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SENDsational mind body soul, Ashford (2026)

21/04/2026

Short version:
The new proposals for Special Educational Needs reform, may mean that children will be expected to just survive, rather than thrive. If you have lived experience, please consider writing to your local member of parliament.

Long Version:
Dr Stephen Porges, the creator of Polyvagal Theory, has dedicated a career to studying trauma, emotional regulation, and the nervous system. He said that the more time a person spends trapped in a place that gives them feelings of danger, the less likely they are to ever be able to recognise anything as safe.

Thinking about that description, it is no wonder that developing children who are on the autism spectrum and having difficulty comprehending the world around them, spend a large amount of their lives in chronic fight-or-flight mode. The more this happens, the harder it is to help them with co-regulation as they may no longer perceive anything as ‘safe’ and that can include the people around them and even the people who love them.

Co-regulation is emotional regulation with the support of a partner, it can be as simple as a hug or mirroring some deep breaths.

Other sensory difficulties can mean that things within a normal everyday environment can trigger sensory overload, overwhelm, and eventually what we know as ‘meltdown’.

We know that excessive cortisol and chronic stress can actually re-wire the brain and have a huge impact on executive functioning. Executive functioning is everything that drives your behaviour; decision making, critical thinking, impulse control.

As a parent myself, who has been there, done that and got the well-worn, faded t-shirt, I completely understand and really feel for those families who are receiving pressure from local authorities to send their child into a school that is completely the wrong environment. How heartbreaking it is to know that every day, little-by-little your child is damaged by trauma upon trauma, because in their world, their nervous system recognises a busy, loud, overcrowded, non autism-informed classroom, as a place of danger.

You can’t train someone to not perceive something as a danger, when that ‘something’ to them, is almost painful.

We have to respect that perhaps for that child, that environment really is a big threat to their comfort, mental health, and ability to learn.

Imagine how it must feel as a parent, trying to protect your child from further trauma, fight the system to get an appropriate educational placement in place, AND at the same time have to deal with pressure from a local authority that wants to force your child with special needs to attend an inappropriate school, or else you as a parent could be prosecuted.

Just take a moment to imagine how desperate and stressful that would feel. Knowing that every single day your child comes home a little more broken, and then you are punished for protecting them from total mental breakdown.

‘Avoidance’ is a coping mechanism and it is considered a core symptom of CPTSD. Now, I’m not a doctor, and I’m not saying that every child avoiding school has CPTSD but I think that the authorities do need to understand that when someone is evading a place or situation, it’s for a reason!

If a child with sensory needs were offered an optimum learning environment, then I’m sure that going to school, with all its activities and facilities, would be more inviting than staying at home. But, unfortunately children are expected to survive in a far-from optimal learning environment. This leads to eventual inability to cope with going to school.

Local governments are placing children with significant special educational needs into mainstream placements where they do not have access to quiet spaces, frequent movement breaks, therapies, or enough 1:1 engagement to help them to thrive. Basically, children are expected to survive rather than thrive.

I really hope that you’ll share this message and if you have concerns about the current situation with SEND education and proposed reforms, please write to your local MP with your story. Even if it’s just a few lines, please make your experience known.
©️SENDsational mind body soul 2026

01/04/2026

Hello to all our followers! I just wanted to say thank you for following our page, and offer a proper introduction. It is lovely to connect with likeminded people. I have a specialised professional background in SEN, and I am a mother to a beautiful daughter who has complex needs, including non-verbal Autism and severe learning disability. I have qualifications in special neurodevelopmental yoga practices specified for autism, Autism Movement Therapy, adaptive exercise (Tai Chi and chair yoga) and I’m studying mindfulness for children. Many of these studies have a neuroscience underpinning, and I am grateful to all of the wonderful and awe inspiring pioneers who have taught me.

I have continued to research, and develop my knowledge and experiment to find ways to combine my experience of supporting non-verbal people with my background in movement. My daughter Shola, is my biggest teacher out of any. She has taught me patience, attentiveness, and a whole host of ways in which we can enable the learning of even the most profoundly autistic children. The most valuable thing she has taught me is to pay attention; look for all the small non-verbal communications, and most importantly, acknowledge them. It’s still communication, and if we see it and acknowledge it, we build self-esteem and encourage more communication.

Every person is capable of learning at their own pace. To enable learning and unlock potential, we have to meet the pupil where they’re at, have realistic expectations, use motivating tools, and nurture special interests. Most importantly for developing children, or even adults with developmental disabilities, learn through movement and play! This can still be structured and it can incorporate and facilitate the curriculum, and build communication skills.

Back in my twenties, following an apprenticeship, I worked as a dance artist for a local authority initiative, and my colleagues and I often delivered dance workshops in schools to support learning of the curriculum for learners who found the classroom more difficult. Yes, you can learn maths and science whilst being on your feet!

Over the last couple of years I have been somewhat busy fighting the dysfunctional SEN education system along with many other parents. So my biggest job is advocating for my child and others like her. That said, I have been able to put my knowledge into creating mindfulness based learning resources for families to use at home, as I have been too time limited to launch group sessions in the community due to my carer responsibilities. This page is to share these resources, and to raise awareness, and share my perspective from lived experience. Hopefully we can enable the learning of society, so they can gain insight, and develop understanding of autism and related conditions. Lots of parents say it’s not our job to educate society, and I understand, but I believe that it is down to us to keep raising awareness and growing acceptance, and that there’s nobody who can do it better. Unfortunately, it’s just a fact that we have a lot of jobs to do, but ultimately the more people know in the future, the more that load on us will lighten.

If you are interested to broaden your knowledge, train, or be inspired by neurodevelopmental movement approaches, please also visit the pages of these inspiring pioneers: Yotism and Movement Works and for adapted exercise programs follow Lifedock Training

Also, of course please keep following us and if you are a likeminded person with a related page, please feel free to share it in the comments thread!

Much Love,

Julia and Shola ❤️
©️copyright SENDsational mind body soul.

14/03/2026

I still remember the day my mum was with us at our flat in London. We’d not long moved in. It was a spacious ground floor flat with a garden. Mum decided to turn to the World Wide Web to ask the public for advice and ideas on which plants are advisable if you’re looking to transform a garden into an edible, or at least non-toxic garden.

Mum explained the reason. Because her granddaughter, my daughter, is severely autistic and has Pica. ‘Pica’ is a condition which causes people to eat inedible substances. It’s more common in people with autism, particularly if they have cognitive impairments, or sensory seeking behaviours. It’s not a joke or a made-up condition. It is very real, and in fact, very life threatening.

There is many complex reasons for Pica. For some patients it may be as simple as a vitamin deficiency. For many others, it has nothing to do with that, and it’s a life-long ‘behaviour’ which needs to be carefully managed to protect them from harm.

For my daughter, we suspect it is due to a mixture of seeking novelty sensory experiences, lack of impulse control, tendency towards compulsive behaviours due to OCD and not understanding risks and consequences. That’s a lot to work on in terms of safeguarding her life.

My daughter has also been under anaesthetic fifteen times to remove foreign bodies from her ears. This issue is to such an intensity that she simply can’t go to certain places because the environment is just not safe enough. So it affects her social life, and even limits her time with her extended family. It even isolates us at Christmas time.

When you think about what we go through, and how we have had to drastically adapt our lives and make many social sacrifices, keep our house sterile, and garden managed, pull out of school, avoid many environments and risk assess EVERYTHING, it’s no wonder that we would of course have tried the easiest thing first;

“Don’t eat that, it’s dangerous”.

OF COURSE we have tried that, and how very lovely it would be if it were that simple. We’ve tried symbols, social stories, repetition, repetition…repetition…the list is endless. It doesn’t work. These ‘behaviours’ are more deeply rooted inside my daughter’s complex body, than the overgrown pyracantha was rooted into the earth we yanked it out of.

So my mum turned to the gardener’s chat forum to ask for safe recommendations.

But, there was always going to be one. There’s always that one person.

At least one person who despite my mum’s best explanation, still took it upon themselves to take time out of their day to type the following very helpful (not) comment:

“Well, maybe you should just teach her not to eat the plants.”

First of all; if this person read the explanation and STILL made that comment, then it’s really quite concerning that there are people out there who are that level of ignorant.

Second of all; what a stupid thing to say to a grandparent who’s clearly going out of their way to help keep her granddaughter safe.

This was years ago now, but I have never forgotten it. The reason I still think about it is because I know that the person who typed that comment isn’t a loner in her ignorance. She represents many. Maybe still the minority, but a minority can still be many. Enough to spread misinformation like a pandemic of stupidity.

I also know i’m not alone in being on the receiving end of people assuming my child’s conditions are born out of bad parenting. Many SEND parents feel the judgement. However, the truth is that parents of children with disabilities usually work ten times as hard as any other parent, and it’s because we have to, otherwise our child wouldn’t still be alive.

So I’m going to say it again for anyone who may still feel inclined to judge and I hope that others will share it;

Of course we try guiding our children with words first. That would be the easiest option if it was to work. Yes, of course we already tried “don’t eat that, it’s not food”. OF COURSE we did (shouting it louder for the people in the back).

If simply ‘teaching her not to’ was a viable option for me, then my life would be a whole lot easier than what it actually is. Unfortunately, sometimes a learning disability and autism can be to such a level that it severely inhibits a person’s ability to assess danger or learn from consequences. So all we can do is protect them. Like a good parent should.
Copyright ©️ Julia Gerrard-SENDsational mind body soul.
(Photo superimposed)

25/02/2026

Poetry Teatime.

Can Mindfulness practices be accessible to every person and for differing cognitive abilities?

In my experience; Yes. The answer is yes it can, with adaptations, communication tools, and a good sprinkling of imagination.

Today, I put together this Poetry Teatime activity for my daughter. I have been studying a diploma in Mindfulness for Children, and exploring ways to make mindfulness practice possible for children with more profound learning and communication disabilities.

What are the benefits of practicing mindfulness and why can it be particularly valuable for children with autism, ADHD, learning difficulties and sensory integration issues?

To be ‘mindful’ is to focus on the moment or on the task-at-hand fully; mentally and physically invested in the moment, paying attention to everything your body is experiencing from that moment and dismissing any thoughts which come from elsewhere. It allows oneself to be free to enjoy and appreciate the simplistic things in life without allowing everything else to bombard one’s head with an intrusive and distracting flurry of passing thoughts. This is not only mind cleansing and beneficial for our mental health, but can also help to increase attention span, concentration, and mental processing.

For children with neurodevelopmental disorders and related conditions, the benefits can be extremely beneficial to brain development, brain plasticity, and learning. So, it’s not just ‘learning to find our zen’ it’s learning to break down the processing of incoming information; what do I see right now? What do I smell right now? What do I feel right now?….

So, I believe that there is a way to support children with needs similar to my daughter, to practice mindfulness, even if she doesn’t fully comprehend the word ‘mindfulness’. I’m helping her to soak up all the benefits through adult-guided exploration and intensive interaction.

For our session, I combined the ancient mindful practice of ‘Tea Ceremony’ with ‘Poetry Teatime’, a long established tradition to help get children engaged in literature and taking 5 minutes out to quietly reflect. So, this is my mindful Poetry Teatime set-up. It includes visual and communication supports, extra focus activities, fine-motor exercises and social-story poetry.

Today, my daughter participated for 35 minutes and explored all offerings on the table with positive engagement, non-verbal meaningful communication, and smiles.

I decided to share this to illustrate that children (or adults) with more profound disabilities do not need to be excluded from the things which everybody else has the freedom to explore and benefit from. It is quite common that in schools, children with more complex needs are not offered the same opportunities to participate in specialised programs and practices because they are assumed ‘not able to participate’ ‘won’t understand’ ‘won’t cope’ ‘it’s for the more able pupils’. But I truly believe we can enable every child with the right approach, and imagination.
©️SENDsational mind body soul

19/02/2026

We would like to talk about the term ‘school refusal’.

I for one, (for reasons I will explain in a moment) strongly dislike this terminology. “School refusal” suggests that a child is just ‘being difficult’, ‘refusing to go to school’.

I’m pretty sure that if my daughter could comprehend, she would also not be a fan of this language.

When it comes to pupils with special educational needs, the issue often lies within the inappropriate setting. I’m not blaming teachers, or staff who do their very best every day with the resources they have. But, the truth is that the SEND education system is in crisis. There are not enough specialist places and even within specialist settings, there are not enough classroom staff, multidisciplinary team, or resources. Teachers agree; they take strike action.

Class sizes are growing in very specialist schools which were never meant to have more than 6 in a class.

Safe spaces and calm zones are lacking.

Speech and language input is stretched.

Mainstream schools are forced to take in pupils who they’ve already refused, because they know they can’t meet their needs, but the Local Authority says they have to.

Education and Healthcare Plans are not fulfilled in the school setting.

Legislation is not being implemented.

Headteachers are exhausted fighting local authorities. Spending all their time chasing the progress of pupil EHCP cases.

In-house therapists no longer exist.

NHS therapists and services have 2-6 year waiting lists.

Local Authorities break the law time and time again,with no punishment.

Parents are punished or even fined, even though the situation means they had to give up their life and career.

Inevitably, the affected child struggles in school.

Then it becomes so unbearable and anxiety triggering for the pupil that they (understandably) can’t face going.

If they can’t communicate that they can’t face going, they (understandably) resort to using drastic behaviour to try and get their message understood.

Local authorities tell parents it’s because they are making home ‘too nice’ so it’s the more attractive choice. So it’s the parent’s fault apparently.

Pupils with complex needs do not have enough supervision in school to be safe.

Children are then labelled ‘school refusers’.

It becomes a common phrase.

But what if we say that the Local Authority is the refuser? The government maybe; for refusing to see the problem. Even though we know; they can see it, really.

So, to anyone who has fallen into the habit of calling struggling children ‘school refusers’. Maybe, stop and think about what it suggests and how it works against us.

Let’s face it, if we were expected to turn up five days a week to a place where we spend six hours overwhelmed with sensory overload, and not understanding what is expected of us, we would probably say we’ve had enough, too.

If teachers are allowed to strike to get their message across to the government, then our children can too. They are.

The word ‘refused’ suggests that something good was offered to you, and you turned it down.

Maybe some children are struggling to see anything good in the situation they’re forced into.

Perhaps we can call it ‘school incompatibility?’ ‘EHCP non-delivery?’…

Perhaps it is simply ‘children on strike until something is done’.

What are your thoughts?

©️Julia Gerrard.

13/01/2026

Autism and repetitive behaviours. When is it OCD?

Today, via the NHS, my daughter Shola received her diagnosis of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). You may raise your brow when I tell you that this comes as a huge relief. The thing is; when your child is considered to have what is referred to as ‘complex autism’ it can take years of observations and ‘unpicking the puzzles’ to determine what the individual conditions contributing to a ‘complex’ case of autism actually are. Complex Autism, is when an autistic individual also has multiple co-occurring conditions, such as learning and speech disabilities (being the most common) but it can also be accompanied by the presence of one, or multiple co-morbid (commonly related and existing together) disorders or conditions, which can be psychiatric, or physical. The complicated thing about co-occurring disorders is that they can interact with each other, intensify each other, and have overlapping symptoms.

Shola’s OCD diagnosis joins her already existing diagnosis’ of Autism, ADHD, Anxiety, Speech Impairment, and Severe Intellectual Impairment. It is the latter two which make the diagnosis web harder to see and conclude. That is because, when a patient is unable to talk to a doctor or therapist about how they are feeling, or what they are struggling with, the usual diagnostic procedures go out of the window. It takes a brave psychiatrist to assess a patient through profiling and observation, rather than through questions and answers. But, people with learning disabilities and limited communication need brave doctors. They also need doctors who work co-productively with parents or caregivers. Otherwise, many of the additional conditions which may be affecting them on top of their autism, go undiagnosed and untreated. Instead, these very specific symptoms requiring very specific treatment or strategies, are just considered ‘part of autism’ rather than considered as a separate diagnosis, and given the time and attention it requires.

These conditions are not ‘part of autism’, but rather, ‘commonly associated with autism’. Basically, a person with an autism diagnosis is much more likely to have certain additional conditions (compared to the rest of the population). But each associated condition may need a very different care plan from the next. When all of these care plans run alongside each other, you have a better quality of life for the individual.

This is why I advocate thorough and individualised diagnosis; if we are calling a patient complex, why are they complex? What are the individual conditions making them complex? Each one is life-affecting in some way. It’s not about accumulating labels for the sake of it, it’s about seeking the best possible support and outcome for the person.

Whilst it is common for very many individuals on the autism spectrum to experience repetitive behaviours, if these repetitive behaviours are reducing quality-of-life, then it might be worth considering whether it is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I fully understand that there is no magic cure for Shola’s obsessions and compulsions, but it’s about gaining thorough understanding, and devising successful strategies and care plans to protect her from harming herself with some of her repetitive behaviours which are self-injurious. It’s about safeguarding her from the wrong medication when I am no longer here, and the state is responsible for her care. I fully support using the right medication for the right diagnosis, but over-medicating with sedatives because we never got the right diagnosis, I’m not such a fan of.

OCD is often misunderstood as only being associated with an obsession over hygiene or cleanliness. This is just one version of OCD. OCD is very broad and can include any behaviour which is obsessive or compulsive in nature, including self-injuring, obsessive or intrusive thoughts, or ritualistic behaviours. These behaviours become a ‘disorder’ when they take over a person’s life and inhibit their ability to enjoy other things. Some autistic people engage in repetitive behaviour because it helps them to build predictability or routine, but in some cases a separate OCD diagnosis may be an important one to consider to ensure the person’s needs are being met and that they get the support they need.

It is quite rare for a non-verbal or learning disabled patient to be diagnosed with OCD. Some health professionals even assume it is not possible. But, in actual fact, if you pay attention to a patient’s behaviours, you can realise that they have the exact same pattern as any other patient, it just looks different from the outside. Looking closer, it’s the same struggle only via a different focus.

I hope sharing this helps people to understand the importance of health and interventions equalities for individuals with learning disabilities. Over-medication of people with Learning Disabilities is a real problem, and it often happens when nobody knows the real cause, but they have reached crisis point and need some kind of intervention. Often these interventions are heavily sedating and with side effects. It is surely better to know what you’re treating and what is appropriate for it.

25/12/2025

Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate it! Here is our ‘pica-proof’ tree. All fabric decorations. No bells, no sequins, no glass, no wood, no wadding…but we found our own safe way to be festive. No matter what your Christmas looks like and however you may need to adapt it, we wish you a day of peace and love. I also would like to express some appreciation for those paid-carers who help to share some of the load with unpaid carers like me. They are not paid much and they are still working hard looking after people on Christmas Day. We are having a low-key one and we still have some carers visiting today, and the plan is that we will go to the beach. Keeping some element of routine. Lots of love to all the SEND families out there….

22/10/2025

If there was one message you could tell the world, what would it be? Here is ours!

SENDsational Mind Body Soul respects and nurtures all communication and my products are created with non-verbal communicators in mind and heart ❤️

03/10/2025

I’ve loved creating this new ‘Concentration Clouds’ Mindful Learning activity box for children with Learning Disabilities. Inspired by my daughter, this box is designed to help develop; focus, concentration, positive thinking, fine-motor-skills, hand-eye coordination, bi-lateral coordination. £15. Can be hand delivered to local families in Ashford with a free 15 minute consultation on how to support your child to engage in the activities.

01/10/2025

Tomorrow’s parent well-being session is Chi Me (Tai Chi) @ 9:45am Elements Studio, Repton, Ashford. £5 pay-as-you-go. Please be prepared to either go barefoot or bring grippy socks such as FlipOut socks. Suitable for everyone including complete beginners! See you there!

29/09/2025

What is our Fight-or-Flight mechanism?

Inside our fantastic, reliable brains, there is a small cluster of cells which act as an alarm system when we perceive a threat in our environment. This alarm system triggers our sympathetic nervous system to release two types of adrenaline; one to our brain, and one to our body.

This huge surge of adrenaline gives our body what it needs to either fight (defend ourselves) or, take flight (run away from the threat). All animals and humans have this fight-or-flight mechanism, but unlike animals who need to survive in the wild, humans who now live in modern day civilisation, do not require their fight-or-flight mode to be ‘switched on’ frequently.

The fight-or-flight mechanism is a vital one when it is appropriate. It’s what helps us in either an emergency situation, or in a highly competitive environment (such as running a race). Our adrenaline in this moment ignites our whole body so that it can perform more efficiently when we are in danger. However, if our fight-or-flight is triggered too often and disproportionately to the environment around us, this can be destructive.

Frequently experiencing stress can re-wire the brain to be in a kind of chronic ‘fight-or-flight’ mode. This is why, when I was teaching yoga workshops to children with Autism and learning disabilities, I decided to write a poem; ‘The Magic Inside Me’ to explain the nervous system in relation to fight-or-flight, in a symbolic and child-friendly way. Of course, just an explanation alone would not be sufficient to support children on the spectrum with profound learning disabilities (like my 16 year old daughter) to remedy their anxiety, but it is a good way to introduce the concept, capture a child’s attention, and then move forward with some physical exercises which can help to bring harmony back to their body again. This is called body-based therapy. Body-based therapies can help children and adults on the autism spectrum enormously, with anxiety, stress, and even help cognitive development.

People with autism often struggle to comprehend the world around them, as they struggle with sensory overload and social pressures. These all contribute to chronic stress and therefore an overactive fight-or-flight mechanism.

Inside our ‘My Little Box of Mindfulness’ packs I have included a copy of my poem and plenty of mindful activities to follow!

Anyway, I hope this helps to explain our amazing brains and how our Fight-or-Flight mechanism works for us.

Best Wishes Carers,

Love,

Julia

SENDsational mind body soul

21/04/2026

01/04/2026

14/03/2026

25/02/2026

19/02/2026

13/01/2026

25/12/2025

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29/09/2025

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