Monthly Newsletter November

Find Your Spark Newsletter - November 2024
View this email in your browser
November Newsletter
How to find your spark with ADHD Awareness, Acceptance and Coaching
Monthly opportunities, suggestions and recommendations
Well, Hello there!  We hope you are keeping well 😃

November is Michelle's birthday month so we are going to start this newsletter with a question... 


Q – how do you know that you are in a much better place with your ADHD then ever before?!
 
A – when you are able to organise the first birthday lunch for yourself without getting emotionally dysregulated!!!  Only taken me 41 years but I got there eventually 😉 Woohoo!
I now want to help you be able to do similar things…I have learnt so much since my ADHD diagnosis and I really don’t want anyone else to have to go through as much suffering as I experienced before and during my ADHD diagnosis.  It can really be a hard world out there to navigate as a late diagnosed ADHD human but also as a child.
 
This is why I created the ADHD Awareness groups, to help solve this for others as there was nothing like this out there when I was searching for help for myself.
 
🌟 November Special! 🌟
 
Join our ADHD Awareness Group Sessions and enjoy an early bird discount when you sign up by November 13! This is a fantastic opportunity to connect, learn, and gain valuable insights in a supportive environment. Don’t miss out—secure your spot today and take advantage of this limited-time offer.
 
The evidence-based ADHD awareness sessions will be delivered by Michelle Shavdia, who is an expert in ADHD within education, training, and coaching. She has ADHD and was diagnosed as an adult at 37 years old. She has appeared on numerous podcasts and her business Find Your Spark was nominated for a Start Up Award for supporting consumers in 2023.
ADHD AWARENESS GROUP FOR PARENTS
TUESDAY 26 NOVEMBER
7pm - 9pm


One of our attendees from the October adults group stated "This training more than met my expectations, I am so glad I got to do this.  Michelle is super informative and kind so I would 10/10 recommend this group to others to do.”
BOOK HERE
Our next ADULT ADHD AWARENESS group will be ONLINE!

This is for anyone who has wanted to attend the groups but hasn’t been able to due to distance or logistics.

I will be sharing ADHD challenges, pains, strengths, tips, coping skills and more within this ADHD Awareness group.

Come along to join likeminded adults who want to learn about ADHD to better understand and support themselves and/or their children.
 
Book now to get yourself EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT!

If finance is a barrier for either of these groups, just email
[email protected] and we will do our best to accommodate you.

 
BOOK HERE
Here are some reasons why you should come along to a group via the impact report from the groups we ran from 2023 - 2024
TIP
A tip that I have been recommending recently, which has worked well for me is with regards to how to create the best ADHD morning routine. 

I am a big believer and extremely passionate in those of us with ADHD starting our morning well and not just rushing into our days stressed.  This is because when we wake up, we have a certain amount dopamine so it’s about asking yourself ‘how can I use this dopamine well?’ 

Often the first thing people with or without ADHD do is scroll through their phone, which let me tell you, which I am sure you realise, is not the best use of our dopamine or time!  The best thing you CAN do is immediately get out of bed, go to the bathroom and clean your teeth and then splash cold water on your face.  Reason being this is effortful and will help wake you up.  Then make your bed and get outside and do some exercise even if it’s for 10 minutes as sunlight on the face is good for dopamine! 
RECOMMENDATIONS

Service Recommendation: North East Essex Sanctuary - MIND


Podcast Recommendation: ADHD Chatter - Rizzle Kicks
Listen HERE on Spotify
That’s if for another month.  Do contact us with any questions you have or if you require any further information and help. 

Please do not hesitate to share this newsletter with anyone else you feel would benefit from it.

Wishing you well, Amanda and Michelle.
Website
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Email
Copyright © 2024 Find your Spark, All rights reserved.
We send special offers to all our customers and potential customers and anyone who opts in via our website

Our mailing address is:
Find your Spark
Beech Hill
Colchester, Essex CO3
United Kingdom

Add us to your address book


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp

Monthly Newsletter October

Find Your Spark October Newsletter
View this email in your browser
October Newsletter
How to find your spark with ADHD Awareness, Acceptance and Coaching
Monthly opportunities, suggestions and recommendations
Well, Hello there!  We hope you are keeping well 😃

October is ADHD Awareness month, which is great, however, if you are an avid reader of these newsletters or have been to any of our groups/following our journey, you will know that every month we are raising awareness into ADHD.  However that being said, it is worth noting that it is ADHD Awareness month and celebrating how far we and ADHD awareness have come this past year!
We are going to start this October newsletter with a couple of GROUP UPDATES as we have now run both the ADULT and PARENT ADHD Awareness sessions successfully in person in September and October.

One of our attendees from the October adults group stated "This training more than met my expectations, I am so glad I got to do this.  Michelle is super informative and kind so I would 10/10 recommend this group to others to do.”
NEWSFLASH
Due to popular demand, we are bringing forward our PARENTS ADHD AWARENESS group from February to November!

This is based on expressions of interest and feedback on what was learnt, we are therefore running this AGAIN on 26 November. 
FURTHER DETAILS AND BOOK HERE
And, our next ADULT ADHD AWARENESS group will be ONLINE!
This is for anyone who has wanted to attend the groups but hasn’t been able to due to distance or logistics.
I will be sharing ADHD challenges, pains, strengths, tips, coping skills and more within this ADHD Awareness group.
Come along to join likeminded adults who want to learn about ADHD to better understand and support themselves and/or their children.
 

Book now to get yourself the SUPER EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT!
BOOK HERE
For ease, here is a list of the groups we are currently and soon to be running :
  1. ADHD AWARENESS FOR ADULTS in person/online
  2. ADHD AWARENESS FOR PARENTS in person/online
  3. ADHD AWARENESS FOR TEENS in person
  4. ADHD SUPPORT GROUP FOR ADULTS – 21 January in person (let us know if you would like us to run this online!)
Express interest in one to one or groups here or email [email protected] so that you will be first to know when confirmed.
 
On our website, you can now read the impact that the previous ADHD Awareness groups had on attendees from June 2023 – June 2024. 

You can find the full report
 HERE
One-to-one coaching Services
For those of you who would prefer more one to one support, we are almost fully booked for this.  If you have any questions about it or how to get funding through Access to Work, do still feel free to get in touch! That does not mean you need to commit!

📞 Book a free 10-minute intro phone call HERE


📚 Read more about ADHD Coaching and BRIEF therapy for adults HERE

📈 Read more about ADHD Coaching and BRIEF therapy for children HERE

TESTIMONIAL: "I found the experience of working with Michelle to be positive, caring, supportive. I enjoyed being able to turn up for the sessions feeling disorganised knowing that you had everything in hand and had notes of what we had talked about last time and the actions I was supposed to take. This removed a burden for me. It was very helpful to talk about your experience of the ADHD assessment process as lessened the trauma of it."
We are going to wrap this newsletter up with a tip and some recommendations to help both parents and adults.

A tip that I recommend to all my clients is to focus on both your morning and evening routines to help with your emotional regulation and executive function issues.  Ensure the first hour and last hour of your day is consistent doing things that are relaxing and mindful so that you are set up for or calmed down for the day.  

I have found doing a walk first thing in the morning really helps me have better control and power of my mind and not be so distracted by external events.

 
PODCAST RECOMMENDATIONS
What have I been listening to recently?

ADHD Chatter: Comedian Shappi K alongside her comedian partner Steen, who was diagnosed with ADHD recently speak about their ADHD experience

Listen HERE on Spotify

The Hidden 20%: An episode with Dr Tony Lloyd, CEO of the ADHD Foundation, dives deep into the world of ADHD
Listen HERE on Spotify
That’s if for another month.  Do contact us with any questions you have or if you require any further information and help. 

Please do not hesitate to share this newsletter with anyone else you feel would benefit from it.

Wishing you well, Amanda and Michelle.
Website
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Email
Copyright © 2024 Find your Spark, All rights reserved.
We send special offers to all our customers and potential customers and anyone who opts in via our website

Our mailing address is:
Find your Spark
Beech Hill
Colchester, Essex CO3
United Kingdom

Add us to your address book


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp

Monthly Newsletter July

Find Your Spark's July Newsletter
View this email in your browser
July Newsletter
Find Your Spark's Monthly Newsletter 

Filled with tips, suggestions, resources and recommendations!!
How to find your spark with
ADHD Awareness, Acceptance and Coaching


Welcome to the July Newsletter.  We have lots to share this month so grab a cup of hot or cold drink and give yourself 10 minutes to read our latest news before July is through.
Hello there!

I am going to start this July newsletter with a bit of a personal story.

There was a time when I used to have NO routine whatsoever.

I literally would wake up and just rush around not knowing what order to do things in.

As you can imagine, this meant my life was chaotic!
 
I would literally react to each thing that happened and have no idea what it was that I wanted to do that day.
 
Looking back in diaries from years ago, I can really see this illustrated by how messy and how all over the place I was, quite literally!  Zooming speedily from one thing to the next with no clear direction or methodical order to anything.  If anyone asked to see me, I would say yes (even if I didn’t want to) and would fit them in at the next available opportunity!  My life was a hot mess!!
 
I am happy to share that things have changed, and it has made a massive difference on my personal life and professional life.

I am much more calm, organised and clear on what it is that I want to do each day.

It's not perfect but it is much better than it was an again, you can see this illustrated by how structured my diary is this year.

There's a couple of reasons for this.  One, the ADHD diagnosis and then the subsequent ADHD medication which took about 9 months to a year to get right.  

Secondly, I have instilled a morning routine, which I stick to almost religiously that helps ground me and direct me for my day.
I never used to do that really and if I did, it would be a massive list of to dos on there with no ease into the day and not much rest.  Hence, I often felt like a headless chicken rushing around most days!

Therefore, I would encourage having a routine that sets you up for your day above anything else.  It has been a game changer for me.

It is this that I passionately recommend to my one to one clients including children, young people, their parents and ADHD adults as I find that life without a routine can feel overwhelming sometimes. 

I also recommend this to group clients as I think without routine, you feel like you are constantly chasing your tail and not on top of things.

Getting my ADHD diagnosis, however, was the biggest gamechanger overall.  Once I started to educate and make myself ADHD aware and therefore, investigate my symptoms, shifts started to happen. I have made steps to:
 
➡️ change my home and work environment
➡️ let some of my friends and family go
➡️ limit social interactions
➡️ ensure I get some form of movement in every day
➡️ understand what it means to be neurodivergent.
 
As a result, I feel more peace of mind and in control of myself, which I am sure you would agree is a good place to be.
 
I will be sharing further details of routines when raising ADHD awareness within the next ADHD Awareness Group in September. 

This one will specifically be for PARENTS. 
The Super Early Bird discount for this ends 25 July. 

The link to book is here:
ADHD Awareness Group Tickets, Tue 17 Sep 2024 at 19:00 | Eventbrite

We hope to see you there!
UPDATE:
I shared last month about the ADHD fidget rings for skin picking.  Whilst I do find them useful for fidgeting with, I have seen no improvement with the skin picking but I will keep it up for a bit longer before I completely give it up!
One-to-one coaching Services
I also shared last month about our one to one ADHD Coaching and BRIEF Therapy service.  We were inundated with enquiries as a result of this plus other marketing we have been doing and are almost fully booked!
 
If you have any questions about BRIEF therapy or coaching and/or how to get funding through Access to Work, do still feel free to get in touch! The intro call does not mean you need to commit!

 
📞 Book a free 10-minute or 30-minute (£40) intro call HERE
📚 Read more about ADHD Coaching and BRIEF therapy for adults HERE
📈 Read more about ADHD Coaching and BRIEF therapy for children HERE

📢 Express interest in one to one or groups HERE
 
TESTIMONIAL: Michelle came across as welcoming, open and honest and I felt that she would support my concerns with her experience; I feel that I'm so much more empowered in my thinking thanks to Michelle.  She is really fun, easy to get along with and I liked the various approaches to gain a better understanding of my brain and how it functions with ADHD.
We have just confirmed a further date for our popular ADHD Adults Awareness Group.  

We are offering a special offer for this group.  There is a Super Early Bird price of £30 until Friday 16th August.  Don't miss out and book below. 
BOOK HERE
PODCAST RECOMMENDATIONS
What have I been listening to recently?

The Hidden 20%: Matt Willis from Busted talks about addiction and ADHD
Listen HERE on Spotify

ADHD Chatter: 
Rich and Rox from @adhdlove talk about trauma, ADHD and autism  
Listen HERE on Spotify


The ADHD Women’s Wellbeing Podcast: Dyslexia and ADHD
Listen HERE on Spotify
That’s if for another month.  Do contact us with any questions you have or if you require any further information and help. 

Please do not hesitate to share this newsletter with anyone else you feel would benefit from it.

Wishing you well, Amanda and Michelle.
Website
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Email
Copyright © 2024 Find your Spark, All rights reserved.
We send special offers to all our customers and potential customers and anyone who opts in via our website

Our mailing address is:
Find your Spark
Beech Hill
Colchester, Essex CO3
United Kingdom

Add us to your address book


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp

Monthly Newsletter June

Find Your Spark's Monthly Newsletter
View this email in your browser
June Newsletter
Find Your Spark's Monthly Newsletter 

Filled with tips, suggestions, resources and recommendations!!
Raising Awareness and Acceptance into ADHD
So, we support ourselves and our loved ones better!

Welcome to our June newsletter.  We have a lot of exciting things to offer this month so as it’s been a heat wave, grab yourself a cold drink (or if you are one of those who still fancy a cup of hot tea in the sun!) and give yourself 5 minutes to read our latest news.
TIP

This month’s tip is about skin picking.  
People with ADHD are known to pick their skin particularly on their fingers.  This is something Michelle has done since she was a child and she has recently begun wearing a fidget ring which initially she didn’t think was working however has started to see a difference after a month so recommends giving them a try.
NEW WEBSITE

We have been busy getting lots of enquiries via our newly released website: www.findyourspark.co.uk which has been super exciting!  Go take a visit and please do share with those you feel would benefit from it.   
ADHD Awareness Groups

We have been approached to deliver the ADHD Awareness for ADULTS training again!  We had not intended to do this so soon however are now in talks to make this a reality as we speak.  This follows on from our very successful delivery of the session to a lovely group of adults this week, which we have spent this month preparing for.

Testimonials included attendees saying, ‘it was a really positive and affirming session and I'm glad I came’ and ‘it was fantastic and really validating. Thank you so much.’

You will be in a group of likeminded ADHD adults learning ADHD coping skills to support themselves.

If you have not yet joined and would like the opportunity to learn more about ADHD, what it is and not what we were led to believe, then please complete this Expression of Interest Form
In the meantime, we are running the ADHD Awareness Group specifically to parents in September as we begun to realise that it would be helpful to separate the ADHD Awareness group into one specifically for adults with the condition (or suspect they may have) and one for parents with children with ADHD.

We are offering a special offer for this group.  There is a Super Early Bird price of £30. It will then go up to £40 and then £50. 
 
BOOK HERE
ONE-TO-ONE ADHD COACHING

June has been spent predominantly delivering our ADHD Awareness group to adults as well as Michelle coaching children and adults with ADHD using her Coaching Psychology qualification.
You may be thinking… wait, what is coaching?

Coaching with Find Your Spark is focused on helping you understand how ADHD impacts you plus supporting you with your physiological, physical and emotional wellbeing.
 
It is recommended you have 12 x 1:1 coaching session which we suggest be fortnightly rather than weekly so that you can implement any of the goals you set yourself in-between sessions. 
 
This will empower you to unmask, overcome your challenges and achieve your goals by the end of the 12 sessions.
 
You can either book this in a block of twelve sessions, two blocks of six or individually.
Want to find out more?  Ready to take the next step? Email [email protected] to book in either a FREE 10 minute phone call or a £40 30 minute online (Zoom) call with Michelle to discuss next steps.
PODCAST AND ARTICLE RECOMMENDATIONS
Michelle has been in the news again plus had the pleasure of speaking all things ADHD on a podcast this month.  Take a listen/have a read and let us know what you think:

Could it be ADHD podcast
Listen HERE on Spotify

Mersea Courier Article
See below
And as it’s coming up to summer, here’s a book recommendation that Michelle has been reading, which has got her gripped.  Its part of a series of books, this being the third and they have all been phenomenal:
That’s if for another month.  We hope you have had a marvellous June. 

Do contact us with any questions you have or if you require any further information and help.
 
And please do not hesitate to share this newsletter with anyone else you feel would benefit from it.

Thank you so much
Wishing you well, Amanda and Michelle. XXX
Website
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Email
Copyright © 2024 Find your Spark, All rights reserved.
We send special offers to all our customers and potential customers and anyone who opts in via our website

Our mailing address is:
Find your Spark
Beech Hill
Colchester, Essex CO3
United Kingdom

Add us to your address book


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp

Monthly Newsletter May

Find Your Spark's Monthly Newsletter
View this email in your browser
May Newsletter
Find Your Spark's Monthly Newsletter 

Filled with tips, suggestions, resources and recommendations!!
Raising Awareness and Acceptance into ADHD
So, we support ourselves and our loved ones better!

Welcome to the May Newsletter.  We have a lot of exciting things to offer this month so grab a cup of hot tea and give yourself 5 minutes to read our latest news.
TIP

This month’s tip is about routines.  
This is something Michelle has been trialling herself so is able to recommend. Pick three healthy small habits to incorporate into your morning routine and add these to your phone calendar as reminders to start from a day when it is realistic to begin. These can be something as simple as drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning, having a healthy breakfast or doing a 10-minute walk. Initially you may find some resistance to doing it however after a period of a couple of weeks it ought to get easier for you and you ought to see a difference. Give it a try and let us know how you get on.
NEW WEBSITE

We have been busy these past few months working on our website as it has evolved so much over the last few years.
A special thanks to Koala Digital for creating.


You can view it at www.findyourspark.co.uk
 
We will do a proper launch soon.
We have been approached to deliver the ADHD Awareness training again!  We had not intended to do this till the Autumn however we are opening this up for one last time in June. 

If you have not yet joined and would like to, let this be the opportunity for you to come along to learn more about ADHD, what it is and not what we're led to believe

The focus of the group is for those who have a diagnosis of ADHD or suspect they might have.  You will be in a group of likeminded people learning ADHD coping skills to support yourself.  

We will be running a group for parents of children with ADHD in the Autumn term.  If this is something you might be interested in attending then do complete this Expression of Interest Form
 
We are offering a special offer for this group.  There is a Super Early Bird price of £30 until Friday 7th June.  Don't miss out and book below. 

Everyone who attends will receive a lifetime offer of 15% discount off any coaching sessions booked thereafter. In addition, 
Access to Work Funding can be used for accessing the groups.  To find out more information contact [email protected].
BOOK HERE
ONE-TO-ONE ADHD COACHING

Wait what is ADHD Coaching?

Coaching with Find Your Spark is focused on your executive functioning skills to help you understand how ADHD impacts you plus supporting you with your physiological, physical and emotional wellbeing.

It is recommended you have 12 1:1 coaching session which we suggest be fortnightly rather than weekly so that you can implement any of the goals you set yourself in-between sessions.  This will empower you to unmask, overcome your challenges and achieve your goals by the end of the 12 sessions.

Plus, our clients can attend any of our groups for half price!  Email [email protected] for further information as we want you to benefit from the training and believe wholeheartedly that it will help you to have the informed, empowered knowledge from these groups! 

Finally, Access to Work Funding can be used for coaching.  To find out more information contact [email protected].

ADHD COACHING GROUPS for TEENS AND ADULTS - COMING SOON!

We have also been approached to run coaching groups for teens and adults. 

WHAT IS GROUP COACHING?

Group coaching is perfect for those who prefer a group environment to set goals, plan action, get support and have accountability. Suggestions for goals can include motivation for homework/revision, getting a better routine to manage time and implement self care or coping skills for emotional regulation. There will also be some ADHD Awareness shared within these groups.  Group coaching is also a more affordable option for many. 
All participants must sign confidentiality agreement to ensure safety of the group.

We are provisionally looking to run the Teen Group in September provided we get enough interest.  Dependant on how well it goes, we will look to run this on a regular basis.  If you  would like to express your interest for the Teen Group or the upcoming Adult Coaching Group then please complete this Expression of Interest Form.

Please share this with your friends and family who you feel would benefit from attending as will only run this if we get enough interest from people.
PODCAST AND ARTICLE RECOMMENDATIONS
What have I been listening to recently?

ADHD Chatter: How to spot ADHD in kids
Listen HERE on Apple Podcasts

Sam Thompson's cheeky admission about latest antics with 'brother' Pete Wicks
Read HERE
That’s if for another month.  We hope you have had a marvellous May.  Do contact us with any questions you have or if you require any further information and help. 

Please do not hesitate to share this newsletter with anyone else you feel would benefit from it.

Wishing you well, Amanda and Michelle.
Website
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Email
Copyright © 2024 Find your Spark, All rights reserved.
We send special offers to all our customers and potential customers and anyone who opts in via our website

Our mailing address is:
Find your Spark
Beech Hill
Colchester, Essex CO3
United Kingdom

Add us to your address book


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp

Monthly Newsletter April

*|MC:SUBJECT|*
View this email in your browser
April Newsletter
Find Your Spark's Monthly Newsletter 

Filled with tips, suggestions, resources and recommendations!!
Let’s celebrate neurodiversity to support ourselves and our loved ones better!
Welcome to the April newsletter.  We have a lot of exciting things to offer this month and beyond including podcasts and special early bird offers on upcoming groups so grab a cup of hot tea and give yourself 10 minutes to read our latest news.
It was Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2024 on March 18-24, which is all about educating and promoting worldwide neurodiversity acceptance, equality and inclusion in schools and workplaces.  We delivered a training online to a global organisation which was met with rave reviews, more on that to follow…
 
TIP

This month’s tip is about Working Memory.  
I (Michelle) spoke to a global organization on tips to support them with various aspects of their ADHD and one of the main things she shared is how we, as people with ADHD, need to borrow our phones notepads (or an actual phonepad!) as our working memory as it has been compromised by ADHD.  This tip was shared by the eminent psychiatrist of ADHD, Dr Russell Barkley.

Whenever you get a thought, don’t think, I will remember that later.  No you won’t if you have ADHD, write it in your phone’s notes.  If someone tells you something of interest, again don’t think, I will remember that later.  No, you won’t, put it in your notes.

Then, weekly go through these notes and add any reminders such as appointments or obligations to your phone calendar so that you don’t miss or forget these.  This is what I do and is the thing that really helps me keep on top of things and ensure that things are in order/I don’t forget to do things/go to appointments.  Simple, yet effective as usually the best things are.  Try it and let us know how you get on.
TRAINING FOR SCHOOLS AND ORGANISATIONS

We have been approached to deliver training to schools and organisations.  For organisations not yet at a stage to prioritise neurodivergence, now may be the time to start thinking about and planning for this.  There have been lots of disability grievances recently which is obviously something you would want to avoid as ADHD is protected by the Equality Act (2010) so organisations and schools have a duty of care and responsibility to support these individuals.
 
What is covered in these sessions? 
  • Why is it important to talk about ADHD and break down the stigma of disclosing this disability?
  • Background and timeline of ADHD.
  • ADHD symptoms.
  • Challenges of the condition.
  • Strengths of the condition and how to communicate the strengths you bring to the workplace.
  • What does this look like in the workplace and what are the unique experiences?
  • ADHD coping skills and tools.
  • What are reasonable adjustments at work?
  • How can employers support those with ADHD and make the workplace more inclusive
 
Individuals with ADHD are a real asset to an organisation but in order for them to thrive they need to understand how their ADHD impacts them as do the organisation as well as have an awareness of their strengths and what support is reasonably required.

Michelle spoke online about ADHD Awareness to a global IT company.  Below are some of the testimonials received.


If you are a school interested in having this ADHD awareness training, please complete this Enquiry Form.

If you are an organisation interested in having this ADHD awareness training, please complete this Enquiry Form.
Further to the sold-out group session in January, we are running a further session on Monday 15 April. Timings will again be 7pm-9pm at the Chill Out Centre. 

This will be the last in person session of these for the foreseeable as do not have any more planned, so if you have not yet joined, come along to learn more about ADHD, what it Is and not what we were led to believe

This follows on from our delivery of this session to a global IT organisation who were blown away by the insights, knowledge and perspective shared.  You will be in a group of likeminded people learning ADHD coping skills to support themselves and their loved ones better. 

Final deadline to book is 1pm on Friday 12 April.  There is a buy one, get one half price offer and all those who attend, will receive a 15% discount off any coaching sessions booked thereafter.
BOOK HERE
We’re excited to be collaborating with Rhiann Marchant again (clinically trained autism assessor) to deliver this informative session on Autism, ADHD and sensory processing disorder.

 
There will be a chance to ask us questions during the session and afterwards about assessments, both autism and ADHD and what your next steps would look like.

Early Bird Discount ends on 23 April and all those who attend, will receive a 15% discount off any coaching sessions booked thereafter. 

Again, this is the last planned session for this so if you were interested, please book as we do not know if we will run this again.
BOOK HERE
GROUP COACHING

We have been approached to run coaching groups for teens and adults for the public.

Group coaching is perfect for those who prefer a group environment to set goals, plan action, get support and have accountability. Suggestions for goals can include motivation for homework/revision, getting a better routine to manage time and implement self care or coping skills for emotional regulation.

There will also be some ADHD Awareness shared within these groups.  Group coaching is also a more affordable option for many. 

All participants must sign confidentiality agreements to ensure the safety of the group.

We are provisionally looking to run the teen/11 plus group on Saturday 6 July (TBC) and dependant on how well it goes, will look to run this on a regular basis. 

If you would like to express your interest for the teen group or the upcoming adult coaching group, please complete this Expression of Interest Form.
SERVICES RECOMMENDATIONS

We recently met with Kierran Pearce of the Multi-Schools Council and were very impressed by their ethos and the good things they are doing for the children with additional needs in Essex. 

The Multi-Schools Council is all about working with young people to help challenge negative perceptions towards young people with SEND – if you wish to find out more please visit their website HERE.
That’s it for another month.  Do contact us with any questions you have or if you require any further information and help.

Wishing you well, Amanda and Michelle.
Website
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Email
Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved.
*|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|*

Our mailing address is:
*|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|*

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

*|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|*

Monthly Newsletter March

*|MC:SUBJECT|*
View this email in your browser
March Newsletter
Find Your Spark's Monthly Newsletter 

Filled with tips, suggestions, resources and recommendations!!
Let’s celebrate neurodiversity to support ourselves and our loved ones better!
Welcome to the March newsletter.  We have a lot of exciting things to offer this month and beyond including podcasts and special early bird offers on upcoming groups so grab a cup of hot tea and give yourself 10 minutes to read our latest news.
TIP

This month’s tip is about Time Blindness.  
ADHD children and adults tend to be blind to time.  Time blindness is a cognitive condition that causes challenges in perceiving and managing time which often leads to challenges in punctuality and planning.  Its an inability to sense how much time has passed and estimate the time that is needed to get something done.  ADHD people basically perceive time differently.
 
Something that works for children as well as for adults is having a visual time such as this Countdown Clock or using the Pomodoro Technique so children (and adults) realise how much time they have left to either get ready, be on their PlayStation etc., before having to leave to go to school/work…
 
Give it a try and let us know how you get on!!!
Further to the sold-out group session in January, I’m delighted to advise that we have confirmed a further session on Monday 15 April. Timings will again be 7pm-9pm at the Chill Out Centre. 

Come along to learn more about ADHD, what it Is and not what we were led to believe and be in a group of likeminded people learning ADHD coping skills to support themselves and their loved ones better. 

We are running an Early Bird Offer on single and two person tickets ending on 26 March, and based on feedback from the last group, for this month only, we are opening this up to parents to bring their child with them providing they are of secondary school age. 

 
BOOK HERE
TRI SERVICE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY CONFERENCE

Michelle spoke at the Tri Service (fire, police and emergency services) International Women’s Day Conference a couple of weeks ago on the topic of ADHD and menopause.  This is a HOT topic at the moment as there is a link between ADHD and hormones from puberty, pregnancy, peri menopause and menopause.  This is why a lot of women going through the perimenopause and menopause are getting diagnosed with ADHD later in life as symptoms are exacerbated at these pivotal times.


If this is something you have been impacted by and would like to reach out about, please do as Michelle would be open to helping either be it in a one to one or group capacity dependant on interest.  Email [email protected] to express your interest.
We have also been approached to run coaching groups for teens and adults for the public.  If you too would like to express your interest, please complete this Expression of Interest Form.

Additionally, we have been approached to deliver training to schools and organisations.  Therefore if you are a school or organisation, please complete this Schools and Organisations Enquiry Form.
We’re excited to be collaborating with Rhiann Marchant again (clinically trained autism assessor) to deliver this informative session on Autism, ADHD and sensory processing disorder.

There will be a chance to ask us questions during the session and afterwards about assessments, both autism and ADHD and what your next steps would look like.

Early Bird Discount ends on 23 April.
BOOK HERE
Find Your Spark Blog
ADHD in the Workplace

ADHD and Driving
How does ADHD Affect Driving (Shamieh Law)
Chill Out Centre where we run our public groups.
Did you see us in the news again? 
Podcast Recommendations

Carrie Grant "What is Normal?"  The Hidden 20%
Listen here on Spotify

The ADHD Women's Wellbeing Podcast
Connecting Hormones and Psychiatry to help more ADHD women with Dr Lotta Borg Skoglund

Listen here on Spotify
That’s it for another month.  We hope you have a wonderful Easter and do contact us with any questions you have or if you require any further information and help.

Wishing you well, Amanda and Michelle.
Website
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Email
Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved.
*|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|*

Our mailing address is:
*|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|*

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

*|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|*

Neurodiversity Celebration Week (18th – 24th March, 2024)

Living in a neurotypical world when you are not a neurotypical girl series.

It has been Neurodiversity Celebration week 2024 (March 18-24) this week which is all about educating and promoting worldwide neurodiversity acceptance, equality and inclusion in schools and workplaces.

I, Michelle Shavdia, was late diagnosed with ADHD, dyspraxia and dyscalculia at 37 years old, and ever since have been on a mission to raise awareness into the misunderstood condition of ADHD as well as shining a lens on the overlapping neurodivergent conditions so that we are all better informed and getting better support. 

This blog is going to focus on neurodivergence at work.  Did you know that 20% of employees are neurodivergent?! And that 1 in 5 people have experienced harassment or discrimination due to this?!  ADHD people for example are often excluded or dismissed, on the receiving end of negative comments/jokes; demoralised, humiliated or degraded.  ADHD adults are 30% more likely to have ongoing employment issues, 3x more likely to impulsively quit and 60% more likely to be fired.  24% of adults on long term sick leave due to stress exhibit ADHD symptoms!!

Clearly this is not okay or acceptable and is something that needs to change.  Similar issues can be found in schools as well.  This is why we need to celebrate neurodiversity and learn how best to support it (please see picture).  And given the world of work is zooming forward at fast speed we need fast ADHD brains that can keep up with this rate of constant change and thinking outside the box.  This therefore may be the most valuable skill a business can have in 2024!

Find Your Spark supports children, their parents and adults with ADHD.  With my professional background and Masters qualification in coaching psychology and from my lived experience, I get just how difficult it can be to live in a world that is not set up for your brain and the problems that come with that so am able to effectively listen to and understand the experience.  I am therefore able to provide brilliant bespoke support to people in how best to look after your needs pre and post assessment.  These services include psychoeducation, pre assessment for ADHD and ADHD coaching post diagnostic support.  These services can be delivered one to one or in a public group and either online or in person as well as in schools and to organisations.

WE are running our ADHD Awareness session once again on 15 April for adults to learn more about ADHD and how it applies not only to the world of work but also life generally. Currently there is an early bird discount till the 26 March where you can buy one ticket for £50 and get one ticket half price. 

A testimonial received from the last sold-out group in January: ‘We attended the awareness session, and it was so informative, and we have now come away more confident and knowledgeable. Thank you so much, it was amazing and such a lovely bunch of people.’

We are also running the ‘Let’s talk about Neurodiversity’ group again with autism assessor, Rhiann Marchant, on 15 May.  Please get in touch by email  [email protected] and she can send the Eventbrite link for both groups plus expression of interest form for future coaching groups for adults and teens.

If you require further details these can be found at www.findyourspark.co.uk and via Eventbrite.  You can also follow us on @FindYourSparkADHD on Instagram and @FindYourSparkUK on Facebook.  We look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Monthly Newsletter February Volume 2

*|MC:SUBJECT|*
View this email in your browser
February Newsletter
Let's learn about neurodiversity to support ourselves and our loved ones better!
There is so much news to share in February that we are having to do a follow up newsletter this month!!
Further to the sold-out group session in January, I’m delighted to advise that we have just confirmed a further session on Monday 15 April. Timings will again be 7pm-9pm at the Chill Out Centre. 

Come along to learn more about ADHD, what it Is and not what we were led to believe and be in a group of likeminded people learning ADHD coping skills to support themselves and their loved ones better. 
 

We are running an Early Bird Offer on single and two person tickets ending on 26 March.  And based on feedback from the last group, we are opening this up to parents to bring their child with them providing they are of secondary school age (11 years plus). 

SPECIAL OFFER FOR THOSE SUBSCRIBED TO THIS NEWSLETTER AND CURRENT CLIENTS.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BRING YOUR SECONDARY SCHOOL AGED CHILD ALONG WITH YOU, YOU CAN DO SO FREE OF CHARGE (£25 saving).  EMAIL [email protected] TO LET HER KNOW.
 
BOOK HERE
Chill Out Centre venue, Stanway where we host our groups.
Example of a visual timetable that Michelle shared within the last ADHD Awareness group.
Expressions of interest for future groups

Further the last newsletter where we asked for expressions of interest for an ADHD Teens group, we have now been approached by a few adults to see if we will run an ADHD Coaching group for adults as well!!Happy to also do this in the Summer term but need to ensure that we have enough interest first.
 
So, if this sounds like something you as an adult would like to receive, or your young person would benefit from having, then do let us know.
 
It would be a one-off session initially, in the evening and cost approximately £40 per session. If it goes well, we will look to run this more regularly.
 
Email [email protected] stating either CHILD or ADULT in the subject text along with yours and your child’s name and we will add them to the waiting list. Once we have approx. eight expressions of interest we will be in touch with you. Thank you so much.
Feedback and Photos from the Let’s Talk about Neurodiversity Event

Further to the very successful group on Wednesday where Rhiann and I educated and supported 8 adults/parents with their autism and ADHD concerns, we are now looking to run this again on the 15 May from 6.30pm–9.30pm.
If you would like to add your name to the expressions of interest list, email Amanda and we will forward you the Eventbrite as soon as it is ready.
For now, save the date in your diary and we will be in touch with further information soon.
Podcast Recommendations
We featured on two podcasts in February.  

Neurodiverse Universe, a fun and insightful conversation about all things ADHD – enjoy and let us know what you think.

Listen here on Spotify


Michelle also featured on the latest Parenting Hell podcast small business shout out AGAIN (featured back in December as well)!!  Take a listen to the full episode on Spotify here

And the final cherry on top for February, Michelle spoke on BBC Essex about ADHD and autism and the ‘Lets talk about Neurodiversity Group’.  Listen to the recording here (from 2hours, 5mins in)
Wishing you well, Amanda and Michelle.
Website
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
Email
Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved.
*|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|*

Our mailing address is:
*|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|*

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

*|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|*

How do you explain ADHD to someone who doesn’t have it?

Did you know that had Einstein, one of the greatest inventers of all time with huge intelligence, been born at this time, he would have been diagnosed ADHD?!

I, Michelle Shavdia, 39 years old, am on a mission to raise awareness into the still misunderstood and stigmatised condition of ADHD, breaking it down one myth at a time such as people with ADHD are not intelligent.

I recently spoke on the panel at an event in London for a fantastic charity called Digital Boost who have been supporting and helping me this past year.  It was well attended, organised and good energy.  I wanted to share what I spoke about regarding my entrepreneurial journey with the audience of start-up entrepreneurs as it may help others too.  I am also including some excerpts from a newspaper article I wrote to give further information into ADHD:

‘I took the brave leap of faith to become self-employed in 2011 and set up my business Find Your Spark soon thereafter.  I did this through choice as I really wanted to use my skills to coach and support at risk young people and the job I was in, was not suited to my strengths.  Also, as is unfortunately the case due to us living in a world that is not quite set up for those who are neurodivergent still (which I did not realise I was at the time), I was not a great employee as I didn’t like to being told what to do as I had my own innovative, creative ideas that I wanted to put into place, which my employers weren’t so keen on!!!

So, I resigned from this job and started a Masters in Coaching Psychology at University for three years from 2012-2015 after having done a Psychology degree.

One of my greatest wins, which in part was due to the support I received from Digital Boost, has been taking the brave leap of faith for a second time to specialise in being an ADHD coach, which I started full time this year.  This followed on from having supported young people with ADHD in 2018-2019 not knowing that I had ADHD myself!!  I received my own late ADHD diagnosis in 2021 at 37 years old after years of not knowing what was going on with my brain that made me so different to my peers.

I now specialise in the condition of ADHD and am supporting those with and without ADHD one to one and in groups so they can manage living in a neurotypical world better.  I understand just how difficult it can be and the problems that come with having this condition despite there certainly being strengths as well.

There are still many misconceptions about ADHD.  One of these is that having ADHD means you don’t have enough attention and therefore are unable to concentrate.  The fact is people with ADHD have TOO much attention and notice EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE, ALL AT ONCE (much like the Oscar winning film of that name!!).

One way to describe ADHD is like having squiggles in the brain firing off in all directions, which is what makes it that much harder to concentrate.  But when we ARE focused on something that we are REALLY interested in, we can be known to hyper focus on it, much to the neglect of everything else around us (there have been countless times I have forgotten to eat as I have been so engrossed in what I am doing!!!)

ADHD isn’t something we grow out of; it doesn’t go away, and it is not something to be fixed.  Rather it is something to be managed and given ADHD is now thought to affect 6% of the population, it is important people understand what it is.  There are currently 110,000 people waiting for an ADHD assessment and the average waiting time is between 3-10 years.  So, the current system is not working clearly.

In business, as in life, we face challenges and let downs.  I have faced many and this year there were two that knocked me off my feet a bit and set me back somewhat.  However, I now see these setbacks as lessons and challenges to overcome.  Whilst disappointing I am now grateful for them as I truly believe that whatever is meant for you, won’t go past you so focus your energy on your interests, passions and what flows and don’t worry so much about things that don’t.

People with ADHD tend to experience imposter syndrome daily despite the qualifications, professional experiences, and accolades.  This is because they have spent much of their life, particularly if they are late diagnosed with ADHD, being told that they are mad, bad, crazy, lazy and stupid and compared to your peers and told, ‘why can’t you just be like them?!’  If you are told something enough times, you will begin to believe it.  Even at this Digital Boost event I felt like an imposter before, during and afterwards and yet I was invited to speak at it!!! The way I overcome this now is to focus on what has worked well for you and the successes you have had and use that to motivate and drive you forward.  Share this with others and don’t think it is boastful as on the whole, people love celebrating and helping people as not only can it make them feel good doing so but also it can inspire them to improve their lives.  We all just human beings having an experience through life so it’s important just to do your best and believe in yourself and the rest will fall into place.

Here are some techniques I have learnt to stay motivated and keep my growth mindset through the challenging moments:

  • Remember to focus on what you can control and don’t worry about what is out of your control.
  • Do your best to not compare yourself to others and just focus on what is for you / your lane.
  • And if its too much, just take a break and come back to it after going for a walk in nature listening to a podcast or having a nap/sleep. You will get through this even the challenging times, just have faith and know everything works out as its meant to so be your authentic self, be a good person and don’t sweat the stuff you wont remember in a year from now.

If you would like to learn more about ADHD, what it is and how best to manage it, get in touch by email or phone. We have two groups coming up for adults with ADHD and family members who wish to learn more on how best to support it.  Or if you prefer one to one, we offer ADHD coaching. Here are the Eventbrite links to book onto a group:

ADHD Awareness Group – Tuesday 30 January, 7pm-9pm (Colchester)  Buy One Get One Free Offer for £40 till end of December.  Then Buy One Get One free till end of January for £60.

ADHD Awareness, Self-Care and Support Group – first Wednesday of the month from 7 February 2023, 7pm-9pm (Colchester)

ADHD Awareness, Self-Care and Support Group – first Wednesday of the month from 7 February 2023, 7pm-9pm (Colchester) – DISCOUNTED GROUP TICKET

Alternatively email [email protected] and she will send you further details.  Further details can be found at www.findyourspark.co.uk and @FindYourSparkADHD on Instagram. 

We look forward to hearing from and meeting you in due course!!!

Skip to content