Training course
Neurodivergent
Wellbeing Approach
© Neurodiverse Connection 2024
What is the Neurodivergent Wellbeing Approach course?
This programme is designed to provide practical skills to parents and professionals who are supporting neurodivergent people of all ages. The course has been designed so that attendees are empowered to become ‘trainers’ themselves, by sharing their learning with others.
This holistic, trauma-informed, integrative, and comprehensive programme takes a creative, exploratory and ‘outside the box’ approach to wellness. The NdWA course supports an enhanced understanding of neurodivergence and provides practical approaches that can be implemented with Neurodivergent people to facilitate their own understanding, wellbeing and self-care.
NdWA speaks to all aspects of Neurodivergent people
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The mind
NdWA speaks to Neurodivergent people’s minds via metacognitive (thinking about thinking) and self-coaching techniques.
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The body
NdWA speaks to Neurodivergent people’s bodies, through the cultivation of embodiment and instinct via nervous system education, neurosensory exercises and self-regulation strategies
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The spirit
NdWA speaks to Neurodivergent people’s spirit, energy and life-force through the development of intuition and an understanding and advocacy of self, their strengths and preferences, alongside exploring meaning in the world and in life.
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NdWA training can be delivered to parents, family members and friends of Neurodivergent people of all ages, hospital teams, community teams, educators, third sector groups, or anyone else who works or lives with Neurodivergent people.
We aim to work with individuals or teams who support Neurodivergent people , but we can also work directly with Neurodivergent people.
This course is open to Neurodivergent and Neurotypical individuals.
Attendees must be 18 years or older.
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Eeight 90-minute sessions delivered via Zoom. There are two sessions per week from the start date, plus a mid-course break.
Sessions will include a mixture of presentations, practical demonstrations, and discussion. You will receive training materials including a workbook to accompany the session content. In addition, you will be required to complete reflection tasks outside of sessions to certificate.
Sessions will be recorded and shared with attendees.
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£200+VAT place-of-work-funded attendees
£50+VAT for self-funded attendees
Bursary places are also available upon request
A digital course workbook is included with entry fee. A printed course workbook is available at an extra cost of £20.
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To complete this training, you will need:
An open mind.
To be able to commit the time to attend all the sessions, in addition to time after the sessions to complete reflection tasks.
A computer with good, reliable internet access.
A quiet space to attend.
The course workbook (printed or digital).
A pen.
If you have access needs that you’d like to discuss, please contact us
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These sessions are suitable for up to 20 attendees.
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Yes, definitely.
The content is useful for everyone in that it offers access to a comprehensive and holistic wellbeing programme. It reduces barriers and prejudice through education and supports embodiment and self-exploration. It is especially useful for reducing stress, anxiety, low mood and feelings of disempowerment, isolation and hopelessness.
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Yes. To certify and gain CPD hours you need to attend all eight sessions and complete the reflection tasks.
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We strongly advise that you ensure you are able attend all eight sessions before you book your place on the course.
For confidentiality reasons, the sessions cannot be recorded and shared with attendees who may have missed them. If you are unable to attend a session due to unforeseeable circumstances, please contact the trainer as soon as possible.
Course content
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Session 1
Foundations
What is neurodivergence and what are neurotypes?
Creating safe space for neurodivergent people
The importance of education
Wholeness for wellness (mind, body, spirit)
The core approaches—creativity, metacognition, instinct and intuition
The basics of wellness—wellbeing factors, mindful embodiment and self-compassion
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Session 2
Stress & The Nervous System
Education – polyvagal theory, window or capacity, survival and stress responses
Instinct and felt sense
Hyper and Hypo sensory processing
Self-regulation, self-soothing and resourcing
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Session 3
The Mind
Metacognition
Executive functioning, memory and sequencing
Self-coaching – life audit, intention setting and 4 As
Guided visualisation
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Session 4
Know Your Self
Rhythms and cycles
Emotions and alexithymia
Managing energy and capacity to reduce burn out
Self-compassion
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Session 5
Joy
Building capacity
Making sense or life
Finding meaning and the importance of special interests
Feeling connection
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Session 6
Unmasking
Be creative in learning about you
Gender and sexuality
Communicating preferences and truth
Releasing the old and writing your story
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Session 7
Self-Advocacy
More about neurodivergence and neurotypes
Reasonable adjustments – your rights
Power and control
Boundaries and assertiveness
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Session 8
Embodiment—The Practices
Grounding
SOS – Containment, releasing anger
Regulation – ABC, breathing
Building capacity – self touch, kidney adrenal and progressive muscle relaxation
Meet your trainer
This programme is delivered by NdC Associate, Kay Aldred
Kay is passionate about increasing awareness of the gifts of neurodivergence. As well as being an experienced neurodivergent teacher of all age groups, Kay is herself late-diagnosed autistic and has parented neurodivergent children of her own.
Kay has worked pastorally and therapeutically with children and adults throughout her career within educational, retreat and wellness settings. Kay uses her lived personal and professional experience to explore intersectional insights and trauma-informed, autism-friendly approaches.
How was this course developed?
This training was inspired by demand from hospital teams and parent groups who wanted to better support and understand the Neurodivergent people they live and work with.
The training was also inspired by the power of improving wellbeing via body-first approaches and embodied partnership (a bottom-up approach) where people learn what gives their lives meaning and ‘partner with themselves’—becoming their own best friend, leader and advocate.
The training builds on trauma informed practise—the power of embodied partnership and co-regulation between Neurodivergent individuals and those offering support.