These sessions are delivered face to face (or virtually if circumstances dictate) usually in our therapeutic office space, sessions use a combination of different therapeutic interventions with the aim of ensuring young people feel supported, listened to and empowered. We deliver psychoeducation and tailor support to the needs of the individual.
WHAT DO YOU SEE?
Self-portraits — or drawing each other — can be a surprisingly useful part of a session.
We might use a mirror and notice expressions. What changes when we’re worried, cross, embarrassed or happy? What do we notice about ourselves that other people might see differently?
Drawing each other can open up conversations about self-image, confidence, identity and how we see other people — without sitting across a table asking lots of questions.
It can also be funny. The portraits are rarely flattering 😂 And that’s part of it.
At TPP, activities aren’t just something to fill a session. We use them to make difficult conversations feel less intense and more natural.
Sometimes the best conversations happen when nobody is trying too hard to have one.
www.theparachuteproject.co.uk
#emotions #feelings #selfportraits #emotionaltoolbox #trickyconversations #strategies
𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐓𝐨𝐨 𝐌𝐮𝐜𝐡
The first month of the new school year is behind us. For many children, the new routines, increased workload and busy school environment feel manageable. But for others, the pressure is beginning to build — and all the different elements of school life can start to feel overwhelming.
Our visual shows the school distress cycle: a simple way of understanding how the behaviour children show is often their way of communicating that something isn’t right. Distress doesn’t always look the same. It might be #withdrawal, #anger, #tears, #shutdowns, #meltdowns or a child who seems “fine” at school but unravels the moment they get home.
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐬
𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 — understanding the meaning behind behaviour rather than focusing only on the behaviour itself.
𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 — building strategies that feel achievable and tailored to their needs.
𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 — and how to advocate for provision that genuinely supports their child.
If this sounds like support you and your child might benefit from this term, give us a call on 01328 838 847.
#EBSA #schooloverwhelm
PDA & LOW-DEMAND PARENTING
3 things to try
1. CHANGE THE LANGUAGE
Less “You need to…”
More “I wonder if…”, “Shall we…” or “What do you think?”
Reducing the feeling of being controlled can reduce the need to resist.
2. PRIORITISE THE IMPORTANT STUFF
Not every demand needs to become a battle.
Ask yourself: Does this need to happen now?
Sometimes lowering the pressure gets you further.
3. THINK ANXIETY BEFORE BEHAVIOUR
What looks like refusal, avoidance or needing control can be a response to feeling overwhelmed.
Work out what is making the situation feel unsafe or unmanageable before adding another demand.
Low demand doesn’t mean no boundaries.
It means thinking differently about how we get there.
At The Parachute Project, we work with children and young people with autism, PDA profiles, anxiety and demand avoidance — and with the parents trying to navigate it alongside them.
Need some help working out what might work for your child? Get in touch.
📱01328 838 847
✉️ abi.theparachuteproject@gmail.com
🛜https://theparachuteproject.co.uk/contact-us/
And have a look at our website to meet the team and see our professional backgrounds, qualifications and experience.
theparachuteproject.co.uk/about/
#counselling #anxiety #psychoeducation #childrensmentalhealthsupport #PDA #lowdemand #lowdemandparenting
When their world starts getting smaller.
Staying in. Avoiding people. Overthinking everything. Saying no because it feels easier than dealing with the anxiety.
The trouble is, avoidance works — for a little while. And then the world gets smaller and getting back out feels even harder.
This is something we work with every day at The Parachute Project.
We help children and young people understand what anxiety is doing, recognise unhelpful thinking patterns and gradually build the confidence to start doing things again. No huge leaps. No “just get on with it”.
If this sounds like your child, get in touch.
📱01328 838 847
✉️ abi.theparachuteproject@gmail.com
🛜https://theparachuteproject.co.uk/contact-us/
And please check out our team, their professional backgrounds, qualifications and areas of expertise on our website. Who you trust to support your child really matters.
theparachuteproject.co.uk/about/
#counselling #anxiety #psychoeducation #childrensmentalhealthsupport
It's a new month and we have a new blog to share on our website:
theparachuteproject.co.uk/category/blog/
Have a read about why taking a proactive approach to helping children understand their feelings, behaviours, and experiences can be more effective than waiting until challenges emerge.
© The Parachute Project LTD 2026
#TheParachuteProject #EmotionalResilience #SEMH #ChildrensMentalHealth #AlternativeProvision #blog
📣 ATTENTION NORFOLK SCHOOLS
We are now taking referrals for our SEMH Alternative Provision at The Parachute Project.
✔ Norfolk County Council Quality Assured Alternative Provision
✔ Individualised, trauma-informed and neuroaffirming support
✔ Supporting emotional regulation, engagement and re-engagement with education
✔ Delivered by experienced mental health and education professionals
For information about our provision, referral routes and how we can support your pupils:
🔗 theparachuteproject.co.uk/education-wellbeing-hub/ #norfolkschools #Send #EOTAS #NorfolkEducation #SEMH
It is becoming increasingly apparent that children are not demonstrating a high level of emotional resilience and that this is often exacerbated by social circumstances. East Anglia has very few resources to support young people’s mental health and generic services have long waiting list and a high threshold criteria. We have developed unique programs that offer young people support in understanding and managing their emotional wellbeing. We are working in schools offering support to individuals and whole class groups on issues such as, resilience, behavior, transition (changes) and anxiety.
Abi is passionate about the need for young people to be able to access, empathetic, informative and empowering support for their emotional wellbeing. Abi has used all her experience to put together unique programs of support that have been proven to bring about positive changes in young people’s self-esteem, resilience, and emotional wellbeing.
- Parent – August 2025
- Young person, aged 13
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- Parent of child receiving online sessions
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- Parent of young person
- Mother of child aged 7
- Young person
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- Child
- Child, aged 11
- Young person, aged 16
- Parent
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- Child, aged 10
- Dominique Grant
- Amy Janes
- Sarah Gibbs
- Young person, aged 11
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- Year 2 class teacher
- Sophie Stephens
- Kirsten Stibbon
- LH age 10
- Teacher of child age 7
- Parent of child age 15
- Parent of child age 16
- Parent of child age 17
