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How It Works

Counselling for Autism & ADHD

A space where you don’t have to pretend to be someone you’re not.

If you’re autistic, have ADHD, are AuDHD, or are exploring whether you might be neurodivergent, counselling can offer a space to make sense of your experiences — without judgement, pressure to mask, or the expectation that you should simply “try harder”.

Our approach is neurodiversity-inclusive and neurodiversity-affirming.

That means we don’t see autism or ADHD as something that needs to be fixed or taken away. Instead, we can explore the ways your brain and nervous system work, the challenges you experience, the strengths you bring, and the impact of living in environments that aren’t always designed with neurodivergent people in mind.

Most importantly, you remain the expert in your own experience.

You may have spent a long time feeling like you’re the problem

Perhaps you’ve spent years trying to work out why things that seem easy for other people feel exhausting for you.

You might be dealing with:

Anxiety, overwhelm or emotional exhaustion

ADHD-related difficulties with focus, motivation, time or getting started

Sensory overload or feeling easily overwhelmed

Autistic or ADHD burnout

Masking and the exhaustion that can come with it

Feeling different, misunderstood or “too much

Low self-esteem or a harsh inner critic

Difficulties with relationships or communication

Executive functioning difficulties

Procrastination, avoidance or difficulty getting things done

Emotional regulation and intense emotions

Perfectionism or people-pleasing

Shame about things you’ve struggled with

Coming to terms with a late diagnosis

Exploring whether you may be autistic or have ADHD

Adjusting to a new understanding of yourself

You don’t have to arrive knowing exactly what you need help with.

We can work it out together.

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What does neurodiversity-affirming counselling actually mean?

“Neurodiversity-affirming” can sound like professional jargon. In practice, it means adapting counselling to you — rather than expecting you to adapt yourself to counselling. There isn’t one “right” way to communicate, process emotions or participate in therapy.

For example, in our sessions:

  • You don’t have to make eye contact.
  • You can take your time to answer.
  • You can communicate differently.
  • We can make sessions sensory-friendly.
  • You don’t have to “look” engaged.
  • We can make things more concrete.
  • You can ask me to repeat or rephrase something
  • We can build in processing time.
  • We can work with your interests rather than dismissing them.
  • We look at the environment, not just at you.
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Affirming doesn’t mean ignoring difficulties

Being neurodiversity-affirming doesn’t mean pretending that autism or ADHD never creates difficulties. It means we can acknowledge the difficulties without treating you as the difficulty.

For example, if executive functioning is making everyday tasks hard, we can explore practical strategies that support you. If sensory overload is leaving you exhausted, we can look at what your nervous system is responding to and what changes might help. If masking has helped you navigate the world but left you depleted, we can explore what masking means for you and where you might feel safe enough to do things differently.

If ADHD means that knowing what you need to do isn’t the same as being able to start doing it, we can approach that with curiosity rather than shame.

The aim isn’t:

“How can I make you behave more neurotypically?”

It is:

“How can we help you understand yourself and build a life that works better for you?”

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What we might explore together

You may have spent years criticising yourself for things you now understand differently. Counselling can provide space to revisit those experiences with greater compassion and a neurodivergent lens.

Why have I always found this difficult?

Why am I exhausted after social situations?

Why can’t I start something I know I need to do?

Why do I feel like I’m constantly performing?

Who am I when I’m not masking?

What do I actually need?

Masking and authenticity

Masking can sometimes help people navigate environments where being different hasn’t felt safe or accepted. But constantly monitoring yourself, suppressing natural responses or trying to appear “normal” can be exhausting.

We can explore:

● When you mask

● What masking looks like for you

● What it costs you

● Whether you want to change any of it

● Where you feel safe enough to be more yourself

● How to develop boundaries and self-advocacy

There is no expectation that you should suddenly stop masking everywhere. The focus is on choice, safety and autonomy.

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Burnout and overwhelm

Sometimes the answer isn’t another productivity technique.

If you’re already exhausted, we may need to understand what has been demanding so much of your energy. Together we can explore your capacity, sensory needs, expectations, routines, relationships, work and recovery time.

We can look for ways to make life more sustainable rather than simply finding ways to squeeze more out of yourself

Our Services
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ADHD and executive functioning

ADHD can create a frustrating gap between knowing what you want to do and being able to initiate it. Rather than approaching this as laziness or a lack of willpower, we can explore what gets in the way.

For example:

● Breaking overwhelming tasks into smaller steps

● Finding ways to make starting easier

● Understanding your motivation

● Exploring time blindness

● Creating routines that have flexibility

● Working with your energy rather than against it

● Reducing shame around unfinished tasks

● Finding external supports that compensate for executive-function difficulties

The goal isn’t perfect productivity. It’s finding ways of living that are realistic and sustainable for you.

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You are welcome here

Whether you’ve had a diagnosis for years, have recently discovered you’re autistic or have ADHD, identify as AuDHD, or are simply beginning to wonder whether neurodivergence might explain some of your experiences, you are welcome.

You don’t need to have the answers before you begin.

You can start exactly where you are.