Speaking & Workshops

Thoughtful learning experiences that create space to think, reflect, and connect.

The best learning experiences do more than give people information. They invite us to slow down, see something differently, have meaningful conversations, and discover what we want to do with what we've learned.

I create interactive workshops, presentations, and facilitated experiences that help people engage with ideas rather than simply listen. Depending on the setting, that might include reflection, conversation, a live coaching demonstration, hands-on building with LEGO® bricks, or other experiential activities.

Whether I'm working with coaches, leaders, organizations, churches, or community groups, my goal is to create a space where people can think deeply, participate in ways that work for them, and leave with insights they can carry into their work and lives.

What You Can Expect

Thoughtful, reflective learning.
I don't believe I need to give people all the answers. Instead, I create space for them to connect what they're learning to their own experiences and discover what matters to them.

Interactive experiences.
Learning doesn't have to mean sitting and listening to someone talk for an hour. My sessions often include conversation, reflection, demonstrations, creative activities, and opportunities to experience an idea rather than simply hear about it.

Depth without unnecessary complexity.
I love learning and research, but I don't expect participants to love digging through research as much as I do. I bring together ideas from multiple disciplines and translate them into accessible, useful concepts.

Space for different ways of thinking and participating.
Not everyone thinks, processes, communicates, or participates in the same way. I intentionally create learning environments with room for those differences rather than expecting everyone to engage in one particular way.

Something to carry with you.
I want participants to leave with more than notes from a presentation. They should leave with an insight, a question, a new perspective, or something practical they can continue exploring after our time together.

I May Be a Good Fit for Your Event If…

You're looking for someone who:

  • Creates an experience rather than simply delivering a presentation
  • Makes room for reflection, curiosity, and meaningful conversation
  • Can make complex ideas understandable without oversimplifying them
  • Understands that people think, process, communicate, and participate differently
  • Brings a coaching approach to learning and development
  • Is comfortable with nuance and questions that don't have easy answers
  • Uses creative, experiential, or hands-on approaches when they serve the learning

If you're primarily looking for someone to stand at the front of the room and deliver a high-energy motivational presentation, I'm probably not your person.

If you want people thinking, engaging, reflecting, and talking about what they discovered afterward, we may be a very good fit.

Areas I Explore

Neurodivergence & Human Difference

How can we create environments where people don't have to think, communicate, work, or participate in the same way to belong and contribute?

My work explores neurodivergence, sensory differences, psychological safety, different ways of processing and communicating, and what becomes possible when we make room for human difference.

Coaching, Listening, & Conversation

The way we listen changes everything!

I explore how presence, curiosity, listening, and coaching conversations can create space for better thinking, greater ownership, deeper understanding, and meaningful change. This work can be especially valuable for coaches and leaders, but the principles apply anywhere people are in conversation with one another.

Living & Leading in Alignment

So much of life and leadership is shaped by what we think we're supposed to do. I'm interested in what happens when we become more curious about who we actually are.

These experiences explore self-awareness, strengths, purpose, transitions, relationships, and creating ways of living and leading that are more aligned with who we are and how we're designed.

Experiential & Reflective Learning

Sometimes we need a different way to think.

I use approaches including LEGO® Serious Play®, coaching demonstrations, reflective practices, creative exploration, and embodied awareness to help people see what can be difficult to access through conversation or information alone.

Current Workshops & Learning Experiences

These are some of the workshops and facilitated experiences I currently offer. Depending on the topic and setting, sessions may be adapted to fit your audience, available time, and desired outcomes.

Most conversations are fast and solution-oriented, but they don’t always lead to clarity or meaningful change. In this interactive workshop, you’ll experience a different approach. Through a live coaching demonstration, you’ll observe three simple shifts that can transform the way you lead and communicate. These practical listening skills create space for better thinking, stronger ownership, and more effective outcomes in everyday conversations at work and home. Whether you’re leading a team, working with clients, or collaborating with colleagues, you’ll walk away with simple, accessible tools you can begin using immediately. No formal coaching training required.

LEGO® Serious Play® is a hands-on, reflective experience that helps individuals and groups think more clearly, communicate more effectively, and gain insight through building and reflection. Rather than relying solely on discussion or presentations, participants use LEGO® bricks to build models that represent ideas, experiences, and perspectives. This process makes thinking visible and creates space for deeper understanding and meaningful dialogue.

These workshops can be designed to support a wide range of outcomes, from team building and collaboration to individual reflection, problem-solving, and visioning. Sessions are fully customized to meet the needs of your group and can be offered as a 60–90 minute experience, a half-day workshop, or a full-day program. Depending on your goals, the focus may be relational and team-oriented or reflective and individually focused. 

This approach works well for conferences, retreats, leadership teams, staff development days, and community gatherings looking for an engaging, interactive way to build understanding and connection.

God designed your body to protect and care for you. Unfortunately, in our fast-paced world, we often fail to listen to what our bodies are telling us. This experiential workshop offers a sacred pause to slow down, reconnect, and listen. Through gentle, faith-rooted somatic practices, you'll explore how your body reflects God's design for safety, restoration, and connection. Learn to understand the valuable messages your body is telling you and discover how to live with greater peace, presence, and wholeness.

Clients think, process, and communicate in many different ways, and coaches can feel uncertain when a client’s natural way of expressing themselves differs from what they expect. These moments can prompt assumptions or subtle pressure to direct the session, unintentionally disrupting trust and safety.
In this workshop, we’ll explore how coaches use attuned presence, curiosity, and collaborative partnership to create the conditions for psychological safety when clients engage or process in diverse ways. We’ll examine how coaches notice and respond to different forms of engagement, work with varying pacing, and co-create the session structure to support deeper thinking. By focusing on coaching behaviors that invite authenticity, autonomy, and spacious exploration, we’ll strengthen our ability to create coaching spaces where every brain can show up fully and think freely.

Explore how God made you and your spouse by using the CliftonStrengths assessment. You will discover how your unique design complements your spouse and creates a powerful partnership. Each session provides time to learn, discuss, and grow closer together. This workshop combines faith-based marriage principles with modern strength-based approaches, helping you build a more intentional and joyful relationship. 

This is typically offered as a six- to ten-session class and can be modified to fit your timeframe and audience. Each participant will need to complete the CliftonStrengths assessment.

Ways We Might Work Together

Depending on your audience and what you're hoping to create, I offer:

  • Interactive workshops
  • Conference sessions
  • Coaching demonstrations
  • Retreats
  • Facilitated experiences
  • Podcast conversations

Some experiences are already developed and ready to offer. Others may be adapted or created when an opportunity is particularly aligned with my experience, interests, and the needs of your audience.

What Participants Say

Ethical practice brought to life

Crystal presented and facilitated a learning event on the topic of Ethical Practice for the Professional Christian Coaching Institute; she was exceptional! Her engaging presence and skillful facilitation brought ethical practice to life in a way that felt both accessible and deeply meaningful. Through creative exercises and well-crafted thought experiments, she elevated our awareness and invited us to see ethics not as a requirement to manage, but as something we genuinely want to embrace. Crystal has a gift for creating learning environments that are reflective, practical, and inspiring; it was a delight to benefit from her skills, her teaching, and her presence.
Cindy Schmelzenbach, MCC, ESIA

A “hit it out of the ballpark” training

Crystal’s presentation was truly excellent. It was a “hit it out of the ballpark” training and a wonderful experience for our CCE series. She has a gift for breaking down directions into clear, easy-to-follow steps while keeping participants engaged throughout the entire workshop. She created an interactive learning experience that held the audience’s focus without pulling attention away from the main content. The result was a session that was energizing, meaningful, and impactful for everyone involved.
Rachel McCluskey, CPLC, Chancellor of Professional Christian Coaching Institute

Engaging and practical

Crystal Wagner is a delightful speaker with a relevant and inspiring message. She has an engaging style and offers practical application to the ideas she presents.
Susan Chrisman

Well-researched and prepared

Crystal was not only fully prepared and engaging, but the host of resources, data, and research behind her methods was completely sound. I did not go away feeling burdened with one more thing to add to our calendar, but I felt excited and fully prepared to implement what I learned!
Paula G.

Breath of Fresh Air

I just wanted to say what a joy it was to be in your workshops and learn from your wisdom. You had some refreshing ideas that I plan to implement.
Laura

Easily digestible

Like a rich stock, Crystal takes concepts and simmers them down into an easily digestible form where they are easy to understand and implement. To listen to Crystal speak is to dip from the pot of her hours of research and insight for a very pleasant and practical meal.
Jayne

Click here to read more speaking testimonials.

Have Something in Mind?

You don't need to know exactly what workshop you want before reaching out.

If you're planning a conference, retreat, workshop, podcast, staff development experience, or gathering and something about my work feels like it might fit, tell me a little about what you're creating and who will be in the room.

We can have a conversation and see whether what I bring and what you're looking for are a good match.