Kirsi Virtanen

Kirsi Virtanen is a media master who is familiar with the entire playing field of media.

Her substantial experience and academic education in adult education and work and organizational psychology makes Kirsi a strong lecturer. Kirsi sees the larger picture and has a solid experience of live TV and radio broadcasting all of which are a strength when it comes to moderation, presentation, and program management.

Kirsi Virtanen has received the Socrates Prize from Skepsis ry (the Finnish association of sceptics) for promoting critical thinking. In today’s world the flood of information is vast and therefore clarity of thought and the ability to decipher facts are hugely important qualities.

Kirsi was a shy child who used to hold a small pillow in front of her face when someone came to visit her home. Sometimes she finds herself wondering how such a shy child could dream of the socially demanding profession of journalism.

Shyness is still part of her personality, but nowadays her shyness is an asset. Her shyness has grown into a strength that supports her writing. Kirsi has found her own, special voice and today her unique storytelling style sounds very clear and present. Kirsi has turned her shyness into an advantage by relying on facts and science.

Sometimes Kirsi’s bold writing style has caused outrage. Her forthright style has caused many complaints to the Council for Mass Media, a couple of criminal charges and a charge of ethnic agitation; the ethnic group in Kirsi’s case was Finnish Swedes. Kirsi has been cleared of all charges and complaints.

The human capacity for evil has always fascinated people, and Kirsi also likes to navigate through the dark alleys of the human mind. Kirsi has lectured on death and the history of death, on torture, on evil and on psychopaths. Kirsi livens up her dark side presentations with her very special and especially black humour. It’s never too late to be afraid.

Kirsi enjoys the role of the moderator. She has a long experience of live radio and television broadcasts – as a curiosity, it can be mentioned that Kirsi has been the announcer for two live Eurovision song contest broadcasts: Millstreet, Ireland (1993, TV-1) and Dublin, Ireland (1994, TV-1).

As an experienced script writer and presenter, Kirsi understands the importance of managing events precisely and professionally – and of course Kirsi can keep the schedule to the letter. Kirsi’s latest podcast series can be found on Yle Areena: The History of Torture (Kidutuksen historia 2022) and Gangs (Jengit, 2023). Kirsi has lectures on both topics.

Kirsi Virtanen works fluently in three languages: Finnish, Swedish and English.

Main themes

Find your charisma!

Some people seem to be luminescent; they have an innate ability to charm everyone around them. The very desirable and envied charisma is a mixture of different abilities: manners and etiquette, conversational skills, and empathy. Charisma means you hear a question in every answer.

This lecture opens the shiny world of charisma and Kirsi also offers a variety of different tricks to help you polish your own charisma to its full glory.

Overcome the fear of rejection

During this lecture, we face setbacks – and we learn how to defeat them. How do you turn a setback into a victory? Just because rejection hurts it doesn’t mean you have to let it control your life. In short: how do you survive when everything goes to hell?

Fundamental critical thinking

What does critical thinking mean? Why do you need critical thinking? Essential scientific thinking and how to debunk pseudoscience. Concrete tools for critical thinking and information management.

Argumentation and rhetoric basics

How do you argue persuasively? What are the fallacies of argumentation? Rhetoric in everyday use – speak better, talk stronger. A convincing argument is the key to success. Concrete advice for better argumentation.

Creativity and expertise

What do you do when your thought stands still? You bring in your subconsciousness! Creativity is not doing; creativity is the ability to see new conditions and understanding different phenomena. Practical tips for combining creativity with expertise and know-how.

NEW: The world of gangs – the anatomy of gang crime

The presence of gangs in Finland has increased sharply. What are gangs? How do gangs work? How does the criminal gang world impact on youngsters and teenagers? It is difficult to find concise basic information about the explosively spread gang phenomenon. This fact-packed and matter-of-fact lecture opens the complex nature of gang crime relying on research and facts.

Special themes: The Dark Side of the Human Mind

According to the customer’s wishes: customized lectures on horror, psyche, and mythology. Welcome to the dark side of the human mind.

Webinars

Podcasting as a profession – 3 hours (1.5 h + 15 min break + 1.5 h)

Kirsi’s best and cheapest podcast tips – a toolkit for the podcaster beginner.

Conduct a good interview – 3 hours (1.5 h + 15 min break + 1.5 h)

Planning, structure, and follow-up – the basics of a successful interview.

ABC of storytelling – 3 hours (1.5 h + 15 min break + 1.5 h)

What counts as a good story, how do you find it and how do you tell it?

The basics of argumentation and rhetoric – 3 hours (1.5 h + 15 min break + 1.5 h)

The noble art of argument and speech. Learn to say things better than others.