Welcome to Sentient Beasts

A programme of support, support devised specifically for neurodiverse children.

What is it?
Sentient Beasts is an intervention program that uses sports & exercise as a form of psychological skills training for children with ADHD, Autism and any child with deficits in their Emotional Regulation or experiencing behavioural challenges.

Who created it?
The program was developed by Ben Daniels, who is a Sports & Exercise Psychologist and Sports Coach with 20 years of experience. Ben is well-versed in developing biomechanics, spatial awareness, emotional regulation, leadership skills and psychological development through a pedagogy of self-awareness and ownership underpinned by current scientific literature, bridging the gap between anecdotal approaches and real-world practice. An expert in the development of fundamental movement skills, Psychological skills & Building confidence to foster an adult’s and a child’s personal, physical & psychological development.

How does it work?
The premise of Sentient Beasts is to improve the Emotional Intelligence (EI), Emotional Regulation (ER) & Executive Function of the participants through cooperative learning, talk therapy, education and physical activity. This is done through the development of characters; beast-like characters that make up the sentient beasts. Said Beasts represent different emotional states, helping children better understand how they feel and why they feel the way that they do, with the premise of then learning how to control that emotion. Characters that develop characters, so the children can learn to channel and control their own inner beast!

Cooperative Learning is…..

an educational approach which aims to organise learning & activities into academic and social learning experiences, the premise of which is to aid in the development of emotional intelligence (EI) for all participants through the medium of sport. EI is the ability to understand, use, and manage your own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress & anxiety, communicate effectively, empathise with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflict. Emotional intelligence will help children now and into adulthood, build stronger relationships, succeed at school and beyond, and achieve their career and personal goals. It can also help individuals connect with their feelings, turn intention into action, and make informed decisions about what matters most to you, which ultimately aligns your actions with your morality.

Evidence based development of emotional intelligence…

Once an understanding of emotional intelligence is formed, the program aims to help the participants learn how to affectively regulate their emotions, through high intensity sports & exercise, where the nature of the activities will push the participants out of the comfort zone & foster growth. The program is underpinned by nearly 20 years of sports coaching and teaching and is supported with peer review literature, across many different demographics. Aside from supporting better life outcomes, Sentient Beasts gives children the tools they need to cope with the difficulties of life, arming them with the mental toughness and resilience required to negotiate the difficult moments.