I attended his training in Plymouth, MA for work and LOVED IT! I loved being able to participate in many ways whether it was hands-on, discussion based groups, games, or role playing. He made this training fun and his jokes and tricks work! I have tried so many different techniques that I learned from him and some of the children have taken very well to the approach. I’ve started making up my own different sayings to help the kids remember different things. The funny part is if he used you as an example you got a FREE BOOK! I’m so excited to read the book. I also have found myself being less stressed and a little bit calmer when talking to the children instead of just yelling right away. I learned a lot from Charlie’s training!

“This is the best professional development I’ve ever attended.”

“Charlie brings many years of experience, as well as an engaging, humorous, and practical style to his presentations. This past fall, he presented both the keynote and an all-day workshop at our annual conference. Participants gave him universally high marks on his insight and real-world advice, and I don’t think it’s overstating the case to say that all in attendance felt thoroughly engaged and energized for another year of caring for children. We would not hesitate to bring Charlie back, and cannot recommend him more highly.

As a foster, adoptive, and biological parent myself, I can attest to the value of Charlie’s strength-based approach, detailed in his book, “No Such Thing as a Bad Kid.” It works – with real kids, and real parents, in real situations.”

Over the past year, I’ve had the good fortune to conduct a number of trainings for educators in Michigan. Quotes from our full day presentation “There’s No Such Thing as a Bad Kid” by Charlie Appelstein:
“This is the best professional development I’ve ever attended.”
“The presentation I attended today changed my life, both personally and professionally.”
“I immediately changed several things in my classroom the very next day.”
“We are rapping in class and the kids love it.”
“Can Charlie come back next year?

These are a few of the statements we have heard since Charlie Appelstein presented in Midland, Michigan to over 500 people at a county wide professional development day. The audience was captivated. I have never seen so many people purchase books, ask questions, and stay after to talk to a speaker. The ripple effect of this presentation is here to stay — seeing positive changes in classrooms, positive notes going home to parents, and morale is improved overall. Thank you so much!!

“After Charlie’s presentation, people stopped me in the lunchroom and told me that his training was the best, most informative, and interesting Medford has ever offered their teachers!”

“Charlie Appelstein has a tremendous ability to communicate the reality of working with emotionally disturbed children and adolescents – the challenges, joys, frustrations, and successes. He’s very credible and connects with staff through recognizing the critical role they play while at the same time challenging them to continue to learn and grow and “keep the force.”

“Many convention speakers bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the podium, often to be presented in a lecture-style, academic format that puts the audience to sleep. Then there is the dynamic personality at a convention who keeps everybody awake, but people walk away saying, “What did I learn?” Charlie Appelstein is that rare presenter who combines valuable, take-home-and-use information with a presentation style that has everybody nodding in agreement, laughing, and participating.”

“Charlie Appelstein’s respectful, knowledgeable, and humorous approach to helping teachers and counselors to understand and more positively interact with their most difficult students has done more to renew a sense of hope for troubled schoolchildren than any other project I have been associated with. His empathic view of early childhood development assists teachers to positively reframe the challenging behavior of their students, and his no-nonsense approach to classroom discipline provides them with an array of effective strategies for dealing with difficulties as they arrive. Charlie Appelstein should be cloned. America’s schools need him!”

“As part of our facility effort to improve staff skills and reduce hands-on interventions, we hosted Charlie Appelstein, MSW to provide two days of training for our direct care employees. The training he provided was phenomenal!! He shared techniques and strategies from his own work with children, which led him to be embraced by the staff as “someone who’s been there”. His enthusiasm, use of humor, and engaging, interactive style resulted in participants yearning for more. Perhaps the most important outcome is the ongoing daily use of the skills he taught us. He has truly made a difference in the care we provide for troubled children and adolescents.

I wholeheartedly recommend this training for any in-patient, residential, or group home facility that is dedicated to the treatment of kids .”

“Charlie set the tone for our February National Conference. His keynote presentation and inspirational, heart-felt words were truly moving. He is a gifted presenter and his passion for his work is contagious. Attendance at the workshop session he conducted after his keynote was more than the room could hold. His three books were flying off of our publications table. I wholeheartedly recommend him to speak before any audience large or small, young or old — I have no doubt your attendees will walk out with a new sense of optimism.”

“Charlie keynoted the Youth at Risk (YAR) conference held annually in June for youth providers at Endicott College in Beverly. Nearly 600 attendees sat attentive as Charlie interweaved anecdotes with creative and practical tools for working with troubled youth. His rapping of music that underscored the power of positive language in communicating with youth drew applause and laughter from the providers. He was the right mix of substance, seriousness and humor. The crowd loved him! I hope we will have another opportunity to work with Charlie in the future.”

“Charlie Appelstein spoke at the Harvard Medical School/Cambridge Course on School Mental Health. He trained/entertained/WOWED the over 450 participants. I don’t see a standing ovation too often…but he received one! We have already invited him back to participate in one of our other conferences.”