Annette's podcast journey takes her all the way to the United Kingdom this time as her guest this week is Giuliana Wheater. Giuliana is an author, award winning therapist, teacher, trainer, public speaker & fundraiser. She is Founder of Therapies for Special Needs and Rainbow Kids Touch Therapy & Relaxation. She is the author of the book, Indian Head Massage for Special Needs.

Giuliana first introduces listeners to her son Ollie who is on the autism spectrum and has a talent for the written word. She took opportunities from her own experiences to go into to teacher training days in the UK and help those teachers have a better understanding of students like Ollie. Giuliana also discusses why she wanted Ollie to gain skills to be independent and she outlines why that was important in the podcast. She discusses why it was important to treat him like any other person and she talks about his incredible ability to write and craft stories.

Giuliana speaks about her views on inclusion in schools. She says while she is a huge advocate for inclusion, every child is different, and each student requires a different education according to their specific abilities and needs. She makes it a point to say that she has never given up on any child and no one should. Children should not be defined by any label. And she shares a very special story about Ollie's doctor and how both Ollie's life and his life were changed by the relationship.

She talks about her different therapies for those with special needs including many that are now online because of the COVID-19 crisis. She offers meditation, yoga for autism as well as ADHD, relaxation therapies as well as sound therapy. She talks about the power of storytelling as well as the power of touch to help us through stressful times.

You will find that Giuliana is incredibly passionate about what she does and cares deeply about helping others in this world of different abilities.

You can find Giuliana at her website: https://www.therapiesforspecialneeds.co.uk/

Find more about her therapies online here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/rainbowtherapieskidsandfamilies/?ref=share

https://www.facebook.com/akoautismexpo/