Diverted by Roxanne Hobbs
Roxanne and her husband were blindsided when their son's schoolteacher suggested that their five-year-old was autistic. In a five-minute meeting, the shift from confident parents of a `normal' child to parents who had a son with suspected special needs was all too sudden. As a result of their experiences, Roxanne and her husband have expanded their understanding of resilience and humanity. This has inspired them to implement the change that they want to see in the world. They now believe neurodiversity to be the newest frontier of inclusion. Diverted is the journey of their struggle, their learning and, ultimately, their strength. It is the story of an ongoing mission for two parents to make sense of their reaction as their preconceptions shift. This inspiring book reshapes our understanding of what it is to be human and to live in a more inclusive world.
`Roxanne had me at 'Understanding what other parents are going through is invaluable at a time when you feel so alone; that it is only you that is going through such difficulty'Each time the school called talking about behaviours, and 'refusal to follow instruction' reinforced the feeling of being alone, that I was the only one dealing with all this - school, assessment centres, the struggle to gets needs recognised and the ongoing struggle to have these needs met. Of course now I know I'm not but like Rox, I was pulling out every tool in the coaching box to try and support myself through this so reading Rox's book was a relief - at the time we were pre-diagnosis but just the recognition of emotions - guilt, shame, attempting to be my version of what I thought resilience was... Rox's words gave me permission to be kinder to myself, and importantly, reminded me that even the experts don't have all the answers - which was more reassuring than I first thought as it gave me back my trust in my intuition that I do know my child and fired me up to do right by him, while also taking care of me. It's also an excellent education on neurodiversity and the wide range of research and approaches, with plenty of information for further research. Part parental memoir, part self-help (honest, vulnerable and yet empowering), I look forward to hearing more from Rox on this subject.' Rachael Blair; Broke my heart and then mended it again. I loved this book. Honest, vulnerable and insightful, a true look at modern family life. Brave and heartwarming, I couldn't put it down.Harriet Minter; "This book is a gift to anyone living with a loved one who has autism. The insight, vulnerability, and courage in the author's writing is an invitation to sit along side her and feel our way through this journey together." Sandy Mitsch, Daring Way (TM) Senior Faculty; "Beautifully written and easy to read" Ali Hanan, Founder and CEO Creative Equals;'A beautifully written book about a family, a child with autism, living, loving, and coping with all his & their challenges to give him the best life possible.' Rhonda L, NetGalley Reviewer
Roxanne is a key influencer in driving the Inclusivity and Diversity agenda in the advertising industry. She founded The Hobbs Consultancy as a result of a deep-seated belief that the advertising industry could and should support female talent to a much greater degree. She soon realised that solely coaching women advocated the message that women are "broken" and "need fixing", a far cry from the reality. Roxanne also noticed that there are many other groups that also lack the necessary confidence to assert themselves in the advertising industry. She broadened the scope of her work accordingly, with a particularly interest in introverts. In March 2017, Roxanne's eldest son was diagnosed with ASD. She was immediately struck by how we ask those that aren't neurotypical to change so that they conform with neurotypical norms. She is now heavily involved in sparking and consequently sustaining a conversation about Neurodiversity in the advertising industry - so that individuals with potential are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in this environment. Roxanne uses the Co-Active model in her coaching, which is built on the cornerstone that we are all innately resourceful, creative and whole. Roxanne is also a certified Daring Way (TM)Facilitator - using Brene Brown's curriculum to support participants in showing up and being seen in the workplace. She lives in Hackney with her husband, two sons and a crazy puggle.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781781327586 |
| ISBN 10 | 1781327580 |
| Title | Diverted |
| Author | Roxanne Hobbs |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | SilverWood Books Ltd |
| Year published | 2018-03-01 |
| Number of pages | 138 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |