PANDAS Course FAQs
Who is delivering the course?
The course is delivered by Kathryn Di Virgilio, a Psychotherapeutic Occupational Therapist with over 15 years’ experience working in mental health across the UK and Australia.
Kathryn has extensive training and experience in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and has worked with adults, young people and parents across NHS, private and charitable services. She specialises in helping people navigate anxiety, overwhelm, perfectionism, self-criticism, emotional wellbeing and life transitions through practical, compassionate and evidence-based approaches.
This course is open to anyone who identifies as a parent, regardless of the age of their children.
You do not need to be experiencing significant mental health difficulties to attend. The course is suitable for parents who are looking for practical tools, greater self-understanding and an opportunity to reflect on their wellbeing alongside other parents.
Do I need to have a diagnosis of neurodivergence to attend the Neurodivergent Parent course?
No. Many people identify with neurodivergent experiences without having a formal diagnosis.
You may resonate with the themes, or suspect you may be neurodivergent, in which case you are welcome to attend the course.
Do my children need to be neurodivergent for me to attend?
No. The course is designed around your experience as a parent, not your child’s diagnosis or needs
Courses run with a minimum of 4 participants and a maximum of 12 participants.
The smaller group format helps create opportunities for discussion, reflection and connection while ensuring everyone has space to participate at a level that feels comfortable.
All sessions are delivered online via Zoom.
You will receive joining information and instructions before the course begins.
No.
There is never any pressure to speak, share personal experiences or contribute beyond what feels comfortable for you.
Many participants find value in listening to others and reflecting on the discussions. Others choose to share more actively. Both approaches are welcome.
Our aim is to create a safe, supportive and respectful environment where everyone can participate in the way that works best for them.
To help create a safe and supportive group experience, we ask that participants:
- Attend from a private and confidential space wherever possible
- Keep cameras on during sessions unless discussed with the facilitator beforehand
- Treat other participants with kindness and respect
- Listen without judgement
- Respect the confidentiality of what is shared within the group
We understand that life happens and sometimes delays are unavoidable.
If you join late, we will do our best to admit you at an appropriate point in the session. However, because these are therapeutic groups, there may be occasions when it is not possible to admit participants once the session is underway.
If you anticipate being late, please let us know where possible.
No.
Places are booked on an individual basis and each participant must register separately.
No.
To protect the privacy and confidentiality of everyone attending, sessions are not recorded.
Yes.
Participants will have access to a dedicated online resource area containing worksheets, handouts, recordings and other materials relevant to the course content.
We encourage participants to attend all sessions wherever possible, as each week builds on previous learning and the group experience is an important part of the programme.
As sessions are not recorded, missed sessions cannot be replayed. However, any relevant resources and worksheets will be available through the course website.
The courses are therapeutic and draw on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Occupational Therapy principles. They are designed to support learning, reflection and personal growth within a group setting.
They are not a substitute for individual therapy, crisis support or emergency mental health services.
Yes.
We ask all participants to respect the confidentiality of the group and not share personal information disclosed by others outside of the sessions.
As with all professional services, there may be rare circumstances where confidentiality cannot be maintained if there are concerns about someone’s safety or the safety of others.
Please get in touch.
We are happy to answer questions and help you decide whether the course feels like a good fit for your current circumstances.
Unfortunately, we are not able to offer discounted or free places on these courses at this time.
We have worked hard to keep the cost of the programme as affordable as possible while ensuring we can continue to provide high-quality, professionally facilitated courses and maintain the resources, administration and support that sit behind them.
We understand that financial circumstances can vary, and if this changes in the future, we will share any funding opportunities or subsidised places through our usual channels.
We understand that parenting young children can be unpredictable, and for parents of babies, it may not always be possible to attend without them. If you need to feed, settle or care for your baby during a session, that is absolutely fine.
We simply ask that, where possible, you keep your microphone muted during periods of background noise to help minimise disruption for other participants.
For older children, we encourage participants to attend from a space where they can engage with the course with as few interruptions as possible. The sessions work best when everyone has the opportunity to focus, reflect and participate in a calm and confidential environment.
We completely appreciate that family life doesn’t always go to plan, but wherever possible, we ask that arrangements are made so that older children are not actively participating in or regularly interrupting the sessions. This helps ensure the group remains a supportive and respectful space for everyone attending.
If you need urgent help….
If you need urgent help or are worried about a loved one, call the Samaritans on 116 123 or the emergency services on 999.
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