Education settings

“Control leads to compliance; autonomy leads to engagement.

When we think about equity, we must remember that it does not mean giving everyone the same resources, but rather providing what each student needs to succeed.”

Katie Novak - author - UDL Now!

For a broad range of professionals including schools, OSHC, kindergartens, childcare, TAFE, and University.

Able to utilise and support providing services via grants including Innovative Solutions funding as required.

Bespoke Training and Consultancy topics could include:

• Understanding autism to support wellbeing, resilience, and confidence

• Neurodiversity affirming practices

• Evidence informed strategies

• Double empathy

• Social communication and interaction for authentic connection

• Maximising the learning environment

• Developing self-esteem independence

• Sensory solutions

• How to increase engagement and motivation

• Social understanding for all e.g., resources and strategies such as social narratives

• Emotion Regulation with reference to programs such as The Incredible 5 Point Scale, The Zones of Regulation, The Alert Program, Interoception 301

• Understanding Behaviour and Positive Behaviour supports

• Supporting transitions and change

• Supporting executive function skills   

• Independence in the classroom e.g., structured teaching

• Peer awareness support

• SSO/ESO/LSO workers in the classroom

• How to run groups in the primary or high school setting using e.g., video modelling, Lego Therapy, social connection and self-advocacy.

Bringing Lived experience and Evidence Informed Strategies to life - Ideas to make real impact.

“As you go about your day, in your education setting, workplace and life, you’ll meet many ‘starfish’ — children, parents, carers, families, even peers and friends, who arrive on your shore carrying the weight of their experiences, their struggles, their strengths and their story.

 Our role isn’t to rescue them or to reshape them. Our role is to notice them, notice their soul, their beauty - understand them, and create conditions where they can find their footing, their safety, and their direction.

 Every time you adjust the environment, honour a communication style, slow the pace, offer predictability, or build connection, you’re not just supporting one person — you’re shifting the shoreline itself. You’re making the world a little more navigable, a little more humane, a little more fitting for neurodivergent people. You are truly building that empathy bridge.

And that’s how change happens: one moment of attunement at a time, one environment reshaped, one relationship strengthened.

 That’s the work that ripples outward.”

(Lexie Dryden)

Contact us for more information

Testimonials

  • Whole school consultancy

    “Lexie and Louise, your involvement at this school has been paramount to the successes we are achieving with both students on the spectrum as well as with providing valuable support to staff. The innovative sensory programme trialled has provided us at the school vital information on the functioning capacities of students as well as strategies personalized to each child in support of developing successful independent self-regulation.” Special Education Coordinator

    “Lexie was down to earth and focused on the positives of the situation and not the negatives or things they were doing wrong. The service she provided was very beneficial as it was very personal and tailored to the school’s situation.” Teacher

  • Groups

    “Louise the social skills group was a real hit with staff, children, and parents. It was really inspiring to work with you, we learnt so much. Two mothers have connected, as the children expressed a desire to have a play date. One child said he is going to watch out for the other child in case she gets teased. Her mum is just so excited about the change in her.” Special Ed. Coordinator

    “I am missing you both (of course I have my usual list of questions) and our groups too ..... My Monday didn't feel quite right. Lovely (student) came in yesterday just to see if I had organised any more...He said he was missing the sessions. He also spoke about how much he had learnt. He brightened up a bit when I said that you would be in a couple of times during the term, and he said he thought it would be nice if you caught up with all of them. I assured him that was the plan. He also suggested that I talk with you and see if you could come in Term 3 to run some more groups.” Special Ed. Coordinator

  • Training

    “Louise you are brilliant and the staff found it to be some of the best PD and consultation that they have seen. They said that you were practical and were willing to listen and adapt! They also said that they want you to live there for 6 months.” Teacher

    “Lexie your talk was amazing. I and two kids have had our best day ever today. I've gone from one running off and one sobbing to one cheerful and one presenting me with his poem!!!!! and I haven't even started any plans or charts all I've done is try to see things from their point of view and not engage when they are at a four and recognize that they are climbing and head them off at the pass.” Teacher

  • Special settings

    “Louise's professional approach, background information, student and teacher observations, feedback and resources has been outstanding. This has helped me to transition a student into a mainstream class with great success. Louise was able to work with and support the student, his parents, the Special Ed. staff, SSO's supporting him and myself.” Teacher

  • SSO/ESO/LSO Support

    “Lexie was enthusiastic and left me feeling motivated and ready to start with an exciting new approach to supporting our children” SSO

    Very engaging , well spoken and knowledgeable...I enjoyed all Lexie’s references and also her personal experiences which always brings sense of credibility, interest and real life. Plus her little 'quirks' that reminds us we are all different and also reminds us how students can feel in situations.

    THANKYOU for a great presentation.
    You made it different and fun which will certainly make content more easily remembered.

    Jo L – SSO

  • Peer awareness

    “Louise, we have had excellent feedback from the boys and parents regarding your presentation The Power of Peers.” Teacher

  • OSHC

    “Louise’s assistance and support during our support package was extremely valuable to our OSHC service. We gained a greater understanding of how we can be more inclusive as a whole and also how that can impact the development and learning of children who are neurodivergent.” OSHC Director