Neurodiversity Affirming
Supporting Parents of Neurodivergent Children
Parenting a neurodivergent child can be deeply loving — and incredibly exhausting. Many parents experience blame, misunderstanding, and constant pressure to “do more” or “parent differently,” while rarely being offered genuine understanding or support.
Daily life can feel overwhelming: school struggles, emotional meltdowns, after-school collapse, and the relentless need to advocate for your child. In the midst of supporting them, it’s easy for your own needs to disappear. Over time, this can leave you feeling burnt out, isolated, and running on empty.
I offer a safe, supportive space where parents can offload, feel heard, and begin to reconnect with themselves. Taking care of your own mental health is not selfish — it is essential. You don’t have to do this alone.
Supporting Late Diagnosed Adults
I work with neurodivergent adults, including those with ADHD and autism, offering a calm and supportive space to explore life experiences that may have left you feeling confused, overwhelmed, or misunderstood. Many of the people I work with have spent years adapting, masking, or pushing themselves to fit expectations that were never designed with them in mind. Therapy is not about changing who you are, but about understanding yourself with greater compassion, making sense of past experiences, and finding ways to live that honour your needs, strengths, and capacity.
Do you struggle to understand your neurodiversity in a neurotypical world? Have you had therapy before but found yourself feeling misunderstood? Have you ever experienced bullying or exclusion because of your differences? Do you mask so much no one really knows the real you, maybe not even yourself? As a Neurodivergent affirming counsellor I provide a safe environment for you to be yourself and an understanding of what it is like to be neurodiverse. I can help you with anything from school based trauma to those struggling with making sense of their life in a neurotypical world.
I believe in;
“Difference, Not Deficit” – Your neurodiversity, whether that is ADHD, Dyslexia, Autism or dyspraxia is not a condition to be cured but a difference to be understood. My role as your counsellor is to help you understand how you see the world, develop healthy coping skills and perhaps provide clarity on things you struggle to explain. I do this through my own lived and professional experiences.
Respect for identity and Autonomy – Who you are, what you believe in and how you see the world is unique and no one should be telling you what you “should” think, feel or believe. I will see you for who you are and help you to feel empowered to make your own choices and path forward.
How to get started?
For those who are anxious about starting therapy I offer a free 20 minute telephone consultation to discuss your needs, how I can help and answer any questions you may have. I also offer a 30 minute “Get to Know you” introduction session. The “Get to Know you” session doesn’t include any counselling, so it takes the pressure off that first meeting.
In this session you can bring someone with you for support if it helps, see the room, meet me and get a general feel of things before committing to work with me. There is no obligation after this introductory session and no pressure to decide on the day if you want to book for a full counselling session.
If you would like to start the process contact me to book an introductory call.
Frequently asked Questions
Still nervous? Perhaps it would help to have some guidance on the types of questions people usually ask. Check out the list below and see which ones you think would be helpful for you.
Do you have lived experience of Neurodiversity?
Yes I do. Through lived and professional experiences I truly understand the complexities of living in a neurotypical world and what it feels like to be different, and not always understanding where you fit in.
Do you have any experience of working with Neurodiverse people in a therapy environment?
Yes! I have worked with both teenagers and adults with Neurodiversity. I have a large client base who are newly diagnosed adults trying to understand who they are now that they have a diagnosis. Some people find diagnosis provides clarity, whilst others find it more confusing. Both are ok places to be, we can work together to achieve any goal regardless of how you feel about your diagnosis.
Can you help me if I don’t have a diagnosis?
Yes! The support I give is based on your experiences not your diagnosis. Even if you suspect you may be neurodivergent but don’t have a diagnosis I can still help.
Do I have to sit in my chair for the whole session?
No you don’t! If you want to move around the room, sit on the floor or maybe put your feet up you are welcome to do what makes you comfortable. I have blankets and fidget tools available and soft lighting to help you feel comfortable.
Can I bring someone with me for support?
If you would like to bring someone for the 30 minute ‘Get to Know You’ session, then you are more than welcome to. If you feel you need more support after that session, then we can absolutely have a conversation about what you need and how I can support that.
What if I struggle to think of things to say?
Don’t worry, I have lots of different resources that can be used to initiate conversations depending on what it is you want to achieve from counselling. This could be using emotion cards, creative resources and books. We will talk about how you want to be supported in sessions so that you don’t feel uncomfortable and get the most from them.
I struggle to understand my emotions, does that matter?
Not at all. As a neurodiverse counsellor I think it is really important to understand the world from your perspective. I have some techniques and information we can use to enable you to explain to those around you how you see the world. You are individual so we need to work to help you understand how you feel your feelings and how to manage them.
You can find more information about how a counselling session usually goes in my blog “What happens in Counselling”.
Or “How can counselling help when you are neurodiverse” here