What if the key to helping your child navigate school transitions isn't about removing their anxiety but giving them the tools to transform it?

"On the other side of fear is the thing that you want."

In this episode of Your Voice Matters, Asma Jacob welcomes Sam Bowley, a hypnotherapist specialising in anxiety management for neurodivergent children and young people. Sam shares her experience running transition programmes that support children moving from primary to secondary school and between year groups.

From creating safe spaces to understanding the unique challenges neurodivergent children face, Sam offers practical strategies for managing anxiety during times of change.

Bonus: We conclude with a guided visualisation exercise designed to build confidence and calm.

Key takeaways:

• Creating safe spaces is essential for neurodivergent children to feel comfortable opening up about their anxieties.
• Transitions bring multiple challenges at once e.g. new environments, teachers and routines. This can be overwhelming for neurodivergent individuals.
• Simple techniques like breathing exercises and visualisation can transform anxiety into confidence and help children navigate challenging situations.
• Fear often holds us back from reaching our potential, but with the right tools and support, we can move beyond it.

"We really don't fulfil most of our potential of what we can do, and sometimes we allow fear to get in the way. But actually on the other side of fear is the thing that you want."

About Sam Bowley

Sam Bowley is a hypnotherapist who specialises in anxiety management using techniques including Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and Matrix Reimprinting.
She works with children and young people, particularly neurodivergent individuals, and has developed transition programmes to support students moving between schools and year groups.

At Happy Minds, Sam creates supportive environments where children can develop confidence and practical tools to manage anxiety. Her approach focuses on empowerment, helping young people recognise their own strength and potential.

Learn more about Achievable Journey.

Follow Your Voice Matters and connect with Asma on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and X.

Remember to subscribe to Your Voice Matters wherever you listen to podcasts!

Share this episode with someone who could benefit from hearing the voice of the SEND and neurodivergent community.

"Anxiety is more than nothing. It's extremely exhausting and debilitating. It's okay not to be okay."

Anxiety doesn't always need a reason and it's never "nothing." In this episode of Your Voice Matters, Asma Jacob speaks with Carly Considine, an autistic adult and mother of autistic children, about the reality of living with heightened anxiety.

Carly shares personal stories of panic attacks, the struggle to find rationality in anxious moments, and practical coping strategies that help her family navigate daily challenges.

From mindfulness techniques to the exhaustion of masking, this conversation offers validation and hope for anyone whose anxiety feels overwhelming.

Key takeaways:

• You don't need something specific to be anxious about. Sometimes anxiety comes from nowhere, and that's valid.
• When anxiety takes over, logical thinking becomes nearly impossible. Having a calm, rational person nearby can help ground you.
• Racing heart, shaking, feeling hot, stomach aches etc. Anxiety shows up in the body in powerful ways that can't be dismissed.
• Hiding anxiety to fit in or get through social situations uses enormous energy and leads to exhaustion afterward.
• Walking, breathing exercises, mindfulness activities and keeping busy with small tasks can help regulate during anxious moments.

"If you can be anything in this world, be kind."

About Carly:

Carly Considine is an autistic adult and a mother to autistic children. She is an online advocate passionate about raising awareness of anxiety as a common comorbidity with autism. Through her platform, Carly shares the realities of navigating neurodivergence as both a parent and an individual, emphasising the importance of understanding, acceptance, and kindness. Her honest approach to discussing panic attacks, school anxiety, and the exhaustion of masking helps others feel less alone in their experiences.

Learn more about Achievable Journey.

Follow Your Voice Matters and connect with Asma on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and X.

Remember to subscribe to Your Voice Matters wherever you listen to podcasts!

Share this episode with someone who could benefit from hearing the voice of the SEND and neurodivergent community.