PowerWood C.I.C is the UK’s leading not-for-profit, community driven, social venture committed to raising awareness about Neurodiversity as a positive force for change in society. We believe Neurodiversity is the result of normal, natural variation in humans. We celebrate this different way of looking at conditions or innate abilities that were traditionally pathologised. This point of view is increasingly supported by science and is challenging widespread social norms and stigmas.
Neurodiverse children and individuals need understanding, strategies and tools to enable them to direct their energy towards self-chosen goals and become a respected contributor to their community.
PowerWood’s aim is supporting and improving the emotional wellbeing of those families and individuals. Neurodiverse families are often living with intensity, super-sensitivity and hyper-reactivity. Psychologists refer to these combined traits as ‘overexcitability’ (OE). Having this increased sensitivity, awareness and intensity makes a real difference to how life is experienced. These positive personality traits may bring above-average energy, pleasure, enjoyment, creativity, interests and empathy. OE also often comes with the deep urge to make the world a better place for everyone.
Find Inspiring books
Learn more about OE (overexcitability) Learn more about Asynchronous Development Learn more about High Ability Learn more about problems encountered Learn more about Home Education Contact the office: 0749 1964 697
PowerWood provides – support, tools & strategies and opportunities—that help you connect positively with yourself and your children and similar families, keep you confident, and generally make your life more enjoyable.
For Parents
You are not alone!
Is your child or teenager intense, sensitive and easily overwhelmed? Does he or she sometimes react out of proportion: over-anxious, over-enthusiastic or over-fearful? They may be nervous, shy or very outgoing. Their behaviour may seem inappropriate or challenging and they are often misunderstood. Would you like to share your challenges with parents experiencing similar situations?
- Fill in the online OE Questionnaire
- Explore the support options, it is available in many different forms
- Book a free online session with Simone de Hoogh by Skype or phone (in the UK)
- Learn about Research and Experienced based Tools and Strategies
- Join the community, subscribe to the Newsletter
- Meet parents facing similar challenges, come to an event or become a Volunteer
For Individuals and Young People
Crave understanding?
Want to understand where your intensity stems from and why you seem to experience the world in a far more intense, multi-faceted way? You might even wonder if you have a psychological issue and want to find out about how intense is normal and how to deal constructively with the anxiety, frustration, self-doubt, maybe even self-loathing that sometimes comes with the intensity.
- Do the online OE Questionnaire
- Explore the support options, it is available in many different forms
- Book a free online session with Simone de Hoogh by Skype or phone (in the UK)
- Learn about Research and Experienced based Tools and Strategies
- Join the community, subscribe to the Newsletter
- Meet others facing similar challenges, come to an event or become a Volunteer
For Children, ‘Tweens’ and Teenagers
Feel different?
Want to understand why you feel, see and think differently, sometimes experiencing the world in a more overwhelming way compared with the other children around you? Feeling like others don’t always seem to understand you or think that you’re not quite normal? Would you like to meet children and teenagers who do feel like you do and who ‘get’ you?
- Do the online OE Questionnaire (with help of a parent if needed).
- Come to events, meet and become friends with children, ‘tweens’ or teenagers who feel different too.
- Create a drawing or story of something you would like to share, and send it to [email protected] for publishing on our gallery page, don’t forget to mention your name and your age.
- Ask your parents to go to thePowerWood Camp.
OE is a characteristic of the nervous system involving higher than average sensitivity to stimuli (a lower threshold to stimuli) and a higher than average response to stimuli. People who have these innate traits often experience asynchronous development, high-ability, twice-exceptionality (high-ability combined with a learning difficulty e.g. dyslexia) and sometimes sensory processing and anxiety related issues.
Find out if your child or teenager has OE as well!
Free talk with a professional
Please contact us if you would like to discuss the results of the OE Questionnaire or to learn more with a Free Introductory Talk with an experienced professional.
