Why mindfulness works and how it can help autistic children, young people and adults? In this clip Pete Wharmby shares his experience in our recent podcast conversation.

Mindfulness brings an experience of the present moment, the here and now in which anxiety doesn't exist, it just falls away.

Pete beautifully describes what it may look like.

Mindfulness isn't one practice and can be tailored to the needs of the individual. I'll share more about it in my next clip from our podcast conversation. Mindfulness allows the experience of peace and stillness within. From this place of inner calm life's challenges for the autistic person can be navigated with much more ease.

Developing the ability to be mindful, to pause, to be in the moment is what can transform our (neurodivergent) life.

To watch and listen to the full podcast conversation with Pete please go to: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6ElrVXu3IE4wvMaoOI5nxz...

Watch this space for the next clip Happy Summer Solstice weekend!I'll be up at dawn to lead a small Summer Solstice sunrise gathering tomorrow.

I'm Katerina. I help autistic children feel confident, embrace their uniqueness, feel good in their body and navigate life with more easy and joy. I teach them techniques which help them regulate their nervous system, help them feel calmer inside and in tune with their body. I help them feel happy about who they are and encourage them to shine in the world and be the leaders they came to be. They were never meant to fit in. They were meant to stand out.

I support their parents, especially sensitive, empathic and neurodivergent mothers, to become the parent they wish to be for their child, build trust and confidence in themselves and live a fulfilled life with purpose.

I do so through therapeutic coaching, mindfulness and meditation and Reiki energy healing. I will soon be a qualified EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) practitioner too.

If you're curious about how mindfulness can help you or your child book a free discovery call with me here: https://calendly.com/mindcraftkids/30minYou're also very welcome to join my community and sign up to receive (mindful) letters from mehttps://dashboard.mailerlite.com/.../86080908010980485/share

I share free resources, guidance and words of encouragement and you can learn about workshops and events I create for my community.

Episode 18: Parenting Autistic Children: Understanding, Advocacy, and Acceptance

Host: Katerina Newbury - Therapeutic Coach, Mindfulness and Meditation Teacher and Reiki Practitioner specialising in supporting autistic, highly sensitive children and young people and their (also autistic) parents Guest: Pete Wharmby – Author, Autistic Advocate, SpeakerIn this re-launch episode, Katerina is joined by acclaimed autistic advocate and author, Pete Wharmby, for an essential conversation focused on what it really means to parent autistic children.Drawing from his own experience as a late-diagnosed autistic adult—and as a parent himself—Pete offers unique, deeply compassionate insights for families navigating neurodivergence.

Katerina and Pete unpack the emotional, societal, and institutional challenges parents often face, and share how to stay grounded in love, trust, and acceptance.This is a must-listen for any parent seeking to better understand their autistic child, to support their unique needs, and to build a home where they are seen and celebrated—not “fixed.”In this episode Katerina and Pete further discuss:

• Why your intuition as a parent matters more than outdated societal expectations.
• The emotional toll of parenting against external judgment—from schools, family, and peers.
• How to become your child’s fiercest advocate without burning out.
• Supporting your child’s self-regulation through simple daily choices (yes, video games can help)
• How masking, anxiety, and lack of trust affect your child—and what you can do to counter it.
• The importance of co-regulation and calm presence in the parent-child dynamic.
• Creating a home environment where your child doesn’t feel “wrong” for being themselves.

• Why your parenting doesn’t have to look “normal” to be effective and loving.📚 Topics Also Covered:
• Communication challenges: decoding small talk and hidden expectations
• Why eye contact is misunderstood and pathologized
• Cultural vs. medical views of autism
• Mindfulness as a regulation tool—for parents and children (with neurodivergent-specific adaptations)
• Nature as a healing, sensory-safe space for autistic people

• Why acceptance must come before advocacy💬 Final Message for Parents“Parent your actual child—not the imaginary one that society expects. Trust what you know about them. If playing The Sims before school helps them feel okay, that’s valid. Create safety at home. That’s where it all begins.”

🗣️ Host Bio: Katerina Newbury is a therapeutic coach, guide and mentor for families of sensitive, highly sensitive and neurodivergent children and young people. She is a mindfulness and meditation teacher, Reiki practitioner and EFT therapist. She is passionate about supporting the mental health and emotional well-being of neurodivergent children and young people, helping them navigate the challenges of life with more ease and building confidence in themselves, embracing their uniqueness.

Katerina's mission is to raise consciousness of families, especially Mums and help them find their purpose in life and live with more joy and fulfilment. She is based in Chippenham, UK, and works in-person as well as online.

https://mindcraftkids.com

https://facebook.com/mindcraftkids

https://instagram.com/katerina_mindcraft

Book your free connection call here:

https://calendly.com/mindcraftkids/30min

🗣️ Guest Bio: Peter Wharmby is a writer, speaker, and advocate for the autistic community.

Diagnosed in adulthood, Pete now dedicates his life to increasing public understanding of autism, particularly around identity, communication, and systemic change. He is the author of Untypical and What I Want to Talk About, with a third book on the way to be published in 2026.He is also a proud parent, and his work often centres the lived experience of autistic children and their families.

📚 Twitter: @PeteWharmbyhttps://petewharmby.com/IG @pete_wharmby_booksFB Pete Wharmby, Autistic Author

Why would you want to love yourself? What kind of strange concept is it?

Isn't it selfish and narcissistic to love yourself?

I wanted love in my life. I wanted connection. I wanted to feel true connection to my boys AND my husband. Most importantly I needed tore-connectwith myself, my essence, Life itself.

The problem is you can't create genuine, deep connect with others when you're disconnected from yourself and your heart.

I hadn't realised how closed up my heart was; how thick were the walls I'd built around it. Nothing could get through. There my long journey of return to myself started. I needed to open my heart again. I needed to find love for myself so that I can share it with others.

The journey isn't over. I'm finding greater and greater depths within my heart that require me to enter. Each time it's a little scary. An open heart brings with it a lot of vulnerability...

However, I now know it is the only way. And the rewards are immense.

Imagine how much more love and joy you could feel if your heart were truly open... To be shared with others...

Here is my gift to you, Beautiful Souls, a meditation to help you connect to your heart and start loving yourself a little bit more.

With Love

KaterinaPS: for more support to guide you towards an open heart and healing join our private FB groupFinding Our (True) Selves