Frances Kaplan Educational Psychologist

14/08/2026

When “just do it” makes everything harder…

Why can a simple request trigger an enormous reaction?

Why might someone desperately want to do something, but become unable to do it the moment they feel expected, pressured or controlled?

And why can strategies that work beautifully for other autistic people sometimes make things much worse for someone with a PDA profile?

Join Frances Kaplan for a 2-hour, accessible and neurodiversity-affirming webinar exploring PDA: Pervasive Drive for Autonomy.

Together, we’ll explore:

What is PDA?
Understanding the intense need for autonomy and what sits underneath the resistance to demands.

Why demands can feel threatening
Looking at what happens when the nervous system experiences a loss of control, choice or autonomy.

The many faces of avoidance
Procrastination, distraction, negotiation, humour, excuses, arguing, shutdown, running away, avoidance can look very different from person to person.

PDA and nervous-system regulation
Understanding the relationship between autonomy, stress, threat responses and regulation.

PDA and autism
Exploring PDA within the broader context of autistic experience, rather than treating it simply as “defiance” or “bad behaviour”.

What actually helps?
Moving away from punishment, pressure and escalating demands towards approaches built around collaboration, trust, flexibility and genuine autonomy.

This webinar is for parents, autistic people, partners, family members, teachers, facilitators, and anyone who wants to understand PDA better.

Because sometimes the question isn't:

“How do we get them to comply?”

It's:

“How do we help them feel safe enough to have a choice?” 🧡

📅 19 September 2026
⏰ 10:00–12:00
💰 R400 per person, including reading material

📩 Book your place: [email protected]
📱 WhatsApp Blue to reserve your seat.

Come curious. Come without judgement.
Let’s understand autonomy a little differently.

NeurodiversityAffirming PDAProfile AutismAcceptance AutismEducation PDAAwareness NervousSystemRegulation AutisticExperience ParentingAutisticChildren

14/08/2026

Autism isn’t one thing. Let’s understand it better.

What is autism?

Why do autistic people experience the world differently? Why can someone be incredibly capable in one area and completely overwhelmed by something that seems “easy” to everyone else?

And why do things like movement, coordination, sensory processing, anxiety, sleep, attention and nervous-system regulation so often seem to travel alongside autism?

Join Frances Kaplan for a 3-hour, accessible and neurodiversity-affirming Autism Webinar.

We’ll explore autism beyond the stereotypes, including:

Theories of autism: from traditional explanations to newer ways of understanding autistic experience

Apraxia, dyspraxia & movement: exploring the emerging links between motor planning, coordination and autistic experience

Co-occurring conditions: why autism rarely exists in isolation and what this can mean in everyday life

The sensory systems: understanding why the world can sometimes feel far too much (or not enough)

The nervous system & regulation: what happens when our nervous system becomes overwhelmed, and what regulation really means

Most importantly, we’ll look at autism through a neurodiversity-affirming lens, moving beyond “fixing” autistic people and towards understanding, acceptance and meaningful support.

Whether you’re autistic, a parent, partner, family member, teacher, friend or simply curious to learn more, you’re welcome.

📅 29 August 2026
⏰ 10:00–13:00
💰 R600 per person, including reading material

📍 Online webinar

📩 Book your place: [email protected]
📱 WhatsApp Blue to reserve your seat.

Come with questions. Come with curiosity. Come ready to see autism a little differently. 🧡

AutismEducation ActuallyAutistic AutisticAdults AutisticChildren AutismParents SensoryProcessing NervousSystemRegulation Apraxia Dyspraxia AutismAwareness UnderstandingAutism

18/06/2026

Psychologist friends, EPASSA needs your help.

As most of you know, Educational and Counselling psychologists are under threat. Some medical aids are refusing to pay for our services, and they argue that only Clinical psychologist's are able to provide therapy for conditions such as depression.

This is making it really hard for us to get emloyed, and keep our practices afloat. Many of our clients can't claim back, so they see us, but pay out of pocket. This is grossly unfair.

EPASSA has spent more than R1million over a 10 year period fighting this bu****it. We are fighting medical aids, who have deep pockets. Our members have funded this through annual fees.

We now sit at a critical point. We have finally gotten to a stage where we are very close to ending the fight. But the money is not there.

Members aren't renewing.

If we don't pull R600K, in 2 months, its over. And when EPASSA stops fighting, the medicals who do still reimburse for our services, will stop.

Just stop, and think, what that will mean to you? You may as well join ASCHP, as your training that lead to a HPCSA registration and subesquent practice number through BHF, will mean sweet f*ck all. We'll have another mass exodus of professionals leaving for Australia and the UK - who by the way, love the fact we study 7 years, and have 3 degrees before we can register.

Please, renew your membership. If you can, donate as well. We wil be sharing updates on our progress on social media and our web.

You can also join out WhatsApp group for updates: https://chat.whatsapp.com/H4D94phuAe0JPTySYgX9DW?s=cl&p=a&ilr=2

We've come too far to give up now!

Please, lets unite and make our voices heard.

26/03/2026

Autism 101 Workshop:
Online
11 April 2026

Let’s talk about autism, minus the jargon, myths, and outdated thinking.

This workshop is for parents, families, educators, and autistic individuals who want a clearer, more respectful understanding of autism through a neuroaffirming lens. Together, we’ll explore ideas like Double Empathy, Monotropism, and Intense World Theory, and unpack what autistic experience actually looks and feels like in real life.

This isn’t about “fixing” anyone. It’s about understanding, reducing stigma, and making sense of differences in a way that’s compassionate and practical.

Expect an informal, thoughtful, and engaging session where curiosity is welcome, questions are encouraged, and complexity is respected.

Whether you’re supporting someone, reflecting on your own neurotype, or simply wanting to learn, you’ll leave with new perspectives, clearer insight, and ideas you can genuinely use.

[email protected]
083 676 1462

17/02/2026

🚨 PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT (of great importance and mild desperation) 🚨

Dear humans of the internet,

We have a small situation.

There are some truly wonderful younger neurodivergent kids who need support…
and there are not enough hours in the day or therapists in the building.

So we’re sending out a slightly dramatic, slightly hopeful call for help.

We’re looking for an Associate Psychologist who:

✅ Is registered (or registration-eligible) with the HPCSA
✅ Has a genuine interest in working with younger neurodivergent children
✅ Is comfortable with play-based, child-centred therapeutic approaches
✅ Understands anxiety, emotional regulation, and big feelings in little bodies
✅ Practices from a neurodiversity-affirming, respectful framework
✅ Has patience, flexibility, and a well-developed sense of humour

Bonus points (not compulsory, but we’ll secretly be delighted):

✨ Experience with neurodivergent children (autism, ADHD, sensory differences, etc.)
✨ Confidence working with parents and caregivers
✨ Ability to tolerate glitter, noise, tangents, and the occasional existential question from a 6-year-old
✨ Enjoys collaborating in a warm, multidisciplinary team
✨ Emotionally intelligent, curious, and kind

Probably not your dream role if:

❌ You prefer rigid, highly structured, silent environments
❌ You dislike toys, imagination, or children explaining Minecraft in great detail
❌ You believe compliance is more important than connection

If you’ve ever thought:
"I’d love to do work that matters, while occasionally being handed a plastic dinosaur during a profound therapeutic moment" — we should talk.

📍 Frances Kaplan & Associates Inc. at The Neurodiversity Hive, Brooklyn, Pretoria

📩 [email protected] or 083 676 1462

20/01/2026

When I opened my practice in 2017, in the granny flat of my brother’s house, I never imagined I’d one day be part of something like this.

From the very beginning, I was met with generosity, guidance, and support, alongside moments that required real sacrifice and enormous leaps of faith. None of this was linear or guaranteed.

When I look at this team and reflect on the work we do, I feel a deep, steady pride. Not the loud kind, but the kind that honours the journey, the risks taken, and the people who walked alongside me at different points along the way.

I feel immense gratitude. For the hive we’ve built, for the humans in it, and for the work that continues to matter so deeply.

12/01/2026

ADHD Barbie better come with a spinning chair!

11/01/2026

New Psychologist? Let’s talk billing.

ICD codes, procedure codes, invoicing, claims, switch services and the practical stuff they don’t teach you at varsity.

A low-cost, practical training to help you start your practice with confidence, not confusion.

R100
24 January '26
Online
No Recording
WhatsApp or E-mail to register
083 676 1462 / [email protected]

04/11/2025

The holidays can be a time of joy, connection, and rest, but for many neurodivergent families, they can also bring disruption, sensory overload, and stress. Between changes in routine, travel, unfamiliar environments, and social expectations, even the most wonderful time of the year can feel overwhelming.

Join us for a gentle, affirming workshop where we’ll explore how to create a holiday season that feels safe, meaningful, and genuinely joyful for your neurodivergent family.

Together, we’ll discuss:

🌲 Why changes in routine and environment can feel destressing for autistic individuals

🎁 How to manage gifts, surprises, and sensory overload in a way that honours everyone’s needs

🕯️ Practical ways to maintain regulation, connection, and calm

💬 Strategies for communicating support needs with extended family and friends

❤️ Creating your own family traditions that feel authentic and sustainable

This is not about perfection, it’s about finding connection, comfort, and joy in ways that work for you.

Let’s reimagine the holidays, together.

25/10/2025