PDA - asd Appreciation & Awareness

Trauma doesn’t just live in the mind - it lives in the body too. 💔

It can change sleep, health, resilience and how we respond to the world around us. For some, it shows up as chronic illness or exhaustion; for others, it’s anxiety, hypervigilance or sensory overwhelm.

When we begin to understand why this happens - and how trauma reshapes our sensory systems - we can finally begin to support real healing. 🌿

That’s why we’re honoured to welcome Dr. Janina Fisher, one of the world’s leading experts on trauma, for a deeply powerful webinar on Trauma and Sensory Attachment.

This is essential learning for parents, carers and professionals who support children and young people affected by trauma - or anyone who wants to understand the connection between the body, brain and behaviour.

🗓️ 18th December, 8pm – 10pm
🎟️ Book your place: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1585637126329

This will be a transformative evening - compassionate, enlightening and filled with hope. 💛

As parents, it can be hard to know when to intervene and when to give kids space to figure it out.
But here’s the truth ⤵️
If the situation is unsafe → step in.
If learning is happening → step back.
If they become overwhelmed → step in with support.

Children need practice to build frustration tolerance, problem-solving skills and confidence…
but they also need us to step in when things move from growth to distress.

You don’t have to get it right every time.
Just staying curious and observing before reacting is already powerful parenting. 💛

Save this for later — and share it with someone who needs the reminder today.

For more practical tools to support emotional development, resilience and connection, my book Guidance from The Therapist Parent is available on www.thetherapistparent.com and on Amazon. 📘✨

Cost-Free reasonable adjustments that change everything.

Some schools act like neurodivergent kids/teens are asking for luxury accommodations when really, it’s the bare-minimum they need just to cope & survive a normal school day like their neurotypical peers.

Movement breaks aren’t “special treatment.”
Leaving class a few minutes early isn’t “favouritism.”
Earplugs aren’t “defiance.”
Handing them a ruler instead of punishing them for forgetting one isn’t “spoiling them.”
Flexible homework isn’t “letting them get away with it.”

And guess what else aren’t “special treatments”…

Toilet passes aren’t “privileges.”
Trainers aren’t “breaking uniform rules.”
A no-blazer pass isn’t “being awkward.”
Fidget toys aren’t “distractions” when used properly.
Exam arrangements aren’t “unfair advantages.”
Not making eye contact isn’t “rude.”
Being unable to attend certain lessons isn’t “avoidance.”
Sitting by the door isn’t “manipulative.”
Eating somewhere quieter isn’t “opting out.”
Rest breaks aren’t “weakness.”
A time-out card isn’t “escaping work.”
Laptops aren’t “cheating.”
Standing or fidgeting to learn isn’t “attention seeking.”
Leaving to go to the lunch hall early isn’t “special privilege.”
Reduced homework isn’t “lazy parenting.”
Wearing sunglasses isn’t “disrespectful.”
Drinking water in class isn’t “breaking rules.”
Alternative ways to record work aren’t “making it too easy.”
Not doing group work isn’t “non-compliance.”
Wobble cushions aren’t “messing around.”
Having a safe adult to check in with isn’t “babying.”
Extra processing time isn’t “holding up the lesson.”
Visual timetables aren’t “OTT.”
Predictable routines aren’t “pampering.”

None of this is special treatment.
It’s access.
It’s equality.
It’s the bare minimum these spicy kids need just to get through the day like their neurotypical peers. When school meets a child or (teenager) where they are, that’s when real learning happens 😊

If you think they’re just “lucky” to get these so-called “extras”, then you are part of the problem!

Autistic people aren't trying to make excuses, and we're not hiding behind our autism diagnoses.

We are finally learning why life has been so difficult.

Imagine struggling for answers while everyone else insists you’re fine. For many women with ADHD, that’s reality.

New research shows that women wait nearly five years longer than men for an ADHD diagnosis, even when symptoms begin at the same time. Women in the study by the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology were diagnosed at age 29, with men being diagnosed around at 24. And the women often had more severe symptoms, plus higher rates of anxiety and depression.

Five years is a long time to feel misunderstood.

Celebrities like Kristen Bell and Simone Biles have helped destigmatize , but the diagnostic gender gap is still real, and still harming women. It’s time to change that.

“I struggle with words as I think in pictures, but I’m pretty awesome at coming up with stories and illustrations!” - Ridley, age 11 💛

So often, children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) are misunderstood.
They may be labelled as shy, inattentive, or even defiant… when really, their brains are working incredibly hard to translate thoughts into words.

For every child like Ridley - creative, bold, bright, full of ideas - there are thousands more whose struggles with communication go unseen. And with 1 in 14 children affected, it’s time we all understood DLD better.

Join us for a powerful and heartwarming webinar with Libby Hill, one of the UK’s leading Speech and Language Therapists, as we explore what DLD really is, how it’s identified, and how you can best support children who live with it.

🗓️ 27th November | 8pm | Online
🎟️ Book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/developmental-language-disorder-also-known-as-dld-tickets-1781311343179

If you're a parent in Doncaster of a neurodiverse child, and are having difficulties within local schools getting access to an EHCP, or assessment referrals and require more support and want your voice to be heard please email us at [email protected] for more information.

When we shout, it’s usually because we’re overwhelmed — not because our child is “too much”.

And the good news? Repair is powerful. It teaches your child that relationships can wobble and still feel safe.

If you’ve raised your voice today, you haven’t “failed”. You’ve had a human moment. What matters most is what comes next.

It’s also a brilliant way to model emotional regulation, showing your young person what it looks like to own mistakes with warmth and courage.

For many neurodivergent young people, protective responses aren’t overreactions — they’re adaptations.
Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn show up when the world feels unpredictable, overwhelming, or socially demanding. What looks like “challenging behaviour” is often a nervous system working incredibly hard to stay safe.

This post explores how protective responses interact with sensory needs, masking, executive functioning load, and the pressure to meet neurotypical expectations. Understanding this helps adults respond with curiosity, not correction — and creates a safer world for neurodivergent children to be themselves.

If this resonates, our Protective Response Visual Pack dives deeper and is now available in the Resource Store.
Find it via the link in the comments below ⬇️ or through the Linktree Shop in Bio.

💜 Why autistic young people say “sorry” when they don’t need to, and how we can help 💙

Does your young person say “sorry”?

For things that aren’t their fault.
For taking up space.
For having a need.
For simply existing in the room.

It’s rarely about making a mistake.
It’s about fear.😰

Fear of upsetting someone.
Fear of being told off.
Fear of being “too much.”
Fear of getting it wrong… again.
Fear of being misunderstood because their brain works differently.

Many autistic girls and teens have learnt, over years of masking, that being apologetic keeps them “safe.”

It softens the world.
It stops conflict.
It avoids embarrassment.
It keeps people happy, even when they aren’t.

But constantly apologising chips away at confidence. It makes their needs feel less important. It teaches them that their comfort comes second.

Here’s how we can help:

💙 Gently pause: “You don’t need to say sorry- you haven’t done anything wrong.”

💜 Offer the language they’re missing: “You can say ‘thank you for waiting’, or ‘I need help with this’ instead.”

💙 Reassure their safety: “You’re not in trouble. I’m here with you.”

💜 Model boundaries: Show them what healthy communication looks like.

💙 Notice the moments they don’t apologise: Celebrate them quietly,
“I liked how you asked clearly just then.”

These tiny shifts build something huge:

A young person who realises they don’t have to shrink themselves to be liked… 🫶🏻
Who understands that their needs matter…🫶🏻
And who feels safe enough to take up space in their own life.🫶🏻

If this is your young person, you’re not alone- it’s something that can change.

Patsy x💜💙

If our friend was upset, we’d sit with them, support them, hold space.
So why do so many believe children should be ignored when their emotions feel too big?

Children don’t need to be “left to deal with it.”
They need co-regulation — an adult who shares their calm when they can’t find their own.

Co-regulation isn’t rescuing or giving in.
It’s offering warmth, modelling coping, and guiding them through the overwhelm so they can learn to understand and express their feelings in healthy ways.

Simple to say… not always simple to do.
Especially when their meltdown triggers your own nervous system.
But connection teaches skills that isolation never will.

✨ More support in my new book Guidance from The Therapist Parent
Available at www.thetherapistparent.com and on Amazon