Autism & Neurodiversity Specialist Support
Providing neuro-affirming assessments and tailored therapeutic guidance for children, young people, and families.
My work focuses on creating environments where autistic individuals feel heard, safe, and empowered to navigate the world on their own terms.
A Unique Multi-Disiplinary Perspective
Over the past two decades, I have had the privilege of working alongside children, young people, families and professionals across a wide range of educational and specialist settings. My career has taken me from the classroom, to SEN leadership, to specialist autism advisory services and senior service leadership. Alongside this, my training as a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counsellor has given me another lens through which to understand children's experiences.
These different perspectives have shaped the way I work today.
My approach is strongly informed by the principles of the SCERTS model, which place social communication and emotional regulation at the heart of supporting autistic children and young people. Rather than focusing on changing the child to fit their environment, I believe we should also consider how we can change and adapt the environment to better support the child. This might mean adapting communication, reducing unnecessary demands, considering sensory and environmental factors, providing greater predictability, or finding different ways for a child to communicate their needs, experiences and emotions.
My aim is to bring these perspectives together — helping children and young people feel understood, helping families feel supported and helping professionals develop a deeper understanding of the children they work with.
ADHD
Autism and ADHD often overlap, and for some children and young people, this can mean navigating both autistic and ADHD experiences - sometimes described as AuDHD.
I offer support that recognises the individual, rather than focusing on labels alone. We can explore how differences in attention, regulation, sensory processing, communication, energy and emotional experiences may be showing up in everyday life.
Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)
For some autistic children and young people, everyday demands can feel overwhelming, triggering a strong need for autonomy and control. Often referred to as PDA, this can be misunderstood as defiance or unwillingness when, underneath, a child may be experiencing anxiety, overwhelm or a need to feel safe and in control.
I take a compassionate, neuro-affirming approach to understanding these experiences, looking beyond behaviour to understand what a child is communicating and what might help them feel more secure, empowered and able to engage in their own way.
Emotionally Based School Non Attendance (EBSNA)
Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA) is a term used to describe a group of children and young people who have severe difficulty in attending school due to emotional factors, often resulting in prolonged periods of absence from the educational setting. Unlike truancy, EBSNA is rooted in anxiety and a sense of overwhelm. Understanding the underlying emotional, sensory, and environmental drivers is critical to providing the right support.
My approach focuses on identifying the risk and resilience factors and collaboratively develop strategies that consider the young person's voice.
Get in touch
Whether you are a parent, carer, school, or professional seeking neurodiversity support or therapeutic guidance, I would love to hear from you. Please reach out to discuss how we can work together.