Neurodivergence
I understand that being neurodivergent often means facing more mental health challenges compared to neurotypical individuals. Many of us go through this, and you’re definitely not alone.
I work from a neurodiversity perspective, which means I don't see diagnoses as something to be "cured." I believe neurodivergence is a valuable part of human diversity that should be accepted, nurtured, and supported.
In our sessions, I adapt to your sensory needs. You can be yourself, use fidget toys, have movement breaks and there's no expectation for eye contact. My goal is to make you comfortable here and help you feel confident in asking for adjustments in other areas of your life too.
We often explore the concept of masking in counseling. Many of us mask to feel safe in a world that doesn’t always understand us. While masking can protect us in certain situations, it can also make it harder to form genuine connections. It’s important to examine how masking has helped you and where it might be holding you back.
We can delve into understanding how much of who you are comes from your innate wiring and how much is shaped by your upbringing and life experiences. This self-exploration helps you understand yourself better, leading to a stronger sense of self and, ultimately, self-acceptance.
It's a journey of embracing all parts of yourself.
Society often isn’t accepting of neurodivergent people, which can lead to low self-esteem. Counseling can help rebuild that self-worth.
Being diagnosed later life
If you have been diagnosed with Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia or Dyscalulia in adulthood, you may have experienced an array of emotions from relief and validation through to anger at not being able to access the support you needed previously. Expressing these emotions is important to help you to process them and to move forward with your life.
The self-awareness you can gain through counselling, will help you to understand this new information you have gained about yourself. This self-awareness can empower you to accept yourself whilst being open to positive change.
Working with a counsellor with personal experience of being late diagnosed enables the counselling sessions to flow more easily and will allow us to work at a deeper level. Since I have an understanding of many of the issues you may be facing, we can spend more time on processing your thoughts and feelings, rather than you having to explain yourself.
Coping with being Autistic in a Neurotypical world
I understand that many Autistic people find change hard. Life events such as a change of job, a house move, or finishing university can be daunting. It is important to look after yourself through these transitional times.
Person centred counselling can help you to accept these changes, come to terms with them, process your emotions and make the transition into a more positive one.
Meeting new people – particularly at the beginning of a new working relationship – can be unnerving. I want to make our first meeting as easy as possible for you. Please contact me with whichever form of contact you are most at ease with: email, text, call or leave a voicemail. Let me know how you would like me to reply to you. We can have a free 30 minute consultation which is a chance for you to meet me and see if you feel like we can work together.
Our counselling sessions would take place in the same building each week, or fortnightly if you choose. We can also arrange to meet at the same time, too. Each session will be 50 minutes long.