All my training is practical in nature so that it can be applied with immediate effect and involves the sharing of evidence-based clinical practices. I also incorporate an understanding of cultural and linguistic diversity into the curriculum, informed through my work at the individual, educational, and policy levels across continents and countries, including Northern Europe, the Middle East, North America, and China.
Providing training on inclusion practices, school consultations, and direct coaching for school-age autistic and neurodivergent students, as well as those who have special educational needs.
Designing and delivering workshops and graduate courses to equip special educators, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, and mental health practitioners with the knowledge and skills they need to set up early-intervention programs that are culturally and linguistically sensitive. The courses will draw on criterion-based curricula designed especially for children with additional needs, including the English and Arabic Assessment of Basic Language and Learning-Revised (ABLLS-R) model, as well as other useful curricula such as the HELP-R 0-3 and 3-6, Carolina Curriculum and the Early Start Denver Model.
Providing media consultations and businesses to support a broader societal understanding and appreciation of neurodiversity.
Providing consultations to government agencies and policy makers to support the creation of inclusion and special educational practices.
Consulting on educational app development and curricula for learners with additional needs.
Unfortunately, at this time, there are so many misunderstandings around neurodiversity, which can lead to isolating neurodiverse children from their neurotypical peers, as well as the family as a whole, from everyday community engagements. While education is a basic right, so is the need to be part of a community, to be included, and to share the same space and resources with other children. Without this understanding, autistic individuals and their families risk being isolated and developing mental health problems, not because of their diagnosis but because of the limited awareness and appreciation of their differences in the wider society. What is needed is meaningful inclusion, not exclusion.
While we recognize that providing educational materials to support awareness and early identification of A’s is important, the diagnosis is only the first step. It is crucial to learn how to foster meaningful inclusion of students with neurodiverse needs and support them in accessing the curriculum so they can succeed.
Dr. Donia and her team of associates provide online as well as in-person training sessions. These workshops aim to provide educators with the tools they need to engage and support neurodivergent students from their preschool years through to elementary and high school. The workshops are customized to meet the needs of the teachers and students.
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Discover how small changes in approach can make a big difference in creating a nurturing environment.
Dr. Donia’s training, which is somewhat unique in speech and language pathology, applied behavioral analysis, special education, mindfulness, sensory integration, and cognitive behavioral therapy, collectively guides her therapeutic conceptual framework. Her personal interests include studying herbal plant medicine, music, and art. Integrating developmental and behavioral approaches with her interests informs her intervention planning, working with families, and collaborating with other professionals. More specifically, she offers the following services:
It means identifying high-quality solutions that positively impact the lives and futures of children and families. It means keeping up with research and evidence based practices, and sharing this knowledge.
Is being friendly, compassionate, generous, and considerate to others and yourself. Being kind often requires courage and strength, as it involves the willingness to celebrate and give attention to someone else. It is also about giving and receiving honest feedback so that it is helpful.
It means being able to do and say what feels most genuine, it means holding the person in our mind and heart as we listen to what they want to say, particularly when sharing the challenges. It means clarity and practicing the art of listening without judgment.
Means harnessing the potential to make positive change and seeing the strengths in others. When combined with play, creativity allows us to view and solve problems more openly and to integrate different approaches in a way that is flexible and sustainable. Work should be fun, fulfilling and satisfying!
