Now Booking for 2026/27
"In 2002, I lost my temper with my toddler in a big way - and while it wasn't the first time, it was definitely the worst time.
My wife told me the brutal truth:
"You're failing as a father - and a husband."
I searched my soul, quit my radio career and went back to school. After close to a decade of studies, I earned my PhD in psychology. I've spent 15-plus years helping thousands of Australian families, teachers, and students do what I had to learn the hard way."
Dr Justin Coulson
AS SEEN IN/ON
The Reality in Every School Right Now
Problems That Started Outside the Gates
Dr Justin Coulson bridges the gap - providing science-backed, human-first strategies to build connection, trust, and belonging across your entire school community. Starting now.
Exhausted Educators
Exhausted educators carrying the emotional load of complex student challenges;
Parents With No Roadmap
Overwhelmed families with no clear path forward;
Students Battling a World They Didn't Choose
Stretched students trying to solve today's problems with yesterday's tools.
The Result
Reduced resilience in kids. Stretched staff looking for the exit. And confused parents desperate for answers.
About
Dr Justin Coulson
Evidence-based | Actionable | Engaging
Dr Justin Coulson has spent more than 15 years working alongside Australian schools, families, and students.
He earned a PhD in Psychology from the University of Wollongong, has written 11 books and co-hosts Australia's most downloaded parenting podcast with his wife, Kylie. He's the parenting expert and co-host of all three seasons of Channel 9's Parental Guidance - and a father of six daughters, and 'Pops' to one granddaughter.
Every session Justin delivers in a school is grounded in the same evidence-based framework: helping staff, parents, and students understand and meet the three basic psychological needs that drive human motivation and flourishing. He doesn't just deliver theory. He translates 20 years of research into practical strategies that work starting now - in a classroom, a staffroom, or a school hall.
Dr Justin Coulson presented two sessions at Caloundra State High School for teachers and support staff, both of which were engaging and exceptional.
Julie Ozolins - Caloundra State High School
Justin presented to our staff (early childhood educators) and also ran a parent seminar, both presentations were excellent and very very well received. Justin is an incredibly engaging speaker who also manages to captivate the audience through engaging stories and parenting advice that is quite simple and really feels achievable. Many people said to us they wish the session had been able to be longer!
Sam Gourley, Managing Director Kindred Kids Pty Ltd (Meadow Lane Early Learning)
Speaking Topics
A Topic for Every Audience in Your School
All presentations are tailored to your school's context and community. Mix and match across audiences to create a cohesive whole-school experience.
Need Justin's full bio, topic synopses, and photos for your programme or board proposal?
For Educators
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Educators
Staff & Educator Presentations
From wellbeing and burnout to classroom management and emotional intelligence — practical, evidence-based sessions that make staff feel seen, equipped, and renewed. Every topic is grounded in the same psychological framework that underpins Justin's broader school model.
Teaching Boys
They’re loud, they’re restless, and they’re often misunderstood. Teenage boys are wired differently — and teaching them well means understanding what’s really going on beneath the surface. Dr Justin Coulson reveals what the research says about how boys learn, connect, and grow, and what educators can do to truly reach them.
Motivated
Glazed eyes. Restless fidgeting. The constant pull of phones. Sound like your classroom? In this high-energy session, Dr Justin Coulson shares proven strategies to cut through digital-age distractions and reignite genuine motivation and active learning in your students.
Cultivating Resilience in the Classroom
Resilience isn’t about toughening kids up — it’s about equipping them to face challenges with confidence. In this session designed specifically for educators, Dr Justin Coulson shares his groundbreaking approach to building genuine resilience through growth mindset, emotional regulation, and practical classroom-ready strategies.
Emotional Intelligence in the Classroom
Emotions drive everything — motivation, behaviour, connection. But in the rush of a busy school day, emotional cues get missed and feelings get shut down. Dr Justin Coulson shows you how to harness the power of emotional intelligence to transform your teaching and deepen your impact on students.
ADHD in the Classroom
ADHD doesn’t come with a simple instruction manual — and no two students experience it the same way. In this eye-opening session, Dr Justin Coulson moves beyond the labels to give you real, actionable strategies for unlocking focus, managing impulsivity, and bringing out the best in your students with ADHD.
Neurodivergence in the Classroom
Neurodivergent students bring incredible strengths to your classroom — but supporting them well takes more than good intentions. Dr Justin Coulson unpacks what neurodivergence really looks like in schools and gives you practical, evidence-based strategies to create a classroom where every student can thrive.
Anxiety in the Classroom
That disruptive student? They might be anxious, not naughty. Anxiety is surging among young people, and it doesn’t always look the way you’d expect. Dr Justin Coulson equips you with practical tools to recognise the signs, respond with confidence, and create a calmer, safer classroom for every student.
Perfectionism in the Classroom
“If I can’t do it perfectly, I won’t do it at all.” Sound familiar? Perfectionism is silently sabotaging students — especially girls — fuelling anxiety, procrastination, and fear of failure. Dr Justin Coulson shows you how to spot it, understand it, and help your students break free.
Carrots and Sticks in the Classroom
Why They Fail, and How to Teach More and Manage Behaviour Less
Rewards and punishments — they’re the go-to tools in most classrooms. But what if they’re actually making things worse? Dr Justin Coulson challenges everything you thought you knew about discipline and reveals what cutting-edge research says really works to build responsibility and positive behaviour.
The Teenage Brain
for Teachers
Think teenage brains are underdeveloped? Think again. The latest neuroscience reveals surprising truths about adolescent development that will completely change how you see your students. Dr Justin Coulson separates myth from science in this fascinating deep-dive into the teenage mind.
Growth Mindset
Transforming Barriers into Opportunities
Growth mindset is everywhere in education — but are we actually doing it right? As one of the only researchers in Australia to have conducted real-world mindset experiments, Dr Justin Coulson separates the facts from the fads and shows you what truly moves the needle in your classroom.
Happier
Wellbeing Solutions for Improved Focus and Fulfilment at School
Your staff are stretched thin — and it shows. Burnout, overwhelm, and emotional exhaustion are hitting educators harder than ever. In this powerful session, Dr Justin Coulson shares the science-backed wellbeing strategies that actually work, helping teachers and school leaders protect their energy and rediscover the joy in their work.
Attitude is Everything
Your attitude is contagious — and your students are catching it. In this energising session, Dr Justin Coulson explores the remarkable ripple effect a positive mindset has on student engagement, collaboration, and classroom culture. Discover the six keys to bringing your best energy every day.
Little People, Big Feelings – for ELC Educators
It’s tough when young children are struggling with big emotions! Meltdowns, outbursts, and challenging behaviours can leave us feeling lost and unsure how to help. What we sometimes forget is that these behaviours usually stem from overwhelming feelings that children don’t yet have the tools to manage. Little People, Big Feelings is Dr Justin Coulson’s powerful…
Relationship Rules – for Educators
Teachers are trained in curriculum, assessment, and pedagogy. Almost nobody trains them in the thing that determines whether any of it works: relationships. Yet every day in every classroom, connection is won or lost in those small moments – the greeting at the door, the response to defiance, the conversation with a frustrated parent, the…
For Parents
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Parents
Parent Evening Presentations
Justin speaks to parents right across Australia — and schools often find that evenings with him draw people who don't normally come to anything. Many families already recognise his voice from the podcast, which helps. More than the numbers, though, what schools tell us is that parents leave those evenings feeling clearer, calmer, and less alone.
Relationship Rules
Nobody teaches us how to do relationships. We’re handed the most important job of our lives – loving a partner, raising children, staying connected to family – with no instruction manual and plenty of opportunities to get it wrong. So we repeat the same arguments, hit the same walls, and wonder why the people we…
Resilience
Building stronger kids through life's challenges
What if the best thing you can do for your child isn’t protecting them from struggle — but equipping them to face it? Dr Justin Coulson challenges the idea that childhood should be stress-free and shows you how to build genuine resilience by allowing developmentally appropriate challenges while providing the right support at the right time.
Boys
Building Strong Young Men From The Inside Out
He’s disappearing behind a closed door, lost in screens, making choices that keep you up at night. Raising boys today means navigating a world designed to confuse them — and parents often feel powerless to help. Dr Justin Coulson shares what the research reveals about what boys actually need, and how you can stay connected through every stage.
Miss-connection
Why Your Teenage Daughter 'Hates' You, Expects the World, and Needs to Talk
One minute you’re sharing laughter and deep conversation. The next, she’s shutting you out completely. The teenage years with your daughter can feel like a rollercoaster — and just when you think you’ve found a rhythm, everything shifts again. Dr Justin Coulson shows you how to navigate the disconnect and rebuild a strong, lasting connection with your girl.
Dealing with Feeling
Teaching Your Child Emotional Regulation
Meltdowns, outbursts, and challenging behaviours can leave us feeling lost and unsure how to help. It’s tough when our kids are struggling with big emotions! What we sometimes forget is that these behaviours usually stem from overwhelming feelings that our children don’t yet have the tools to manage.
Little People, Big Feelings
Your child loses it over the wrong colour cup. Or because you cut the toast wrong. Or for no obvious reason. At. All.
If you’re a parent of young children, big emotional outbursts are part of daily life, but that doesn’t make them any easier to handle.
In this engaging session, Dr Justin Coulson helps parents understand why little kids feel so much so intensely, and why our instinctive responses (calm down, stop it, you’ll be fine) so often make things worse. Drawing on the best child development science, Justin explains the four key reasons young children struggle to regulate their emotions — and what’s actually happening in their brains when things go sideways.
What Your Child Needs from You
The research is unambiguous: the single greatest gift a parent can give a child isn’t a school, a sport, or a screen-free rule. It’s a relationship. Specifically, one where a child feels genuinely seen, known, and emotionally safe. In this workshop, Dr Justin Coulson translates the science of emotional availability into something parents can actually…
Anxious
Helping Your Child Navigate a World of Worry
One in four adolescents now experiences an anxiety disorder. You see it in your child — the fears, the fading confidence, sometimes even panic attacks. It’s heartbreaking and you feel helpless. Dr Justin Coulson shows you what’s really happening, why anxiety is surging, and the evidence-based strategies that will help your child reclaim their confidence.
Tweens, Teens, and Screens
Balancing Protection and Progress
How much screen time is OK? When should they get a phone? Are games making them violent? Is social media destroying their wellbeing? No parenting conversation creates more confusion than the screens debate. Dr Justin Coulson cuts through the noise with clear, research-backed answers and practical strategies you can start using today.
Unplug Childhood
It’s no longer enough to simply monitor screen time. Today’s kids face unprecedented challenges from social media and online content — and parents need a comprehensive strategy to navigate it all. Dr Justin Coulson provides practical, actionable solutions to help you protect your child’s wellbeing in the digital age.
Parenting ADHD
When times are tough, raising an ADHD child can feel impossible. The chaos, the judgement from others, the constant battles. But when times are good? Your heart soars. In this compassionate session, Dr Justin Coulson helps you understand what’s really going on inside your child’s brain — and gives you practical strategies to bring out more of those brilliant moments.
Nurturing Neurodivergence
Raising a neurodivergent child is a journey of incredible highs and exhausting lows. You celebrate their unique brilliance one moment and navigate sensory overload and unexpected behaviours the next. Dr Justin Coulson gives you the knowledge, tools, and confidence to create an environment where your child — and your whole family — can truly thrive.
Carrots and Sticks
Better Ways to Build Boundaries With Your Kids
Tired of yelling, time-outs, and reward charts that don’t seem to work? You’re not alone — and the research says there’s a better way. Dr Justin Coulson dismantles traditional discipline methods and reveals the powerful, positive parenting strategies that actually build cooperation, responsibility, and lasting behaviour change.
The Teenage Brain
Think your teenager’s brain is underdeveloped? Think again. The latest neuroscience reveals surprising truths — like why your 13-year-old isn’t actually more impulsive than your 17-year-old, and why boys experience a temporary dip in empathy that girls don’t. Dr Justin Coulson separates the myths from the science in this fascinating session.
Entitled
Raising Responsible, Respectful Kids
On-demand everything has become the norm — and our kids have never known anything different. The result? Declining resilience, rising frustration, and an increasing sense of entitlement that can derail their future. Dr Justin Coulson reveals what’s really driving this pattern and shares practical strategies to raise kids who are grateful, motivated, and grounded.
No Damage Discipline
Positive solutions for every family
We’ve moved past authoritarian parenting — but what’s replaced it? Many parents feel adrift, unsure how to guide their children without resorting to strict control or punishment. Dr Justin Coulson cuts through the confusion with clear, evidence-based strategies for raising kids who are responsible, respectful, and resilient — without the power struggles.
The Screaming Spiral
Why We Yell at Our Kids... and How to Break Free
You’ve asked politely. You’ve asked again. You’ve waited patiently. You’ve even made a threat. And now you’re yelling. Sound familiar? The screaming spiral is real — and almost every parent gets caught in it. Dr Justin Coulson explains why it happens, why it doesn’t work, and what to do instead when your patience has run out.
Sex, Consent, and Staying Safe
Are you confident you have the tools to guide your teen through the complexities of sex, consent, and healthy relationships? In this clear and compassionate session, Dr Justin Coulson provides a practical roadmap for navigating these crucial conversations — so you can equip your teen with the knowledge they need to stay safe.
Enough
Trading Anxiety and Perfectionism for Authentic Growth
Mental health disorders in teenage girls are rising — and social media is a major factor. Platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok have changed how girls relate, compare, and see themselves. In this vital session, Dr Justin Coulson unpacks the research and gives parents real strategies to protect their daughters and help them feel like they are enough.
Breaking Point
Unpacking the Crisis in Youth Mental Health
Anxiety, depression, self-harm — the statistics for Australian children and youth are at an all-time high, and for neurodivergent kids the challenges are amplified. As a parent, it can feel overwhelming and frightening. Dr Justin Coulson unpacks the latest research on what’s driving this crisis and what you can do right now to support your child’s mental health.
For Students
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Students
Student Assembly & Year Group Sessions
Justin speaks directly to young people in a way that earns their attention — not because he demands it, but because they genuinely don't want to miss what comes next. Schools consistently report students quoting Justin in the hallways days later. These sessions meet students where they are and give them tools they'll actually use.
‘Boys’ for Students
Rewriting the Rules: A Masculinity Masterclass
Being a teenage boy can be rough. There’s pressure to fit in, expectations to live up to, and a whole lot of confusing stuff to figure out. But you don’t have to navigate it alone. In Boys for Students, Dr Justin Coulson will help you to: This presentation will give you the tools and confidence you…
Enough
Overcome Self-Doubt and Embrace the True You
Anxiety, perfectionism, and social media comparison are hitting teenage girls harder than ever — and the impact on their mental health is real. Enough is a powerful, evidence-based session designed specifically for girls, where Dr Justin Coulson helps them break free from the “not good enough” trap and build genuine self-worth and confidence.
Life Beyond High School
Transform Stress into Life-Time Success
Year 12 doesn’t have to be defined by stress and overwhelm. Life Beyond High School equips your senior students with practical strategies to manage pressure, discover their strengths, and approach their final year with confidence and purpose. Dr Justin Coulson turns the Year 12 experience from survival mode into a genuine launchpad for what comes next.
Level Up
Unleash Your Inner Strength
When challenges hit — and they will — how do your students respond? Level Up builds serious resilience by giving students real-life strategies for managing pressure, bouncing back from setbacks, and developing the inner strength to face whatever comes their way. A practical, energising session that students actually engage with.
Respectful Relationships
In a world of social media influence and blurred boundaries, your students need more than a lecture on respect — they need the critical thinking skills to navigate real relationships. Respectful Relationships helps students challenge assumptions, communicate with confidence, and build connections that are healthy, safe, and meaningful — both online and in person.
Hacking Your Happiness
A Game-Changing Toolkit for Emotional Regulation
Emotional regulation is one of the most important life skills your students can develop — and one of the least taught. Hacking Your Happiness gives students practical, research-backed tools to understand their emotions, stay calm under pressure, and build the kind of emotional intelligence that improves everything from friendships to academic performance.
Riding the Waves
Tips for Taming Anxiety
Anxiety is one of the biggest barriers to student engagement, learning, and wellbeing — and it’s on the rise. Riding the Waves gives your students practical tools to recognise anxiety, understand what’s driving it, and develop strategies to manage it effectively. Dr Justin Coulson delivers this in a way that resonates with young people and genuinely sticks.
Need more information?
Browse all educator topics → or just ask Caroline when you get in touch.
How Schools Work With Justin
Choose Your Level of Impact
Start with a single session or build a whole-school experience. Every package includes a pre-event consultation to ensure the content fits your community precisely.
Starting Point
Single Session
One audience · One keynote
- One 60–90 minute keynote presentation
- Pre-event consultation with Justin
- Marketing collateral & promotion support
- Q&A session
Schools exploring Justin's work for the first time, or planning a single-focus event (e.g. a parent evening or staff PD day).
Balanced Approach
Half Day
Two audiences · Two keynotes
- Two 60–90 minute keynote presentations
- Pre-event consultation with Justin
- Marketing collateral & promotion support
- Q&A at each session
Best for:
Schools wanting to address two key audiences in one day — e.g. staff PD in the morning and a parent evening the same night.
Most Schools Choose This
Full Day
All three audiences · Full community impact
- Three 60–90 minute keynote presentations
- Pre-event consultation with Justin
- Marketing collateral & promotion support
- Q&A at each session
- Post-event leadership debrief
The Coherence Effect
Schools that bring Justin in for all three audiences consistently report something that individual sessions don't create: a shared language. When a parent hears Justin talk about autonomy and then their child comes home using the same word, something shifts. When a teacher hears the same framework their principal discussed at leadership — and recognises it in the parent evening feedback — the culture starts to move. That coherence is what separates a good event from a genuinely transformative one.
Justin Has Worked With Some of Australia's Biggest... and Smallest Schools
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Years Speaking0
Books PublishedPhD
Psychology
#1
Parenting Podcast
What Schools Say
Justin presented two sessions at Caloundra State High School for teachers and support staff, both of which were engaging and exceptional.
He combined evidence-based insights with personal experiences that made his sessions authentic, relatable and deeply human. Staff valued his practical approach, engaging delivery and genuine understanding of the realities of school life. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
The parents loved his presentation.
It was Justin's manner, stories and humility that made his message simple, effective and relatable. The parents connected with him immediately — and those are parents who rarely come to anything.
It's rare to find a speaker who connects so effectively with both teenagers and their parents, and leaves both feeling motivated and more optimistic.
The day proved to be an incredibly insightful experience for students, teachers, and parents alike - all of whom greatly benefited from Justin's expertise. The event was a resounding success, leaving everyone feeling inspired and equipped.
We absolutely loved having Dr Justin Coulson with our community.
He was real, honest and incredibly engaging, striking a perfect balance between storytelling, research and practical advice. Justin has a unique ability to take complex ideas and make them feel relatable and achievable for parents.
His message around resilience and character really stayed with us, and the feedback from our community has been overwhelmingly positive.
Patty Etcell,McKinnon Secondary College
Schools We've worked with
How It Works
Meet the Team
From your first question to the moment Justin walks on stage, you'll be looked after by people who genuinely care that the day goes well.
Caroline Martel
Sarah Wantier
Dr Justin Coulson
How It Works
From First Enquiry to a Day Your Community Remembers
Here's exactly what happens from the moment you reach out - no surprises, no complexity.
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Before you book
Everything you need is right here
Justin’s delivery was engaging and energetic. We have had a lot of great feedback from parents today, and we believe there is appetite for parents to make some changes in terms of screen time and mobiles.
Jane Lougher - Director of Community Relations, St Margaret's College
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Get in Touch
Fill out the form or email Caroline directly
It's easy to get in tough with Caroline via:
Email: caroline@happyfamilies.com.
Contact Form (Preferred)
Fill out the enquiry form below or email Caroline directly.
Very helpful and professional from the first phone call to the follow-up phone call. Information sent was detailed and informative. Enjoyed Justin’s commonsense approach, practicality, and usefulness of the information.
Wendy Charlton - Administrator, Burpengary Kindergarten
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Let the team look after you
From here, we make it easy
Caroline will be in touch within 24 hours. From that first conversation through to the day itself, the conference team handles everything - content brief, logistics, marketing collateral, and travel.
You focus on your school.
We take care of the rest.
Justin was easy to work with, engaged the audience and delivered in a way that everyone was comfortable.
Mick Roach - Principal, St Anthony's Catholic Primary School
Let's Start the Conversation
Check Justin's Availability for Your School Community
Fill in the form and Caroline will come back to you within 24 hours. Prefer to reach out directly? Email Caroline - she manages all bookings and will make the process straightforward.
Booking for a workplace or conferences, not a school?
Justin speaks at national and state education conferences, and workplaces too.
Download the 2026 Speakers Kit
Justin's 2026 Education Speaker Kit — bio, synopses, photos, and testimonials.
