Time to Shine! Somatic Adventures was created from lived experience. As the mother of a daughter with special needs, I experienced the heartache of daily meltdowns due to the inability to manage her emotions and process overstimulation. Too often, SEND children face daily struggles, especially in mainstream schools, which can result in frustration, isolation, missed opportunities for growth, and parental burnout.
This vision is designed to change that story.
Triggering Meltdowns
Children with ADHD, ASD and high sensory needs find mainstream education extremely difficult because sitting quietly and still conflicts with their body’s need to move. The reason for this is often because of nervous system is stuck in the Sympathetic State. Let me explain…
Children with who are prone to anxiety or restlessness are typically in their sympathetic “fight-flight-freeze” mode. They are in their “thinking brain”, on high alert for danger. In school, this can look like difficulty focusing, impulsivity, restlessness, emotional outbursts, sensory overstimulation, withdrawal, and social difficulties. Being told to sit down quietly in this state is stressful.
Unless regulation strategies are build into their day, children with anxiety, ADHD, ASD, or sensory issues will spend their school day in a stressed state, making learning, memory, and social interaction much harder.
As a parent, I can’t express enough how challenging the after school meltdowns were. One of my children came out of a Year 1 class room and punched me really hard in the stomach due to sheer frustration. It was moments like this where I was at breaking point. Bouts of extreme rage and anger were daily occurrences.
I didn’t get the help I needed as a parent. My child was diagnosed with severe ADHD and given medication after medication – all of which made after school meltdown much worse.
Activating the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS)
I felt powerless to help my children when they were young – but today I am empowered to help other parents experiencing the heartache that my children and I endured…
Somatic practices engage and tone the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) and bring children into a “rest-restore-learn” autonomic nervous system state. In school, and at home, activating the PNS can create:
- Feelings of safety and calmness
- Improved concentration and cognitive abilities
- Improved social connections, because they are calmer, relaxed and more joyful
- A sense of safety
IF I knew then what I know now – that somatic play, structured movement, breath, and sensory integration could have helped to regulate emotions, soothe the nervous system – my children may not have suffered daily meltdowns following school.
I am currently recording a free 5 Minute Sensory Reset class for parents to do WITH their children after school… I want to help parents to avoid the distressing meltdowns I experienced.
Proven to help SEND children
Somatic and movement-based practices are proven to help children with ADHD, autism, and sensory processing differences by improving focus, reducing stress hormones, and supporting engagement. Time to Shine! translates these practices into joyful, repeatable activities that can be delivered in any classroom and at home, making it a valuable AND inclusive tool for all learners.
The beauty of this class when used within infant level mainstream education is that SEND children can enjoy, perhaps, a rare opportunity for meaningful connection with their peers. As a parent, I know that children with SEN can feel isolated from their peers. This class is a fully INCLUSIVE joyful experience for ALL children with curated opportunities for connection through a shared, bonding experience.
Do you have a child prone to meltdowns?
We are looking for 30 families to trial our Calming Kit, which contains:
- Parent Video explaining what the Audiobook can do to help your child and how to best model the movements
- Audiobook Adventure, which is a narrated Audiobook version of the rhyming book with a beautiful soundscape with music and frequency healing sounds
- Printable Resources for you to help your child to explore their feelings
If you would like to take part, click here and choose Pilot Family Package.
Further Reading and Resources
Time to Shine, Blue! is storytelling adventure which weaves in gentle somatic movements. There is a wealth of research to proven the effectiveness of somatic movement healing benefits, especially for those with ADHD.
Time to Shine, Blue! is a Storybook and Audiobook Adventure Read which is so gentle that it can be used and adapted for any child. This is storytelling in motion… Please note that this is not the same as Somatic Therapy.
I am creating links for parents to explore more in-depth Somatic Therapy with registered Somatic Therapists. Please visit the International Somatic Movement and Education Therapy Association (ISMETA) to find out more about Somatic Therapy and to find a registered Somatic Therapist, click here to go to their website.
Coming Soon…
An incredible means of sharing this gift to children across the land… across the oceans.
Time to Shine! is looking for a DREAM TEAM who resonate with this expansive vision.
Are you interested?
I am looking for:
PUBLISHER to publish the book
WEB/APP DESIGNER to create and launch an app for parents to download to access the Audiobook(s)
SEND EDUCATOR to co-create something beautiful to help school children across the country. Full details issued with a signed Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
SOMATIC THERAPIST registered with ISMETA (International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy) to offer consultation and assessment of content, plus provide authoritative evidence which supports the vision
