Testimonials

“I have found the support received through Transforming Autism and in particular Arianna Pulsoni to be invaluable. The course I attended was the perfect mix of learning from the expert, being able to share my own experiences, learning about other people’s experiences and discussing ideas of how to approach any issues we were experiencing. The mutual support shown in the small group of parents has also been a gift, I have learnt so much from everyone in the group, and it has been so beneficial to feel supported by other families going through their own journey of adapting to their children’s ever changing needs.”   

“I’d just like to provide some feedback from Jonothan and I.

Firstly, thank you to you and your team giving us this opportunity. Nick has been so delightful and welcoming. He really does show incredible enthusiasm for the subject and his positive attitude throughout the 10 weeks, has been unwavering.

I speak for both of us when I say, it’s so reassuring, not to feel so alone. I know parents in general have daily fights for their children but for the parents in our group, there is a specific type of loneliness, that only they too can appreciate the magnitude. The overwhelming, crushing feeling of isolation at times has been truly awful and coming to the group weekly, has given us something to look forward to, a place that we can feel safe, unjudged and heard.

We don’t feel that we can truly express in words, how comforting it is, not to have your feelings invalidated at every concern that we shared, almost feels empowering

The group has made us feel part of a (very diverse) family almost. 

I tell myself everyday, that, my kids picked us to be their parents for a reason and we want them to know, they made the right choice.

Anything we can do to help them in their journey is at the forefront of everything we do and we are thankful this group crossed our path.”

“We have found the workshops very useful and gained insight, self confidence and are more relaxed with our situation. Nicolas has done a great job.”

“When we suddenly found ourselves facing the challenges of navigating our child’s unique needs, we were unsure where to turn. That’s when we discovered Transforming Autism, and it was a changing point for our family.

We came to Transforming Autism seeking guidance and support, and we found so much more than we could have hoped for. Through their personalized approach and expert guidance, we were able to better understand our child’s needs and implement strategies to help them thrive. From educational resources to practical advice, Transforming Autism equipped us with the tools we needed to support our child every step of the way.

Without hesitation, we would recommend Transforming Autism to any parents facing similar challenges. Their dedication, expertise, and genuine care make them an invaluable resource for families navigating the complexities of raising a child with additional needs. Transforming Autism not only provides support but also empowers families to advocate for their children and find strength in community.

Thank you, Transforming Autism, for the support you have given our family.”

“I am emailing you in connection with our recent attendance at the Confident Autism Parenting group with Arianna Pulsoni. We wanted to say how very useful the group was, and how much we appreciated Arianna’s insight and perspective on some of the problems we face in our parenting. It was also lovely to hear some of the experiences of the other parents, and we thought Arianna was very skillful how she managed the group dynamics so that everyone had a turn to speak and share if they wanted to.

Please do pass this email on to anyone that is instrumental to supporting your charity to grow, and do keep our email in case you need any further recommendations.”

“The Confident Autism Parenting Course has been a truly life-transforming experience for me in terms of learning how to process me trying to be with Isabella, your analytic understanding of her internal world populated by her anxieties, and your celebration of how autistic children communicate and how you perceive their divine gifts to us all.

I have also been immensely impressed by the depth of your listening to all of us, your speedy alighting on our anxieties, and particularly by the very powerful combination of analytic understanding with suggested strategies, all of which have helped me with my enchanting grand-daughter.

Further comments on the course:

It dissolves the isolation and shame of parenting+/grandparenting an autistic child

It offers very deep meaning to a world of utter bewilderment

It requests a commitment to trying to understand that the autistic child’s behaviour is a communication inviting code-breaking, a need to be understood within the boundaries of firm but non-punitive responses.

Put all that together and you find yourself in an enchanting, frustrating, sometimes helpless and endlessly puzzling world where, as one Turkish author (whose name I cannot recall) says that ‘Questions are the children of freedom’.

Isabella and I are now very deeply connected, thanks to the course. She trusts me, knows that I try to understand her and misses me. Her teacher recently told me that she wanders around the playground saying ‘Hello Grandpa’, the emphasis on the last syllable. Sadly, her other grandparents ‘manage’ her and see her as ‘abnormal’.

 Thank you and your team so  much”.

“Despite the early indicators we had noticed, when my partner and I were first told at our son George’s 1-year review that he might have Autism, it was quite a shock to us both. We then followed up by seeing a paediatrician at Great Ormand Street Hospital who expressed the same opinion. My subsequent reaction was what can we do to help him, so I started reading and researching everything I could to better understand Autism. All the information indicated that early intervention was key, but the NHS would not provide any help until George was 3, despite the fact that it was they who first stated they believed George could be Autistic. One of George’s first signs was that he started babbling at 6 months old but then subsequently lost all this communication, including eye contact and responding to his name, so I contacted speech and language development specialists to see if they would help, but they, too would not help until George was at least 2.

This took me into a period of deep frustration, so I looked more directly at organisations and charities that worked with Autistic children and continued my research. I contacted 15+ organisations and individuals to ask for any kind of support or assistance but was told by each of them that they could not help or that George was too young to help.

Eventually, I came across the book ‘Transforming Autism’ by Guy Shahar. I related to elements of Guy’s journey with his son and his frustration around the lack of available support and subsequently discovered the Transforming Autism charity. It was after reading his book that I signed up for the Confident Autism Parenting Workshop. Having received no support in any other area, my partner and I did not know what to expect. In the first session, we met Nicolas, our course leader, as well as the other 9 families who had signed up. Each week, we went through different discussion topics, including early signs, sleep, eating, and sensory processing, and each week, we gained a deeper understanding of Autism.

As someone who is typically not keen on group sessions, I was surprised to discover how beneficial I found being part of a group and the benefit of not only hearing from parents of older children as a way to understand what may come next and how best to support George but also how supported we felt by being part of a group of parents who had all experienced similar frustrations and difficulties surrounding their children.

By week 10, when the course came to an end, my partner and I were happy that we could continue on further through their CASA programme and we are now taking part in these fortnightly sessions with 5 of the original 9 parents.

I highly recommend the Confident Parenting Workshop for anyone who is looking for guidance and support regarding their children, whether they are older and have a diagnosis or younger like George. The team have been fantastic; they are there for support and have provided invaluable advice, so I want to thank them for all their time and effort in supporting myself, my partner and my son.”

“The workshops were incredible. The depth of knowledge shared was beyond anything I’ve come across before. Every session gave me tangible, practical strategies alongside building solid foundational knowledge that allowed me to understand autism in a new way. It didn’t just inform me, it changed things. The topics covered helped me understand my children better, reduced stress at home, and shifted our whole family dynamic in a positive way. I have working tools to utilise now and a route to understand future challenges. I’d recommend the programme to any parent or carer looking for real, useful support.”