Talulah the baboon visits the watering hole on the hot Savanna to drink and mingle with the other animals. What the other animals do not realise is that Talulah finds the noises, sights, smells and the hot Savanna sun too overwhelming. This is a story to help autistic children and young people, their families, friends, educators and therapists to understand the ways autistic people may think and the difficulties and challenges they may experience.
Talya Bruck: is a Dramatherapist, Creative Arts Supervisor and Systemic Practi-tioner who works in CAMHS, has a private supervision practice and works for OurTime helping to run a Kidstime workshop. She has over 20 years’ experi-ence working with children, young people and families. She is passionate about supporting young people and their families to dream big and live the life they deserve. She is the Founder of Savanna Therapeutic Stories which includes the recently published Silo’s Sadness in 2021.
Dr Stella Mo: is a Clinical Psychologist with a passion for better understanding the lived experiences of autistic individuals. Her doctoral research explored the impact of socio-cultural values on autistic women. She works in a CAMHS neurodevelopmental team within the NHS and has spent a number of years working in inpatient, community and third sector settings with autistic children and adults. Clinically, she applies an integrative therapeutic approach to supporting autistic children and their families. Stella has a longstanding interest in the power of storytelling, particularly in the way they can transcend time and cultures to reach out to different people. Rachel Ryan: is a family support worker working closely with the NHS Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) to support families who have an autistic child or young person. She has a Master’s in Child Development and has worked for many years in nurseries and schools supporting children with additional needs. Rachel has always valued reading and became inspired to create new stories for children due to her son’s love of picture books.
Illustrator Erin Cooper: is 16 years’ old. She has been drawing since she was very young and particularly loves drawing animals. She thinks that visual storytelling is a great way to teach children about complex topics. As someone who is autistic, pictures always make more sense to her than words and that is why she has enjoyed illustrating books for Savanna Therapeutic Stories.
