Birmingham-based specialist teacher launches innovative auricular therapy to support families with ADHD

Anna Venables, a Birmingham SEMH specialist and founder of Microsystems Therapies and Training (MTAT), has launched the MTAT Connecting Protocol, a groundbreaking neuroaffirming intervention for families impacted by ADHD and emotional regulation. Based at the historic Woodbrooke estate in Bournville, the programme combines 24 years of auricular therapy expertise with specialist education experience to provide a practical, body-based intervention that helps parents and children co-regulate through the application of ear seeds.

The protocol transitions from successful in-person workshops held in Birmingham earlier this year to a comprehensive online self-paced programme. It enables families to follow sensory-aware video demonstrations at home, providing an immediate option to the lengthy waiting lists often associated with professional ADHD support. Using evidenced ear acupoints combinations to hack into the nervous system, the intervention is designed to calm emotional unmasking and manage high-arousal situations before they escalate.

Operating from the former Georgian mansion of George Cadbury at Woodbrooke, Bournville, Venables has integrated sensory check-ins, interactive support plan apps, and turn-taking cue cards to ensure the therapy is accessible for neurodivergent users at their pace. The initiative is not only designed for family homes, but also serves as a vital resource for healthcare workers and school staff looking to support children through sensory overload and difficult transitions.

“MTAT Connecting Protocol grew from my own unwanted ADHD symptoms and the impact on relationships of emotional dysregulation within my own family,” says Anna Venables, Founder of MTAT. “The ears are closely connected to the brain by sensory cranial nerves, meaning signals can be sent to hack into our nervous system and bring about calm fast. We often ask children to talk, reason and explain whilst they are in a high arousal state, but it should be the other way round. Regulation must come first. By creating ear seeding partnerships, families and professionals can improve relationships and strengthen pathways impaired by ADHD and emotional reactivity.”

About Microsystems Therapies and Training

Anna Venables is a Specialist SEMH Consultant and founder of MTAT, an accredited auricular therapy training college. As a pioneer of the MTAT Connecting Protocol, she supports those navigating ADHD, trauma, and mental health difficulties. From her clinical base in Bournville, Birmingham, she offers accredited courses and therapeutic treatments including reflexology and ear acupuncture.