific - bring her back! We have had other women speakers, rather well known and well-received but never as appreciated, effective and helpful as Leslie. God has given her the gift of communication." ... Glen D. Ruoss, DMD, Married Couples Conference Coordinator, Grace Bible Fellowship Church, Reading, PA "Leslie's warm teaching style got right to the heart of marital issues during our couple's retreat. We were challenged to revive our love for each other even through the struggles we face. We highly recommend her as a challenging speaker with good practical help for couples." ... Abby Abildness, Director of Pastoral Care for Women, Evangelical Free Church of Hershey, Hershey, PA "In my twelve years at ABS we have had many excellent modules offered by Visiting Faculty from North America. Leslie's course on counseling the abused was unquestionably among the best." ... Glen Shelrude, Ph.D, Academic Dean, Alliance Biblical Seminary, Manila, Philippines