Loving What Is
In this choiceless, never ending flow of life There is an infinite array of choices One alone brings happiness To love what is.. Dorothy...
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Heart-Centered Professional
Development
in Special Education
Learn to joyfully incorporate movement and mindfulness into your work and life
Creating More Compassionate and Equitable Schools one Mindful Moment at a Time
The impact of stress and anxiety on learning and well being is clear. Anxiety derails learning for all children but it is especially detrimental for neurodiverse students. As therapists and special educators, we may want to model emotional wellness but more often we find ourselves in stressed states that sap our joy and create burnout. There is a more easeful and joyful path, Through online courses, mentorship and advocacy, school professionals can learn mindfulness based tools for better emotional regulation for themselves and their students, Mindfulness is not only linked to increased happiness but has also been proven to improve children's attention, behavior and executive functioning. When we focus our efforts on supporting social emotional wellness, we naturally move away from deficit-based models of disability and instead work alongside our students to make schools into more empathetic and equitable places for all. This website was created as a place where we tackle life's bigger questions through professional development and advocacy, so that we can best serve children
Parent
Deirdre has been a lifeline for our family as we navigate and support our child who has had some delays and behavioral challenges. Deirdre has been a coach and mentor to me personally for 3.5 years. She has helped our family in identifying strategies and tactics that, once introduced and implemented, have really made a big difference in helping our child with transitions, self-regulation and communication. Deirdre approaches her work from a place of compassion and empathy and truly sees each child for who they are and exactly as they are. Everything she does is in support of the child’s overall health and well being. She is passionate about and dedicated to helping children, parents and school staff develop a deeper understanding on the ways we can effectively cope and manage behavior of children with learning and behavioral challenges. The work she is doing is so important not just for the individual and their family but for the entire school community.
Deirdre has been a wonderful teacher and resource for me for many years. She has greatly influenced the way that I approach my special education students. I now know that relationships and seeing the child’s potential should be my most important priorities instead of trying to achieve my therapy goals. She understands children and knows how to coach therapists to be their best selves. I cannot recommend Deirdre more highly as a coach if you want more joy and meaning in your work.
Teacher, BCBA
I am thankful to have had the opportunity to know and learn from Deirdre. She brings a positive, calming, caring attitude to all she encounters. Her coaching has helped me become a more mindful and skilled instructor. I appreciate all she’s taught me and look forward to new opportunities to learn from Deirdre.
Physical Therapist
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