We have recently been given the opportunity to use Gentle Release Therapy to support people with Autism and ADHD and the initial outcomes have been so successful I wanted to share them in one place. To protect any children involved each case has been included confidentially.

Case Study 1 – 7 Year Old Girl – Autism

Six months ago, my daughter really started to struggle, the Christmas differences at school seemed to be the final straw and having spent weeks trying to be a super sitter in rehearsals for the nativity she was no longer able to function within her normal boundaries. Getting her into school each morning became more difficult, and at home things weren’t great either. At first, I thought it was anxiety, but then a GP suggested Autism, I started reading everything I could about autism in girls and was convinced that she was autistic and started to piece the puzzle together from the experiences we have had since she came into the world.

Unfortunately, the NHS weren’t able to refer us for a diagnosis or any direct support, and we were fortunate to be able to get her a private diagnosis. But a diagnosis is no magic pill, and whilst it offered lots of recommendations to support her at school, there was more that could be done to support her.

How her autism was affecting her

• Very high anxiety and worry (mainly about school, felt safe at home)
• Very sensitive to clothes (this had been an issue in the past but Gentle Release has helped every time it escalates)
• Very low self esteem – at times saying she is a bad girl (which she isn’t at all)
• Very sensitive to friendships, remarks or comments from the playground
• Needing to move around at school (part of her sensory needs)
• Sensitive to noise and people at school
• Extremely stressed by maths (which turned out to be related to a previous bad experience when she had been told off for accidentally answering someone else’s maths question. (This was resolved quickly in one Gentle Release Session and Maths hasn’t been a problem since).
• Couldn’t sit with family for meals at Christmas
• Meltdowns that would last for hours over the Christmas period
• Unable to cope at school full time
• Struggle to cope with playdates, dance lessons, after school clubs
• Extremely sensitive to being told off or even being looked at with a ‘sad face’
• She would hide her face as she didn’t want people to see it, which I suspect was when she no longer had the energy to mask.

Gentle Release Therapy

I knew Gentle Release had helped her clothing sensory problems before, so I thought Gentle Release was worth a try. From the difficult place we were in it did take a number of treatments to get her back to a place we all felt better and had resolved the issues that had been challenging us all. I would say at the beginning she was having maybe 4 x 45 minute sessions a week for a few weeks. Sometimes the treatments would cause some kind of completely irrational outburst afterwards, but this would settle quickly and I always thought it was some of that extra pent up energy getting out. It feels like due to her extra sensitivities and autism superpowers her bucket for things she can cope with can get very full, and once it is full it can seem like there is no way out. It becomes too difficult for her to process not only emotions, but also physical experiences and Gentle Release Therapy helps her empty that bucket and gives her that capacity to cope with life again.

We are grateful that her school have put lots of things in place to support her and she is now back in school almost full time and the struggle to get her into school each morning is only a painful memory. She has been fine at home for months now and meltdowns are also a thing of the past. I know that we need to keep a careful eye on that bucket, and schedule in treatments for when it looks like things are starting to escalate. I want her to see her neurodiversity as a superpower, but we also need to be aware that with great power comes great responsibility and as she gets older we will need to help her spot the signs her bucket is getting full and ask for a treatment or learn how to do Gentle Release for herself.

Supporting Neurodivergent Adults

Neurodivergence doesn't stop at childhood. Here is how one parent has been using Gentle Release to support her adult daughter through autistic and ADHD burnout.

"My adult daughter has recently suffered a full breakdown due to autistic and ADHD burnout. During her recovery she has experienced frequent meltdowns and spiralling, as she has struggled to regulate her nervous system. Helen suggested working on the vagus nerve, having seen how well this worked with her own daughter.

I use the first four points of the vagus treatment, and the results are astonishing. The first two holds on the occipital and jugular foramen seem to reassure her, but the holds on the ears are transformative. This is where all the energy seems to be, and the calming effect is instant. The overwhelm evaporates, steadiness returns.

The treatment has become a valuable element of her toolkit, giving her more confidence and removing some of her fear about becoming dysregulated."

If you would like to learn these four points yourself, the Introduction to the Vagus Nerve course teaches you exactly what the parent above is using. You can also read more about how Gentle Release works with the vagus nerve in our full piece.

We are conscious that not only do our children's buckets get very full but as parents and carers we need to be able to empty our buckets to help us support our children or relatives. Paying for regular treatments can be expensive, but Gentle Release is something you can use to support your family yourself. We offer our Virtual Gentle Release Practitioner Retreat during School Hours Monday - Friday so you can attend without having to get away. The course is normally £455 but to support neurodiverse families, if we have spaces available we just ask that you contribute £250 (which can be paid in instalments). If you ever decide to become a Gentle Release Practitioner you would need to top up and pay the remainder. We do occasionally have scholarship places available, so if you can't afford £250 but desperately want to do this please contact us and explain more about your situation and we will see what we can do.

If you would rather have someone else do the treatments, these can be done virtually or in person. You can find a Gentle Release Practitioner here 

If you would like to explore Gentle Release Therapy yourself, find out more about the Introduction to Gentle Release Therapy Course. We also have a closed Facebook Group with some free Guided Gentle Releases which you may find helpful.