54. Trauma or Manipulation? Reading Behavior Without Losing Your Boundaries
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:
- How trauma responses show up inconsistently as triggers in the environment change
- How manipulation shows up as a predictable pattern with a clear payoff
- Why adults cannot regulate someone else’s nervous system—and what healthy co-regulation actually looks like
- 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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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:
- Website: www.ThrivingEducator.org
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CharlePeck
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charlepeckconsulting?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlepeck/
- Other: charle@thrivibgeducator.org
- Podcast: Thriving Educator
- 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 to his work in education.
Joshua is passionate about implementing trauma-responsive techniques, exploring alternative student discipline methods, and promoting healthy leadership habits. He is deeply committed to enhancing leadership capacity through self-care practices, ensuring that educators are equipped to lead with empathy and resilience. As the author of The Language of Behavior and Aspire to Lead and host of two popular podcasts, Joshua continues to inspire and empower educators and leaders worldwide.
Follow Joshua Stamper:
- Contact: https://joshstamper.com/contact/
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/Joshua__Stamper
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/joshua__stamper
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-stamper
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AspirePodcast
- Subscribe to Aspire to Lead: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/aspire-the-leadership-development-podcast/id1384210762?mt=2
- Book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1953852386/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1953852386&linkCode=as2&tag=aspirewebsite-20&linkId=0d9c336e3db6ab16cbb08421ef3e4175
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Need a Presenter for a conference or school PD?
Contact Brad Waid at techbradwaid@gmail.com to book Charle Peck and Joshua Stamper for your next event on Improving Student Behavior, Impacting School Mental Health, or Creating healthy habits.
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