Dr Gary Wohlman is an innovative, international presentation coach who trains managing directors, CEOs, senior managers and executive committee members of organisations — as well as professional speakers and leaders, entrepreneurs and performers in a wide range of industries.

His streamlined approach to facilitating personal and corporate communication breakthroughs combines 45 years of performance-based leadership training, team-building and platform skills.

“In my role as a communication skills specialist and transformational presentation coach, I am dedicated to maximising the impact and effectiveness of developing speakers in delivering their message with the greatest natural ease, connectedness and full physical presence with varied audiences, on all stages – in and of their lives”.

More About Gary

While living in the United States, Gary graduated with honours from the esteemed Horace Mann private secondary school, receiving the Headmasters award for the top student excelling in both academics and athletics.

Graduating with a combined Pre-Med. and Psychology degree from Johns Hopkins University, Gary saw his future as a child psychiatrist and set his sights on medical school, yet felt a greater calling from the burgeoning new field of self development.

He moved to the west coast, where he pursued humanistic studies in the Human Potential movement, taking courses in San Francisco at the Californian School of Professional Psychology, which encouraged all manner of innovation. Here he developed his own system of transformational body therapy that grew over four decades into the presentation coaching that is now the Wohlman Method.

In 1980, Gary moved to Hawaii, where his burgeoning creative expression led him to come out as a professional court jester. His “Living Legends” business took him on adventures throughout the Hawaiian islands, where he utilised his theatrical prowess to teach creation myths, legends and folk tales in “Artist in the Schools” programs.

His improvisational flair and deep caring attentiveness paved the way for him to generate presentation breakthroughs with people who’ve been holding back their full self-expression all of their lives.

In 1990, Gary was invited to visit New Zealand as a keynote conference speaker for health care professionals. As a practitioner who was accustomed to working one-on-one with clients, Gary presented in the way he knew how, by inviting individual audience members onto the stage, one by one, to work with them on the challenges they had in presenting, communicating and connecting.

News of Gary’s presentations soon spread. His authentic, real life scenarios were a lively change to stultifying power point keynotes which proliferated the stage, and he was invited back to Australasia for a series of workshops. As Gary’s presentations became more popular the triad of his life – athletics, academia and personal development – and his devotion to integrating body, mind and spirit – rose into place. As new frontiers opened up for his pioneering personality, he picked up his sticks and moved down under to Australia in 1997.

To Gary, unlocking the dynamic energy system by the ability to feel centred and in command had a natural synchronicity with his early acclaim as a gymnast, track star, and springboard diving champion.

Integrating this physicality into the core of presentation coaching is the foundation of the “Wohlman Method for the Whole Person“, which was government accredited by the Department of Education & Training (DET) in Australia in 2002.

During this same period he received a PhD in Transpersonal Psychology and Expressive Arts Therapy, through which his proven methodology for liberating vitality, creativity and gifts of expression through the body as the chief instrument of communication reached new levels of connection with wider audiences.

‘Getting into the zone’ is as much a part of preparing for sports competitions as for any stage presentation. In harnessing the power of the zone as an athlete, it became anchored in Gary’s mind that he needed to create tools and resources to coach individuals to connect inner purpose to outer presentation, and align intention with performance.

For Gary, there is always an overarching sense of achievement working with people to unlock the stored physical, emotional and creative energy – and release the related anxiety, tensions and self-talk holding them back from freely, fully and fluidly expressing themselves – to make the difference of which they are capable, to step up as leaders and heroes in both their personal lives and in our world.

Dr Gary’s clients generally come from two paths: firstly performers, leaders or high-profile spokespeople. Their goal is to persuade, entertain, inform or educate and leave an impression. Secondly, those that want to achieve similarly, and may be challenged in expressing themselves, lost for words, floundering for material, simply stuck or nervous.

Companies that have engaged Dr Gary include global corporations, such as Chifley, Capgemini, 3M, Xerox, Geovital, American Express, Air New Zealand, the Intercontinental Hotel and Australia Post – as well as a string of not for profits, Make-a-Wish foundation amongst them – and thousands of individuals worldwide. His unique blend of personal and professional development programs is becoming increasing popular within both private industry and the government sector. He recently provided a series of programs for the Victoria Local Government sector, in partnership with the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV).

Dr Gary’s quest is to assist fellow presenters find their authority, authenticity and audience engagement with the simplest, swiftest, most sustainable systems possible.

 “Here’s to unlocking your true self, speaking from the heart and being heard – with your fullest vitality, physical presence and connectedness – on all stages of your life. It’s an honour for me to assist you in enhancing the full-bodied engagement, interactive impact and effectiveness of your live presentations, and in bringing your voice, message and wisdom out into the world as you’ve always dreamed possible“.

Speaking Topics include:

1. The Art of Effective Communication: Master Authenticity, Rapport & Presence
   
   
2. Speaking from the Heart: Amplify Your Voice, Message & Impact
   
   
3. Transform Your Message with Your Body & Voice: Engage, Inspire & Move Audiences
   
   
4. Mastering the 3 V’s of Communication: Aligning Verbal, Vocal & Visual Presence
   
   
5. Captivate Any Audience: Confidence, Storytelling & Stage Presence
   
   
6. From Virtual to Live Stages: Choreograph Your Message for Maximum Influence
   
   
7. The Power of Vulnerability: How Authenticity Unlocks Leadership & Connection
   
   
8. Resolving Conflict & Difficult Conversations with Confidence & Clarity
   
   
9. The Leadership Edge: Awakening the Hero Within & Inspiring Action
   
   
10. The Art of Storytelling: Influence, Inspire & Elevate Your Personal Brand
    
    
11. The Speech Cycle Formula: Structure Your Message for Clarity & Lasting Impact
    
    
12. The P.E.A. Formula for Communication: Point, Example, Application for Maximum Effect
    
    
13. Building High-Performance Teams: Turn Challenges into Strength & Collaboration
    
    
14. Work-Life Balance for Leaders: Master Energy, Focus & Creativity
    
    
15. Empower Your Self-Talk: Affirmations & Mindset Shifts for Powerful Presentations