Empower their Journey Today
Unlock their potential with confidence and support
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Unlock their potential with confidence and support
"New school? No thanks!" Was the vibe.
With a history or EBSA, ADHD, ASC and PDA, this young person already had their "emotional bucket" full.
Time. Patience. Confidence.
Over time, the young person began to feel confident challenging themselves and with support in regulation, understanding boundaries and expectations, school refusal was a thing of the past.
"I am ACTUALLY a normal teen, well, kind of. My friends are like me, so..." 🤣
This young person was leaving therapy and worried about what they would do without a safe space. They felt day-to-day regulation was challenging and their confidence was low.
After six sessions, I received this feedback.
"You have made a huge difference to and his confidence, self belief, independence and ability to speak his feelings. You really are wonderful for him. You are AWESOME and this is SO worth while doing"
Hearing feedback like this really does make me feel quite emotional.
For individuals such as this young man, who feel that it is hard to fit in to society, each day can be hard. I put everything I can into helping individuals to understand that the very thing that makes them different is what makes them wonderful ✨️ 🌟
When I first connected with Mum, it was clear that the family was feeling the weight of uncertainty. Welcoming a new person into their lives- especially someone in a professional role. It was understandably daunting.
Mum shared that her child struggled with separation anxiety, particularly when meeting new people. But as we spent time together, it became evident that this wasn’t just about separation, it was a trauma response rooted in negative experiences, causing lack of trust and a fear.
From the very beginning, we knew the key was to move at the child’s pace. Our goal was simple but powerful: build confidence and help them discover their strengths.
Over the next six months, something incredible happened. We began venturing out daily-just the two of us. Each day brought new opportunities for growth, and slowly, the child began to love who they were. They learned how to regulate their emotions in challenging social settings and started to shine.
By the end of the academic year, they were setting their own goals, embracing independence, and even discussing school placement options. It was a transformation built on trust, patience, and belief.
I am so proud of them.
When asked how the young person felt about the sessions, they replied " it's just like casual therapy", "I feel a lot more confident"
They are;
"disruptive", "rude", "Don't follow rules" etc...
This child just did not "get on" with school!
What was really happening?
A late ASC diagnosis led to continuous overwhelm and living in survival mode. Following instructions was hard, and that was embarrassing, so...they theu controlled the situation in the only waybthey could, they "acted out". School repeatedly told them "no", "Don't do that", "stop it", "detention", so, the child believed they were useless. Confidence was non existent. The world really didn't make sense to them.
A year later, after understanding, acceptance and learning to love themselves, they were able to access lessons with systems in place to help the young person remove themselves before dysregulation.
School reports refusal to follow instructions and work. Home reports mood swings and disconnect.
I suspect overwhelm. By offering a safe place, I learned that the young person felt that they couldn't speak to their adults about their struggles... not because the adults made them feel that way, but because, sometimes, children take on a lot and fear "letting [them] down". This began to spiral, the emotions caused a "shut down" at school and a "melt down" at home.
We took it right back, managed expectations, regulation and understood that communication is important.
"Layla did an amazing job with my daughter, who really struggled to engage with different adults. Layla supplied information that helped my daughter get to know her even before they met, helping to find shared interests. She matched my daughter's energy and interests and this gave my daughter confidence to move forward. Whilst learning still had to be interest-led, Layla was able to get the best from daughter, and really helped with her independence and readiness to start learning in a school again."

I specialise in helping young people develop their confidence, learn how to regulate, better understand themselves and expand day-to-day problem solving skills. Together, we will explore techniques and strategies that empower them to face challenges
head-on; building self-esteem and confidence in the world around them.
What is mentoring?
Mentoring is whatever the young person needs.
-Finding meaning in their world
-A safe space to talk
-Building regulation techniques
-Life skills
-Day-to-day challenges
Mentoring is particularly helpful for young children with SEN and SEMH needs.
Guiding young hearts: strengthening minds

Arts and crafts are a relaxing way to send time. The conversations flow freely and the joy and pride (and often the giggles) that comes after, can't be beat

Animals can bring a lot of peace amongst their own chaos.
Support in volunteering is subject to age and availability

Casual sports or exercise can be fun when it isn't competitive and overwhelming. Enjoy a brisk walk, a spot of badminton, a swim...it won't be measured or compared

Enjoying the gifts of nature.
Natural art, planting/gardening...whatever nature serves, we can make the most of it

Life skills
Building confidence in home cooking, self-care, calling the doctors, filling out paperwork, considering college,money management... it can be so overwhelming- so why not do it at your own pace and add in some fun?

Creative writing can be an amazing outlet for young people and can serve as a fantastic bridge to building confidence across academics

Some just love a hot chocolate and a chat...

Each person is unique.
Unlock the confidence and passion. Celebrate individuality and learn to feel comfortable with who you are
There's so much to mentoring, so if you feel your questions have not been answered, please do contact me for more details
We are bssed in Reading (and surrounding areas) and would love nothing more to get to know potential customers.
(Prices vary based on individual circumstances.
The highest rate for 1:1 support is £60 per session)
Open today | 09:00 – 17:00 |

I am in a unique position of knowing what it is like to have a deep disconnect with school, family, peers, the world. I felt failed by the system.
I ended up working for the system I felt failed by, being a parent to children who feel the system failed them. My understanding of all perspectives has created pure passion