“How do you use language to help your son?”

I get asked this a lot. My answer is simple.

First, I built an intention. For years, my son was labelled non-verbal.

I never questioned it. I accepted it. And I got exactly what I expected.

Everything became different when I changed my thinking.

My intention became this:

To build his competence to speak conversationally.

To help him believe in his ability through proof he could see, hear, and feel within himself.

That changed how I now had to see him.

I went back to the beginning. Simple words. Children’s books.

Dr Seuss. Humming. Singing. Vocal warm-ups.

Anything that exercised his voice.

Then I complemented that with language patterns from NLP and hypnotherapy, not to “fix” him, but to access the part of him that already had the ability.

Previously, I had unknowingly reinforced the idea that he couldn’t verbalise.

When I changed my words, I changed the environment around him.

And I started repeating this phrase and metaphor twice a week sometimes directly to him, other times as a recital knowing he could still hear. (and I still do)

That’s it. Simple.

Language shapes belief.

Belief shapes behaviour.

Behaviour builds evidence.

Imagine using simple phrases like this for confidence.

For self-belief.

For resilience.

Not just for your child - but for yourself.

I'm not saying this is a cure, he still has some verbal challenges.

However as he develops in an intentionally positive environment

I wonder what might happen.