Our mission

To help improve the quality of life of neurodiverse individuals and their families around the world.

Welcome Message

Welcome to Education and Therapeutic Spaces Ltd. (E&TS), we’re so happy you’ve found us. At E&TS, we are dedicated to serving children with additional needs in a way that is specialised to reach each child in their distinctive individuality.

We have witnessed time and again that it is through this awareness that transformative change can happen in how your child learns and communicates, and therefore thrives in life. While based in the U.K., we are dedicated to serving children wherever they may be in the world.

Thank you for choosing to work with me and my team. Being invited into this space of development and growth is a privilege that I cherish deeply.

Our Approach

Our approach to knowledge and learning is both multi-disciplinary, drawing on a variety of evidence-based practices, and deeply personalised, tuning into the child’s and family’s specific needs.

Our therapeutic approach is one that emphasises collaboration, kindness and creativity – only drawing on interventions and techniques that have been proven to address children’s core areas of need.

Our goal is to understand the unique needs of the children we work with in order to identify how they best learn and then, having gained this knowledge, to collaborate with their families and their educators to adapt the environment to meet their learning needs.

About Dr. Donia Fahim
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Intro

Dr. Donia Fahim has devoted her life to improving the lives of young children with additional needs through developing novel therapeutic techniques and strategies designed to draw out their greatest potential, no matter what their neurodiverse needs may be.

Her company, Education and Therapeutic Spaces Ltd., is based in London and is dedicated to helping families, educators and governments in the areas of neurodiversity inclusion practices, early intervention program design, and speech language therapy. E&TS offers a range of services, including diagnostic assessments, consultations and therapy.

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Autism Specialist & SLT London

Dr. Donia has over 28 years of experience in the field of Autism and Special Education. She is a trained speech language therapist and behaviour analyst with expertise in cognitive behavioural therapy and counselling. Her work at the individual, school, community and government levels has gained her acclaim as one of the leading experts in early intervention, international special education and neurodiversity. Dr. Donia has been involved in developing early-intervention and school-based programs in the Middle East, China, the US, and Northern Europe.

Born and educated in the UK, Dr. Donia received her undergraduate and graduate training at the University of London and behavioural training in the US. Before returning to London to wholly devote her time to E&TS, she was based in New York for 10 years, working as a lecturer and senior consultant for the ASD Nest Project at the Steinhardt School of Culture and as an assistant professor and head of the early childhood special education program at Hunter College, CUNY. She also served as an Adjunct Associate Professor at Sacred Heart University in the Speech-Language Pathology Program, working closely with Professor Rhea Paul.

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Clinical Therapy For Children & Families

Dr. Donia loves spending time with her family doing the things they love.

Dr. Donia provides in-person and tele-therapy services for children, their parents, and educators. She has been combining Applied Behavior Analysis with Developmental therapy approaches for more than 23 years. She is also Prompt certified, CBT trained and has expertise in the SOS feeding program. Dr. Donia consults for NGO’s and provides information on Autism Spectrum Disorders and accommodation advice for corporate companies, with a focus on Neurodiversity.

Dr. Donia was an Assistant Professor and Early Childhood Special Education Program Coordinator at Hunter College, CUNY from 2008 to 2013. She was an Associate Adjunct Professor in Speech-Language Pathology, at Sacred Heart University, CT from 2013 to 2018. She continues to collaborate with Dr. Rhea Paul on a number of projects related to Autism and Speech-Language Therapy, including their popular podcast, ‘Let’s Talk About Super Special Kids and Cake’.

Dr. Donia loves to travel, and her work has taken her to almost every continent of the world. From 1998 to 2007, she served as Clinical Director and founding member of The Egyptian Society for Developing Skills of Special Needs Children, focusing on work with individuals with ASD and early intervention, where her focus was on developing organization-specific educational curriculum, clinical procedures and guidelines for special education for young children with special needs.

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More About Dr. Donia Fahim

While in New York, she led the development of the Autism Dual Language Program, the first program of its kind where children with AS receive instruction in both Spanish and English. She was responsible for developing and expanding the Intensive Kindergarten Program with Professor Shirley Cohen, an inclusion program for young children with AS. In Denmark, Dr. Donia served as the educational consultant for a three-year pilot ASD Nest program in the city of Aarhus, a teaching model that allows autistic children to learn effectively alongside neurotypical peers. She also co-founded and co-led Autism Friendly Spaces Inc., a New York-based non-profit that worked with recreational spaces to make them accessible for the autism community, including such venues as the Broadway Theatre, the Met Museum, and various universities, libraries and dental clinics.

Prior to New York, Dr. Donia was based in the Middle East and North Africa for a decade, serving as clinical director and founding member of The Egyptian Society for Developing Skills of Special Needs Children and the head of the Speech and Language department at the Learning Resource Centre, where she also founded the early-intervention program. She has supported the development of early-intervention and school-based programs in Nigeria, Ghana, Jordan and Bahrain.

An avid writer, Dr. Donia has authored several peer-reviewed journal articles on Autism Spectrum Disorders, Dual Language Learning, Specific Language Impairment (SLI), and meaningful inclusion of children in the school setting. She co-authored with Dr. Rhea Paul, Let’s Talk: Navigating Your Child’s Communication Services and Supports for Your Young Child with Autism, published by Brookes (2016), and she is the co-host of the popular podcast, “Let’s talk super special kids and cake”. More recently, she co-authored the Arabic Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (2020) with Iman Mortagy.

About The Team

A team of highly experienced like minded professionals who collaborate with Dr. Donia Fahim for trainings, assessments and clinical services. Several of whom have generously donated their time to provide lectures for the global training initiative run through education & therapeutic spaces, ltd.

Dr. Marianna Murin

Chartered Clinical Psychologist

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Dr. Elbert Blakely

Ph.D., BCBA-D

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Maria Schultz

MSLP, R.SLP

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Dr. Aditi Mehra

DHSc. OTR/L

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Sara Peters

M.Sc.(A), R.SLP, SLP(C)

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Professor
Rhea Paul

Ph.D., CCC-SLP

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Aaron Lanou

MS,Ed

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People Around The World Are Talking
Zoe Lake, London, England

Donia has an innate ability to connect with young children. This coupled with her outstanding professional abilities, and intuitive perception meant that we and our son could instantly trust her when she came to work with us. We cannot thank her enough for her work in guiding us as parents of a child on the spectrum and helping him become accepted by his peers and prepared for the challenges of secondary school.

Mother of AB, UK

Brilliant, insightful, and compassionate – Dr. Fahim wears the triple crown. In addition, her great gifts for strategy, and her belief in the possibilities of healing after trauma, make a winning combination. Our son has been working for an hour a week with Dr. Fahim over the last six months, and the difference is Night and Day. He tells us that for the first time in his life, he feels heard. Years of frustration over being unable to express himself, and to solve Other Mind problems, are evaporating. She is also teaching our family new ways of relating to each other; that past disasters do not have to be future ones. Though 2021 was the most difficult of years, Dr. Fahim’s presence has transformed our lives.

Holly Mitchell, Australia

I would like thank Donia for her patience and consistent support during her time as my speech and language therapy clinical supervisor. It has been a highlight of my career to be supported clinically by Donia. She is very knowledgable in her field of expertise and shares this knowledge through fun learning methods to support the development of speech and language therapists. Donia is able to connect to those learning from her and is able to draw on their strengths to generate successful clinical practice. It was truly a pleasure to work under her clinical supervision in what was a challenging working environment. Her positivity and support as my clinical supervisor helped immensely and saw me eventually smiling through the many challenges faced as a speech and language therapist working abroad. Thank you.

Bonnie Feinberg, NYC, US
Special Education Itinerant Teacher, New York Center for Child Development

As a graduate student in Early Childhood Special Education at Hunter College, I had the privilege of having Dr. Fahim as a Professor. Her ability to translate her real world knowledge of children with special needs and her passion for helping children and their families prepared me for my career as a Special Educator. Dr. Fahim’s vast experience in the field of Autism, behavior and curriculum development informed my understanding of the field and helped to guide my practice with my students. If you have the chance to take a course or workshop with Dr. Fahim don’t think twice.

Eman (Mother of Karim), Canada/ Egypt

You made this come true, this is one of the many kids you helped. I will always be grateful to you and remember each small and big detail you helped me with. Show Karim’s journey to any mother who feels hopeless, there is light at the end of the road. Thanks to you and all the people who never gave up on him.

Connor’s Mother, London, England

Through working with Donia, our son learned the power of verbal and non-verbal communication. All the interventions were 100% respectful of our son’s neurodiverse way of interacting with the world; we simply learned how to tweak our way of interacting with him, which seemed to unlock some very key skills. The interventions were fun, and we enjoyed them together as a family (our son has siblings). We are confident that he has solid building blocks for further learning, and we feel more confident as parents to help him achieve his future potential. Donia’s approach is evidence based, holistic, child and family centred; we have no hesitation in recommending her services.

Dr. Shaheen (Isa’s Mother), London and Brunei

Donia is an excellent clinician. Her years of experience were immediately evident during the assessment process where she was able to pick up on all the areas of difficulty, including the subtle difficulties overlooked by other clinicians. When therapy started, my son warmed to her immediately and thoroughly enjoyed the sessions with her, even noting how much he would miss her when the sessions came to an end. He has made significant progress with both speech and language and we have (and will!) wholeheartedly recommend her to other parents in need of a truly proficient speech and language therapist. Thank you.

Bonnie Gillis, MSc-SLP, RSLP, (C), Vancouver, Canada
Speech-language Pathologist

Working with Donia was a true highlight of my career as a speech-language pathologist. She has a wealth of knowledge that she shared with me willingly and with talent. I always felt comfortable asking questions and seeking support from her because she knew how to provide the perfect combination of constructive criticism and encouragement. Not only was Donia a supportive mentor when it came to my work as an S-LP, she also helped me navigate the ins-and-outs of practicing internationally. She helped me grow from a shy, small-town clinician to a confident practitioner who is capable of providing services spanning from individualized therapy to large-scale professional development workshops. I will always be grateful to Donia for that.

Omar, Cairo, Egypt

Dr. Donia is one of the most kind hearted, amazing people that I have ever met in my whole life. She has helped me grow as a student and as a person. She has taught me life strategies that will help me in school, university, and later on in the future. I really enjoyed working with someone like her.

Lun Gao, China
Curriculum Development Director
of Hai Zhi Yu SPED Training Center

It is a great honor for me to have had the opportunity to work with Dr. Fahim to develop institutional training, parent training, and shadow teacher training for a special educational needs schools in China. Her profound knowledge base and professionalism astounded me, and at the same time, she is so approachable and understanding. Her flexibility and patience makes working with her so comfortable and efficient. She is so respectful in her willingness to learn about cross-cultural differences. I not only learned a lot of special education knowledge from her, but also learned how to be a wonderful human being helping kids and families conquer their difficult time periods. I am very much looking forward to the next cooperation.

Emilie, London, England

Dr Donia Fahim has quite literally changed our lives in the most positive way. Before we met her we felt lost with no direction. Everyday was a struggle or fight and we had no support. Donia helped not just our son with his speech and behaviour but also our family in such a holistic way. She has advised us on all aspects of our son’s education, speech and behaviour - the massive improvement and confidence she instills is magical. She is one of a kind and and we will forever be grateful to her for how she helped us in some tough times.

Priscilla Portella, London, England
Learner Support Assistant

I have been fortunate enough to be assisted by Dr. Donia to support a child with ASD. She is highly professional and extremely patient. I have learnt so much from her to help me monitor the progress of the child. She trained me to use one of the complex AAC systems but was able to make it fun and easy to use. The way she engages and interacts with the child is amazing and something I will continue using throughout my career.

Suzie, South Africa

Seldom is one privileged enough to be able to witness & observe the almost tangible synergy felt between a Therapist & their Client in a Session ~ I had both the honor & privilege of working under Dr. Donia with one of her special little clients over a three-year period ~ & there was never a day when he did not walk happily into her creatively welcoming "space" Dr. Donia's gentle, reassuring & quiet composure & her innate ability to tune into his demeanor & to "hear" his unspoken words, along with her unquestionable passion & dedication, ignited a relationship of trust to flourish & with these massive achievements & successes to ensue ~ most importantly, ones that he was able to be taken from valuable session-time & transport them into his daily life & interactions x Proof indeed that when a child feels accepted, understood, heard & safe, they can and will begin to grow, "glow," & thrive Much love.

Roxana Negru, London, England
Nursery Manager

I want to express my deep appreciation for the opportunity to meet you and witness your exceptional work firsthand. The positive impact you have on the children and the remarkable changes you facilitate is truly inspiring. I hold the utmost respect for you and your dedication, and I am grateful that individuals like you exist, advocating for children and going above and beyond to give their own voices. Thank you in advance for your assistance, and I hope to see you around in the future.

Dr. Marianna Murin

Chartered Clinical Psychologist

Marianna is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist specialising in the field of Autism Spectrum and neurodiversity. For over twenty years, Marianna has dedicated her work to promoting the psychological well-being of people on the Autism Spectrum and improving understanding of ASC as an international trainer in diagnostics of ASC, lecturer, writer and therapist.

Marianna started her career working for the National Autistic Society, supporting young adults with ASD in accessing further education. She then worked at the Institute of Psychiatry and the Maudsley Hospital as a Research Psychologist on the Molecular Genetic Study of Autism as well as on the longitudinal study following up children adopted from Romania, who experienced severe deprivation in early development.

For ten years, Marianna managed psychology provision at the National Centre for High Functioning Autism at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for children. Together with colleagues from the Institute of Child Health, she conducted research into how environmental modifications in schools can lead to improved outcomes for children with ASC. She was part of the team who developed the STEP-ASD (Systemic Transition Programme for ASD), a research-evaluated intervention supporting children with Autism Spectrum in mainstream schools, and co-authored a book on supporting children during the transition into secondary school. She developed programs to support children, young people and their families after receiving a diagnosis (PEGASUS), published in peer-reviewed journals including JCPP and PEGASUS is now used in a range of services across the UK. She also set up and continue to provide training in diagnostic assessment of Autism Spectrum (ADOS2 courses), which attracts professionals from all over the world.

In 2017, Marianna was approached to set up the first ASD/LD module of the CYP IAPT program, where she works to date as a Senior Clinical Tutor. Marianna is the founder and director of Autism Spectrum Direction, a social enterprise that provides training courses internationally and invests proceeds from these to support autistic community through therapeutic and assessment services. The main focus of her career has been inspiring people to continuously strive to create more inclusive environments for everyone on the neuro-spectrum and helping children and young people with neurodiversity to achieve to their potential.

Dr. Elbert Blakely

Ph.D., BCBA-D

Elbert Blakely received a Ph.D. in 1988 from Western Michigan in Psychology with a specialty in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).  He has worked in the fields of developmental disabilities, mental health, behavior pharmacology, experimental analysis of behavior, organizational behavior management, and database design. 

Dr. Blakely has co-authored 25 articles and one book.  The articles address research questions in the areas of the experimental analysis of behavior, applied behavior analysis, conceptual issues, and behavior pharmacology. 

Dr. Blakely is an Assistant Professor at Florida Institute of Technology, where he teaches courses in applied behavior analysis, radical behaviorism, and behavior pharmacology.  He also provides consultation to organizations and providers who deliver ABA services to children and adults.

Maria Schultz

MSLP, R.SLP

Maria graduated with a Bachelors in Psychology from the University of Lethbridge in 1991 and a Masters in Speech Language Pathology from the University of Alberta in 1997. She has full membership in Speech-Language and Audiology Canada and is a registered member of the Alberta College of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists.

Maria has practised in various settings: early intervention, preschool, and school settings; the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit community; healthcare settings; teletherapy; specialized programmes/clinics; and in MENA (Middle East North Africa). She has worked with a varied caseload: children in the deaf community; children with special education needs, children with ASD; children and adults with FASD; and children diagnosed with a variety of medical conditions. She has experience in using a range of intervention approaches including SCERTS, PECS, Hanen, and is also trained in American Sign Language (ASL).

Maria’s professional and volunteer responsibilities have included development and implementation of mentoring programmes, assistant training programmes, para-professional training, and family training programmes.

Maria currently works in the private sector with children with complex needs, and children and adults with FASD. She also volunteers with overseas initiatives that provide speech and language services to children in low and middle incomes countries.

Dr. Aditi Mehra

DHSc. OTR/L

Dr. Aditi Mehra graduated with a Bachelors in Occupational Therapy, from Western Michigan University in 1998 and pursued her Doctorate in Health Sciences from Midwestern University in Illinois. She has practiced as a pediatric OT for that past 22yrs in various settings: Early Intervention, hand therapy, NICU, inpatient/outpatient rehabilitation, tele-therapy and school- settings.

During her Doctoral Studies, Dr. Mehra also pursued a certification in Behavior Analysis to improve and enhance collaboration within multidisciplinary teams. Once she delved deeper into this field of Behavioral Psychology, Dr. Mehra uncovered Fit Learning, an academic program based on the principles of Precision Teaching designed to build fluency and address all differences in learning. Dr. Mehra is currently the director of 2 Fit Learning Labs: in Chicago and London – England. She continues to practice OT in the school setting and is an avid continuing education presenter for various Allied health groups. Dr. Mehra is also an Adjunct professor at Elmhurst University whose passion is rooted in Inter Professional Education and working with allied fields. She also has the host of the ABA&OT podcast designed to promote Interprofessional Collaboration in the therapeutic arena and is an author of an Interdisciplinary book: 25 tips to increase student engagement in Telehealth. Dr. Aditi’s website ( www.DrAdititheOT.com ) has a plethora of resources which applying behavioral psychology to enhance practice the practice of OT and promotes the concept of being a ‘Behavioral OT.’

Sara Peters

M.Sc.(A), R.SLP, SLP(C)

Sara Peters M.Sc.(A), R.SLP, SLP(C) is a  Speech Language Pathologist specializing in Autism and Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC). She has over 14 years of clinical experience in treating speech and language disorders in children with Autism and related developmental disabilities. She has worked in hospital, school, home, and clinic settings within Canada, as well as internationally. She has worked with several children in home and school settings in Saudi Arabia, as well as in several clinic settings in Ecuador. 

Sara is certified with Speech-Language & Audiology Canada (SAC) and a registered member in good standing with the Alberta College of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists (ACSLPA). Sara has training in Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT), The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Hanen, the SCERTS Model, SETT Framework, PROMPT, Pragmatic Organization Dynamic Display (PODD), LAMP Words for Life, AssistiveWare AAC Training Series (Proloquo2Go), Saltillo Training Series (TouchChat HD with WordPower).  

Sara volunteers with the Global Autism Project to provide training and education on Autism globally to build understanding and capacity in a sustainable way. She has presented several workshops and trainings related to Autism, social skills and play development, and AAC. Sara offers assessment and treatment for speech and language disorders in person and virtually, as well as workshops in a variety of areas related to Autism and communication development.

Professor Rhea Paul

Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Rhea Paul, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is Professor and Founding Chair of Department of Communication Disorders at Sacred Heart University, author of over 100 refereed journal articles, over 50 book chapters, and 10 books. She received the Ritvo-Slifka Award for Innovative Clinical Research from the International Society for Autism Research in 2010 and Honors of the Association for lifetime achievement in 2014 from the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association. She currently serves as Director of ABCs 4 ASD, an interprofessional training program for SLPs and OTs in enhancing literacy for students with ASD, funded by the U. S. Office of Education. 

Aaron Lanou

MS,Ed

Aaron Lanou is an educational consultant working with teachers, schools, and organizations to implement inclusive, strengths-based instruction and supports for autistic students and all kids with a variety of academic, executive functioning, and social support needs.

Aaron was a special education teacher in inclusive and specialized classes and Director of the ASD Nest Support Project at New York University. In his time at ASD Nest, supporting the nation’s largest inclusion program for students with autism, Aaron coordinated and provided professional development and consultation in ASD Nest schools; oversaw the program’s expansion to more than 50 K–12 schools across New York City; developed the middle and high school model with a team of secondary educators; and led a three-year grant to adapt the ASD Nest model in Aarhus, Denmark. He is currently coordinator of the Path Program, an NYU & NYCDOE inclusion pilot program for students with social-emotional support needs based on the ASD Nest model.

Aaron has been adjunct faculty at CUNY’s Hunter College and NYU, teaching graduate and undergraduate courses on instructional methods for students with learning disabilities and teaching students with complex support needs. He has presented nationally and internationally and published multiple articles, including a co-authored article for Intervention in School and Clinic on using students’ strengths and interests to address social, academic, and behavior issues of students on the autism spectrum.

Visit Aaron’s website here

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