Advanced Storytelling Course for Trainers

Advanced Storytelling Training for Trainers & Speakers

Enrich your workshops with memorable stories that captivate, engage and inspire.

fisrt half of October 2026 | location in Europe TBD (possibly Florence)

Are you a trainer, facilitator, or speaker who wants to make your learning events unforgettable?

 This is the power of storytelling: captivating attention and transforming dry concepts into vivid experiences. 
Making ideas stick, and creating those unforgettable “aha” moments.

But storytelling can be daunting.

Ever felt a struggle to find the right story for your session?

Wondering how to structure it so it flows naturally?

Aspiring to tell stories that leave a stronger impact? 

Advanced Storytelling Training will give you the tools, frameworks, and confidence to craft and deliver stories that inspire, connect, and educate.

It will also give you a chance to play, explore, experiment, get feedback, and pick up fresh inspiration from the stories of other creative trainers.

train-the-trainer-course-advanced-facilitation-by-trainers-toolbox-zagreb-2

Throughout the workshop, you’ll:

  • Explore specific and diverse examples of engaging, immersive stories
  • Learn step-by-step instructions for crafting authentic, interesting stories that elevate your learning points
  • Practice exercises designed to help you locate original, meaningful, and versatile stories from your own life

Why is storytelling key to learning?

Storytelling isn’t just another tool—it’s a game-changer that makes learning experiences engaging & memorable.

Think of the last time a story truly captured your attention.
How it pulled you in, how it felt almost like immersing yourself in a totally different world. 

You empathized with the characters and their challenges, you proactively engaged with their choices, feared for them and rooted for them.
You were curious about where their path will take them, and what actions they would take. 

It wasn’t just entertaining—it made you feel, think, or act differently. 

That’s the power of storytelling in learning.

Here’s why storytelling is the ingredient that brings your workshops (or a speech) to a whole new level:

  • Engages the brain: Stories activate emotions, make learning deeper and link new ideas to previous knowledge & experiences.
  • Boosts retention: You’re 22 times more likely to remember facts told as part of a story.
  • Bridges the abstract with practical: Stories turn theory into relatable, actionable ideas and vivid examples.

For trainers, educators & speakers, storytelling can:

  • Reshape dry content into engaging journeys
  • Anchor key concepts in your audience’s memory
  • Deepen trust& connection with your participants 

Still, too often we shy away from storytelling. 
We struggle to find or craft the right stories or worry our delivery lacks impact.

What you’ll gain by joining Advanced Storytelling Training

Learn frameworks & tools for storytelling

Learn step-by-step techniques to create, adapt, and deliver powerful stories.

Practice & feedback on your storytelling skills

Make your stories more personal, relevant, and engaging, and get real-time feedback to sharpen your storytelling.

Engage in a tailored learning experience 

Advanced Storytelling Training is highly tailored to your needs and preferences, with customized tasks based on your goals & background, so you can apply everything directly to your work.

Discover many new stories & story repositories 

Discover where to find – as well as how to craft – stories for any training situation.

Connect with like-minded yet diverse trainers, speakers & educators 

Exchange ideas, learn from others, and build lasting relationships.

Get inspired & motivated to keep on discovering and using stories in your workshops

After listening to many amazing stories from other trainers, and seeing what a powerful tool they are when you use them, you will leave highly motivated to keep building up your storytelling skills.

How do previous participants see Trainers Toolbox Advanced Trainings?

 Here is what some of participants of our previous courses say (find longer testimonials at the bottom of this page):

“I gained great insights into creating meaningful workshops and learned ways to support myself as a trainer. This training is perfect for anyone interested in science-based, engaging approaches to teaching.”
– Maja Zivanovic, Personal Development Trainer, Croatia

This training goes beyond learning new skills; it’s a space of autonomy and accountability where every detail is designed to empower adult learning.”
– Irina Hagiu, Business Practice Manager & Trainer, Romania

“This program offered a rare opportunity to explore facilitation in depth with like-minded people. I walked away with new perspectives and methods that have changed my approach to training.”
– Max Willie Georgi, Pharmacist & Trainer, Germany

train-the-trainer-advanced-facilitation-course-by-trainers-toolbox-collage-2

How the event will unfold

We’ll begin the whole learning experience with a 2h online module couple of weeks before live days. On this online workshop, you will get the chance to meet the group, and we will set the foundation for the experience ahead.
We will open up the conversation about powerful stories, share some of the first tips & ideas, and discuss any questions to preparation for your own storytelling-related tasks.

Then the real action comes: we will begin the 2 day training with a series of inspiring stories that highlight the transformative power of storytelling.
These stories will provide experiential insights and spark creativity, offering plenty of ideas for stories you can use in your own work.

From there, we’ll dive into:

  • Frameworks and practical tools for crafting and delivering stories
  • Techniques for making stories more immersive, engaging and easier to build
  • Tips for adapting stories to different events, audiences, and purposes
  • Creative examples of storytelling in action, including those from other participants
train-the-trainer-advanced-facilitation-course-by-trainers-toolbox-7

Between online session and live days, you’ll have an active task to prepare (and will need a couple of hours to prepare it).
It will be small session that you will be delivering on the live days. This task will not only give you hands-on practice but also serve as a foundation for feedback and group discussions during the training.
Through all the active tasks in the group, you’ll explore different stories, experiment with techniques, and refine your delivery through collaborative learning.

You’ll receive personalized feedback from both trainers and peers, helping you refine both your storytelling skills and your broader facilitation (or speaking) skills.

In the second half of Day 2, we’ll bring all the learnings together by playing with crafting and delivering your own story.

Sounds like a learning experience you would love to join? Sign up here:

Pricing & Logistics

  • Regular Price: 1,450€ for applications confirmed by up to 1 month before the live training dates!
  • Early Bird: 1,350€ for applications received & confirmed by 15th of July2026
  • Discounts: A 10% discount is available for alumni of Train the Trainer, other Advanced Bootcamps, or members of Trainers’ Conversations.
  • Special offer: Join together with a friend or a colleague to claim a 10% discount for both. (Doesn’t apply to super early bird price).

What’s included:

  • 2h virtual module 
  • 2 full days of live training in location in Europe TBD (possibly Florence) (including materials, training room & coffee breaks, but not accommodation nor lunches) in a small group of up to 8 participants
  • custom-tailored exercises where you’ll apply and practice storytelling techniques & receive feedback that addresses your specific learning goals
  • working in a small group of 8 attendees
  • engaging and highly interactive program, with a lot of practical exercises, reflection and discussion, and all the program materials 
  • highly customized program according to the attendees’ needs, experiences, and learning goals

Words of our alumni - Testimonials

While 2024 marks the first year when we are introducing the Advanced Storytelling Training, here’s what our alumni have to say about similar programs on Trainers Toolbox:

“I loved being part of the Train the Trainer Advanced co-creation. This is more than a training. More than personal growth, more than learning new things. It is a place where you connect on value’s level, under Mirna’s magical conceptual design for the training, with like-minded people with and from whom you are learning. It is a learning by doing, where no detail is misplaced. It is a way of practicing ‘this is how adults learn.’ It is a space of autonomy and accountability. It is a place of beauty and structure.”
Irina Hagiu, Trade Finance Business Practice Manager and a Trainer, Romania

“I attended 5 Trainers Toolbox trainings in 5 years, before attending the Advanced Facilitation Training. Each one has been a truly wonderful experience, especially this last one, as facilitation was not my strong suit prior to the training. I would describe this training as a journey to conquer new, exciting theories and experience engaging practice.
It was also a discovery of new skills and tools, talents, potentials and blind spots. The pre-work, hybrid set-up, detailed feedback and brain-friendly learning design, enriched by the experience of the group, give Mirna’s workshops a unique and valuable signature.
I now feel much more confident in my facilitation and am already applying new learning, such as being more aware of the facilitation diamond, asking better facilitation questions, tapping into group dynamics and using even more Liberating Structures..”

Marija Malkoč Kušt, Agile Trainer, Croatia

“The Advanced Facilitation Training was a really eye-opening experience for me. I learned a lot of new ways to plan, design, and handle my facilitation sessions. I had the opportunity to practice my facilitation skills and come out of the experience a better facilitator. It was inspiring and educative, while at the same time the vibe was a perfect balance between gaining new knowledge from the sessions and discussing to reach new insights with the team. I enjoyed every minute of it and would recommend the Advanced Facilitation Training to anyone who wants to hone their facilitation skills without a second thought.”
Xan Georgiou, Positive Psychologist & Coach, Greece/Netherlands

“Advanced facilitation training was an intense but extremely valuable experience that helped me learn much and grow as a facilitator. Structured around participant-led exercises, it combined theory preparation with hands-on practice, offering fresh perspectives on workshop execution. Highlight was a chance to be influenced by these amazing ladies, to get to see them in action and learn from their way of doing things. And everything under the watchful eye of Mirna, whose feedback was short, concise, and actionable. Highly recommended for anyone aspiring to master facilitation.”
Božidar Đukes, Scrum Master, Croatia

“I highly recommend this course for anyone looking to refine their facilitation skills through lots of practice, reflection, and constructive feedback from experienced facilitators. I loved experiencing a variety of facilitation styles and am grateful for the many new tools I’ve added to my trainers’ toolbox!”
Maxine Buttigieg, Trainer & Community Builder, Malta

“This is a great training for all kinds of facilitation: training, meetings, events, for all those who deal with people and groups! Mirna got us fully involved by distributing facilitation tasks to each one of us and this helped us dive into the topic without any reservations and provided relevant and valuable feedback! I have been feeling energized and inspired by this training!”
Dinka Krčelić, Business Trainer and Executive Coach, Croatia

“Train the Trainer Advanced gave me great insights into what is possible when you want to create meaningful and fluent workshops. It inspires me every time to be around people that share the same passion for education but in different niches. This Train the Trainer gave me the opportunity to learn a lot more about what I can give as a trainer but also how to support myself in the process. I would recommend this to all interested in science-based, engaging, fun, and supportive ways of teaching and training others.”
Maja Zivanovic, Trainer for Horses & Personal Development with Horses, Croatia

“Train the Trainer Advanced is a great opportunity to get in touch with other Trainers. Throughout the event, I was able to share and gain experience with the other participants, while exploring new aspects within the world of training and facilitation.”
Max Willie Georgi, Pharmacist & Trainer, Germany

“I would highly recommend the Train the Trainer Advanced program to anyone who has already enjoyed the fundamental trainer education and really wants to deepen their knowledge, gain more experience, and appreciate a safe space to grow and develop as a trainer/educator. I loved that we could shape the events according to our wishes and needs. As with the first Train the Trainer, Mirna created a warm, energetic atmosphere and a lasting learning experience.”
Chiara Zeroni, Psychologist, Germany

I would always recommend Mirna’s trainings for trainers! Train the Trainer Advanced is my fourth training with Mirna (after Train the Trainer, Keys to Virtual Training and Brain-Based Learning) and every time I am still learning and re-learning about trainer methodology, myself and life. Thank you for that, Mirna!
Marija Malkoč Kušt, Scrum Master & Agile Trainer, Croatia

About the Trainer - Mirna Smidt

Mirna Šmidt combines 17 years of experience in delivering training with a strong foundation in psychology and adult learning.

Mirna loves sharing messages about impactful learning & the science of positive psychology, often through powerful stories. You can see an example of one of her many speeches in her TEDx talk.

With an MSc in Engineering & Computing and an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology, she combines scientific insight with practical experience to create memorable, goal-driven learning experiences.

train-the-trainer-course-by-trainers-toolbox-amsterdam-24

Mirna has delivered programs in over 30 countries for NGOs, startups, and corporations like Cisco, L’Oreal, and Molson Coors, engaging participants from more than 50 nations and leading workshops at global conferences such as HR Week, Hive Global Leaders Summit, and Women in Data Science.

As the founder of Trainers Toolbox and Happiness Academy, she focuses on empowering other trainers in facilitation skills, designing & delivering impactful learning experiences & positive psychology – the science of wellbeing.
Discover more about Mirna on LinkedIn  – and do connect!  link/button to  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirnasmidt

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

This training is designed for trainers, facilitators, and presenters with foundational experience who want to enhance their storytelling skills. If you’re unsure whether it’s a fit, feel free to contact us for guidance.

This program is specifically designed for those using storytelling in learning experiences. It’s tailored to the needs of trainers, facilitators, educators, and speakers who integrate storytelling into their sessions. While storytelling is a broad skill, our focus is on its application in learning environments.

Yes! While this training is designed primarily for trainers, facilitators, and educators, anyone who uses storytelling in an educational or learning context is welcome. If you create or deliver learning experiences—whether in workshops, presentations, coaching, or other settings—you’ll find valuable tools and techniques to enhance your storytelling skills.

This training is suitable for participants of varying skill levels. The focus is on growth and development, so beginners will gain essential tools, while more experienced participants will refine and elevate their storytelling.

• Comprehensive prework materials.
• Two full days of live training (including materials, training room & coffee breaks, but not accommodation or lunches).
• Hands-on practice, feedback, and a small group of up to 8 participants.

Yes, there will be some preparation involved. Before the training, you’ll complete 1–2 short tasks to help you get the most out of the sessions. During the training, you’ll also design and deliver a mini-session incorporating storytelling techniques. The time commitment for preparation varies individually—some participants spend around 2 hours, while others might invest up to 10 hours, depending on the task they choose and their approach.

Yes, contact us to discuss flexible payment options.

Yes, we’re happy to help with travel tips or logistics.

Once you invest in the program, refunds are not available as the training is customized for each participant. If you’re unable to attend, we encourage you to find someone else to take your place – however, it will be important that they are a good fit for the program. Join only if you’re fully committed to active participation, as your engagement greatly benefits both you and the group.

Ready to transform your workshops & speeches through storytelling?

Join a select group of 8 participants to unlock the power of storytelling for more immersive, engaging, and memorable learning experiences.

For any questions or to discuss if this program is the right fit for you, feel free to reach out through our contact form.

No Comments Found

By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.

Close