Speaking

The talks

Each talk runs as a keynote or a workshop, in person or virtual.

Talk 01: The ReadFlagship

How to read the person in front of you, and what to do with it

You read people all day: clients, new hires, the person across the table. You almost never find out whether you were right. I'll show you what a trained read looks like, live, and then teach the method. You'll learn what to watch for, where first impressions go wrong, and how to check yours before you act on it. Then I'll show you how to use what you've read to move the conversation where you need it to go.

Best for: sales and client-facing teams, leadership teams, conference openers, physicians and health leaders

The demonstration uses one volunteer who opts in and can stop at any time. Nothing diagnostic is said on stage.

Talk 02: The Speed of Truth

Why bad news reaches leaders too late, and what they can change

Every failure has a moment when someone knew and didn't say. This talk covers why that happens, what leaders do that silences people without realizing it, and how to hear bad news while there's still time to act. It draws on my Routledge book and eight seasons in professional hockey.

Best for: executives, boards, hospital leadership, sports front offices

Talk 03: Adult ADHD at Work

What it actually is, and how to build work around it

Sixty-second clips made ADHD famous without making it clear. I'll cover what the condition actually is, why "just start" is useless advice, and how to set up work so an ADHD brain can do its best work.

Best for: workplaces, HR and people teams, physicians, education

Looking for something else for your room? Ask

Background

Has spoken for · CMA Health Summit · Amazon · TC Energy · PwC · Gowling WLG · Field Hockey Canada

Experience

8 seasons: Mental health consultant for an NHL organization and its AHL affiliate, 2018–2026
League standards: Helped develop proposed mental health minimum standards for the NHL
Author: Co-author, The Psychology of High-Performance Sports Organizations (Routledge, 2026)
Founder: Limbus Health, clinical AI
Physician leader: Former President of a 1,200-physician medical staff association; former Director, Canadian Psychiatric Association

Education

Residency in PsychiatryDalhousie University, Halifax2011–2016
Doctor of MedicineUniversity of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine2008–2011
MSc, Kinesiology (Biomechanics)University of Western Ontario2006–2008
BSc, Honours in Kinesiology, First Class HonoursDalhousie University2001–2005

Awards and fellowships

FellowCanadian Psychiatric Association2022
Humanism in Psychiatry AwardUniversity of Calgary2017
Kristin Sivertz Resident Leadership AwardRoyal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada2016
Resident Teacher of the Year, three consecutive yearsDalhousie University2013–2015

Full background

Speaker kit

The bio, the three talks, background, and a 30-second introduction for your emcee, in one four-page PDF.

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Short bio

Dr. Marie Claire Bourque is a psychiatrist, performance coach, author, and speaker based in Canada. From 2018 to 2026 she was a mental health consultant for an NHL organization and its AHL affiliate, and helped develop proposed mental health minimum standards for the NHL. She teaches at the University of Calgary and UBC, founded Limbus Health, and co-authored The Psychology of High-Performance Sports Organizations (Routledge, 2026).

Read the room. Hear the truth. Lead better.