Caring about our future

NEW - Web Conference Training

As a provider (Honorary Lecturer for Peninsula Medical School, Consultant, Trainer and Therapist) situated in Cornwall (that long thin peninsula at the southern most end of the UK) I can appreciate the difficulty in getting to training venues, attending conferences etc, that are rarely located nearby.  I can really sympathise with those who have to travel, and possibly stay over - it's not just the time involved, it's the cost and the inconvenience.

However, all is not lost - with the emergence of new technologies, the world of business is becoming diverse. No longer are we restricted to operating in areas where our clients are located. Virtual offices are fast replacing the need for static geographical locations. 

The challenge of communication is met by web video and audio conferencing, with its myriad of applications not just in the world of business, but also in education and training, professional and social networking.  The versatility of this ubiquitous medium has facilitated communication between different continents and different time zones, at times which are convenient for each of us.  7pm for me is 1pm for Phoenix Arizona - I'm happy working evenings!

Of course, video web conferencing offers an obvious advantage over audio technology conferencing. With video web conferencing non-verbal communication, such as facial expressions, gestures etc are not lost.

I can see if you're nodding appreciatively or raising your eyes to the heavens. In addition, it lets me pace the interaction, gauging more effectively when listeners are getting tired or in need of a comfort break.

AND travel cost, time and inconvenience are no longer issues!!

To this end I am now making my courses available online, thus avoiding disappointing individuals in far flung corners:

COURSES AVAILABLE:

1. Asperger Personalities and Counselling

Counselling, Psychotherapy and other language-based therapeutic approaches can have adverse effects on the AS personality if the therapist is unaware of the particular way in which these individuals function.

·         When someone communicates through verbal language alone, 93% of communication is lost to her/him.

·         When someone perseverates on specific topics that are emotionally charged, then encouraging them to talk about these may serve only to escalate the anxieties.

Course Ref: AC001 

2. Offenders and Asperger Personalities

Many young people with AS personalities fall foul of the law. This can be extremely distressing for their families and friends, but understanding how the AS personality operates can help prevent these activities and their consequences.

• When someone has no real understanding of consequences, punitive or rehabilitative measures will have no effect. For instance, saying 'if you do that then this will happen to you' will not necessarily have the desired result.
• when a person views things from his/her own perspective, each desire becomes a compulsive act without pausing for thought.

Course Ref: CH003

3. Clinical Hypnosis and the Autism Spectrum

The self empowerment inherent in hypnotherapy has the potential to enable people with ASD, particularly those with Higher Functioning Autism or Asperger’s syndrome, to manage their own stress levels sufficiently well to avoid anxieties escalating, thereby improving social functioning.

Our courses encompass the following issues:

1.   the nature of the Autism spectrum – social construct, inheritance, impairment;

2.   the advantages of an individualised approach for these individuals vs standardised delivery of generic services;

3.   the contra-indications of using a language based therapy with individuals whose interpretation may be different from the majority – alternatives to language;

4.   facilitation of self-empowerment – autonomy and Rights.

This course can be broken down into smaller modules, suitable for trainees, if desired.

Prices negotiated according to:

·         Length of course

·         Numbers attending

·         Level of qualification

Course Ref: CSM004

Courses can be tailored to suit your needs, so if none of the above are suitable then please contact me and let's discuss what course content would be valuable for you.

Price guide: 6 hrs is the minimum and costs £350.00.  If a group is accessing this training please add an additional £10.00 for each additional Professional Career Development Certificate required.

The Advantages of Web-conference Training:

1.   Both Video and Audio web conference are time efficient and cost effective ways of delivering training to individuals or groups powerfully.

2.   Sessions are comparatively short and intensive without dominating your normal routine or interfering with existing commitments.

3.   We learn more in ‘small chunks’, so shorter training sessions mean that participants learn more effectively.

4.   Online access allows additional visual material to be incorporated eg PowerPoint presentations, images etc.

5.   Short tele-classes over time ensure that participants can complete additional assignments and practice in between class, which further embeds their learning.

The applications of video and audio web conference training are endless.  For instance, recording studios, audio production control rooms, and editing suites support distance learning in hundreds of multimedia classrooms around the world.  But you can also study in the comfort of your own home!

Another consequence of this technology is that groups of medical students can witness a new surgical procedure without setting foot into the operating room, and a single specialist can address groups of students, scattered throughout the world, simultaneously.

All you need is a pc, internet access, a webcam (optional), a mic (essential), either Skype (free download), or Messenger (free download), and you're all set.

If you would like more information, please contact:

Dr Dawn Heather DCHyp, Chartered Scientist

Tel:+ 44 (0)1209 613 653  Mob: +44 (0)7887 602 508

Email: dawn@dawnheather.com 

Delinquent - or just Different???

Is your child always in trouble? Does he or she find it hard to ‘fit in?’

Article re-printed with kind permission of Vitality Matters Magazine

“My daughter is very bright, but she doesn’t have any friends.
“My son has been excluded from school  - again.”
“I’m at my wits end.”

Does this sound like you?

When children or adults are perceived as being anti-social or odd, they are often isolated or bullied, and become desperately unhappy, and, in some cases, suicidal.

Families often experience high levels of stress trying to cope, and finding an appropriate support service can be an ongoing battle.
The causes, which can include autism and Asperger Syndrome, are not easy to diagnose.

So what happens?

Feeling powerless and of no worth always leads to extreme frustration, and this can result in a range of seemingly unrelated behaviours.

If you interpret rules and laws literally, you can land yourself in a lot of trouble.  If you are gullible, or don’t know when to stop, if you are passive, or insolent, these too can have serious consequences.

If you rely almost entirely on verbal interaction and have difficulty ‘reading’ situations and people, you might not pick up those social cues that will prevent you from ‘overstepping the mark’.

Being resistant to change can create extreme anxiety when faced with the unexpected.  Being logical, and lacking in empathy, can make someone appear inconsiderate, over-bearing, or uncaring.  This may not be true, but how would you know? 

Most of us learn about empathy and social rules in our early stages of development and we tend to take this for granted, which means that meeting people who function differently is something of a surprise, and leaves us feeling perplexed, slightly uncomfortable and even afraid. 

Behavioural Issues:
Eric said: ‘Don’t be stupid!’ so George punched him.
George was suspended from school for a week – this is his third school in two years. George’s uncontrollable behaviour is making him a social outcast.

Aaron has been brought home by the Police 6 times in the last year, he has driven a car without a licence, broken windows, got falling-down drunk, and has tried to kill himself.  Aaron is 17 years old.

Asperger Syndrome:
‘John doesn’t wash, he says he doesn’t see the need’ (parent)
John has a diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome and is in a part-time residential placement. Despite having freedom, most of John’s decisions are made for him, therefore, he exerts whatever control he can, ie deciding when he will wash.

David: ‘I want to have my own flat, I want to earn a living’. 
David is bright and a bit of a linguist, but his Asperger personality means that social rules are difficult for him.  He can’t fathom why people won’t employ him, and why he can’t do the things he wants to.

‘Oscar wants to be independent.  He does have lots of skills, but the assessments say he is unemployable….’ (Oscar’s Mum)
Many individuals wish to be independent, to earn a living and to have their own accommodation, but the chances of achieving these goals seem slim.  There are also those who are ‘let go’ from their jobs because of their behaviours.

So what can you do?

Personal Empowerment Training (PET) is training for life.  PET involves intensive work with you and your family, inspiring you to move towards your goals using strategies that are acceptable, appropriate, and manageable for all of you.

PET works in close collaboration with Mental Health teams, Social Services, Teachers/Trainers, as well as any independent Service Providers, to ensure that everyone is ‘singing from the same hymn sheet’.   We also provide diagnosis and assessment for Asperger Syndrome.

Working with you in your home is much more comfortable and achieves amazing results in a very short space of time, which also makes the programmes cost effective.  An all round approach of boosting morale, viewing all options, providing incentives, and making the steps achievable, can completely turn your life around, and that of your family too.

So what does PET involve?

Step 1:  A home assessment, to identify your support needs - in your own surroundings, to avoid the stress of coming to an unfamiliar centre, and interacting with strangers – no matter how pleasant and accommodating they may be.
This keeps everyone as calm as possible. When people are less anxious they present a clearer picture of their life styles and the difficulties they, and their families, experience. 

Step 2:  A combination of therapeutic and behavioural techniques are introduced. Functional Analysis identifies the purpose of unwanted behaviours; Clinical Hypnosis helps reach deeper levels of consciousness; Cognitive Behavioural Therapy; Psychoanalysis; Strategies for Coping, and behaviour shaping; all combine to boost self-esteem, re-frame negative beliefs, resolve undesirable behaviours and sustain motivation. 

Step 3:  We match skills, behaviour and desires to help you identify your aptitudes.  We then investigate the available options, with a hefty dose of lateral thinking.
You create your own portfolio, listing your goals.  Each goal is broken down into very small achievable steps, you tick off each step as it is completed, which gives you a record of all your achievements.
This acts as a positive reinforcement when morale dips, as well as a Personal/Professional Development Plan.)

Step 4:  Support Programmes involving: identification of goals; time management; reframing (seeing things from a different angle); recognising and stopping perseverative behaviour (the cyclic tirades on one specific topic); as well as relaxation processes. 

‘We’ve seen such a difference in him, his attitude has completely changed after just two days’ (Residential Service, Norfolk)

Personal Empowerment Training
Dr Dawn Heather DCHyp
Chartered Scientist
Tel: 01209 613 653
Mob: 07887 602 508
www.dawnheather.typepad.com
email: dawn@dawnheather.com