I very much looked forward to and thoroughly enjoyed my interview with West Somerset Radio 104.4 at 1pm on Wednesday 20th February. It was lovely to be sharing my work and journey close to home . I have been invited back again so watch this space !!
To listen to the interview in full, please use the audio player below. This was aired on the 16th February 2019 on BBC Somerset hosted by Simon Parkin.
As part of the Exmoor Book Festival over the weekend of 16th-17th February 2019 I shall be on the BBC Somerset Radio Saturday Breakfast Show from 8.30am!
I am so thrilled to be given such a wonderful opportunity to talk about the differently-abled children and young adults I work with and my work with mental health,which has hit crisis levels in recent years. It is such a great chance to give this very important part of our population a voice – a much needed voice. And to talk about my book and the journey it took to write of course!
On Saturday 16th February at 11.30am at the Exmoor Store in Minehead I shall be taking part in an Exmoor Book Festival author talk where I shall be discussing my personal and professional journey which led me to be doing the work I do today. It is quite an extraordinary story which has taken quite some courage to share and one which I hope will touch people on many levels. I cannot wait ! Tickets are available from Exmoor store at https://www.facebook.com/events/224407778504580 or by clicking on the link on my Facebook business page Giuliana Wheater Therapies For Special Needs . See you there !
I am blown away to have been invited to two Role Model Events by the charity Founders4Schools !
Event One : The first Role Model Event is being held for 150 students at Bridgwater College Academy on 8th March 2019.The event is from 8.15 am – 2.30pm and is being held at Bridgwater College Academy, Parkway, Bridgwater , Somerset TA6 4QY. It has been organised by Hannah Bradshaw through working alongside Founders4Schools. What an amazing lady to have organised this event for students … I cannot wait for us all to work alongside each other.
I am to be one of four speakers where I will share with students and teachers my personal and professional journey about my company which has grown quickly. This is very much a Role model Day based on equal opportunities and employability where ” business leaders will share 
insights, lessons and tips to motivate and inspire 150 students aged 13 to 14 years old to make informed decisions about their future.” I have a wealth of personal and professional experience to share regarding special abilities in the workplace just overflowing to be shared … I almost feel I need to warn everyone to take a deep breath because I have so much to share, not least how different abilities can be channelled into such positive attributes (and actually life skills too ), all leading to inclusion and fulfilling every potential of every child.
We will be sharing our stories about our career journeys, the subjects we studied and how these are relevant now, what inspired us to choose our career paths , our failures as well as our successes, what our companies do and why this is important along with what we enjoy the most about our careers. I’m never going to stop talking !!!! Most of all I so look forward to hearing the other speakers and most importantly the students themselves.
Event Two: The second Role Model seminar is being held at Holyrood Academy, Zembard Lane,Chard, Somerset on 20th March 2019 when I shall be speaking along similar lines from 1.15pm-2.15pm. This event has been organised by Emma Higman for 150 students aged 17 to 18 years old. I shall be speaking about my journey and what inspired me to choose my career path … although sometimes I feel tht it chose me too !I am so looking forward to sharing what my company does and why it is so important. As for talking about what I enjoy most in my career ….. where do I start !
I am so overjoyed to have been personally scouted for these wonderful opportunites and to share such exciting events at the heart of all our futures : the children and young adults with a whole host of different abilities and strengths who will shape our world of tomorrow. It’s where it’s at for me and I am bursting to bring real achievable possible hope to so many by sharing the incredible life and journey that I have had . I am on fire and literally cannot wait !!!!!
It is so wonderful be invited back to Belfast , this time to give a talk as part of a” Mind & Sole ” conference on 18th – 19th May 2019.
The two days will cover evidence-based talks and seminars by therapists, authors and speakers about the proven, researched scientific and neuropsychological benefits of touch and therapies within special/additional needs and abilities as well as in work with mental health issues and challenges.
Details to follow………
It is truly an honour and joy to invited back once again to Brussels by Dr.Ed. Joanne Norris of ADHD,ASC & LD BELGIUM to give advanced trainings and talks over the weekend of 17th-18th November 2018.
I have absolutely loved delivering various conference talks and training programmes for this non- profit organisation in the past few years . Those involved work tirelessly to bring so many resources , trainings and evidence-based information to English speaking families affected by ADHD, the autism spectrum , dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia so that the children and young adults with these different abilities can have the opportunity to achieve their full potential at school and be productive and included adults with full and balanced lives. They also work extremely hard to reduce the stigma surrounding these special abilities and conditions and to enable these children to be heard and understood ….. people absolutely after my own heart !!!
I have met some incredible and dedicated parents, teachers, therapists ,speakers and other professionals, so many of whom have touched, inspired and added to my life and work each time I have been invited. I truly cannot wait to be back there .
Details to be confirmed so watch this space ….
I am so happy to share that I have been invited back to Belfast to run further trainings and talks in November 2018 for teachers, LSA’s , therapists and other professionals who work with special/ additional needs and abilities as well as those working or living with mental health issues, challenges and addictions. Families and carers of those with additional or special abilities/needs are warmly welcome also. Details and dates to follow as soon as I have confirmed them ………
Courses: *Level One Massage for Special Needs two day course
* Level Two Advanced Functional Massage one day course
It is truly such an honour to be invited back again as a guest speaker on the panel at the Indian Head Massage Community Seminar, to be hosted at the Purple Turtle Academy in Brighton on Saturday 19th October 2019 from 9.45 am until 4.45 pm. I feel overjoyed and absolutely honoured to be invited back again. These events are always so valuable and informative with like-minded people who are passionate about what they do. It is always such a joy to work alongside Mary Atkinson and Amy Taylor.For more details or to book a place, please click here.
I am so happy to share with you that I have been invited to give a talk at the Exmoor Book Festival which is running from 9th – 11th November 2018.
My talk will be at 12.30pm on Sunday 11th November as this is a very special day for me. I have decided to call my talk ” Finding My Yellow ” which is the title of the book I am currently writing. This will give a good background to my first book and journey – whilst at the same time bridging the link to my next book.
For more details please visit the Exmoor Store’s website here.
I am SO proud !! My son,Ollie, who happens to have autism amongst his many other gifts, abilities and characteristics, the boy who was literally written off by his mainstream school when he was just 13 years old, has just completed his second year at his first choice university with a resounding FIRST for much of his creative writing and publishing degree. He has also finished his first anthology of poems, aptly named “Lungs”. The front cover has been designed by his older brother,James.
I never stopped believing in my boy’s voice and his gifts and now he is truly singing his song. All those authors to whom I sent Ollie’s work in desperation when he was so broken at 13 were right : that Ollie was indeed already a writer and to never let others define him.
Here is a poem Ollie wrote at 13, the year he was removed with no warning from top set English and told he would never be allowed to sit the higher paper . It was set as a Valentine’s Day challenge to write a love poem to a fly. It was also the year I was told that Ollie would ” never achieve “, whatever funding I managed to fight for.
I am the fume that lives in your clothes
I am an irritation of love beneath your skin
I come in swarms like a flock of birds
A mist to your eyes you see a plague of love in me
I am a grain of the dark skies scattered on the stars
Within you is the fly.
Now that very boy is a young man living his dream and touching a very real future where he can sing his song and touch the world, contribute to that world and achieve his full potential. He once thought his future had been removed when his dreams of reading English at university were removed when he was not allowed access to the higher English GCSE paper . Now that future is blooming and his chosen degree is more perfect than we could have ever guessed during those dark years of complete heartbreak.
Ollie has made lifelong friends at university during the past two years and plans to do a Masters once he has completed his degree after the third year !
He has learned how to live independently, in a shared flat in the city, manage his own bills and bank account, cook and do all his own shopping . He catches trains and public transport , can plan journeys and cope with changes of station if necessary. It has been a challenging year in some respects and a huge learning curve …. but also a MASSIVE triumph !!! Ollie has thrived to such a degree that he has put forward his name again to be a ” peer mentor ” to help new first year students with different abilities to find their feet and have someone to turn to . He said he knows how the new students will be feeling and would love to help . ( and yet people with autism aren’t meant to have empathy ! )
NEVER STOP BELIEVING !! My ribcage actually hurts with the volume of pride I feel !
