The Day the Queen Thanked Me
It's been three years since Stephen Lewis Elms, creator of the Elms Method, received praise from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, along with Prince William and Princess Catherine, for delivering mental health education to over 100,000 young people across the UK—but the impact of that moment still echoes in his life and work today.
A Royal Recognition During the Final Jubilee
The recognition came during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Week in 2022, a moment of national celebration that also marked the final year of her reign. For Stephen, it was more than just an honour—it was a powerful sign that the work he was doing mattered.
The Tour That Changed Lives
At the heart of the tour was a unique format: a high-energy performance followed by a raw, relatable talk about mental health, self-worth, and resilience.
Delivered in schools from Sunderland to Southampton, it wasn't just the students who were moved—teachers, headteachers, and parents began speaking out about how the sessions were changing lives.
Some schools reported major turnarounds in student behaviour. Others saw pupils finally open up about the challenges they'd been silently carrying. Elms brought the energy of a headline act to the school hall—but it was his honesty and empathy that stuck with people long after the mic was turned off.
The Birth of The ELMS Method
Looking back, he credits those unpredictable, honest, often emotional school sessions with shaping what would later become the Elms Method—a framework now used by performers, speakers, and professionals to connect with audiences authentically.
The principles that emerged from those school tours became the foundation of The ELMS Method:
Express - Speak with authenticity and vulnerability, especially when addressing difficult topics
Listen - Read the room, understand what young people need, connect before you preach
Message - Deliver hope and practical tools, not just statistics and theory
Switch - Adapt to each audience, each school, each moment—no two sessions were the same
Impact That Lasts
The numbers tell part of the story:
- 100,000+ young people reached
- Hundreds of schools across the UK
- Royal recognition from HM The Queen, Prince William, and Princess Catherine
- Countless testimonials from teachers and parents
But the real impact is in the lives changed, the conversations started, and the young people who finally felt understood.
A Legacy That Continues
Today, as Stephen continues to grow in influence—as an entertainer, educator, and elected official—the values behind that tour remain central to who he is: realness, resilience, and reaching people where they are.
And while awards and accolades have followed—including his recent Hall of Fame induction at the National Entertainment Awards—it's that moment in 2022, receiving Royal praise for helping children, that still stands as one of his most meaningful milestones.
The Work Continues
The mental health tour may have ended, but the mission hasn't. Through The ELMS Method, Stephen continues to teach the same principles that earned Royal recognition:
Connection over perfection. Authenticity over polish. Impact over applause.
These aren't just performance techniques—they're life skills. And they started in school halls, with young people who needed to be heard, and a performer who learned to truly listen.
