On Tuesday 23 May 2017 my son Ollie and I had our first joint interview broadcast on the breakfast show at BBC Somerset Radio 95.5 FM with Claire Carter. Ollie bravely spoke about his experiences going through mainstream school with ASD, how I sent his work off to authors when he felt at his most broken and how he has gone on to realise his dreams. We spoke of our journey together and used this opportunity and our experience to help others and to bring hope – to raise awareness for children and young people with autism and other different / special abilities within mainstream schools. No child should ever be confined by a label. All abilities, however different, should be celebrated and grown.
Life feels amazing !! I am so proud of my Ollie and his huge courage . He even got to read out some of his poetry on air. Not bad for the boy who I was told would ” never achieve”. At 19 years old he has had his first interview – and with the BBC ! He is finding his voice every day : I could burst with joy and pride !
My son OLLIE has made the national and regional newspapers today!
A huge article in the Western Daily Press has appeared today – I didn’t even know until someone lovely posted on my timeline!
Back in April for Autism Awareness Month I set myself the seemingly impossible challenge that I would get Ollie’s voice, and the voices of so many different abled but amazing kids, heard on a national level. I even thought I’d pack sandwiches and sit outside editors offices if it came to it and accost them if they needed the loo.
I’m in tears as I write this because those voices, thanks to my son , have been heard today. No child should be boxed in by invisible cage bars just because of a label. We all deserve to become the best we can be, individuals with strengths and abilities, no matter how different those abilities are. With autism teaching global crisis levels, all these voices need to be heard and all these children to be part of a rich and inclusive future.
I am very excited to share with you that my article for the March 2017 issue of Health and Happiness magazine is now out !
I am particularly proud of this because it is a piece not just about my work but most importantly about my son , his journey and above all his strength as he fought through so many barriers to become the most beautiful and gifted young man that he is today. He is absolute proof that you must never let others define you or fill your life with limitations purely because you happen to have a label.
Please click here to read the article as published on their website.
I am very excited to tell you that I have been invited by Autism Parenting magazine to write an article about my therapy and work for their June 2017 issue.
Also coming up are articles for Health and Happiness magazine over their April and May 2017 issues . It is so deeply wonderful to be able to help and touch so many in this way and to see my enormous passion and tireless work for these incredible children with special abilities be valued.
Very excitingly my work and journey with my son, Ollie, are being written about for Closer magazine too ! This is a tremendous way to get my work and message about the children and young adults I work with out into the mainstream. Very often parents and families do not know where to go beyond the diagnosis and drugs route or they become despondent due to the lists of limiting beliefs and ” can’ts ” surrounding a diagnosis. Mine and my son’s message is to never allow others to define you or limit all you can be . There are enormous positives and strengths too . It’s about giving these children a voice. Ollie is living proof of that and I hope his story will continue to inspire people worldwide , just as my small post about him on the business site Linkedin did in April 2016 when it burst through 40,000 likes and comments.
Most people know or know of someone with autism or ADHD or another special ability but don’t know where to go for support and positive advice. The families as well as the child can become isolated . The thought that someone reading such a strong mainstream magazine such as Closer and coming across an article not just about my work but an article that could bring them hope or maybe even inspiration , is beyond heartwarming . This is just the start .
SEN Magazine review written by Mary Mountstephen, June 2016
Title: Indian Head Massage for Special Needs Author: Giuliana Fenwick Publisher: Singing Dragon Date: 2016 ISBN: 978-1-84819-275-1
The author developed this book while working with her son with Asperger’s Syndrome as well as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. She has created a manual that introduces Indian Head Massage techniques to help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, calm sensory overloads, improve sleep patterns and many other challenges.
The book is a very interesting combination of the author’s own story and a detailed approach to this type of intervention. The author combines a passion for her personal journey with a desire to share knowledge and experience to produce a practical guide and reference for the reader.
The book is well structured; covering physical systems, before moving on to complementary approaches and massage information and supportive case studies. The 4 sections are well structured and provide a clear rationale for this type of intervention. Areas covered include:
Anatomy, physiology and some neuropsychology
Hormone producers
The nervous system
The lymphatic system
The massage treatment
Case studies
There are many colour illustrations and detailed intervention protocols and this book would be of interest to parents, therapists and multi-disciplinary settings.
There will be many who are skeptical of this type of intervention; however the book deserves to be read with an open mind. The technique described and the author’s teaching have both been approved by the Complementary Medical Association.
On 26 April 2016, towards the end of Autism Awareness Month, a double page article I was invited to write, appeared in International Therapist Magazine. I feel so privileged to have been asked to contribute to such a top, prestigious, quality publication. The article goes into depth about the science behind my therapy and why it works so well, in addition to the holistic benefits of mental and emotional well being and health. I am extremely proud to be a part of this publication.
On Wednesday 27th April 2016 I was invited to take part in a two hour live radio show along with some very inspirational people to raise awareness for autism as part of Autism Awareness month. I was delighted to accept . The theme was positivity and empowerment to those with autism and their parents . I was on a roll ! Ive always dealt with my own son’s autism spectrum ” disorder ” in this way and it is always a huge theme close to my heart whenever I train parents and professionals . I was initially meant to come on for a fifteen minute slot but as usual my massive passion and enthusiasm carried me away and I was live on air twice.
I learned as much as I shared and couldn’t sleep all night from the excitement of having such an opportunity to reach so many all over the world, to share my knowledge and experience both as a professional and as a mother. My experience is not solely learned from textbooks. I feel inside of me every person and their parents who come to see me . I understand their journeys and it was so exciting to both talk and listen on this show.
In the Spring 2016 issue of Optimum Nutrition magazine , my therapy and work were featured in a beautiful three page article . What an honour to be included in such a wonderful publication with the opportunity to reach so many people .
My book, ‘Indian Head Massage for Special Needs’, has recently been featured in the March edition of the SENCO Bulletin. I am delighted and immensely proud to be SENCO’s recommended this month and am over joyed that parents and professionals alike are finding my book so useful. To view this months SENCO Bulletin, please click here.
