Empowering Children to Thrive

The Thinkology Coach | Children's Mindset and Emotional Well-Being Coach

This is my first blog post for the website, and I wanted to start with a little background. 

I have always loved working with children. My last employed work was in a Steiner Waldorf Kindergarten and I was also training to become a Steiner Waldorf teacher.  I was passionate about helping children to learn and thrive and to become the best version of themselves that they could possibly be. The Steiner Waldorf education system thrived on bringing out the gifts in the child and not in ticking boxes or measuring success through exams. I loved my time there and learned so much.

I left this job when I became a mum and never returned. 

Fast forward 12 years later and I have a completely different life than I could ever have imagined.

I never returned to employed work and now the idea of doing anything other than childrens coaching and teaching Thinkology never crosses my mind.

So, what prompted the change in career, for me to start my own business and to become the Thinkology coach?

Neurodiversity is the simple answer to that.  Not Mine, but my children’s.

Both of my boys are Autistic, and one of them also has ADHD along with that.

In 12 years, I have faced so many social, emotional, and behavioural challenges with them.  From anxiety, low self-esteem, sensory issues, Suicidal thoughts, and anger issues.

I sought diagnosis from an early age as there were so many neurodivergent traits and hoped that that would be the answer to my prayers.  A diagnosis would mean that we would receive help and support and that I was not a ‘bad’ parent.

That help and support never really came along.  Not because it wasn’t needed but because there is very little help available and if you manage to access a service then it is for a very limited time and not always helpful or useful for neurodivergent behaviours.

I spent so much time reading about Autism and ADHD, taking parenting courses, meeting with educational psychologists, CAMHS professionals and psychologists and there was no one coming to save me or my children.

Even in times when I felt broken by the system or that all I ever did was fight for help and support and got barely a 10-minute phone call or a ‘professional’ telling me I was doing all the right things. I knew I had to help my children to manage life in a world that they really felt was challenging to them.

I remember standing with my neighbour, who had come over to help me with a difficult time I was having with my son and ranting to him about the lack of services, support and help for my children.  He looked at me and asked….. So what are YOU going to do about it?

I was taken aback and in a way that only happens when you are ready to have that life changing moment of clarity and vision – I decided that I would do something about it!!!!!

I trained as a coach, hypnotherapist, and NLP practitioner with the hope of helping people with anxiety – something I experienced so much since becoming a parent. I started helping children too and knew that that was where I wanted to focus all my learning. 

Soon I was working 1-1 with children who had high anxiety levels and saw some amazing changes in confidence and self-esteem and a huge reduction in anxious behaviours.  I loved seeing them shine again. 

I worked in primary and secondary schools where I facilitated group programs that were helping children build an awareness around their thoughts, feelings and emotions.

This is the work I continue to do today.

It has evolved to more mind and body work, with the mantra being that we think things in our mind, and we feel things in our body.  However, the focus is always on bringing the child back to an awareness or their OWN thoughts and thinking because it is always the thoughts that happen first. We create OUR experience from that inside out and When children learn that they are creating the anxiety or the stress, they get to choose if they still want to be stuck there.

My mission is  to bring Thinkology to as many people as possible and to help parents and  children to no longer struggle with their well-being and emotional health.

So, that’s it – the challenges of neurodivergent parenting have led me to become  – The Thinkology Coach.