The Glimmer library
Nervous System Focused
Parent friendly
Created with lived experience
Regulation before compliance
I created these resources to help families better understand PDA nervous systems through the lens of safety, regulation, sensory processing, and autonomy.
My goal is to create support that feels validating, practical, and accessible — especially for families who feel exhausted by approaches that increase distress rather than reduce it.
Featured Products
This handout was created to support teachers, SNAs, and school staff working with neurodivergent students in autism classes. Grounded in both occupational therapy practice and lived experience, it explores regulation, sensory needs, communication, autonomy, and nervous system safety within school environments.
Rather than focusing on behaviour management or compliance, this resource encourages a neuroaffirmative, regulation-first approach centred on safety, connection, understanding, and participation.
This downloadable guide was created to support parents and caregivers navigating the often overwhelming world of neurodivergent support in Ireland. Written from both lived experience and clinical practice, it gently explains the different professionals, assessments, services, and supports families may come across along the way.
Inside, you’ll find practical guidance on understanding qualifications, recognising neuroaffirmative practice, asking the right questions, and making informed decisions that feel safe and supportive for your child and family.
My hope is that this resource helps families feel less alone, more informed, and more confident in navigating support systems with clarity and compassion.
This resource explains why many autistic people prefer the term autistic rather than ASD, and why language matters for safety, dignity, and access to the right support.
It offers a simple, neuroaffirmative explanation of autism as a neurotype, not a disorder, and helps parents, educators, and professionals understand how words shape assumptions, expectations, and responses.
This is useful if you want to:
use language that autistic people actually prefer
move away from deficit-based or medicalised framing
create safer, more respectful environments
support understanding without pathologising
Designed to be clear, shareable, and accessible for schools, families, and professional settings.
© 2026 Sorcha Rice.
All content, including written material and frameworks, is protected by copyright. Educational sharing with attribution is permitted. Commercial use or adaptation requires written permission.
FAQS
-
PDA is understood here through the lens of the nervous system rather than behaviour. Demands, uncertainty, sensory overwhelm, reduced autonomy, and social pressure can all create significant nervous system distress and reduced capacity.
-
Many behaviour-based approaches increase pressure, reduce autonomy, and unintentionally activate threat responses within the nervous system. When safety decreases, access to communication, flexibility, and regulation often decreases too.
-
When nervous systems become overwhelmed, access to communication, participation, regulation, and daily life can significantly reduce. What may appear like avoidance or refusal is often a sign that the nervous system no longer feels safe enough to access those capacities in that moment.
-
Many children use enormous amounts of energy masking, coping, and maintaining safety throughout the school day. Home is often the first environment where the nervous system feels safe enough to release accumulated stress and overwhelm.
-
My work is grounded in neurodiversity-affirming, trauma-informed, and nervous-system-informed practice.
I also believe neuroaffirming practice involves ongoing reflection, listening, and learning. I am always open to feedback on the resources I create and continue to evolve my understanding through lived experience, community voices, and continued learning.