Neurodivergence in adults

If you are a neurodivergent adult, you have likely received an incredible amount of very unhelpful (and often unsolicited) advice that does not work for you or your brain. Advice that works for people with neurotypical brains often does not work for people with neurodivergent brains. As a neurodiversity affirming therapist, I help neurodivergent adults to work with their brains, instead of against them.

As a neurodivergent person myself, lived experience informs my practice and my knowledge in this area. Ultimately, I am most interested in deeply listening to your lived experience and what is meaningful to you. Working together, we can figure out what is relevant and helpful for you. Every neurodivergent person is a unique and complex individual. I am invested in offering you a space to explore the uniqueness and complexity of your own neurodivergent self, with curiousity and acceptance rather than judgement and shaming.

What I can support you with

As a counsellor and psychotherapist, I am not authorised to conduct assessments (e.g. ADHD assessments, autism assessments) or make diagnoses. However, I offer therapeutic support for adults who are neurodivergent (diagnosed, self-identified or exploring the possibility/possibilities).

Some aspects of neurodivergence that I can help you to navigate are:

• Identifying sensory issues

• Finding sensory supports

• Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD)

• Shame spirals

• Self-criticism and self-judgement

• Emotional dysregulation

• Executive dysfunction

• Procrastination

• Restlessness and struggling to actually rest

• Moving out of cycles of overwhelm and exhaustion

• ‘Doing the thing’ (whatever the thing is)

• Finding alternative ways of doing things that work for you

• Setting up systems that support your wellbeing and capacity

• Feeling ‘other’, like you are fundamentally different and separate from other people

• Feeling unsatisfied with your social life and relationships

• Processing what you find challenging socially

• Effectively communicating your experiences and your needs to loved ones

• Advocating for yourself

• Related food and eating issues (e.g. ARFID, sensory issues around food/eating, finding safe foods, eating enough while on medication)

• Dealing with the frustrating process of seeking an official diagnosis

• Coming to terms with a late diagnosis and the complicated feelings it brings up
  

Information on specific neurodivergent identities

I have specialised knowledge, skills and training in supporting adults with ADHD, Autism, and the co-occurence of the two, which is often referred to as AuDHD.

There are many neuro differences that people may conceptualise under the umbrella of neurodivergence, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, dissociative identity disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. My practice is neuro-affirming and I welcome clients who have a variety of traits, lived experiences and diagnostic labels. However, it is important to note that I do not have specialist training in every possible kind of neurodivergence. If the main issue/s that you are seeking support with relates to a specific aspect associated with of one of these conditions (e.g. psychosis, mania, alters, compulsions), I may encourage to seek out a neuro affirming practitioner with specialist training in the area/s that are relevant to you.