A parent's perspective on YouTube (2.16)
Interview with David (father): "I used to react quite strongly to our older daughter. She has a lot of overexcitabilities [..] Because she doesn't know how to deal with these things she acts out. And before [PowerWood] I would have followed the traditional route, I would tell her off for acting out to try and get her to stop.Without really understanding what was driving her behaviour. With what I have learned here, I have a bit more of an access to what is actually going on for her behind the scenes. And also sometimes, to be honest, my own overexcitabilities..!"
"Our supply of Jorman's Lego has been eroded" and our children love to play with it :)
So if you have any Lego lying around... donations welcome! As our children love to play with lego at all PowerWood events! Thank YOU!
Message from Simone*: "We, emotional OE mums, don't want to let anybody down, we want to be there for the people we care about, always. Our first challenge is to prioritise ourselves and allow ourselves to disappoint others and seek what we need (e.g. pleasure, joy and time for ourselves) so we have the excess of energy and emotional resilience needed to be able to give and support full heartedly:)!"
PowerWood Project CIC is a not-for-profit Social Enterprise founded by Simone de Hoogh, with the support of many enthusiastic and skilled volunteers
Our Aims and Values
Raise awareness of neurological diversity as a positive force for change in society.
PowerWood supports families with non neuro-typical and overexcitable (OE) individuals leading to more harmonious family life, where people are able to fulfil their passions and dreams.
For those families, we aim to
Provide a safe, non judgemental space to connect, learn and grow together.
Give parents the information, tools and strategies to be able to build their energy reserve, resilience and willpower, and communicate in an effective and caring manner.
Increase access to the natural world and sustainable living.
Our core values
Parents are the experts on ourselves, our children and our family situation.
We celebrate, cherish and embrace our neurodiversity as natural variation.
We offer understanding, compassion and support.
We model being true to ourselves, authentically and happily unique.
We make informed decisions, drawing on a wide range of theories, models and clinical experience, adapted to personal circumstances,belief systems, and lifestyle choices of each client.
Through taking responsibility for nature, we learn to take responsibility for ourselves and the people we love
* Simone de Hooghis the founder of PowerWood and an experienced Parenting Consultant, Life Coach, and ‘ECHA Specialist in Gifted Education’ and founder of PowerWood. Experienced in working with a wide range of children and families, she provides information and support for living with atypical and/or overexcitable children. Through family and individual support, workshops, and PowerWood Camp, Simone aims to raise awareness, increase understanding, support parents, and improve family dynamics.
Simone has followed a postgraduate programme towards The European Advanced Diploma in Educating the Gifted at the Radboud University in the Netherlands, approved by the European Council of High Ability (ECHA) and received the diploma in 2008.
Simone is also a qualified teacher trainer for World Language developed by Laura Groebbé (2007). Using World Language, children can map their learning and thinking experience.
In 2010 Simone de Hoogh won an award from UnLtd to start the first PowerWood Camp. In 2012 the Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Programme offered her a fully funded year of learning including a grant to help grow PowerWood further. Simone has been married to her partner Nic for more then twenty years and is the mother of two young adults.
