Evidence-Based 
Hi, I'm Carli — a teacher who believes stories can do some of the hardest emotional work for us.
I spent 25 years as a teacher, with a front-row seat to how children and teens process big emotions — and how those patterns start young. That experience, combined with my studies in psychology and sociology, taught me one thing clearly: the earlier a child gets the words for what they're feeling, the better equipped they are for everything that comes after.
Evidence-Based Emotional Growth Stories grew out of that classroom experience, combined with my studies in psychology and sociology. Every book is written to be read with a child — and then revisited, through a companion activity book, so the feeling doesn't end when the story does.
Where these stories come from
- 25 years as a teacher, with first-hand experience in how children develop emotional language and resilience over time
- Background in psychology and sociology, applied to how children process emotion
- Based in Cape Town, South Africa — writing for families everywhere
- Beyond the classroom, I've supported children and teens navigating ADHD, bipolar disorder, autism, depression, trauma, and anxiety — both as a teacher and at home as a parent. That's not a clinical qualification, but it's given me a close, ongoing view of what actually helps.
Why "evidence-based"
These aren't just nice stories — every book is built around how children actually learn to manage emotion.
Named, not avoided
Each book names the emotion directly — worry, sadness, change — instead of working around it. Children regulate better when they have language for what they feel.
Story first, then practice
The story does the emotional work gently. The companion activity book then gives the child a low-pressure way to revisit and process at their own pace.
Written for real classrooms and homes
Grounded in a real teaching career — these are the conversations and moments I actually saw children need, written down.