The document provides feedback from multiple parents and individuals about their experience attending Mind Over Manner (MOM) workshops led by Sue Haldane. The workshops use role-playing scenarios to demonstrate challenges faced by families of children with autism spectrum disorder or ADHD. Parents found the workshops to be emotionally impactful but pragmatic, giving them strategies to better understand and support their children. Attendees felt less isolated knowing other families faced similar issues. They highly recommended the workshops to other parents and caregivers.

1. Parent Feedback from North Shore
Workshop May 2015
My attendance at a my first Mom workshop was a revelation.As a
parent of a 12 year old boy with Aspergers and ADD my wife and I
had made multiple visits to therapists and life-skill counsellors.
But to be able to experience that same valuable advice at a MoM
workshop combined with its powerful actuality of brilliant actors
portraying real life,every day scenarios and challenges that families
with kids on the spectrum live with made the experience
exponentially more effective.
The fact it was shared with like-mindedparents and caregivers who
were able to listento and learn from each others experiences and
feedback added another, unexpected level of poignancy to the
whole event.And it was an event.An emotionally draining but
pragmatically uplifting one, that you get to participate in, not just
‘be at’.
My immediate reaction at the end of the workshop was “how can
we get this in front of other parents and caregivers out there.”
I felt so fortunate to have benefited from it, that I also felt guilty
others hadn’t - simply because I knew how much of an impact it had
made, and would make, to many others. The many more families
and wonderfully enlightening, but incredibly challenging, kids who
live in our world but on their spectrum.
I know I will go to the very next MoM workshop available. I just
hope we don’t have to wait too long, and that as many others as
possible get to share and experience it.
Mike Hall
Auckland
12th
May 2015

2. Workshop Feedback from The Albert / Eden
Workshop Series 2013
Written by a woman who attended a Mind Over Manner Workshop
“for those in a relationship with a person who is on the autistic spectrum”
I recently attended a MOM Workshop in Mt Eden for partners of people
with high functioning Aspergers. It was a valuable experience and useful for
me, as living with someone with Aspergers can be extremely isolating. Most
people do not understand how difficult it is. Reading books has helped but
attending a workshop taken by someone who understands and can present
ways to deal with living in this situation was even better. I would endorse the
attendance at these MOM workshops by anyone living with someone who has
high functioning Aspergers.
regards
Sandie
I went to this and it was fantastic. There was a really good
segment on ADHD and ADD type behavior. I highly
recommend the workshops for all parents.
Natasha @ Autism New Zealand

3. Hi Sue,
I thought the workshop was fantasticand I am keen to attend
more. I was impressed by the skill of the actors and I liked the way
the scenarios were rewound,explored,repackaged and played
again. I found I empathised stronglywith the first scenario,
probablybecause it was a highly emotional situation similarto what
we go through and was a raw shock – which was great, there is
nothinglike raw emotion to anchorlearning. Lookingat the other
parents I saw the same response – somethinglike this gives hope to
parents tryingtheir hardest with onlylife skills to guide them.
I havespoken very favourablyabout this to others and I have
recommended it to a work colleague whose sister has a daughter,
currentlyundiagnosed,but exhibits learningand social difficulties.
Kind Regards
Steve ( parent)
I was really blown away by Tuesday nights performance and
felt it was incredibly powerful.

4. I came with a parent the other night and it was excellent. It provided some
simple strategies that we are going to put in place at home and it really helped
her to see that she was not alone.
Really looking forward to the next one re the links to school. As I work in
secondary schools it is great to get the adolescent perspective. What you are
doing is invaluable.
Many thanks
Jill
Secondary School RTLB
Hilary Ord
27 Lincoln Street
Ponsonby
AUCKLAND
25 July 2013
LETTER IN SUPPORT OF MIND OVER MANNER
As a parent with a recently diagnosed Aspergers teenager, I attended Sue
Haldane’s first workshop held at Tapac this month.
I was seeking an understanding of my daughter’s condition and was particularly
seeking an understanding of her behaviour that had troubled us all her life.
What worked so well in this instance was the role playing of the actors, the
interaction between actor and audience, and the way Sue guided the workshop
in a very calm, kind and empathetic manner. There were times that some parts
very distressing for me; but at the same time I was reassured that I was not
alone, that my very private life, and the difficulty my child was experiencing was
shared by others in the room.
I loved the advice that other parents shared, the kind hugs when it got tough, the
way the actors put all their energy into enacting behaviour (as both parents and
children) in a very real and well researched way.
I have been sharing this experience with the school counsellors at Western
Springs College, where my daughter attends, I have also recommended the
workshop to Natasha at Autism New Zealand; I have recommended to friends
with autistic and Asperger children.
I hope that Sue can receive financial help to fund this course, but I truly believe it
will make a difference in our lives.
Kind regards
Hilary Ord
021 02743527
Testimonial from Janita

5. ‘Mind over Manner’ (MoM) with facilitator Sue Haldane is one of those rare
workshop experiences – it offers valuable information and insights for parents,
educators and professionals who encounter Asperger’s Syndrome on a
regular basis. As a parent of a teenager with Asperger’s Syndrome and as an
educator for 20 years I found ‘MoM’ to be informative, uplifting and full of ideas
for working through potential issues with young people with Asperger’s
Syndrome. The active participation of the audience with the actors and the
opportunities for discussion and reflection really helped to create a sense of
group identity and belonging and encouraged warmth and acceptance within
the group. It is a highly worthwhile experience which offers a very unique
workshop approach through its use of actors and role play.
Hi Sue,
I enjoyed last night's workshop thanks, it was informative and entertaining. I
found the use of drama helped me to grasp the concepts far better than the
typical listening to a lecture with a power-point display.
Here's some links for you to begin your research into the Feuerstein methods.
If your ever over my way (Meadowbank end of Remuera) I'm happy to show
you some of the student and teaching material.
Warm regards,
Vaughan
Hi Sue,
Were you the one running the workshop tonight? Sorry, I
forgot your name but not your face!
I'm the 'comedian' in the front row. I found your workshop
absolutely fantastic, touching & informative. The actors were
brilliant.
Is ADD very similar to ADHD? If so I would like to drag my sons
father along who doesn't live with him & has very little
understanding of how ADHD & add presents, as my son has
both as I mentioned but found the ADHD workshop very helpful
& demonstrates my sons everyday troubles. I ask because I
got his father to go to another workshop that didn't quite
represent our son & I don't have many chances with his father
to get him interested in understanding this.
Thanks again.

6. Alita
Feedback:
I can't praise these workshops enough - fantastic actors playing a
brilliantly thought out scenario, based on typical situations - day to
day family stress, holiday situations, exams or new school situations.
I have found the perspectives presented, (usually from the teenager's
point of view but inclusive of the entire family) to be extremely
powerful, and very enlightening:
A topical scenario is enacted, with a confrontational, emotional,
upsetting but completely believable conclusion - showing the impact
on the entire family, not just the ASD or ADHD teenager.
The audience are then invited to share their ideas and their feedback,
in order to "rewrite" the scene, and work out, together, another more
constructive conclusion, This "better ending" is then also enacted,
and helps us, as parents, to think of alternative stragegies to cope
when Things Go Bad when dealing with our own ASD or ADHD teen.
The audience consist of parents, or people working in the ASD
ADHD field, and while there's no pressure to contribute if you don't
wish to, I have always found the workshops to be extremely
supportive, and productive. It's also just nice to be around other
parents going through similar, and realise you're not the only one
doing the best you can.
I have picked up handy insights for my ASD spectrum teenager, and
Sue Haldane is well versed with understanding children on the ADHD
and ASD spectrum.

7. I totally recommend any parent with a teenager on the spectrum to
go along - even if just "for a look" - like I originally did. You will
leave with a new perspective of your own.