Anna Horton a Specialist Coach

 

'My husband and I were in a state of almost despair as we were watching our then 12 year old son struggle with life. It was clear that he wasn't a very happy child and his anxiety caused him to shut down on us. He became almost mute. As a parent you think you should know what to do - but we didn't. Anna was very supportive, empathetic, clearly very experienced and helped us to see our son with more positivity and more hope for his future. Anna simply directed us, listened to us and made some suggestions that have helped enormously. Talking about your child to someone without feeling like you are being too negative or boring is so incredibly valuable. The coaching hasn't completely changed our son but it has helped us to know how to reduce his stress in many situations, understand him better, put ourselves in his shoes and also remember his wonderful qualities.'

Parent

 

'I found Anna's coaching very beneficial at a time when I was struggling to see the wood for the trees due to numerous conditions including addiction, adhd and autism within our family alongside a diagnosis for my Mum of a brain tumour, at which point I also became her carer. Everything had become jumbled and Anna helped me pick out the priorities of what needed to be addressed first in order to regain my sense of well being so as I could be there for everyone and hold the family unit together. Although the problems haven't disappeared, I am continuing the work that Anna started with me and holding on to hope and setting new goals on a regular basis, which is helping me through a very difficult time.'

Parent

 

'Anna provided us with a listening ear and techniques which empowered us to make changes which have improved family life immeasurably for our son, his siblings and us. Anna manages to combine great professionalism with a caring, friendly positive approach providing practical measures, which can be easily employed in everyday life. I can recommend Anna with out hesitation'.

Parent

 

'Anna really listened to the issues we were facing as a family and helped us to explore what was important and what could wait. This enabled us to create practical action plans that made such positive differences to all our lives. With Anna’s coaching we were able to really hone in on the areas that were proving most difficult for our son and for us all as a family. We found strength to try different approaches to see what worked the best for us, she really allowed us space to explore what was working well and where we wanted to see change. It was so easy to talk with Anna, she actively listens, asking questions to help you order your thoughts and dig deeper into your situation enabling you to find solutions. I would thoroughly recommend working with Anna, it was the life line we needed at the right time.'

Parent

 

'With Anna’s coaching we were able to really hone in on the areas that were proving most difficult for our son and for us all as a family. We found strength to try different approaches to see what worked the best for us, she really allowed us space to explore what was working well and where we wanted to see change. It was so easy to talk with Anna, she actively listens, asking questions to help you order your thoughts and dig deeper into your situation enabling you to find solutions. I would thoroughly recommend working with Anna, it was the life line we needed at the right time'.

Parent

 

'Thank you Anna for giving me back my confidence and giving us the professional backing we have struggled to find elsewhere.'

Parent

 

'At the outset, it was reassuring for us to know that Anna came into this with first hand knowledge; and it was so cathartic for us to finally be able to discuss things with someone who actually ‘got it’… who could offer practical advice but also be a sounding board for the frustrations, worries, and hopes, of being a PDA parent. We usually met with Anna as a couple, and we both found the sessions enormously helpful and would highly recommend them to anyone living with a PDA child. Over our series of sessions Anna helped us to build our own understanding of PDA behaviour ….progress is gradual, but the important thing is we both feel much better-equipped to help him deal with his world, as a result of the time we spent with Anna.'

Parent

 

'Anna has been amazing. She gave us the confidence to keep going and the assurance that we are doing the right things. Gently guiding us in techniques, and thinking of things we would never have realised on our own. Being so deep inside our world, it is very hard to things clearly sometimes and she has a seemingly bottomless pit of tricks! In this confusing SEN world, she has made sense of some of it. I feel empowered to keep calmly battling away at a very difficult time in our lives, knowing that it will only serve to make things better for him and for us too'

Parent

 

‘Anna you quickly became my rock, during a complicated and exhausting time for my family. The fact that you have experienced the same and similar to us, made working with you incredibly easy, at a time where so much else felt incredibly hard. You listened, and you provided me with strategies that have made a significant and positive difference to our family life. Thank you for making me feel more confident about parenting my daughter with ASD/PDA. I’m so lucky I found you!’

Parent

 

'It was wonderful being coached by a parent of a special-needs child who understands the difficulties firsthand. It was great to know that I was not alone in the challenges I faced and had someone who literally worked side by side with me. I struggled to see that I was coming up against the same issues time and again, be they in different guises, and Anna suggested that I write up various scenarios and my responses (which we worked on together) which really helped me to manage my son'.

Parent

 

'I have found my coaching sessions with Anna invaluable. Anna made me feel at ease straight away. She really go to know me, my child and family set up. Anna let me lead the on the areas of focus but was also able to suggest some areas we may like to look at. Anna has provided a range of strategies and advice - as a result, I feel much more confident and equipped to handle a range of situations for my child now. I would not hesitate in recommending Anna to coach anyone parenting or working with a child with PDA'.

Parent