A New Take on Language Function and Literacy: An Interview with Dr. Ellyn Lucas Arwood

“The bottom-line, is that the programs, materials, and curricula that are sound-based do not match with the way the children think to learn. So, teachers work harder but don’t always receive the positive success they deserve. Older students work harder to produce the sound-based patterns for tests, homework, and so forth without the conceptual learning. Working harder but not smarter stresses everyone–students, families, and teachers.”

Working with Suicidal Individuals – An Interview with JKP author Tony White

“There is a group of people who have made what is known as the suicide decision in childhood. From a psychological point of view this person could be considered the ‘truly’ suicidal person. Their psychological make up is structured such that suicide is a viable option for them to solve difficult problems at some point in their life. These people can be treated such that they can make a change to that early suicide decision and thus the likelihood of suicide being used as a problem solving technique in the future is greatly reduced.”

Pioneering Play and Dramatherapist Dr Sue Jennings on Healthy Attachments and her theory of Neuro-Dramatic-Play (NDP)

“True empathy is part of a very genuine understanding of the other person. And we learn this through dramatic playing which we can observe in the first few hours after a baby is born: they will try to imitate the expression on the mothers face…the baby is responding as if they are the mother; this ‘dramatic response’ continues to develop in those early weeks and months, like a life rehearsal for the development of empathy.”

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ME: Support for Family and Friends – An Interview with JKP author Elizabeth Turp

“Although I have made a good recovery from CFS/ME and currently have few symptoms, I have to live a much reduced lifestyle to stay well – good sleep routines, minimizing stress, not saying yes to every request and seeking a lot more support than I used to, especially when I get over-tired…The danger for people whose CFS/ME symptoms have improved is that others see them looking well and doing things again (and writing books!) and think this means they are fine, when the reality is far more complicated!”

Good record-keeping matters: An excerpt from Jacki Pritchard’s ‘Recording Skills in Safeguarding Adults’

“We know that most workers are under extreme pressure with ever increasing workloads and there can be a reluctance to give recording the priority it deserves. Increasing workloads can be partly due to a lack of resources. It is important that people in positions of power argue for an increase in resources, but to do that arguments have to be put forward that there is a real need. Keeping good records can aid this.”

JKP author Jonathan Shailor on the benefits of prison theatre and his new book ‘Performing New Lives’

“Prison theatre works because it provides a sanctuary apart from the harsh prison environment, where it is safer to be vulnerable, to self-disclose, and to experiment with new ways of expressing oneself and relating to other people. There is both support, and structure. We have a play to perform. We are accountable to one another. In programs that culminate with performances for prison audiences, and (especially) public audiences, there is an opportunity for prisoners to display and celebrate the culmination of their weeks or months of hard work. They can show themselves to themselves in the mirror of the audience, as people of value, as people who can make a contribution.”

Securing Appropriate Education Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders – An interview with author Allison Hope-West

“Evelyn often spoke to me about how after her son received his diagnosis that she expected the ‘autism fairy’ to arrive at her house and explain the implications of Jasper having autism to her, as well as helping her secure educational provision which met his needs. Other families also spoke about how prior to diagnosis they were labelled as being bad parents and told that it was their fault that their child was not behaving in school. Almost all stated that they had been through the most emotionally (and often financially) draining time of their lives to try and secure appropriate provision, and that little or no help or advice had been forthcoming…”