Navigating the Complexities of Autism and Education: Insights from Victoria Lenormand
Victoria Lenormand is a former police detective turned holistic coach, Reiki master, and passionate advocate for alternative education and social justice. With a 28-year career in public service behind her, Victoria’s lens is both compassionate and sharp: she’s witnessed firsthand how institutions can sometimes fail those they claim to serve. Her journey took a transformative turn when her youngest son’s autism diagnosis revealed the flaws in rigid educational and medical systems. Choosing to home educate, she and her family embraced a life of flexibility, healing, and empowerment—living in a motorhome before settling in Scotland and exploring a more intuitive way of living. Her family’s transformation, sparked by a combination of diet, environment, and deep listening, revealed the healing power of choice and the cost of ignoring it.
Today, through Gemini Directions, Victoria now works with families and individuals who feel stuck inside systems not made for them. Her work draws on training in wellness coaching, trauma-informed care, and energy work—but more than anything, it’s shaped by real-world experience: managing crisis with calm, asking better questions, making space when the default is to push through. Victoria speaks to parents at breaking point, professionals navigating burnout, and educators or policymakers open to doing things differently. Her conversations centre around those day-to-day quiet acts of courage: advocating for yourself, questioning “normal,” and moving toward something slower, more responsive, and often more effective.
Takeaways:
- The value of a child is often revealed in the challenges they face, not just in their successes.
- When traditional education fails to meet a child's needs, parents must explore alternative educational paths.
- Creating a supportive community is essential for families navigating the complexities of education and special needs.
- Empowering children to take charge of their own learning fosters autonomy and encourages a love for education.
- Resilience is cultivated through overcoming challenges and learning to adapt in the face of adversity.
- The holistic approach to education recognizes the interconnectedness of emotional, physical, and academic well-being.
Chapters:
- 00:20 - Choosing to Withdraw: A New Direction
- 06:20 - The Journey of Learning and Discovery
- 08:23 - The Journey of Learning and Inclusion
- 18:51 - Navigating Educational Change
- 22:49 - Rethinking Education: Navigating New Possibilities
- 28:20 - The Journey of Personalization in Learning
- 34:45 - Navigating Educational Change and Personal Growth
- 40:01 - The Importance of Community Support in Challenging Times
- 42:38 - The Power of Resilience and Community
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