Portrait of Stefan holding a cute dog

Hi, I’m Stefan.

​​My whole life, I’ve been driven to help bright, kind, out-of-the-box people grow. My philosophy is that everyone can succeed when they have the resources they need.

Unfortunately, the world often feels like it doesn’t value kindness and divergent thinking. Capable, intelligent people end up struggling, feeling lost, alone, and without a way to contribute their gifts to make a better world.

My 15-year career has spanned the intersection of education and mental health. I’ve supporting teens and adults with complex needs as a teacher, case manager, behavior counselor, tutor, educational therapist, and coach.

Working with incredible people who had been failed by the traditional education system taught me see the big picture, find the root of the challenges, get creative, and most importantly, to never forget the human at the center of it all.

​This work is deeply personal to me. I struggled with undiagnosed ADHD until my mid 30’s. It felt like I had two sides: the intelligent, analytic, creative, patient Stefan and the scattered, “all over the place” Stefan. Like most people, I learned to mask and inefficiently adapt, managing to succeed professionally while privately battling chaos, shame, and severe burnout.

It wasn’t until my ADHD diagnosis that I felt like I finally had the full picture of myself and a path forward. Working with a coach who really understood me made me realize how empowering or limiting executive function is, and how there’s not a single aspect of life that’s impacted by it. I’m now dedicated to help others learn the same skills so they can be the version of themselves they really want.

Outside of work, I find joy in spending time with my loved ones, being in nature, biking, traveling, gardening, learning, going to concerts, and making friends with other people’s dogs (don’t tell the guy on the left I’m actually a cat person).

Professional Qualifications

  • 15 years of experience working with students with complex learning profiles

  • National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC)

  • Professional Level Educational Therapist (ET/P)

  • CA Credentialed Special Education Teacher (Mild/Moderate, Added Autism Certification)

  • BA in Psychology from McGill University


Educational Services Qualifications

  • 10 years of teaching and coaching experience

  • CA Credentialed Special Education Teacher (Mild/Moderate, Added Autism Certification)

  • Professional Level Educational Therapist (ET/P)

  • National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC)

  • BA in Psychology from McGill University

  • 8 years of IEP case-management experience 

  • Extensive education and training in executive function. Sarah Ward is my favorite!

  • Ongoing study groups and self-study to learn and maintain best practices

  • BrainFrames: visual tools that organize language

  • Over 500 hours of Making Math Real* course work:

    • Overview

    • The 9 Lines (twice)

    • Games

    • The 4 Operations and 400 Math Facts

    • Fractions, Decimals, Advanced Place Value

    • Pre-Algebra

    • Algebra 1

    • Geometry (through high school)

    • Algebra 2

* Stefan Oste, in utilizing Making Math Real® (MMR®) methods, is in no way affiliated with, a member of, or employed by the Making Math Real Institute (MMRI), and does not represent or reflect MMR® or David Berg in any way whatsoever. Neither the MMRI nor David Berg has trained, certified, licensed, monitored, endorsed, recommended, or sponsored Stefan. MMR® is a clinical methodology, not a program or a curriculum, and neither the MMRI nor David Berg monitors, endorses, or accounts for the quality of services provided by Stefan Oste.