About Ann Villiers
Australia's Mental Nutritionist®

About Ann Villiers | What clients say | Mental Nutrition® | The Cockatoo as Icon

Dr Ann Villiers is Australia's only Mental Nutritionist® and a sense-making expert. Her expertise is in mind and language practices that enable people to think flexibly, speak confidently and build quality connections.

Ann has more than 20 years experience working in sense-making roles including senior manager, marketer, corporate communicator, educator and author. Having guided teams through major strategic changes, enticed people to take difficult decisions and influenced audiences to change their behaviours, she has figured out some of the mysteries of how we can take charge, tackle challenges and - to put it bluntly - make things happen.

A wellbeing advocate and Positive Psychology practitioner who has studied with world renowned Positive Psychology movement founder Professor Martin Seligman, Ann would like to see us all paying more attention to the critical practices of how we feed and exercise our minds.

Ann has presented her mind-stretching programs to numerous conferences, meetings and in-house seminars. Using practical demonstrations, iconic stories and gems from local people who found the courage to take charge and make things happen, Ann engages, challenges and entertains so, as an event organiser or participant, you can make even more of a difference.

Read Ann's latest Forging Australia article:

Flynn's photos, Australian Geographic, Apr-June 2008, p. 16-17

Snooping around Flynn's legacy, National Library of Australia News, May 2008, pp. 10-13

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What clients say

What people who have experienced Mental Nutrition® seminars and programs say:

"One of the particular challenges of this workshop was the need to work effectively with a group of people who had varying levels of understanding of the subject matter. Your strengths in this area and your ability to help participants develop a common understanding of the issues discussed and the outcomes achieved played a large part in the success of the workshop".

(Department of Family and Community Services)

"The tips and strategies were great-the concepts can be easily adapted for our teams".

(Westpac Banking Corporation)

"Having a speaker of your calibre, expertise and experience at the seminar was highly valued. Participants were most forthcoming in their praise: The quality of the presentation was outstanding! The session provided me with valuable material".

(ANU Careers Centre)

"I felt the workshop was really useful. Excellent way to review the skills you have and put enthusiasm back into the job. Ann is an excellent presenter and brings everyone in the group into the session".

(Participant, Job Application Mastery, Brisbane)

"What the Den delivered was a surprisingly relevant, thought-provoking experience. It gave me the confidence to acknowledge that a number of the challenges were there to be grasped and lead me to greater clarity in setting achievable goals . Your counsel was both wise and witty. And you ensured we had great fun as we absorbed your message".

(Participant in A Den for Daring Dames)

"I would rate your course in the top five that I have attended to date".

(Participant in A Den for Daring Dames)

"Not only have the participants actively engaged the learning facilitated by your program by establishing a communication strategy, but they have also embraced an appreciation for the complexities of communicating effectively in their collective roles as members of this special project team".

(Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts)

"Confident Communicating provided me with ideas on how to reduce my level of anxiety at a meeting so that I can participate and not feel intimidated by others".

(Participant in Confident Communicating, Brisbane)

"Excellent interactive workshop which had definite benefits to my confidence and has helped me understand my fears, make them manageable and progress beyond my obstacles to speaking up!"

(Participant in Confident Communicating, Brisbane)

"Your book is my bible and I thought it comprehensive until today when I found lots more useful tips. The section on preparation was very valuable".

(Careers Counsellor at Job Application Mastery, Brisbane)

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Mental Nutrition®

Dr Ann Villiers is the CEO (Chef of Enterprising Outcomes) of Mental Nutrition. She founded this business to partner with companies, government agencies and organisations in the art of managing meaning for ourselves, our colleagues, staff and customers.

Our Vision

All Australians feed their mind daily for enhanced wellbeing.

Our Mission

As a Mental Nutritionist®, to guide potential-exploring people to make a lasting difference for themselves, those they influence, their organisations and Australia.

Grounded in Mental Nutrition®, partners discover how to be Meaning Managers and how to feed their mind for fruitful results.

Our Commitment to Partners

Our relationship with partners is based on respect, understanding and courtesy.

That means:

• We do what we say we will do

• We meet deadlines

• We return your calls, emails, letters and faxes

• We turn up on time

• We have mobile phone-free meetings

• We are contactable

• We comply with the Code of Professional Ethics of National Speakers Association of Australia Ltd

• We respect the copyright, privacy and confidentiality of information

• Our presentations and services are customised with specified outcomes

Our Guarantee

If after the presentation and application of your learnings you find your objectives have not been met your money will be refunded in full.

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The sulphur crested cockatoo as icon

Metaphors create meaning and understanding. They help us think about one thing in terms of something else. So when I ask "How's the project going?" and you say, after a long groan, "It's a nightmare!" you are using a metaphor. I understand how the project is going in terms of all the nasty features of a nightmare. If you'd said, with a broad grin, "It's a picnic!" I'd have an entirely different picture and understanding.

I use the sulphur crested cockatoo as a metaphor for Mental Nutrition®. This bird is widely familiar in Australia. It is a beautiful bird and a clever one. It is also raucous and destructive.

We need to be clever about what we're feeding our minds and about what's happening between our ears. Is the activity going on between our ears nourishing, helpful, fruitful? Or is it sabotaging, undermining, limiting? We have a choice.