Bio

Dr. Franca Baroni is an award-winning author, speaker, trainer, attorney and actress.  She is a pioneer of heartfulness in law and governance with a passion to help us discover the power of our physiology in creating overall well-being and justice and approach politics in a fresh way.

As an independent certified Heart Math® resilience trainer, she shares valuable knowledge and evidence-based practical skills that help professionals in many sectors to effectively build resilience in the midst of crisis. She regularly offers Continuing Legal Education programs to bring heartfulness, greater well-being and a fresh approach to justice to the legal profession.

Franca holds a doctorate in public international law and Master of Laws and is admitted to practice in New York, Washington State and Switzerland and is a contributor in the 2017 American Bar Association publication “Lawyers as Changemakers.” She practices humanitarian and family-based US immigration law since 2001.

Speaking Topics

Integrating The Heart Of Justice In The Practice Of Law

In most lawyer’s everyday practice, Lady Justice is little more than a statue, a marketing logo or the memory of an idealistic dream that dissolved in the first years of law school. What if we kept Lady Justice blindfolded for too long thus losing our own sight?

To our legal brain, what matters is winning while justice is often elusive and even impractical. Heart is often tied to cardiovascular problems, religion or romance and thus mostly irrelevant to the practice of law.

What if both heart and justice are keys to a thriving legal practice that fosters our mental and physical well-being, compliance with ethical guidelines and most importantly a genuine experience of justice for those we serve and in society?

Science is showing us that our physiological heart plays a central role in the system of our body and in remaining healthy under pressure. The heart determines the proper functioning of our brain & body functions, our ability to access effective decision-making, intuition & greater wisdom beyond the constraints of our polarized beliefs and the resulting unhealthy coping strategies and habits. The heart integrates what the brain considers irreconcilable, often leading to more just outcomes for all parties involved and beyond the winning & losing frame of reference.

Given the legal profession is plagued by the highest number of mental health issues, accessing the power of heart is essential.

In this program, Dr. Franca Baroni opens a fresh conversation around justice within ourselves and among future lawyers. She offers a taste of the physiological qualities of the heart to generate greater wellbeing and coherence in the profession at large, while reconnecting lawyers to their essential role as public citizens having special responsibility for the quality of justice.

From Rapid Change To Resilience

Our stress habits often convince us that there is already too much to do and just the thought of investing time to improve our wellbeing is stress producing. Our brain is sophisticated in finding excuses and likes to remain in the familiar zone, even if it is uncomfortable, and we end up in a vicious cycle.

The current rapid and abrupt shifts in our individual lives and our surroundings cause stress in our bodies whether we are aware of it or not. The good news is that challenge - if we are equipped with the adequate tools - IS what builds our resilience. We can learn to effectively adapt to and even thrive in the midst of crises.

In this program, Dr. Franca Baroni offers a taste of the science of resilience and optimal performance under pressure. She shares a few practical tools scientifically proven to decrease stress symptoms and build resilience within 6-9 weeks of regular use. The methodology she teaches has been adopted by thousands in hospitals, corporate, universities, US military, first responders, police, and more with significant results in the past 20+ years.

Finding a New Norm - Resilience Fundamentals

The way we build resilience is through stretching our norm. As legal professionals we are used to “massage” norms to the benefit of our clients. Now – more than ever – we are called to stretch our internal norms so we can sustain our wellbeing and performance while navigating multiple stressors.

Research has shown that when we are called to increase our performance over prolonged periods of time without adequate tools we can face devastating impacts on our physiology. This leads to more mistakes, difficulty to manage our reactions and attitudes, mental confusion, communication and relational issues, fatigue and more. Excessive worry, anxiety and frustration over time also compromise our immune system and our ability to access smart solutions and grounded action.

In this program, Dr. Franca Baroni offers a taste of the science of resilience and optimal performance under pressure. She shares practical tools scientifically proven to build resilience within six weeks of regular use and used by thousands in hospitals, corporate, universities, US military, first responders, police, and more with significant results in the past 20+ years.

Resilience Mastery: The Practice of CALM ON THE GO

Being resilient refers to our capacity to prepare for, recover from and effectively adapt in the face of stress, challenge or adversity. It is our capacity to synchronize our internal and external systems so that no unnecessary energy is leaked from our internal batteries.

Higher levels of resilience allow us to:

• leverage our ability to focus and solve problems under pressure,
• improve our ability to handle challenging clients,
• increase our situational awareness, intuition and effectiveness in meetings, negotiations and court,
• diminish symptoms of personal and professional stress and cultivate a healthier outlook and
• thus have a more meaningful systemic impact.

In this program you begin to learn the practice of building resilience on the GO. You learn to maximize your professional effectiveness while fostering your wellbeing and personal relations. You learn to take what fosters your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing off the TO DO list and integrate it in your daily life.

Coherence In a Judicial Setting

Coherence refers to a highly efficient, synchronized physiological state where little energy is wasted leading to greater insight, situation awareness and better decision-making. When two or more individual come together, coherence refers to the ability of the participants to synchronize with each other and enter into a state of optimal operational performance (aka social coherence).

Whether in an individual body or in a group setting, coherence is set in motion by our physiological heart and does not require a meeting of minds & beliefs. It is a natural process of synchronization that is detected by the nervous system consciously or unconsciously of those around us. Simple breathing techniques bring us in a state of coherence.

In a judicial setting, the practice of coherence can be used by judges, parties and their legal representatives before and during proceedings to maximize the efficiency and outcomes of trials saving unnecessary emotional and legal costs.

In this course, you learn the science of personal and social coherence and the simple tools that allow for more satisfying and costs-efficient outcomes in a judicial setting.

Coherent Lawyering – A Sustainable & Renewing Way to Practice

Personal coherence refers to a highly efficient, synchronized state where little energy is wasted leading to greater insight, situation awareness, better decision-making, healthier relations and greater physiological wellbeing.

When we engage with our staff, clients, opposite counsel or the decision-makers, coherence – also called social coherence - refers to a state of synchronization among all parties involved leading to more effective and satisfying relations, meetings, negotiations, mediations, trials and more.

Social coherence is set in motion by our physiological heart and does not require a meeting of minds & beliefs. It is a natural process of synchronization that is detected by the nervous system of those around us consciously or unconsciously. Simple breathing techniques bring us in a state of coherence.

In this program you discover the science of personal and social coherence, practical tools and its implications towards a thriving, sustainable and renewing legal practice in the long term.

Integrating the Heart of Justice Into Our Law Practice

In most lawyer’s every-day practice, Lady Justice is little more than a marketing logo or the memory of an idealistic dream that dissolved in law school.

What if we kept Lady Justice blindfolded for too long thus losing our own sight?

To our legal brain, what matters is winning while justice is elusive and impractical. Heart is often even more irrelevant and intangible.

What if both justice and heart are keys to a thriving legal practice?

Science is showing us that our physiological heart is like the central brain in the system of our body. The heart determines the proper functioning of our brain & body functions, our ability to access effective decision-making, intuition & greater wisdom beyond the constraints of our beliefs. The heart integrates what the brain considers irreconcilable often leading to more just outcomes for all parties involved and beyond the winning & losing frame of reference.

In this program, Dr. Franca Baroni offers a taste of the science of heart and how it relates to justice and a thriving legal practice.

Well-being On The Go for Busy Practitioners

A 30-minute session to learn easy tips and tools to build your energy level, resilience, focus and calm, and to experience some deep relaxation!

In the ever-increasing pace of our lives, attending to our well-being can easily fall to the bottom of our long to-do lists. Instead, we can learn to turn our well-being practice into an effortless, efficient and even fun habit. What if you are now longer trying to find time for yourself but simply learn to be IN yourself in a fresh, renewing way? What if you end your workday with a smile on your face most every day? Join me with a curious mind and light heart towards what is possible in your body.

Activating The Heart of Law Firms – Organizational Resilience & Coherence for Healthy Lawyers and Better Outcomes

Lawyers & staff are the cells in the body of the law firm. The long-term health of the law firm depends on the level of resilience and coherence of the cells and how they relate to each other.

Resilience is our capacity to effectively adapt in the face of challenge or adversity. It is our capacity to synchronize our internal and external systems so that no unnecessary energy is leaked from our internal and organizational batteries. The key organ that triggers this process of synchronization is the physiological heart.

When we engage with our colleagues, staff and other members in the law firm, coherence – aka organizational coherence - refers to a state of synchronization among all members leading to heightened creativity, innovation, productivity, and more effective meetings and satisfying relations.

In this program, Dr. Franca Baroni offers a taste of the science of resilience and organizational coherence and practical tools towards a thriving law firm.

The Sensual Citizen Practice of Being Feminine

In this interactive program, we will explore the meaning of being feminine and reinvent what it means to be a citizen through a feminine lens. We will learn to access our heart and body and the map of our individual and collective subconscious to turn on and up our feminine leadership. We will tap into our sensual power and let our juicy Selves spark lasting change in our country. Join me in this adventure and be prepared to feel and open in ecstatic awareness.

Collective Heart-Intelligence Through Feminine Wisdom

In this experiential journey we are exploring how BEING in our genuine feminine presence evolves the patriarchal structures of society into an integrated and vibrant collective BEING. We take stock about how our minds, hearts and bodies relate to the state of the world and challenge our disconnection from the archetypal feminine in our individuals and public lives. Then, we gently and fiercely reweave feminine wisdom into our collective matrix birthing new ways to midwife a heart-intelligent society.   

Coherent Citizenry: How to be a more effective citizen beyond polarization & handle difficult political conversations with calm integrity

In our deeply polarized country, political conversations - immigration, elections, COVID-19, abortions, climate, and more - can quickly become charged and keeping the inner calm increasingly challenging.

Harsh judging, finger-pointing, ridiculing, dismissive, aggressive and intolerant behaviors are rampant stretching to their limits even those who typically consider themselves composed.

How do we break this toxic cycle towards a more effective citizenry?

Join this program led by Dr. Franca Baroni to discover how to handle your emotional triggers, have courageous and effective political conversations while keeping your inner calm and contributing to the health of our country with integrity.