Speaker & Facilitator
ABOUT ME
I’m Emma Payne – a creative leader, experienced team manager, and lifelong performer with a passion for people, music, and meaningful connection.
I studied music at Bath Spa University, where I nurtured both my voice and my love for creative expression. Music continues to be a huge part of my life — I still perform as a singer with a band, keeping my creative spirit alive and centre-stage.
Professionally, I bring over three decades of experience across customer service, hospitality, retail, and the creative industries. I’ve led dynamic teams, run a successful music school, and built businesses that value people as much as performance.
Whether I’m mentoring staff, managing a business, or singing on stage, I lead with heart, integrity, and a belief that connection is at the core of everything that matters.
My approach is simple: Enter Their World.
It means meeting people where they are not where we think they should be.
It means listening beyond words, noticing what’s underneath the surface, and creating space for genuine connection through music, movement, and presence.
I’m here to shift how we see and support people living with dementia, to move beyond clinical routines and behaviour management, and return to what care is really about: trust, understanding, and human connection.
Whether I’m speaking at a conference, training aged care teams, or facilitating workshops in the community, my work is grounded in that same philosophy: Enter Their World, and let them lead.
And what I’m seeing in homes, on stages, and in conversations across the country is that people are ready.
Ready to do things differently.
Ready to reconnect with the heart of care.
If you’re looking for a speaker or facilitator who brings depth, creativity, and a new kind of leadership to the room, I’d love to connect.
FOUNDER
CREATOR
CO-OWNER
SERVICES
community conversations
SPEAKING
Keynote, Conferences, Panel.
Enough Theory
If you can’t use it at 3am on a dementia ward—or in a non-dementia public setting, a classroom, a shop floor, or at home caring for someone you love—it’s not useful.
I cut through the jargon and give simple, human tools that work across dementia and non-dementia contexts. Backed by 70,000+ real interactions, I show exactly how to approach, what to say (and not say), and how to use tone, rhythm, music, movement, and environment to turn distress into calm and confusion into trust.
Who it's for:
Aged Care
Hospitals
retail
hospitality
transport
libraries
call centres
schools
Community Sport
Government Service desks
Families and carers at home
WHAT YOU'LL GET
- EM-path Playbook: four steps to start any interaction calm, clear, connected
- 10-Second Scan: eyes–hands–space—spot triggers before they escalate
- Say-This-Not-That swaps for flashpoints (e.g., “I want to go home,” “Who are you?”)
- Rhythm resets: fast state-shifters using breath, pace, music and movement
- Environment triage: light, noise, exits, choice—small tweaks, big behaviour change
- Boundaries without battles: keep safety and dignity when you must say no
- One-page team & family cards: pocket checklists and a de-escalation ladder for lanyard or fridge
Behaviour is communication.
When we stop dragging people into our world and choose to Enter Their World, everything shifts: fewer escalations, shorter queues, safer teams, calmer homes.
Expect real stories, live demos, zero fluff and a fun approach to what can be a heavy subject.
Bring your frontline, bring your leaders and your teams, and bring your family.
Leave with skills you can use the same day.
WORKSHOPS & TRAINING
Interactive sessions for teams, families and communities
Tired of fluffy training? These sessions are hands-on, fast-paced, and ready to use on a ward, at a service desk, in a classroom—or at your kitchen table. Built from 70,000+ real interactions, we teach you to Enter Their World and turn tension into connection. We use real-life stories and role-play so the practical tips stick.
Designed for dementia and non-dementia contexts
Who it's for:
Aged Care
Hospitals
retail
hospitality
transport
libraries
call centres
schools
Community Sport
Government Service desks
Families and carers at home
WHAT YOU'LL GET
- EM-path: the first 10 seconds that change everything
- “Say this, not that” language swaps for tense moments
- One-minute resets and a simple de-escalation flow
- Environment triage (light, noise, exits, choice) for calmer spaces
- Home-care tactics for repetition, refusal, and “I want to go home”
- Confidence to read cues, set boundaries, and keep dignity intact
How it Runs
- Formats: 90-minute workshop, half-day, full-day, keynote + breakout, or train-the-trainer
- Delivery: in-person or online
- Real-life stories and role-play to anchor learning and memory
- Customised to your industry, culture, and community with real scenarios
WHAT YOU TAKE AWAY
- Pocket cards, checklists, and team posters
- A practical action plan your people can use immediately Ready to shift from managing behaviour to understanding it? Let’s book your workshop.
Tuesday was a day that just kept giving... and not in a good way. That was until you got a big group of residents and team members up dancing, singing and clapping along...I can't thank you enough for sharing your energy, fun and musical talents with all of us.
Nicky, Lifestyle Coordinator, NSW
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Recognised nationally and internationally for transforming engAGEment with people living with dementia, individually, within the community and aged care.
