In this uplifting conversation on The Language of Behavior, Charle Peck sits down with author, consultant, and continuous improvement expert Lainie Rowell to explore how gratitude and intentional noticing can transform stressed-out schools and organizations from the inside out. Lainie introduces her Notice–Evolve–Thrive framework and shares the science-backed reason “notice” is the essential first step in healing, behavior change, and culture work.​

Together, Charle and Lainie unpack practical strategies leaders can use tomorrow, including “bright spots walks” with sticky notes, gratitude emails, and simple rituals that honor often-overlooked staff and students. They dig into why shifting from a deficit lens to a strengths-focused one matters for mental health, and how practices like the praise-to-correction ratio and Gottman’s “bids for connection” shape relationships, resilience, and behavior across a system.​

About Lainie Rowell:

Lainie Rowell is an educator, author, podcaster, and international consultant who specializes in working with other educators to find innovative and sustainable ways to transform teaching and learning. Her areas of expertise include online/blended learning, designing innovative learning experiences, professional learning, and community building.

During her more almost 25 years in education, Lainie has taught elementary, secondary, and higher education. She also served in a district-level leadership position supporting 22,000 students and 1,200 teachers at 33 schools.

As a consultant, Lainie's client list ranges from Fortune 100 companies like Apple and Google to school districts and independent schools. Lainie is a TEDx Speaker with more than 15 years of experience presenting at regional, national, and international conferences including Building Learning Communities (BLC) and the Leadership 3.0 Symposium.

Lainie was a contributor to the 2019 National Standards for Quality Online Teaching and on the 2014 Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework committee.

Since 2014, Lainie has been a consultant for the Orange County Department of Education's Institute for Leadership Development facilitating professional learning for administrators.

From 2010-2014, Lainie served as the Program Coordinator for Leading Edge Certification, a national certification program in educational technology and curriculum innovation created by an Alliance of nonprofits, universities and educational agencies. She led the creation and curation of all four certifications, Online and Blended Teacher, Administrator, Digital Educator, and Professional Learning Leader.

Lainie is honored to be an Apple Distinguished Educator, Google for Education Certified Trainer, and Google for Education Certified Innovator. She has also been recognized as Teacher of the Year and was featured in OC Family Magazine as one of 10 Teachers Making a Difference. In 2011, she was elected to CUE's Board of...

In this New Year’s episode of The Language of Behavior, Joshua Stamper and Charle Peck tackle a question they hear constantly from educators: “How do I know if behavior is trauma or just manipulation?” Kicking off 2026 with honesty and nuance, they unpack why this either/or framing rarely fits real students and explain a crucial distinction: manipulation is a learned skill, while trauma is a fast, reflexive survival response in the nervous system.​

Charlie explains how trauma and attachment wounds can, over time, create patterns that look manipulative, and why “trauma explains behavior but does not excuse it.” Together, Josh and Charle explore:​

1. How trauma responses show up inconsistently as triggers in the environment change
2. How manipulation shows up as a predictable pattern with a clear payoff
3. Why adults cannot regulate someone else’s nervous system—and what healthy co-regulation actually looks like
4. The critical difference between guilt (“I did something wrong”) and shame (“I am bad”) when helping students repair harm​

They also zoom out to the adult side: how a teacher’s own history with manipulative family members can intensify reactions to students, and why therapy, self-awareness, and regulation skills are leadership tools—not luxuries. Packed with practical language, boundaries-focused strategies, and nervous system-informed insight, this episode is a must-listen for anyone trying to hold both compassion and accountability in schools.

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FREE The Language of Behavior Book Study Kit: https://thrivingeducator.myflodesk.com/lobbookstudy

Do you have any questions for the podcast? Fill out this quick Google Form: https://forms.gle/u5axHazzuyN5pry76

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About Charle Peck:

Charle Peck is the co-creator of Thriving School Community, a revolutionary program designed for schools to improve mental health. She holds an MS in Education and an MS in Social Work as a 20+ year veteran in education (K-12). As a global keynote speaker, she delivers powerful messages of hope to educators and facilitates meaningful professional development. Charle successfully equips school staff with practical tools to mitigate teacher burnout and the youth mental health crisis providing relief to schools all across the country. Her unique lens as a high school teacher turned clinical therapist specializing in trauma makes her stories relevant and captivating to educators struggling in today’s system. You can purchase her book “Improving School Mental Health: The Thriving School Community Solution” on Amazon and connect with her on X @CharlePeck.

Follow Charle Peck:

1. Website: www.ThrivingEducator.org
2. Twitter: https://twitter.com/CharlePeck
3. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charlepeckconsulting?mibextid=LQQJ4d
4. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlepeck/
5. Other: charle@thrivibgeducator.org
6. Podcast: Thriving Educator
7. Book:...

In this timely holiday episode of The Language of Behavior, Joshua Stamper and Charle Peck answer a pressing question many educators are asking: “Student behavior is shifting—what can we do differently in the new year?” As schools head into the spring semester and the pressure of state testing ramps up, they unpack why behavior often spikes and how leaders can respond with intention instead of exhaustion.​

Josh and Charle walk listeners through the power of creating a Relationship Action Team (or any grassroots cohort) to move from isolated frustration to collective problem-solving. They outline a guiding question for leaders—Who needs to be on my action team to support clarity, accountability, and regulation?—and explain why adult stability and nervous system regulation are non‑negotiable for any behavior plan. From designing systems that actually work, to revisiting referral processes and behavior matrices, they show how small, diverse teams can challenge “we’ve always done it this way” and build structures that truly support students and staff.​

Perfect for school leaders, coaches, and teacher‑leaders, this episode offers a practical blueprint for using the new year as a launchpad for culture change—so your 2026 behavior plan is more than a wish list.

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FREE The Language of Behavior Book Study Kit: https://thrivingeducator.myflodesk.com/lobbookstudy

Do you have any questions for the podcast? Fill out this quick Google Form: https://forms.gle/u5axHazzuyN5pry76

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About Charle Peck:

Charle Peck is the co-creator of Thriving School Community, a revolutionary program designed for schools to improve mental health. She holds an MS in Education and an MS in Social Work as a 20+ year veteran in education (K-12). As a global keynote speaker, she delivers powerful messages of hope to educators and facilitates meaningful professional development. Charle successfully equips school staff with practical tools to mitigate teacher burnout and the youth mental health crisis providing relief to schools all across the country. Her unique lens as a high school teacher turned clinical therapist specializing in trauma makes her stories relevant and captivating to educators struggling in today’s system. You can purchase her book “Improving School Mental Health: The Thriving School Community Solution” on Amazon and connect with her on X @CharlePeck.

Follow Charle Peck:

1. Website: www.ThrivingEducator.org
2. Twitter: https://twitter.com/CharlePeck
3. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charlepeckconsulting?mibextid=LQQJ4d
4. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlepeck/
5. Other: charle@thrivibgeducator.org
6. Podcast: Thriving Educator
7. Book: https://www.amazon.com/Improving-School-Mental-Health-Community/dp/B0BTS3MN2P?crid=EIKAGWZ4V006&keywords=charle+peck&qid=1705780803&sprefix=charle+peck%2Caps%2C181&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=aspirewebsite-20&linkId=6456f4f1bc2440be71d094a5d14656a4&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

About Joshua Stamper:

Joshua Stamper is the Director of Innovation for the Teach Better Team, a multifaceted role that encompasses his talents as an author, podcaster, leadership coach, and education keynote speaker. With a rich background as a middle school administrator, classroom art educator, and athletic coach, Joshua brings a wealth of experience