Dr. Samuel R. Caron has been working with children and families for over 40 years. Throughout his career, he has served as a special education teacher, worked in a hospital for individuals with severe developmental disabilities, acted as an elementary school counselor, and directed children and family services at a mental health center. He has also taught courses at a college and maintained his own office, where he worked with children and families facing challenges. Currently, Dr. Caron serves as a child psychologist at the mental health clinic at Fort Huachuca, an army base in Sierra Vista, Arizona.

Dr. Caron is passionate about his career, which allows him to help children and families improve their relationships and well-being. He finds great satisfaction in hearing about former patients who are doing well and shares the disappointment when, despite his best efforts, some challenges persist.

Given his extensive work with children, Dr. Caron has developed hobbies that resonate with younger audiences, which he shares on his website. One of his most notable hobbies is ventriloquism. Although his lips may still move slightly, he is highly skilled at bringing his puppet, Elwood, to life, and he hopes to introduce Elwood to many more people in the future.

Dr. Caron’s interest in ventriloquism began when he received a Jerry Mahoney puppet as a gift for his sixth birthday. Inspired by the popular Paul Winchell and Jerry Mahoney Show, he taught himself the craft through practice. Over the years, he has used ventriloquism in various jobs, and about ten years ago, he commissioned renowned puppet maker Jerry Baum to create Elwood. Baum also made puppets for every member of Dr. Caron’s family.

Dr. Caron has been married to his wife, Mary, for over 50 years, and they have two sons, Benjamin and Jeremy. As a family, they worked together to produce educational videos on ADHD, a process that not only resulted in valuable content but also strengthened their family bonds.

When Dr. Caron first acquired Elwood, he invited his patients to participate in a contest to name the puppet. The winning suggestion was “Elwood,” and it has stuck ever since. Elwood quickly became a valuable tool in Dr. Caron’s practice, helping to engage young patients. Children loved interacting with Elwood, although some very young ones were initially afraid, not understanding that he was just a puppet.

Dr. Caron and Elwood have also worked outside the office. After Hurricane Andrew hit Florida, they traveled to the area to provide support and entertainment in a Red Cross shelter. Elwood also played a role in a non-violent children’s television show, where they discussed topics like anger and divorce.

The television show was a family project, produced in a public access studio in Tucson, Arizona. Dr. Caron’s family learned the technical aspects of TV production, from setting up lights and sound to operating cameras and working in the control room. Over time, they produced public service announcements on topics such as family violence and safety, which were aired on local television.

Dr. Caron eventually began producing programs focused on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a condition many of his young patients struggled with. He wanted to share his insights and experience with parents and children across the country. Producing these shows required writing scripts, composing music (with help from his son, Ben), and countless hours of rehearsal and filming.

Creating these television programs was a challenging process, with hours spent perfecting each segment, and the editing process, which involved selecting the best sections and adding visual elements like pictures and cartoons, was particularly time-consuming. Despite the hard work, Dr. Caron and his family are proud of the final product, and they hope that viewers find the programs helpful and enjoyable.