MY H'ART SPACE

29/09/2025

To me, the rainbow speaks of these '7 needs' to coexist in our daily life. When we find ways to love, we find ways to unite. Unity births renewed feelings, which paves way for healing. When we heal, we gain capacity to give (again). By giving, we subconsciously expand from the depths of our soul. When we reach this point, we finally realise we have the courage to connect again with all that is around us, and make meaning again of this life.
Never give up!

13/09/2025

♾️The importance of being neurodiversity-affirming means having the courage (as the adult in the room) to allow a child to create something that is relatable to 'them' even if the 'rule book/curriculum' says create a prescribed type of shadow puppet (output). A child should be assessed based on their creativity, and not compliance.
🌷Cultural perspective: the book shows the Wayang Kulit shadow puppet used widely in Indonesia and Malaysia for storytelling. Neurodivergence, as a way of being, is also a unique culture where SpIns (special interests) are used as storytelling. This is how they relate to the world. Please honour it. 😊

09/09/2025

I am thinking of all my neurokin families...it's been 2 weeks since the announcement and the 'neuroprocessing' is still very alive and draining for many. Check out my reflections on my website.

The Implications of Removing Autistic Children from the NDIS

09/09/2025

Discover all that My Hart Space Art Therapy has to offer on our website!

Stay informed with the latest updates, explore our wide range of offerings, and connect with everything exciting happening here.

Visit us at https://myhartspace.com.au today to see what’s waiting for you!

Experience Art Therapy & Counselling That Builds Functional Capacity & Wellness. Supporting Disability & Mental Health.

26/08/2025

🙏🙏🙏

24/08/2025

The recent government announcement to take our neurokin off the only support system they have ever had, has been devastating for many of us. In my own way, I process it by creating.
Creating awareness.
Creating images that create awareness.
Creating sensibilities in the images that create awareness.
And most of all, creating a space within us for calm and courage amongst unsettling dust.
If systems won't support us, we will refuse to die on this hill.
We will move mountains to create a space for ourselves, and show them how it's done!
Meanwhile, we bark like a broken record to correct the ableist assumptions made around 3 new trigger words: mild, moderate and severe.
Thinking of all my neurodivergent families today.

02/08/2025

A social story about Art Therapy for children. 🙂

28/07/2025

For those who have been trying again and again to escape the internalised cycle of trauma, know that your cycle will end when you sense this deep in your soul.
Set boundaries.
It is okay to say no.
May your journey be anchored in strength and self-compassion. Always.

22/07/2025

Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing some really beautiful affirmation cards by Big Life Journal alongside artefacts and found objects in my studio that speak to the words. Join me in a daily, low demand affirmation journey. Enjoy the words, the music, the art and find yourself within them. 🙂

16/07/2025

This is so very true! It's what I share with teachers and parents supporting PDAers.
Thank you Mind Co. !!

🪞 When You See Your Child's PDA... In Yourself

Ever caught yourself thinking, "That demand avoidance feels... familiar"? You're not alone. Many parents of PDAers begin to recognize these patterns in themselves.

💫 What Adult PDA Can Look Like:
• Procrastinating on tasks with no clear reason why
• Feeling physically ill when faced with expectations
• The overwhelming urge to do the opposite of what's asked
• Shutting down when plans change unexpectedly
• Needing to do things your way, on your timeline
• Feeling trapped by routine appointments and commitments

🧠 What It Feels Like Inside:
• A physical weight on your chest when demands pile up
• Racing thoughts when trying to meet expectations
• Exhaustion after social events or structured activities
• Relief when plans get cancelled
• A need for control that feels non-negotiable
• Burnout cycles that seem to come from nowhere

✨ Supporting Yourself:
• Honour your need for autonomy
• Break tasks into smaller, optional steps
• Use indirect language with yourself
• Create flexible routines with built-in choice
• Schedule recovery time after demands
• Practice self-compassion—this is neurology, not weakness

💝 The Gift of Recognition:
Understanding your own PDA traits can transform how you support your child. It's not just empathy—it's lived experience.

🌱 Remember: You don't need a diagnosis to benefit from PDA-friendly strategies. If they help you thrive, they're valid tools for your toolbox.

25/06/2025

❤️ I am writing this post as a mother today and hope it helps other mums out there who want to reset connection through their caring role ❤️
❣️🩵 Try this: Paint the same piece of art with your child, but with your non-dominang hand. 😆
💚Do you notice the slowing down, the imperfections, the sloppiness, the frustrations, the difficulties etc come alive in your process? All while your child merrily creates alongside. And then you take a step back and observe how they see the world in their art. What do you notice?🙂
🧡My child and I co-created this morning. In this togetherness, we noticed each other. I noticed my conditioning of trying to control artistic outcomes. But my free spirited child mirrored his passion for space. The foxes tail reaching for the moon, sprinkled with stars around; the dark side of the moon being an essential detail he needed to express. The cubist guitar, deliberately chosen to be 'dark like space', plastered with stars and a tonne of fruity-smelling stickers (sensory input). He wanted to 'smell the music'. 🎵No guessing which one belongs to the 'conditioned adult' 😆. Again and again, he reminds me about working differently and letting go of old ways of being. The slowing down enforced by my non-dominant hand truly reminded me of his struggles and the empathy that needs to constantly flow from me 24-7.
💜
Priscription: Spend time painting with your kid with your non-dominant hand. And you will uncover so much about yourself and how your child sees the world. Most of all, your child will let loose the inner child within you, who also deserves love, compassion and care. Somewhere in this process, your oxytocine and dopamine will reignite and restore connection if you've had a rough day with your child. 🩷🩷
😍