Finding your way in education can feel difficult sometimes, and there are lots of reasons why that might happen. I’m here to understand what it’s like for you and to help you figure out ways to make things easier.

I’ll work with you and the people who support you at home and at school so we can find ways to help.

It’s important to me that you feel listened to, understood, and supported in finding solutions that work for you.

If you are a parent or carer, you may have something specific you want to explore — or you may be feeling unsure where to start. I can offer you guidance to work out what your young person needs support with, for example,

• strengthening your young person’s sense of well-being in education.

• understanding your young person’s neurodiverse needs and working to identify supports so their classroom and community feels like it is meaningful for them.

• making sense of specific cognitive needs which are impacting on your young person and exploring how best to design environments and tasks where they can learn at their best.

• deepening understanding of emotional needs and developing skills to help strengthen their capacity to regulate their emotions.

What will happen

I will arrange a consultation via phone call or video call where you can share your young person’s story and discuss if I can help.

If we agree I can help, there are many different ways I can be involved and the format will vary.

Firstly I will meet with you and your young person to create a picture of strengths and needs and an understanding about the barriers they are facing inside and outside of school. I will take into account different contexts which may also involve making sense of other assessments your young person has had, understanding needs through play and/or observation, talking with relevant staff who know them best and finding ways to help your young person feel able to contribute their views.

Where direct assessment is required, this would take place within the everyday environment which your young person is most familiar with, for example this could be at home or in school or outdoors. I would aim to make sure this feels safe and supportive, developmentally appropriate and at best, minimally intrusive.

I will facilitate conversations with those who know your young person best to share different perspectives and to contribute to ideas for support and making changes, and work in partnership with you to develop a solution focused, practical plan of intervention.

Thrive Psychology offers consultation and training for practitioners, schools and teams to build understanding and knowledge and to strengthen skills for practice.

If you are someone who works with young people you may be thinking about ways to enhance your professional learning, for example,

• creating inclusive learning spaces which reduce barriers for young people.

• calming young people’s heightened emotions and make the shift to stress-reducing interactions.

• creating safe, inclusive and affirming environments for neurodiverse young people.

• deepening understanding and skills in relational approaches and trauma sensitive practice.

• feeling prepared to support your young people to cope with bereavement and loss.

• reflecting on and enhancing your relational skills by participating in video interaction guidance.

• building skills in supervision and reflective practice.

• using psycho-education to help look after the mental well-being of yourself and your team and provide a sound well-being foundation for young people.

Training can be offered online or in-person, as short workshops or during staff development days.

What will happen

If you are looking to develop your school or organisation let’s have a discussion to see if I can help.