Comments from Event Organizers
“Eileen’s contribution to the Living with Stress panel discussion during the 2010 Duke Alumnae Weekend reflected her personable approach, experience, and sensitivity. Her real-life anecdotes engaged and colorfully illustrated her talking points. Her insights were a captivating addition to this timely topic, and her book, The Wisdom to Know the Difference, proved a best seller during the conference.”
—Beth Ray-Schroeder, Duke University
“Eileen mixes spirit with common sense, a joy-filled personality with the hard-won seasoning of experience, and then tells wisdom tales from real life. She is professional to work with, pays attention to detail, follows through effectively on her own publicity plans, and attracted a good crowd for us. She was the lead speaker in a very successful three-week lecture series and we look forward to working with her again.”
—Walter Hjelt Sullivan, Director of Education Programs, Pendle Hill
“Eileen Flanagan is a captivating storyteller. Her blend of insight, humor and warmth immediately drew us in. I highly recommend her as a speaker, and have already brought her name up as a presenter for another organization with which I am involved.”
—Carol Camerino, book group host
“Eileen communicates with amazing clarity and simplicity even when the ideas she is sharing are deep and complex. Everyone in the audience was moved by her presentation. This was evident from the comments that were made to Eileen and to me after her talk as well as by the large number of books that were purchased. Eileen would be a great speaker in a wide range of settings, not only faith communities.”
—Margaret Sayers, leader in her congregation
“Eileen shared deeply about her own journey and experience… One Friend shared that he found her invitation to focus on one priority—to be God’s—to be liberating. We were well served by Eileen’s prayerful preparation.”
—Sadie Forsythe, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, Young Adult Friends Coordinator
“I had asked Eileen to read at our library because she is a neighborhood author. I have an aversion to spirituality. Only genealogy makes me shudder more deeply. A week before Eileen’s program, though, a therapist who had lost his job due to a major illness starting sobbing in front of my reference desk, telling me how hard things were and how much he wanted to hear her talk. Eileen’s book was resonating with people in some deep way. The night of her reading a disparate group crowded into our library meeting room to hear her. What they heard was a writer willing to share her own experiences, willing to share candidly a disappointment in her life and the way that she was comforted. They also gratefully listened to an author who was bright, funny, engaging and clear and true as a bell.”
—Marianne Barbor, librarian
Comments from Workshop Participants
“Eileen connected so well with everyone and has a marvelous ability to make complex, intangible, and sometimes paradoxical concepts comprehensible to all.”
“Eileen was an inspiration.”
“Eileen is an excellent facilitator and presenter.”
“Eileen was wonderful and thought provoking.”
“Enjoyed Eileen—felt she was very personable and related and fit well with the group.”
“Eileen was very good, the topic relevant, and her book useful.”
“The teacher was wonderful—deeply caring for the class as a whole and individual members. Her flexibility is a strength along with her gentle guidance to keep us on task.”
“You have a remarkable gift for both facilitation and clear explanation. Thank you for creating this space in which we could share, trust, and expand our sense of being connected.”
“Your sensitivity and discernment was a gift. Thank you.”
“Thank you for your skill, your flexibility and your gentleness.”
“Eileen, I loved your approach, your insights, and wish you many blessings in your work.”
