Speakers & Bios - Attracting Love of Deep Connection
Wendy Bergen has over 40 years of coaching experience and is recognized as one of the most requested Transformational Solution Coaches and in-demand motivational speakers. She is the author of two books and a best seller, “Getting Unstuck—30 ways to turn your limiting barriers into clarity, freedom, and power.” Growing up in foster care, experiencing violence in her home, and a survivor of abusive marriages, she has created herself to be an independent, self-starter since age 16, moving beyond many challenges to continue to cause and live a fearless life.
Photo of Wendy Bergen by Val Westover
Photo of Wendy Bergen by Val Westover
Marjorie Chapman is the Head Coach and Founder of Big Bold Love. She has been a safe listening for people as long as she can remember. As a child, she traveled and lived all around the world (US, Germany, Togo, Sudan and Malaysia), getting to know people of all walks of life and giving her a unique perspective on what it means to be a human. Marjorie believes we are all more alike than different, and that what everyone wants is to be loved and feel known.
In 2007, she attended her first transformational course and knew she had found her purpose -- life coaching. She realized that she had been spending much of her life as a victim of life, feeling that life happened to her, instead of her creating her life. She began her training then, learning and practicing this new art and, in 2011, Marjorie founded her company. Marjorie continues to expand her knowledge base, adding more and more tools to help her in supporting and guiding her clients. Her favorite thing is to have the opportunity to support people in having powerful and luscious relationships.
In 2007, she attended her first transformational course and knew she had found her purpose -- life coaching. She realized that she had been spending much of her life as a victim of life, feeling that life happened to her, instead of her creating her life. She began her training then, learning and practicing this new art and, in 2011, Marjorie founded her company. Marjorie continues to expand her knowledge base, adding more and more tools to help her in supporting and guiding her clients. Her favorite thing is to have the opportunity to support people in having powerful and luscious relationships.
From a very young age Valerie Jean-Jacques was always attracted to happy love stories. However, growing up, she found that real life relationships did not happen the same way she saw them on TV. Life became her teacher.
After gaining 80 lbs. during her second pregnancy, Valerie found yoga practice and working out helped her lose the excess weight along with, for the first time, a deep understanding that everything she wanted on the outside took its root from how she felt inside. That discovery led her to begin her studies in meditation and holistic health, and, just as she was able to shed her excess weight, Valerie is using that same approach to attracting love in her life. Now, her life is about sharing with others what she discovered about being the creator of one’s own life story.
After gaining 80 lbs. during her second pregnancy, Valerie found yoga practice and working out helped her lose the excess weight along with, for the first time, a deep understanding that everything she wanted on the outside took its root from how she felt inside. That discovery led her to begin her studies in meditation and holistic health, and, just as she was able to shed her excess weight, Valerie is using that same approach to attracting love in her life. Now, her life is about sharing with others what she discovered about being the creator of one’s own life story.
Born in Africa, Nouara Mezar was raised in France. She has always been fascinated by relationships, and how people communicate and connect in general. As the eldest sibling of one brother and sisters, Nouara was the mediator among the kids. When she arrived in Vancouver in 2007, the first book she read in English was The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman, loving it instantly and using its principles everywhere--at work, with friends, and while visiting family, where it works like a charm in any situation. Nouara is skilled in teaching groups in personnel development and corporate settings.
Chereda Miller has worked in social careers for over 30 years. As a 26-year flight attendant and a 20-year real estate broker, she has had the opportunity to meet and interact with thousands of people in stressful team environments. Her passion for people living a life they love that truly lights them up has led her to the study of how people can have fulfilling relationships with themselves and others. A typical day for her starts with yoga, jogging, biking or HIIT training.
Dave and Marjorie Chapman met online in 2011 and chatted for a few weeks before meeting in person. One of Marjorie's earliest memories is sharing about a book she was reading and, after a pause, Dave said, "Ok, I just ordered it." On their first date, shortly before Thanksgiving, they wandered around Toys R Us and then went out to eat. They had their usual worries, Dave's were amplified when he knocked ketchup across the table. They clicked and neither of them wanted to have the evening end, so Marjorie invited Dave to help her get a tree, realizing it may be difficult alone. As soon as she invited him and he accepted she panicked - she had just invited an almost stranger to her house! They searched all over, but the tree lots were all closed. They finally found their way to Food Lion, where trees were tied to the cart return. After purchasing one they realized no one was going to help them in any way. They sawed through the rope tying the tree up with a house key and then shoved it into the back of the van because they had no rope to tie it on the roof. Dave held the end while the top dangled out the open hatch.
This was the first of many adventures that Dave and Marjorie went on. They marveled at how that first date demonstrated how well they communicated, worked together, and had fun. Over the past 9 years they continue to explore what makes a great relationship work. There is no "happily ever after" all on its own, but when two people are committed to learning and growing, the journey can be fun and better than you think is possible! Now Dave and Marjorie are committed to helping others create their own versions of "happily ever after" with their partner!
This was the first of many adventures that Dave and Marjorie went on. They marveled at how that first date demonstrated how well they communicated, worked together, and had fun. Over the past 9 years they continue to explore what makes a great relationship work. There is no "happily ever after" all on its own, but when two people are committed to learning and growing, the journey can be fun and better than you think is possible! Now Dave and Marjorie are committed to helping others create their own versions of "happily ever after" with their partner!
Steve and Nancy Johnston met in 1998 at work where Nancy was a project manager and Steve a salesperson. Their dynamic relationship started there and continues to this day. Steve is secure in the dreamer role while Nancy is the get-it-done manager. From the start there was a pull to the middle and a shared goal of adventure. When they look back to see what has worked for them, it is inevitably around the creation, planning, and completion of a project or an adventure.
Creating travel as an adventure, they combined it with work and visiting family, having been overseas many times a year with many shared memories. They created a joint project to build a home for themselves and their children, which began with a home renovation in Coquitlam, onto an older home and more renovation in North Vancouver, and finally, completed with a contemporary new home built on the North Vancouver site. Being of service is a shared expression of love. Nancy gets a freshly brewed Americano every morning in bed, while Steve wakes up to a spotless kitchen where he makes that coffee. Each is their own, intimate, expression of love.
Creating travel as an adventure, they combined it with work and visiting family, having been overseas many times a year with many shared memories. They created a joint project to build a home for themselves and their children, which began with a home renovation in Coquitlam, onto an older home and more renovation in North Vancouver, and finally, completed with a contemporary new home built on the North Vancouver site. Being of service is a shared expression of love. Nancy gets a freshly brewed Americano every morning in bed, while Steve wakes up to a spotless kitchen where he makes that coffee. Each is their own, intimate, expression of love.
Brad Swift met Ann in the hallway of a workshop whose homework assignment was to list 100 things we wanted to do, be or have. Brad overheard Ann share with another participant two items on her list: a committed relationship and a romantic relationship. As a way to enter into the conversation, Brad asked her why those were two separate items? Didn’t it make more sense to combine them into one — a committed and romantic relationship?
Brad made sure to sit next to her in class since being in a committed relationship was on his list as well, since he found her to be cute and very engaging. A few weeks later, after going out on three or four dates, Brad announced he was ready for a committed, romantic relationship and asked if Ann was ready as well. Shocked, Ann backed away, saying, “Whoa, whoa, whoa — not so fast! If I was any good at committed relationships I’d still be married to my first husband.” Brad understood her point-of-view. He had been through not one, but two divorces of his own and had a long list of other failed attempts at committed relationships. He made a counteroffer.
“Would you be willing to go for a 24-hour committed relationship?” At first, Ann thought he was just joking. He repeated, “Let’s go for a 24-hour committed relationship. Surely we can make it for 24-hours, right?” Ann agreed. The next day, 24 hours later, Brad called to congratulate Ann. “Congratulations on your first successful, committed relationship. Now, are you ready to try for another one? How about one for 48 hours? 48 hours isn’t that much longer than 24 hours, right?” She agreed once again.
Sure enough, they made it through the 48-hour one and also a 72-hour committed relationship. Next was a 10-day retreat. But midway through the retreat, they thought they had sabotaged their budding relationship when the program brought up all their ugly stuff — the stuff you really don’t want someone else to see, especially the person you’ve just started dating. While neither was thrilled revealing that side of themselves, they hung in there, and by the end of the program, they announced to the entire group that they were committing to a six-month relationship. After another six months, Ann proposed to Brad. They have now been married for 30 years and just re-committed to another 30.
Brad made sure to sit next to her in class since being in a committed relationship was on his list as well, since he found her to be cute and very engaging. A few weeks later, after going out on three or four dates, Brad announced he was ready for a committed, romantic relationship and asked if Ann was ready as well. Shocked, Ann backed away, saying, “Whoa, whoa, whoa — not so fast! If I was any good at committed relationships I’d still be married to my first husband.” Brad understood her point-of-view. He had been through not one, but two divorces of his own and had a long list of other failed attempts at committed relationships. He made a counteroffer.
“Would you be willing to go for a 24-hour committed relationship?” At first, Ann thought he was just joking. He repeated, “Let’s go for a 24-hour committed relationship. Surely we can make it for 24-hours, right?” Ann agreed. The next day, 24 hours later, Brad called to congratulate Ann. “Congratulations on your first successful, committed relationship. Now, are you ready to try for another one? How about one for 48 hours? 48 hours isn’t that much longer than 24 hours, right?” She agreed once again.
Sure enough, they made it through the 48-hour one and also a 72-hour committed relationship. Next was a 10-day retreat. But midway through the retreat, they thought they had sabotaged their budding relationship when the program brought up all their ugly stuff — the stuff you really don’t want someone else to see, especially the person you’ve just started dating. While neither was thrilled revealing that side of themselves, they hung in there, and by the end of the program, they announced to the entire group that they were committing to a six-month relationship. After another six months, Ann proposed to Brad. They have now been married for 30 years and just re-committed to another 30.
Penney De Pas seeks to enrich peoples’ lives with images and stories of the beauty and dignity of the universe and the human spirit through her art, dancing, writing, and life coaching. In her 40-year career as an association executive and 24 years of leadership training, she honed her skills as a facilitator and moderator of discussions. She has studied male-female communication styles through programs led by Alison Armstrong, Arielle Ford, Claire Zammit, Mathew Boggs, James Bauer, and through Landmark Worldwide.