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Sunflower Effect Confidence Course Leader Training

Transform the lives of quiet, shy and socially anxious people through drama

Transform the lives of quiet, shy and socially anxious people through drama

Teach confidence to adults. Confidence Training


The 2024-2025 Training starts October 21st 2024.
Last Free Webinar 23rd September. Last Introductory Training Workshop 5th-6th October.

Train in the Sunflower Effect®

The most effective confidence-building method for quiet, shy and vulnerable people that outstrips traditional methods.

Train in the Sunflower Effect®

The most effective confidence-building method for quiet, shy and vulnerable people that outstrips traditional methods.

Do you have a background in drama and have a yearning to do more rewarding work?

Are you a compassionate, supportive, enthusiastic person and understand what it’s like to be shy, self-conscious or lacking in confidence? You may already be in the helping professions.

Become a Sunflower Effect Confidence Specialist doing work that you really love – whilst transforming the lives of quieter people.

My name is Claire Schrader, and I developed the Sunflower Effect®, the most effective confidence-building system for quiet, shy and vulnerable people. The Sunflower Effect Courses are recognised and validated by participants reporting life-changing results that outstrip the results of other confidence-building approaches by a long way.

There is a growing demand for these courses in different parts of the UK, Ireland and other countries too.

This is why I need you.

Join the Foundation Sunflower Effect Confidence Course Leader Training and offer the Sunflower Effect Courses where they are most needed – in big cities and towns outside London. (This is also where you stand the biggest chance of building a successful practice.)

Confidence is a big issue for many children, teenagers and adults in all sectors of our society. Currently, the courses are just offered to adults, but in time, we will develop the courses for children and teenagers.

Or, you may wish to offer the courses in your organisation, to your existing clients or in different settings.

Do you have a background in drama and have a yearning to do more rewarding work?

Are you a compassionate, supportive, enthusiastic person and understand what it’s like to be shy, self-conscious or lacking in confidence? You may already be in the helping professions.

Become a Sunflower Effect Confidence Specialist, doing work that you really love whilst transforming the lives of quieter people.

My name is Claire Schrader, and I developed the Sunflower Effect®, the most effective confidence-building system for quiet, shy and vulnerable people. The Sunflower Effect Courses® are recognised and validated by participants reporting life-changing results that outstrip the results of traditional confidence-building approaches by a long way.

There is a growing demand for the courses in different parts of the UK and Ireland.

This is why I need you.

Join the Foundation Sunflower Effect Confidence Course Leader Training and offer the Sunflower Effect Courses where they are most needed – in big cities and towns outside London. (This is also where you stand the biggest chance of building a successful practice.)

Confidence is a big issue for many children, teenagers and adults in all sectors of our society. Currently, the courses are just offered to adults, but in time, we will develop the courses for children and teenagers.

Or, you may wish to offer the courses in your organisation, to your existing clients or in different settings.

What is the Sunflower Effect?

The Sunflower Effect® is a pioneering and proven confidence-building system, based in dramatherapy, that transforms the lifestyle and prospects of quiet, shy and socially anxious people.

Confidence Training. Teach confidence to adults

How is it different from other confidence courses?

It achieves outstanding, lasting results very quickly.

Most confidence-building and therapy techniques, classically don’t work for shy, self-conscious, socially anxious people or people who have experienced significant trauma. This includes assertiveness training, CBT, hypnotherapy and talking therapies. Whilst these approaches will help to build confidence, they don’t go far enough in building the kind of confidence that makes a difference to these people’s lives.

Participants of the Sunflower Effect®, however, report life-changing results. Many have paid out thousands of pounds and wasted years of their life, before in desperation, they discovered the Sunflower Effect®.

See this explanation of the psychological underpinning as to how and why the Sunflower Effect® achieves such exceptional results.

How the Sunflower Effect Works

Our mission

Our mission is to transform the way that confidence is taught to quiet, shy and socially anxious participants whose confidence has been damaged by adverse life experiences.

And for you as a Sunflower Effect Course Leader to create a fulfilling and rewarding life for yourself delivering the courses where they are most needed.

Through the training, I aim to empower you to provide a safe space for vulnerable people to dissolve the psychological barriers that has been blocking them from realising their potential, enabling them to create the life they want by uncovering and expressing their unique and authentic selves.

The Sunflower Project

The Course Leader Training is part of a wider initiative called the Sunflower Project to make the Sunflower Effect Courses available nationally, internationally and especially in developing countries.

The Foundation Training is the first stage in a longer modular training process with the option to train to deliver the full range of the Sunflower Effect Confidence Courses.

The first Sunflower Effect Foundation Training launched in 2021. The group that trained are currently getting practice running courses in preparation for becoming Licensed Sunflower Effect Course Leaders.

I look forward to training more professionals (enquiring for details) to meet the demand for the Sunflower Effect Courses in different parts of the UK and Internationally.

The plan for the next Foundation Training is to offer a hybrid between in-person and distance learning. This will allow people unable to attend the courses in London to participate.

The course will take place at my house in North Greenford, with distance participants joining us on Zoom.

Confidence Training. Teach confidence to adults

The Sunflower Project

The Course Leader Training is part of a wider initiative called the Sunflower Project to make the Sunflower Effect Courses available nationally, internationally and especially in developing countries.

The Foundation Training is the first stage in a longer modular training process with the option to train to deliver the full range of the Sunflower Effect Confidence Courses.

The first Sunflower Effect Foundation Training launched in 2021. The group that trained are currently getting practice running courses in preparation for becoming Licensed Sunflower Effect Course Leaders.

The plan for the next Foundation Training (not confirmed yet) is to offer a hybrid between in-person and distance learning. This will allow people unable to attend the courses in London to participate.

The course will take place at my house in North Greenford, with distance participants joining us on Zoom.

Reasons for training to become a Sunflower Effect Confidence Specialist

You will be changing lives, helping quiet, shy and socially anxious people to change their futures. Whether that’s offering private courses or offering the courses in your workplace or to your existing clients.
You will have the option to set up a Sunflower Effect Centre delivering the Sunflower Effect Courses in areas where they are most needed – large cities and towns outside London. (This is where you stand the biggest chance of building a successful practice.) You will be independent, running your own practice and therefore earn more.
You won’t be alone. You will learn everything you need to succeed and have the choice to be part of a community of Sunflower Effect confidence specialists who will become like family to you, sharing your values and beliefs.

Support to build a thriving practice

If you sign up for the marketing programme, you won’t have to build a website, learn complex technology, or know anything about marketing and attracting clients to your work. 

I will teach it all to you. I have done the donkey work, taken the risks and invested thousands of pounds in discovering the best way to attract and retain clients. The methods I will teach you have been tried, tested — and are proven to work.

And they won’t break the bank.

I signed up for Claire’s Foundation Course, as being able to train in the work that literally saved my life was a huge opportunity. I know I can, and have, facilitated courses that can help people with zero confidence and crippling shyness by finding their voice and live a more fulfilling life and be comfortable with themselves. This form of drama therapy that Claire has created has been life-changing. It’s also utterly ridiculous how much fun it is. We speak of our life journeys, and while it can be hard, there’s a lot of fun and creativity along the way, especially if you have the good fortune of stumbling into Claire and her Sunflower Effect. To say I recommend it is an understatement.

Jane Timberlake, confidence guide and life coach

I have experienced the pleasure of attending Claire’s Sunflower Effect Foundation Confidence Course leader training. In developing this training Claire has tapped into her own life experiences (including her role as a Dramatherapist)) to create a unique training programme to support those who are shy, anxious and lacking confidence.

Claire’s training workshops created a safe space for participants to feel vulnerable without judgment from others. Her unique style created a positive learning experience allowing participants to work at their own pace. Workshops were well structured, filled with creative fun, plenty of opportunities for insightful learning through reflective practice. What this training clearly illustrated was the power of Drama to effect change (Mr Bateman Vs the Post Office).

Having lacked confidence for much of my own life while also experiencing periods of anxiety this has proven an invaluable training course. I’m now in a position of being able to run workshops based on the Sunflower Effect; thank you Claire. Whether you’re wishing to undertake the training or attend one of Claire’s workshops as a client either way you are in safe hands and I would thoroughly recommend the journey.

Mark Trenchard, dramatherapist

The training was really informative and deepened my understanding of this amazing work that Claire has been developing over the last 27 years.  There’s so much mastery in it, and I already can feel the impact of the exercises that we did in my own personal development.  I can’t wait to get started on the year’s training.  I feel like this is going to be a game changer for me in terms of what I can deliver as part of my business and my own personal growth.

Emma Hewitt, drama facilitator and theatre director

I welcome applications from you for these reasons:

  • You have some understanding of what it is like to be shy, self-conscious and lacking in confidence.
  • You are highly motivated to help people with confidence issues. You are good at supporting others, caring, grounded and enthusiastic.
  • You operate better within a team than working on your own. You want to be part of a bigger vision that is going to make a real difference in the lives of quieter people.
  • You are a drama professional (performer, teacher) who is looking for a new direction. Dramatherapists: please click here.  You may be an Arts Therapist or occupational therapist with an interest in drama. Or, you may just have a love of drama.
  • You are a therapist, coach, counsellor or in the helping professions and realise there is more to confidence than talking. You would like to offer the Sunflower Effect Confidence Courses to your clients.
  • You have participated in one of my courses and have been able to say goodbye to shyness, social anxiety and any other issue that has undermined your confidence.  You feel inspired to train to support others to do the same.
  • You would like to offer the Sunflower Effect Confidence Courses within your organisation.

Download an Information Pack to learn more.

Download pack

The Sunflower Effect has changed the lives of many quiet, shy and introverted people

See their stories. Here are just some of the responses from participants:

It’s been six months since I did the course, and I’m still seeing the benefits. I surprise myself sometimes as to where my confidence comes from in relating to people.

Peregine C. Health Practitioner

Excellent value for money. One, it worked, and two so many other therapies are way more expensive and haven’t worked. Making Moves are cheap for what they are.

Jane Timberlake, now a Sunflower Effect Course leader in Training

By the end of the course, I could really tell I’d made a massive shift. I feel like I’m a lot more authentic and accepting of myself with less feelings of being inferior and needing to hide my true self. For me, this course truly was a lifeline.

Elizabeth G. graphic designer

 I’ve done other kinds of work but this had a lightning effect on my psyche. It provided a short cut to the hidden recesses of my unconscious. No one else is offering anything like this.

Rob Buchiski, E-Consultant

Last Webinar before the Foundation Training Starts
Is the Sunflower Effect Course Leader Training right for you?


Join me in the next free webinar. This is where you can hear more about the Sunflower Effect and how it is unique in building confidence in quiet, shy and vulnerable people. .

It is designed for you if you are planning to join the Foundation Training, the Introductory Training Workshop, curious about the training, or unsure if the training is the right step for you.

Dates: September 23rd 2024
Times: 7.30-9.30pm
Venue: Online GoogleMeet
Cost: Free

Sign up for September webinar

Sunflower Effect Introductory Training Workshop

Teach confidence to adults. Confi


Prior to launching the next training in September 2024, I will be running two Introductory Confidence Training Workshops.

Designed for you if you’re interested in training, or want to find out if the Foundation Training is right for you.

You will be learning the core principles of the Sunflower Effect Confidence Building System (based in dramatherapy), and how it enables quiet, shy and introverted people to build confidence, even those who believe they are a lost cause..

Please note: This workshop is the first step in your training process.

However, it does not commit you to the full Foundation Training should you decide not to take the training further.

Introductory Sunflower Effect Confidence Training Workshop in July
Dates:  October 5th-6th 2024
Times: 10-30-5.30pm approx
Cost: £250 (normal price) – discounted to £200 for a hybrid training

The workshop will take place at Claire’s house in North Greenford, with distance participants joining on an online platform similar to Zoom.

More information

Foundation Course Leader Training Dates

Training Dates for 20024-2025 Foundation Training

Online Sessions

Session 1: 21st October 7.30-9.30pm
Session 2: 28th October 7.30-9.30pm

Weekend Trainings

Weekend 1: November 1st-3rd 2024, Friday evening: 7.30-9.30pm, Weekend 10.30-5.30pm

Weekend 2: December 6th-8th 2024, Friday evening: 7.30-9.30pm, Weekend 10.30-5.30pm

Weekend 3: 31st Jan – 2nd Feb 2025, Friday evening: 7.30-9.30pm, Weekend 10.30-5.30pm

Weekend 4: March 7th-9th 2025, Friday evening: 7.30-9.30pm, Weekend 10.30-5.30pm

Weekend 5: April 4th-6th 2025 Friday evening: 7.30-9.30pm, Weekend 10.30-5.30pm

Weekend 6: April/May TBC Friday evening: 7.30-9.30pm, Weekend 10.30-5.30pm

Venue for the Hybrid Training:  34 Robin Hood Way, North Greenford UB6 7QN Tubes: Perivale (Central), Sudbury Town (Piccadilly)
Online Participants: Via a platform similar to Zoom

The Foundation Training consists of 6 weekends and 10 online sessions (2-hour sessions on Mondays 7.30pm-9.30pm).  See the Information Pack for the remaining online dates

About Claire Schrader

Sunflower Effect Confidence Course Leader Training

I started out in life as a shy introvert and proverbial wallflower.  That is until I found a way at age 22, to break out of my shell, through the power of drama.

It changed my life, and I have never looked back.

You can read about my journey in my book, From Wallflower to Sunflower, the quiet person’s guide to natural confidence.

I developed Sunflower Effect Courses over a 20 year period. I have been helping people through dramatherapy-based personal development courses and workshops in the UK, America and Europe since 1997. In 2012, I tripled my income and client base running the Sunflower Effect Courses.

My academic work includes editing Ritual Theatre, The Power of Dramatic Ritual in Personal Development Groups and Clinical Practicepublished by Jessica Kingsley.

You can find one of my chapter’s “Breaking Through the Walls of Shyness:  Overcoming Shyness, Self-Consciousness and Social Anxiety Through Dramatherapy” in the Routledge International Handbook of Dramatherapy.

I have been featured in Marie-Claire (Malaysia),  Kindred Spirit, Positive Health, and Counselling News, on Sky TV, BBC World Services and Radio 4.

Read more:

How does the Sunflower Effect achieve such significant shifts in people?

What is the theory behind the Sunflower Effect?

My background

Interviews with me about my approach.

Want to know more?

Download an information pack

Training Enquiry

Please fill in this form if you are interested in training or have a question about training. We suggest that you request an information pack – you should find the link on this page. This will give you much more an idea of the content of the training and if it will be a good fit for you.

  • If you are interested in training in this approach please tell me as much as you can about yourself and what skills/aptitudes you have and where and how you see yourself practicicing.
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