This is ME!
Hello. Thanks for stopping by. My name is Deirdre Ryan, MScEd, (she/her) and I am a perfectly imperfect mother. Becoming a mother has been and continues to be my greatest joy, my greatest challenge and my greatest opportunity for growth and I am here for it all! Although it is said we raise our children, I believe it is our children who raise us. They raise us up to be who we truly and authentically are by generously providing us with endless challenges that require us to dig deep in to ourselves to resolve. They provide us with ample opportunities for growth and healing.
I am a highly sensitive, Autistic and passionate lone parent of an amazing highly sensitive, Autistic14 year old. I am originally from New York, and presently living and growing with my child in Cork City, Ireland. I have worked with children and parents for 20plus years in a variety of educational and community settings. I delight in creating empowering gatherings and I am passionate about giving children, young people and adults spaces to grow and thrive in their own powerful and beautiful ways. I love creating spaces where all are seen, heard, understood, accepted, valued and appreciated.
I have always loved working with children and their parents/caregivers in fun, inspiring, empowering and connecting ways. I have kept that passion and drive my whole life and I continually find new and exciting ways to express that passion. Parent Coaching has become a culmination of my life's work to date.
Formal Education and Qualifications
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Bachelors of Arts in Sociology, Boston College
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Masters of Science in Education, Adelphi University, dual certification in both primary and secondary mainstream and special education
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Diploma in Personal, Life and Executive Coaching, Kingstown College
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Parent Coaching Certificate, Irish Lifecoach Institute
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European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) Practitioner
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Special needs teacher in New York and Ireland (working in primary, secondary and home tuition)
Informal Education and Experience
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being an Autistic person and parenting and Autistic teen
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parenting alone for 14 years
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11 years of home educating my child (ongoing)
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organising women's empowerment groups, talks and retreats (ongoing)
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organising parent support groups and workshops (ongoing)
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organising events, fundraisers and festivals for children and adults
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organising within the home education community
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creating classes for children in music, story, drama, art, and mindfulness in my home, Cork City Libraries and in the community (ongoing)
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learning through books, podcasts, workshops and courses on parenting, coaching, education, child and adolescent development, neurodiversity, Autism, ADHD, neuroscience, anxiety, resilience, empathy, highly sensitive person, mindfulness, trauma and healing
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dedication and passion to my own healing
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I'm an eternal, self motivated and enthusiastic learner
Why have I become a parent coach??
Simple answer, I am passionate about children and parenting and like the amazing Whitney Houston sang, "I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way." I believe parenting can be one of the most powerful vehicles for growth, healing and change. And I know deeply and personally that growth, healing and change can be challenging and we all need support to find our way.
Healing Journey
I too have received and continue to receive support along my parenting journey. At each age and stage of my child's life I have found challenges to grow through. Most, if not all, of those challenges were mine. I needed support to heal the parts of me that were affected at each age and stage of my development that were brought up as I parented. If I found myself reacting in a disproportionate way I knew there was some healing that needed to be done. Each challenge has been a profound healing moment for me, and of course that shift then ripples out to my child and all the children and adults I work with.
At different times I was confronted with my own judgments, bias, fears, patterns and conditions which no longer served me and were having a negative impact on my child. I needed support to move through these and to move through grief at different times of separation with my child. I've needed support through different transitions in their life. I am proud of my ability to see the need in me and to reach out. I am proud that I am able to model that for my child. I am proud that I have worked through fear and shame in me around asking for and receiving help. Being able to ask for and receive help is healing in itself.
Formal Support
Over the years, as I have parented, I have worked with a parent coach, homeopath, kinesiologist, Shiatsu practitioner, Western and Chinese herbalists, Craniosacral therapist, psychotherapist, art therapist, nutritionist and energy healers. I will continue to reach out when I need support. This is my commitment to myself, my child, my community, my family and my clients.
Informal Support
As well as formal support I have cultivated and nurtured an amazing group of supportive friends. Creating deep and authentic relationships requires work, vulnerability and courage, as well as a commitment to yourself and each other. It can take time and resilience and it is worth every moment and every conflict to have a place where you can turn up without masks, in all your joys and sorrows, highs and lows. Shout out to my child, my community, my sister and my parents for your ongoing love and support. I could not parent or live as I do without all your support. Support is central and knowing that is what has brought me in to a profession of support.
The day my child was born, I too was born as a mother and I have been learning and growing ever since, at the wildest pace and through the power of mistakes, humility and grace. By being truly present, open and curious with my child I'm constantly learning how to parent the child in front of me and how to re parent the child within me. And of course I do it all perfectly imperfectly. Learn as you grow and grow as you go.
I look forward to hearing from you.