Within our team we offer assessment, formulation and intervention at a highly specialist level. Our psychological modalities include Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Compassion Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Positive Behaviour Support, and Narrative Therapy. Although some of our work is individual with a young person, the majority of our work is ‘systemic’, meaning that we work closely with parents and caregivers, and others who play a significant role in the young person’s life for the benefit of the young person. We are trained to undertake complex neurodevelopmental and neuropsychological assessments.

We are also committed to early intervention and provide workshops, groups and training via NEST. Examples of some of the groups we facilitate and co-facilitate through NEST are:

Supporting Emotion Regulation in Young People with Neurodivergence

This is a two-session workshop (with each session lasting two hours) which is open to parents/caregivers who are keen to think about how best to support emotional regulation in their children. The workshop helps to build an understanding of what we mean by emotional regulation and why this might be more challenging for neurodivergent children. The workshop also explores the influence of parental emotional regulation on children’s emotional regulation and provides space to reflect upon these topics. A number of different strategies, techniques and concepts in relation to emotional regulation are discussed with the aim of providing practical resources for parents to take away.

Parenting Neurodivergent Children: The Workshop

This workshop provides parents with the opportunity to learn about and reflect on:

· Parental stress and burnout, and the impact these may have on your own wellbeing, your parenting behaviours, and relationships within your family;

· Supportive coping skills such as: breathing techniques, mindfulness exercises, compassionate imagery, and compassionate letter-writing. You are invited to engage in these coping skill practices during the workshop; these skills practices are led by a clinician during the workshop.

Following completion of The Workshop, parents will have the opportunity to sign up to:

The Parenting Neurodivergent Children: The Course which is a six-session (each session lasting two hours) course that builds on the knowledge and skills explored in the workshop, within a supportive group environment.

Supporting Selective and Restricted Eating

This workshop is currently available as a pre-recorded session on the NEST website. At times, the workshop is facilitated face to face by members of our team and other health professionals.

This workshop explores what we mean by selective and restricted eating; why these eating patterns can develop (especially in neurodivergent children); practical strategies to avoid pressure, conflict or shame and how to build confidence around food in small manageable steps.

Parent Awareness of Learning Disabilities (PALS)

PALS is a group for parents/carers of children (age six and above) and young people with a diagnosis of a learning disability. It runs over six sessions, each lasting two hours each. The group is for parents/carers who would like to have a greater understanding of what it means for their child to have a Learning Disability. Where possible these groups are also co-facilitated with other health professionals including nurses, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists.