ISSUES I WORK WITH
There are so many challenges we might face as we go through life and I am not a fan of listing them, however, I frequently work with conditions such as Anxiety, Depression, Stress, Borderline Personality Disorder (or EUPD), and relationship difficulties. Although I am neurotypical, I also often work with people who are Autistic and/or identify as having or being ADD/ADHD. However, it is worth noting that I passionately believe in neurodivergence being a difference, not a disorder, and the way I work reflects this belief.
People have a wide range of requirements, but there are some common themes that appear. For example, you may be looking for short-term coaching to figure out a particular challenge at work. Maybe you feel stuck and unsure of where you are going in life or have a big life decision to figure out after a recent loss, divorce, or redundancy. Alternatively, you may wish to explore a challenging relationship with your partner or other family members. You may also be reading this looking for some guidance on how best to support yourself while you support a loved one who is having a difficult time with their mental health. This might need just one session…or perhaps a few more.
However, there are situations where it could be longer term and more in-depth work around past trauma or religious/high control group that you already know is troubling you. For some, having a mental health diagnosis means struggling with difficult symptoms and feelings of shame. The work here is often about being heard in a safe space as you begin to understand yourself while developing practical and effective coping skills, and building that life worth living.
The reality is, you may have read all that and be thinking ‘I am a combination of many of the above and do not know where to start'.
If that’s the case I’m glad that you have made it this far. Contemplating change or deciding to work with a therapist can feel tricky and even overwhelming.
Know that whatever you are experiencing, and whether you choose to make contact with me or another therapist, it can really pay to take some time and consider your options. From this position, you’ll be able to create some space for yourself, where you can explore what is going on for you in a friendly, confidential, and safe place.
A NOTE ABOUT THERAPY AND NEURODIVERGENCE
(OR AS SOME PREFER, NEURODIFFERENCE OR NEUROSPICY!)
When creating an effective integrative therapy, you’ll often find me wondering about different parts of you which is from Internal Family Systems (IFS) or perhaps offering up a Dialectical Behaviour (DBT) life skill to try. That said, it’s good to remember that some social tools and therapies are designed for neurotypical people and were not set up with neurodifference in mind. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t help us navigate the neurotypical world. Some will be more useful than others, and that will be for you to decide, but it is important to know we will look at any theories through a neurodifferent lens and I will not teach any skills as a way of masking neurodifference. I share them so we can develop a tool kit that can be used to understand and communicate with - but not mimic - neurotypical behaviours.
The reality is, there are lots of ways to view the world and connect with others and, often, being your best neurodifferent self can be the secret to success, especially when around other neurodifferent people. Whether you're connecting with neurotypical or neurodifferent pals or partners, picking the right social skills and deciding how you use them is like choosing the perfect playlist - it's all about what feels and sounds best for you. No matter how we work, my goal will be to support as you discover your unique self and interact with the world in a way that feels right - to you.
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT NEURODIFFERENCE?
Books I would recommend
