Instead of asking, "How do we manage behaviour?", what if we first asked, "What don't we understand yet?"

Behaviour Was Never the Problem challenges professionals to look beyond behaviour and become more curious about the person behind it. Through a neuroaffirming lens, we'll explore how communication, sensory experiences, relationships, environment and what matters most to the individual shape behaviour. Attendees will leave with a practical way of thinking that helps transform curiosity into understanding, and understanding into meaningful changes in practice.

With a warm, cheeky and down-to-earth style, Gayle creates spaces where people feel comfortable, connected and inspired. As MC for the Wildfire Conference, she'll guide the day with curiosity, thoughtful conversations and a focus on ensuring every attendee feels welcomed, involved and encouraged to reflect on the ideas that spark meaningful change.

What if the key to reducing burnout and changing behaviour isn't another strategy—but belonging? We will explore how connection shapes behaviour, wellbeing and resilience. Through real-world stories and practical strategies, attendees will learn how to strengthen relationships, improve outcomes and build cultures where  people can thrive.

"It's Sensory": Why the Label Doesn't Always Fit. "It's sensory" has become the go-to explanation for children's behaviour. Sensory sensitivities are real, and anxiety can heighten them further, making a response look sensory when anxiety is the actual driver. Drawing on Ayres Sensory Integration® assessment, Mickaylah, looks at what's really driving a child's behaviour; sensory, physical, emotional, social or a mix, and why getting that right changes which strategy actually works.

In a world that rarely slows down, discover why connection and belonging are essential to preventing burnout. Through their mother-daughter journey, this session explores the power of community, finding your people and creating spaces where everyone feels seen, supported and valued. We hope this conversation leaves you feeling inspired to find and embrace community, and remember that you don’t have to do it all on your own.

​When we understand the autistic brain—how it thinks, what it needs, and the ways autistic people naturally communicate, connect, and regulate—we can begin to live in greater alignment with our neurotype. Recovery from autistic burnout is not about returning to who we were before; it is about discovering new ways of living that honour our neurological differences.

Burnout is often talked about as something to fix with rest and firmer boundaries. For neurodivergent people, the reality is often deeper, and it doesn't lift with a weekend off. In this session we will look at burnout as what I
usually uncover with neurodivergent clients: the cost of masking to fit into a world that asks you to be something you're not, what burnout looks like when it's a trauma response, why rest alone won't fix it, and what recovery can look like instead. It's for anyone who supports neurodivergent people, and anyone
who's lived it.

To diagnose ADHD in adults can be confusing. At present each clinician can choose their own method of assessments. This means there is a lack of uniformity and the potential for misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis. This presentation will introduce a case study to talk about some of the difficulties in accessing a diagnosis, problems with other diagnosis and what to expect from undergoing an ADHD assessment as an adult.

Supporting neurodivergent children starts with understanding. This interactive panel explores emotional regulation, sensory needs, inclusive education and PDA through a neuroaffirming lens, offering practical strategies that families, educators and allied health professionals can apply in everyday settings.