Dave Read

Effective Teaching and Learning through Positive Mental Health and Holistic Wellbeing

Transforming Emotional, Mental and Physical Health within staff and young people (ages 3-18+) throughout all aspects of the education sector. Expert in developing effective teaching and learning; motivation and focus; everyday behaviour and relationships – all through creating whole-school sustainable cultures of holistic wellbeing.

He is a UK and international speaker, Keynote and author - drawing on a wide combination of experience - including primary and secondary classroom teaching - and as a continuing professional Healer/Reiki therapist.

As a central part of his acclaimed CoolFire programmes, Dave leads a range of highly interactive and dynamic workshops featuring a unique mix of therapeutic disciplines and techniques that create actual positive change in the way both staff and young people of all ages feel, think and act.

He also harnesses the power of CoolFire to work with specific needs and issues - such as:

• Looked After Children
• Autism
• ADHD
• School Refusers
• Lacking Confidence
• Anger Management and/or Managing Feelings

Dave’s CoolFire Approach clearly shows that Mental Health is much more than “Mind” and brain – empowering each staff and student member to:

• Positively work with their everyday bio-chemistry that creates the everyday interaction of Mind, Body and Feelings (MBF) and therefore, our daily state of health and being.
• Be able to consciously change how they feel at any one time. Change the feeling: change the thought: change the action.
• Create and experience a state of absolute stillness on an everyday basis
• Create a personal CoolFire Positive Inputs Framework – highlighting a mix of therapeutic routines and lifestyle changes – that you can mix and vary to further support and expand your own journey.
• Use the CoolFire core workshops, daily classroom routines and extensive resources to work toward an everyday conscious state of Energised Calm.

This enables:

• A grounded perspective that is always rooted in the present moment
• Positive feelings, thoughts and actions replacing anxiety, negativity and fears
• Calm and conscious choices that enrich and build your life – not a continuous reaction to circumstances

A Foundation for Life.

Discovering “What You Can Be...”

As a school or educational organisation, you can use CoolFire to innovate your existing provision in:

• Special Educational Needs
• Early Years
• Transition – Primary to Secondary School
• PSHE Days
• Student Exam Preparation
• Summer Schools
• Staff Wellbeing
• Creating your own CoolFire Staff and Student Development Team
• Working with Parents

All CoolFire workshops can be further tailored to work with your specific educational objectives.

The central CoolFire:Connect programme can work with up to 250 students in one week and includes staff development workshops. CoolFire:Connect also gives your establishment everything you need to start creating your own whole-school culture of Emotional Literacy, positive mental health and holistic wellbeing.

Each student experiences four core workshops - which are:

• CoolFire Gateway: Consciously experiencing and changing emotional states
• Bodyworks: Exploring the vital roles of our bodies and interaction with “Mind” and feelings
• “Hi – I’m Your Feelings: Becoming an observer of your feelings. Getting feelings in perspective. Creating a dialogue with your feelings
• Tap to Connect: Neutralising anxiety and stress through acupressure, dynamic movement and breathwork

If there is an Early Years provision: A CoolFire Introductory workshop – followed by:

• The Adventures of Tommy the Tree: A fun, interactive workshop about becoming grounded and secure featuring colourful puppets and exercises that teachers can lead in class

Dave has worked with schools and organisations throughout the UK and Europe – including:

• North Yorkshire, Thurrock and Southend Local Educational Authorities
• Colchester Borough Council
• The Vine Schools Trust
• The Berlesduna Primary Schools Trust
• The NASUWT – National Conferences and Events
• The National Education Show
• The EU Lifelong Learning Programme – in Austria
• The MOFET Institute – Israel
• The University of Belgrade – Education Faculty
• University College, Absalon, Denmark
• - and many more..