Our education system needs change to welcome every learner
Empowering Creative Minds is more than just a service—it's a movement that inspires change.
We help you create a thriving, supportive school community where every student and teacher, including neurodiverse and multilingual individuals, feel seen, heard, and valued.
Revolutionising the Education System, One School at a Time—The ECM Way
Real Stories of Transformation from Educators, Parents, and Leaders Alike.
ECM Neurodiverse Friendly Awards
These prestigious awards are for pioneering schools shaping the leaders of tomorrow, championing inclusivity and neurodiversity to create a lasting impact on society and equip students to drive change in the world.
Silver Level
For schools shaping the leaders of tomorrow, the Silver Level signifies a commitment to neurodiversity and inclusion. It equips educators to support every student, laying the groundwork for a generation prepared to lead and innovate in a diverse world.
Platinum Level
The Platinum Level is the pinnacle for schools shaping future thought leaders. It’s a prestigious recognition for those who transform their culture, making inclusivity the foundation of a society-changing education that empowers every student to lead and inspire.
Gold Level
The Gold Level is for schools at the forefront of education, fostering an inclusive culture where neurodiversity is embraced and collaboration thrives. This award marks your school as a pioneer in preparing students to drive positive societal change.
Platinum Level
The Platinum Level is the pinnacle for schools shaping future thought leaders. It’s a prestigious recognition for those who transform their culture, making inclusivity the foundation of a society-changing education that empowers every student to lead and inspire.
Gold Level
The Gold Level is for schools at the forefront of education, fostering an inclusive culture where neurodiversity is embraced and collaboration thrives. This award marks your school as a pioneer in preparing students to drive positive societal change.
Silver Level
For schools shaping the leaders of tomorrow, the Silver Level signifies a commitment to neurodiversity and inclusion. It equips educators to support every student, laying the groundwork for a generation prepared to lead and innovate in a diverse world.
How We Make Training FREE for Every Spanish Institute (FUNDAE)
We work in collaboration with FUNDEA Bonificaciones for subsidised professional development in Spain.
ECM aim to make the processes smooth as possible so every institution has access to free expert training.
It’s not just neurodivergent students facing burnout—it’s the teachers too, often struggling silently behind a mask in a broken education system that forces them to conform.
ECM's Influence
Institutions, Universities and Schools we work with.
Is your school striving to be inclusive? Here are the hidden costs of delaying inclusive practices and teacher support:
Time Constraints
Schools often feel they don’t have the time to implement inclusive practices, but the time is now. With neurodiverse students in our classrooms, waiting only delays progress.
Lack of Teacher Support
Leadership may not realise that teachers need specialised support to effectively engage multilingual and culturally diverse students. Without this help, students may struggle to thrive and reach their potential.
Long-term Benefits
Many view inclusive training as an added cost but investing in this training now leads to long-lasting benefits—raising school reputation, maximising teacher retention and creating happier parents who become your best advocates.
Our Neurodiverse Multisensory Approach Empowers Teachers and Learners Alike
At Empowering Creative Minds (ECM), we provide training and resources that help schools support all learners, including multilingual, neurodiverse and literacy-challenged students. Our unique methodology integrates multisensory learning, Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), and Second Language Acquisition (SLA) to deliver impactful results.
See Your School and Community Flourish
When you implement ECM’s approach, you’ll see improved teacher morale, increased student engagement and stronger parental satisfaction. Students become more independent, motivated learners, and teachers are equipped with practical strategies to create inclusive, effective classrooms that work for everyone. The benefits ripple outward, leading to improved school performance, well-being across your community and making a fundamental change to our society.
How We Help Schools and Teachers Thrive
Blended Professional Development
ECM offers tailored CPD training through workshops, ongoing online support, and expert-led coaching, ensuring every staff member has the confidence to implement inclusive strategies across the curriculum.
Long-Term, Strategic Support
We don’t just train and leave. We partner with your school to ensure that inclusion policies are put into practice effectively, helping you build a school-wide culture of inclusion that aligns with global best practices.
Proven, Research-Backed Methods
Our programs are built on solid research. We combine Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), and Second Language Acquisition (SLA) and the latest research to ensure that every classroom adapts to meet the needs of diverse learners.
Can we drop the mask?
The moment I dropped the mask and admitted I am neurodivergent, everything changed. I can’t describe how much relief I felt—my self-esteem soared, and my anxiety levels dropped. Being a teacher and being neurodiverse is extremely stressful; it is a very taboo subject, and we are not encouraged to admit that we are neurodiverse. This has to change. Neurodivergent teachers like myself have so many amazing strengths: we are able to detect subtle changes in behavior (crucial for the well-being of the students we teach).
We can see the bigger picture, spot patterns, teach completely out of the box, and much, much more! Unfortunately, we are not recognized enough in the education profession, and so we get stressed from masking, we burn out, and we leave. It’s time we were all able to drop the masks, be ourselves, and be included in our own inclusion policies. We can show the skills needed in the AI future and be the role models required to prepare our students to be future thought leaders.
Teachers can Stay on Track All Year with Our Neurodiverse-Friendly ECM Teaching Planner
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to transform your teaching experience! Get your Neurodiverse-Friendly ECM Teaching Planner on Amazon today and equip yourself with the tools to stay organized, inspired, and successful all school year long!
What People Are Saying About Empowering Creative Minds
Hear how ECM is transforming schools into inclusive, supportive spaces for all learners.
Shona gave 3 days of training Dyslexia and neurodiversity empowerment in the mainstream EAL classroom for both Primary and Secondary teachers. This was extremely challenging as it was the last 3 days for staff before the summer holidays. However, what a fantastic 3 days with lots of new information and practical ideas and activities. Shona was an excellent presenter, very enthusiastic, practical activities, she always moved between groups and also tackled difficulties of an English and Spanish audience which she juggled fantastically. I have personally received lots of positive feedback from staff saying how much they enjoyed the training and look forward to more in the future. Thanks again Shona
Linsay Shields
Last Thursday 21st I finished my 'One to One SENCo coaching' related to Speech development, Dyslexia and Literacy and How to create an inclusive classroom for all. Together with Vanessa Nagy, Shona O'Callaghan is an exceptional duo. Having them to myself has been a luxury, as I have been able to make the most of the time. By presenting them with real cases from my day-to-day life, and that of my colleagues, they propose strategies and techniques adapted to the specific characteristics of the student with the aim of creating an inclusive classroom in which neurodiversity is an advantage and not a disadvantage. At every moment they showed their enthusiasm for what they do and you also perceive that everything is much easier than it seems and the most important thing is that EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE. Finally, I want to show my gratitude not only for all of the above, but also to both Vanessa and Shona who insisted that they will be there to solve any doubt or any challenge that comes up and I need their support and advice.
Christina Peña
Shona provided training and support for Primary and Secondary Teachers during two separate half-day sessions. It is extremely difficult to find high-quality special educational needs training here in Spain and we feel extremely lucky to have found an experienced, professional and enthusiastic external training provider. Shona spent time meeting with me prior to the training to ensure it was tailored to our needs. The sessions were based on up-to-date research and teaching methods for pupils with dyslexia. They were interesting, interactive and engaging. The sessions were also tailored to the needs of Primary and Secondary Teachers. As Shona has a diagnosis of dyslexia and is a qualified teacher with many years of classroom experience, she was able to give a unique insight into the challenges faced by pupils who have been diagnosed with dyslexia. She also focused on their strengths and qualities, which educators must recognise and celebrate to ensure pupils feel valued as individuals and their teaching is tailored to their needs and learning styles. Many of our teachers have provided me with extremely positive feedback about the training and have implemented the strategies into their planning and teaching.
Andrea Di Leonardo
"Empower, Motive and Inspire Your Dyslexic Learners in the Mainstream Classroom" did just that. A course delivered by a passionate and engaging speaker helped me to think more deeply about every student in my classroom and our school. Thoroughly resourced and delivered in a practical and engaging manner we were challenged to consider what it means to be inclusive and reflect on the needs of every learner. All done whilst imparting sage advice and guidance. This has had an instant impact too. From reorganising my classroom to a review of our teaching and learning policy this course has had an immediate positive effect. I am looking forward to our catch-up session very soon.
Tom Davies Deputy Headteacher of Upper Secondary, International School of Madrid