About Gemma
I’m originally from Catalonia, North East of Spain. As a Psychology student in 2013, I moved to the UK and began working with autistic children and young people. I was eager to learn and gain hands-on experience, but nothing could have prepared me for the challenges I faced. The high levels of aggression and challenging behaviour I encountered were overwhelming, and as a young, petite woman, I often found myself in precarious situations.
Despite the difficulties, I was determined to understand the underlying causes of these behaviours and to find ways to support these children. I soon realized that my Psychology course had only scratched the surface of autism and other neurodivergent conditions. I knew that I needed to delve deeper, to learn more about the complexities of behaviour and to better understand the individual needs of each child. I began to educate myself on various approaches, from behavioural interventions to connection-based methods, and I also explored the medical aspects of neurodiversity. I learned that individuals don’t live in isolation, and that their environment plays a significant role in shaping their behaviour. I realised that behaviour was a lot more complex than the ABCs described in behavioural approaches, and that if we were to address challenging behaviour we needed to use an individualised intervention that explores the multiple factors involved in the behaviours of concern.
My goal is not to create compliant children who simply follow rules without question. Instead, I aim to empower parents and families to understand the underlying reasons for their child’s challenging behaviour and to equip them with the tools to meet their child’s unique needs. This may involve teaching new skills, addressing sleep issues, increasing distress tolerance, or making adjustments to daily routines. Ultimately, my objective is to help children develop the skills and resilience needed to navigate the world independently, build meaningful relationships, and lead happy, fulfilling lives. By taking a holistic and individualized approach, I believe we can unlock the full potential of each child and help them thrive.
Qualifications
- BSc in Psychology
- MSc in Child Psychology
- Level 5 Paediatric Sleep Practitioner course
- Lots of hands-on experience