What if the most powerful trainers aren’t the ones who know the most—but the ones who know how to reach people?

In this episode of Human Skills Training, Chris sits down with Candice Storer, a trainer-of-trainers in Kentucky whose winding career—from babysitter to therapeutic parenting specialist to mental-health interventionist—prepared her for a role that didn’t technically exist until she stepped into it. Together, they explore how early experiences, trust-building, and authentic connection shape the quality of training that educators receive—and ultimately, the care children experience every day.

Candice shares the lessons she learned working with families in crisis, supporting children with adverse experiences, coordinating therapeutic teams, and guiding new trainers who often feel overwhelmed, reluctant, or “voluntold” into leadership. Through her stories, she reveals a simple truth: adults learn best when they feel seen, safe, and engaged—and trainers are most effective when they teach less, go deeper, and show up as their real selves.

This conversation reframes professional development not as presentations or PowerPoints, but as human connection that ripples into classrooms, families, and communities.

💡 Key Takeaways:
✅ Why trust—not content—is the foundation of great training
✅ How to support resistant, nervous, or brand-new trainers
✅ Why “teaching less” often results in more meaningful learning
✅ How childhood adversity shapes behavior and the role of trauma-aware teaching
✅ The difference between knowledge dumping and transformational training
✅ How AI can support creativity without replacing human skill
✅ Why authenticity matters more than perfection in adult learning
✅ What motivates trainers to stay committed in a changing world

If you’ve ever trained educators, led teams, or wondered how to make learning actually stick—this episode will give you a whole new lens.

Chapters:
00:00 – Welcome & meeting Candice Storer
03:40 – A winding path through early childhood and mental-health work
12:00 – Lessons from therapeutic parenting and family intervention
20:14 – How adversity shapes behavior & why trust comes first
27:22 – Becoming a trainer-of-trainers & supporting reluctant leaders
34:58 – “Teach less”: how adults really learn
43:40 – Technology, AI, and modern training challenges
52:10 – What keeps Candice motivated across decades of change