Interactive sessions to inspire, educate, and equip caregivers, educators, and professionals to help kids thrive.
Grounded in brain science, real-world experience, and a deep understanding of human behavior, Mister Stu’s trainings move beyond surface-level strategies to help adults respond more effectively when things get hard. These sessions emphasize understanding over control, consistency over intensity, and practical application over theory.
Trainings can be delivered as standalone sessions or combined into half- or full-day experiences tailored to your organization’s needs.
From Chaos to Calm
Effective Strategies for Handling Difficult Behavior
Disruptive behavior isn’t about bad kids doing bad things—it’s about children whose brains are overwhelmed and struggling to regulate. When stress rises, reasoning drops, and behavior becomes the language.
This training helps adults move beyond reaction and control and toward understanding what’s actually happening in a child’s brain during moments of escalation. Grounded in brain science and real-world practice, From Chaos to Calm equips participants with practical, realistic ways to de-escalate behavior in the moment and support long-term regulation.
Participants will explore:
Why escalated behaviors happen and what they communicate
How to respond in ways that calm the brain before trying to correct behavior
The role of consistency, predictability, and environment in reducing distress
Practical strategies for teaching self-regulation over time
This training reinforces a simple but powerful truth: calm doesn’t come from control—it comes from connection, consistency, and understanding.
Beyond Battles
Transforming How We Support and Understand Children
Difficult behavior isn’t a battle to win—it’s a signal to understand. When adults treat behavior as a power struggle, everyone loses. When they treat it as information, progress becomes possible.
Beyond Battles shifts the focus from managing behavior to partnering with children against the challenges they’re facing. Drawing from child development research and strategic intervention principles, this training helps adults design supports that reduce distress, amplify strengths, and preserve a child’s dignity.
Participants will learn how to:
Reframe challenges as you and the child versus the difficulty
Design strength-based support plans that reduce distress and support growth
Use discipline as a teaching tool rather than a punishment
Improve collaboration among caregivers, educators, therapists, and support teams
This session is ideal for teams looking to move beyond short-term fixes toward thoughtful, sustainable support.
Be the One
Practical Ways to Become the Trusted Adult Every Child Needs
Research shows that one trusted adult can dramatically change a child’s life trajectory—but being that adult doesn’t require having all the answers. It requires showing up consistently and intentionally.
Based on research from Harvard University and the CDC, this interactive training explores the five characteristics of a trusted adult—Stability, Unconditional Care, Predictability, Encouragement, and Responsiveness (SUPER)—and how to apply them in real-world settings.
Participants will:
Understand why one trusted adult matters so much
Learn how to embody the SUPER characteristics in daily interactions
Identify practical, realistic ways to build trust
Leave with clear next steps they can implement immediately
This training is ideal for educators, childcare professionals, mentors, and community leaders focused on building meaningful, lasting relationships.
🔹 Also available as an inspiring keynote.
Putting the Pieces Together
Understanding and Supporting Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism isn’t about missing pieces—it’s about pieces that don’t yet work together. When adults understand how a child’s brain is functioning, behavior becomes clearer and support becomes more effective.
Based on Mister Stu’s bestselling book, this training goes beyond surface-level traits to focus on the underlying brain processes that influence behavior, communication, and regulation. Participants gain both clarity and practical strategies that support autistic children without trying to “fix” who they are.
Participants will gain insight into:
Why autism is often misunderstood
How brain chemistry and development influence common traits
The difference between treating symptoms and supporting root causes
Practical, evidence-informed strategies across home, school, and therapy settings
This session helps adults move from fear or frustration to confidence and clarity.
What’s Really Going On Here?
Understanding and Supporting Children with Mental Health Diagnoses
Behavior makes more sense when you understand the brain behind it. This training goes beyond diagnostic labels to help adults understand what’s actually happening neurologically when children struggle.
Covering ADHD, Anxiety, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Depression, DMDD/ODD, and PTSD, this session equips participants with a clearer understanding of how different diagnoses affect regulation, behavior, and learning—and how to respond effectively.
Participants will explore:
How various diagnoses impact brain function and behavior
Why overlapping symptoms can complicate understanding and support
Practical, evidence-informed strategies tailored to each diagnosis
How to explain mental health challenges in clear, non-stigmatizing ways
How to balance support, structure, and independence
This training replaces confusion with clarity and equips adults to support children more confidently and compassionately.
Training formats:
• 1–3 hour workshop (select one or multiple diagnoses)
• Half-day training (3–4 hours) covering all diagnoses
• Full-day training (6 hours) for mental health professionals, including treatment planning, progress monitoring, and extended Q&A
Guided Q&A / Case Consultation
Real-Time Insight on the Challenges That Matter Most
Some of the most valuable learning happens through conversation. This guided Q&A and consultation session gives participants the opportunity to ask real-world questions, explore complex situations, and receive thoughtful, practical guidance tailored to their setting.
This session can stand alone or be paired with any keynote or training for deeper application and reflection.
Session formats:
• 30-minute focused Q&A
• 60–120 minute extended discussion and case consultation
🔹 Ideal for leadership teams, educators, mental health professionals, and organizations navigating complex or ongoing challenges.
-
“Best presentation I have seen… Mr. Stu is an amazing, passionate, and engaging speaker who makes complex ideas clear and practical. His metaphors and visuals — especially ‘carrying the tray’ — are unforgettable and so useful in my work with children. Everything was presented with great energy and enthusiasm… I left feeling inspired, equipped, and ready to apply what I learned right away. Please bring him back next year!”
ClarityCon 2025 Participants
-
“Hearing Mister Stu speak…was truly inspiring. His compassionate approach to teen mental health and ability to connect with both students and caregivers is amazing. Every person in America needs to hear what he has to say about…fear in our culture. Fear, when left unaddressed, isolates people, fuels misunderstanding, and prevents families from getting the support they need. Every child deserves to feel safe… and Mister Stu’s message punctuated our team’s goals in the most meaningful way.”
Julie Wilson | Library Director
Oldham County Public Library -
"[Mister Stu] blew our expectations out of the water! He consistently impressed attendees with his knowledge and ability to be grounded in science while maintaining his unique relatability. Often people tell you to change the behavior, but he also helps you understand the “why” behind the needed change in an insightful and engaging manner. Our Parents could feel his passion for improving understanding between themselves and children come out in his keynote and are already imploring us to bring him back next year!"
Michael Mitchell | Senior Impact Manager
ReadyKidSA | United Way of San Antonio -
“As one attendee stated, ‘Mister Stu’s message was the one that I didn’t know I needed to hear.’”
Tonia Carriger | Director
Indiana Head Start Collaboration Office -
“Mister Stu's training was by far the favorite session of our entire camp training week...He connects with staff in a way that makes the content engaging, practical, and immediately useful...and weeks later, counselors were still sharing how much it impacted their leadership and work with kids.”
Christopher Cassada | Executive Director
YMCA Camp Piomingo -
“[Mister Stu’s] message truly resonated with my team—several were deeply moved, and a few were even brought to tears...Many people came up to me afterward to share how much they appreciated and were inspired by [his] words...What made [his] presentation especially powerful was how beautifully it aligned with the theme of our annual training—Back to Basics. [He] brought us back to the core of why we do what we do, reminding us of the values and purpose that drive our work every day...The message reinforced everything we’ve been working toward this year and gave us renewed energy and clarity moving forward.”
Lisa Reimann-NeSmith | Education Service Director
Head Start & Early Head Start
Community Action, Inc. of Central Texas -
"Stuart is a passionate and knowledgeable speaker who very effectively connected with our audience. He is among the most organized and responsive speakers I've planned an event with and I'd recommend him as a versatile professional who could connect with a variety of audiences."
Julie Stone | Executive Director
Ohio Head Start Association -
"Wonderfully vulnerable and excellent speaker. Thank you for brining Stuart. It brought so much insight for the reasons our kids do what they do. His session was clear and easy to follow. Thank you for the reminder bad kids don’t exist."
ClarityCon | Keynote Participant
San Antonio, TX -
"I sat in the audience and kept thinking, “I wish everyone in Head Start (and beyond) could hear this... Honestly, I could have listened and learned from him all day. I have already booked him again...he is just too good, and the best I have heard on this complex topic."
Dawn Ault | Executive Director
Virginia Head Start Association -
"Mr. Stu’s training blew us all away! My team usually dreads Saturday training—but after Mr. Stu’s, I heard laughter, intentional conversations, and genuine excitement to apply what they’d learned. The training was engaging, interactive, and filled with the kind of encouragement we all need sometimes. Thank you, Mr. Stu, for the work you continue to do!"
Miranda Lopez Chilton | Program Director
Ridgewood Child Development Center | Louisville, KY -
“ I have attended several of Mister Stu’s sessions on supporting children’s social and emotional health. His workshops were engaging, highly insightful, and was incredibly valuable for our education staff. Not only is Mr. Perry an extremely knowledgeable children’s mental health therapist, but he also has a great sense of humor and the ability to break down complex topics—such as brain science—into practical, easy-to-understand concepts that caregivers can use to help understand and regulate children’s behavior. I have never met anyone more passionate about children’s mental health advocacy!"
Cindy Raymond | Program Director
Scotty County, VA Head Start -
"[Mister Stu] was the most invested I have seen a presenter, in a long time. What a phenomenal human being to be in the role of wanting to better the world for children!" "I wish all our teachers had the opportunity to hear this man talk." "If you don't sit back and re-evaluate how you look at children's behaviors after this speech you are in the wrong field!"
Ohio Head Start Association | Keynote Attendees
-
"Mister Stu engaged our staff to think deeply and differently and inspired our staff to think compassionately...I have been hearing multiple accounts from my staff as they are implementing Mister Stu’s strategies with great results. Our program has already benefited from having Mister Stu guide and inspire us during our in-service day."
Eddie Mullins | Education Director
Kids Central, Inc. -
"I hope he comes back every year, and I would go to any session lead by him! Fantastic presenter with incredible delivery. My favorite of the whole conference!"
ClarityCon | Workshop Participant
San Antonio, TX -
“So engaging and made everything easy to follow, understand, and ask questions! My favorite session all conference.”
Indiana University Early Intervention Conference
-
“From the evaluations of the day, many from our group said [Mister Stu] was their favorite session of the day and asked that [he] lead another session in the future...The level of interaction of the participants during [Mister Stu’s] keynote was perfect—they stayed engaged and ready to learn.”
Janae Davidson | Regional Coordinator
Early Childhood Resource Center