https://dragonflynortheast.thementalwellbeingcompany.com/

Dragonfly Wellbeing, North Shields (2025)

04/12/2025

Being a parent/carer can be difficult, juggling all the balls/plates that life throws at us, and adding to that, having ADHD and wanting to try and do everything for everyone can mean that some areas don't get enough of you.

I have decided to take a brief break from Dragonfly North East for a while. A lot is happening in other parts of my life at the moment, as well as a few important things that require my attention, and I feel this is the right time to step back briefly.

This isn't the end of Dragonfly North East - it's simply a pause. I am incredibly grateful to each of you who has been part of this journey so far. Your support, encouragement, and kind words have meant more than I can say. Being part of this community has been such a privilege, and I carry all of your energy with me into this next chapter.

I want to reassure you that I will continue to work with my current clients and will be happy to respond to anyone who reaches out and needs support during this time. Thank you for understanding and for being part of this journey. I'm looking forward to the future and eagerly anticipate reconnecting when the time feels right.

Speak soon, Tori 💜

28/11/2025

🌊 Building Your Vessel 🌊

When your child is struggling, it can feel like you're both caught in the same storm - emotions high, waves crashing, and your instinct pulling you to fix or rescue. But before you can then through the storm, you need to steady your own ship.

At Dragonfly North East, we know that co-regulation begins with you. It's not about perfect words or flawless calm - it's about awareness, compassion, and the small, intentional choices you make to stay grounded.

Your calm is the vessel that carries your child safely through their emotional seas. Every breath, every pause, every moment of connection strengthens the hull - reminding both of you that safety is found not in control, but in presence.

💙 Take a moment to reflect:
⚓ What anchors you when emotions rise?
⚓ What helps you return to calm when your child feels lost in the storm?

We'd love to hear your thoughts below because sharing our experiences helps us all build steadier ships.

26/11/2025

🌿 "Connection Is the Intervention" 🌿

At Dragonfly North East, we remind ourselves every day that before any strategy, support plan, or intervention, connection comes first. In fact, Connection itself is the intervention.

When someone is dysregulated, distressed or struggling, it's natural to want to jump straight into problem-solving. But what they often need most isn't a solution - it's someone. Someone who will slow down, truly see them, and stay present without judgement.

Whether it's a child, a young person, or an adult, regulation begins through a relationship. Actual growth happens in the moments of felt safety - when a nervous system senses connection instead of correction. It's here that change can take root.

We don't always need to do more. Sometimes, the most powerful thing we can offer is simply being there. A calm voice, a kind presence, a safe space - these aren't "extras" in trauma-informed work. They are the foundation of the work itself.

💙 Connection is the intervention. Relationship is the foundation.
👉 Join us this week as we continue to explore how meaningful connection supports regulation, healing and long-term wellbeing. Follow along, share your thoughts, and join this vital conversation.

24/11/2025

🌿 “You Don’t Have to Be Calm All the Time to Co-Regulate” 🌿

At Dragonfly North East, we work from a trauma-informed lens that places relationships at the heart of everything we do. This week, we are reflecting on the powerful theme: relationships before regulation and how essential connection is in creating the safety needed for regulation to even be possible. The truth is, co-regulation doesn't require us to be perfectly calm or have it all together. It asks us to be authentic, present and attuned - especially when emotions run high.

Being human with one another, showing empathy in real time, and offering a steady presence (even if wobbly) is what builds trust. Children and adults alike learn to regulate through relationship, not correction. And it's within safe, consistent relationships that nervous systems begin to settle and healing can happen. So let's remember: You don't have to be calm all the time to co-regulate, but you do have to show up.

21/11/2025

"A child doesn't need perfection - they need predictability" 💛

When we think about routines, it's easy to fall into the trap of trying to do everything right - every step, every time. But real connection and growth don't come from rigid schedules.

They come from safety, trust, and a sense of "I know what to expect." Because the truth is:
✨ Routines are regulation
✨ Predictability is safety
✨ And compassion is more powerful than perfection.

When we build routines with warmth, flexibility, and space to pause or pivot, we're doing more than just managing the day - we are co-regulating. We're helping a child's nervous system feel calm, anchored, and safe enough to learn, play and connect.

This is especially true for neurodivergent children, who often rely on consistent cues to navigate a world that can feel unpredictable or overwhelming. So if your routine doesn't always go to plan, that's okay. You're not doing it wrong. You're human. And you're showing your child how to adapt with care.

🧡 This month, we're reminding each other that "Routines, not rigidity" means making room for both structure and softness. That's where the real magic happens.

19/11/2025

✨ 3 Flexible Routine Tools We Love ✨

At Dragonfly, we believe routines don't have to be rigid or helpful. In fact, the best routines are the ones that bend without breaking, offering a sense of safety rather than pressure.

So this month, as we explore the theme, "Routine, not rigidity", we're sharing 3 gentle, adaptable tools that can help bring more calm and predictability to your day - especially for neurodivergent 👇

🌈 1. Visual Timetables - Whether it's a printed chart, magnets on the fridge, or a quick sketch on a whiteboard, visual schedules help children see what's coming. They reduce anxiety, support transitions, and create a sense of control.
🧩 2. First-Then Boards - Simple but powerful. These boards help break the day into manageable steps, reduce overwhelm, and build trust around expectations - especially during challenging parts of the routine, such as getting dressed or leaving the house.
🕰️ 3) Routine Cards or Choice Board - offering small choices within a routine can be a game-changer. Routine cards with pictures can help children.

✨ Remember: a good routine supports your child — not the other way around. It's okay to adjust things, go slowly, or start small.

🧡 What's one routine tool that's helped in your home? Share it in the comments - your idea might spark a lightbulb moment for another family!

17/11/2025

Let's talk about structure - and bust some myths.

If you've ever been told that "routine is too rigid" or that "structure doesn't work for your child," you're not alone. There's a lot of misunderstanding out there - especially when it comes to neurodivergent kids.

✨ Our theme this week is: Routines, not rigidity. Because structure doesn't have to mean strict schedules or power struggles. It can mean calm, clarity and connection.

So this week at Dragonfly, we're unpacking 3 common myths about structure and what's actually true 👇

🌿 MYTH 1: Routine is about control. Truth: It's not about controlling behaviour - it's about offering predictability. Predictable rhythms help kids feel safe, especially in a world that can feel overwhelming.

🌿 MYTH 2: Flexibility means no routine. Truth: Routine can be flexible. It's not one-size-fits-all. You can build in breathing space, options, and soft transitions - and still offer the comfort of structure.

🌿 MYTH 3 - Meltdowns mean you've done it wrong. Truth #: Meltdowns aren't failures. They're communicating. They're a sign your child is overwhelmed - not that you've "messed up."

If you're navigating daily routines with a neurodivergent child, know this: structure doesn't have to be strict. It can be soft, responsive, creative - and tailored to your family's needs.

💬 What has helped bring calm, predictability, or flow to your days? What myths did you once believe — and now see differently?

🧡 Share in the comments — your journey might be the reassurance someone else needs this week.

14/11/2025

What if rest was something we built - piece by piece, like a home?

A home with walls made of boundaries, windows that let in light, and rooms filled with laughter, stillness, and messy, beautiful moments of peace.

Rest isn't the absence of activity - it's the presence of care. It's the choice to slow down, to listen, to notice, to nurture ourselves and the children in our care. It's what keeps us whole, connected, and human in a world that rarely slows down.

For our children, rest might look different every day. And for parents and carers, rest can feel just as radical.

This week at Dragonfly, we're leaning into the truth that rest is resistance. Because when we choose to rest - as parents, carers, children, families - we're choosing to build something strong, gentle, and enduring: a home that can hold us all. A home that reminds us that slowing down is not weakness - it's a strength. 🏡💛

What does rest look like in your home? How do you and your little ones create space to pause, breathe, and just be? Share with us - your story might be exactly what another parents needs to hear today.

12/11/2025

Rest happens when we move gently and reconnect with nature's rhythm 🍃

Sometimes, rest is moving slowly - tiptoeing along a forest path, tracing patterns in the sand, or simply wandering through the garden together.

For children and adults alike, these gentle, mindful movements in nature create space to pause, reconnect and recharge. Rest can be a slow exploration, a quiet adventure, and a way to be fully present with the world around us.

This week, let's embrace rest that moves - softly, intentionally, and with wonder. 🌿💛

10/11/2025

🎨 The Art of Rest 🎨

Rest isn't doing nothing - and that is more than okay.

For many children, rest doesn't mean switching off or lying still. It can be something quieter, smaller, and deeply personal. Sometimes, it's a soft hum in the background, a cosy corner filled with familiar comfort, or simply the chance to let their body unwind and their thoughts drift.

For children who feel the world in big, beautiful and sometimes overwhelming ways, rest becomes an act of care, it's a kind of quiet resistance - a refusal to be swept up in the endless rush.

Because we live in a culture that praises busyness but rarely celebrates stillness. Yet it's in those slower moments that let the real magic unfold. That's where healing happens, and that is where balance is found.

There is no single way to rest.
Rest is not weakness.
It's strength - tender, powerful and beautifully human. 💛

What does rest look like for your child?
How did they find their calm?
We'd love to hear from you!

07/11/2025

🎮 Grounding Quest: Understanding Every Nervous System

Every child's nervous system is unique - and so is the way they find calm. In our Grounding Quest: Neurodivergent Edition, we explore what "grounding" might look like for different players and why no two paths are ever the same. 🌿

⚡ Level 1: The Mover - For some children, grounding comes through rhythm and motion. Rocking, pacing, dancing, spinning - their bodies move to regulate.
💎 Level 2: The Holder - Others find safety through touch. A smooth stone, a soft toy, something that holds to say "I'm safe here."
🎨 Level 3: The Creator - Some children find calm through creative flow. Painting, music, building — ways to express what words can’t always hold.

At Dragonfly North East, we understand that grounding isn't about fitting a mould - it's about honouring who they are 💚

When we meet children with patience, curiousity, and respect, we help them build the tools they need to feel safe, seen and truly grounded. Because in this quest - there is no leaderboard, no competition and no "perfect" way to play.

Just unique players, each finding their own way home to calm.

🌟 Mission Complete: Understanding Every Nervous System.
🩵 Level up in compassion. Unlock connection.

05/11/2025

✨ Safety isn’t stillness — it’s connection. ✨

On this November 5th, as fireworks light up the sky for Guy Fawkes Night, it's important to remember that safety can feel very different for every child.

For some, the loud noises and bright flashes might feel overwhelming rather than exciting. At Dragonfly North East, we understand that feeling safe doesn't always mean sitting still or being silent.

Safety is found in connection with their bodies, with trusted people, and with the world around them. It might be the steady rhythm of movement, a comforting touch, or simply knowing someone is there who truly understands.

It could be the calm of a cosy corner, or the grounding peace of nature, far from the noise. Because safety isn't about stillness or silence - it's about feeling seen, heard, and held.

As the fireworks sparkle outside, we hold space for every child's unique way of finding peace and connection - knowing this is the true foundation for well-being. 💛

Safety isn't stillness - it's the living, breathing connection that holds us steady, no matter what's happening around us.

Dragonfly Wellbeing

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