Neuroaffirmative Coaching with Neurodivergent Insight
I’m Kate - Neurodiversity Coach and Mentor, Youth and Community Worker, late-diagnosed AuDHDer, and parent of an AuDHD teenager.
After 13 years working as a Youth Worker and Practice Development Manager, I took redundancy from my much loved job due to experiencing neurodivergent burnout, which ultimately led to an exciting career change to become a Neurodiversity Coach.
My own journey of learning and self discovery to diagnosis has taught me the power and healing that comes from really understanding and internalising that you are, in fact, a glorious zebra and not a malfunctioning horse, and you have been all along!
Everyone’s experience is different, and I believe that everyone’s experience is equally valid and respected.
I approach my coaching relationships with curiosity, care, and unconditional positive regard for the adults and young people I work with. I bring my lived experience as a late diagnosed neurodivergent woman, navigating raising and parenting a neurodivergent child, and my professional experience of working with, supporting, and advocating for neurodivergent young people, parents, and colleagues.
Exhale Neurodiversity Coaching
Exhale Neurodiversity Coaching practice is
- Neuroaffirmative - respecting how different brains work, rather than trying to adapt them
- Non-judgemental
- Person-centred and holistic
- Client-led and collaborative
- Non-pathologising and strengths-based
- Authentic and empathic
- Intersectional, anti-oppressive, and anti-racist
Exhale Neurodiversity Coaching integrates
- Lived experience
- Coaching approaches (utilising ATTUNED and other neuroaffirmative coaching models)
- Psychoeducation - helping clients understand their unique brain differences so they can make better sense of their experiences
- Practical strategies and tools
- Youth Work principles and practice
Working collaboratively to develop respectful, trusted relationships and create a safe space for clients to exhale and
- understand your neurotype and learn to work with your brain instead of against it
- reflect and reframe lived experiences through a neuroaffirmative neurodivergent lens
- work to achieve radical acceptance and develop a positive neurodivergent identity
Neurodiversity Coaching is NOT
- Directive - sessions are not telling you what to do
- About providing all the answers and ‘fixing’ you - you are not broken
- Therapy, but we can signpost clients to neuroaffirmative mental health support as needed
Client-Led Sessions
Our online sessions are 50 minutes in length, they are client-led and do not follow a prescribed formula; clients are invited to bring their experiences, curious questions, challenges, and reflections each week. Sessions may cover a client’s experiences of:
- Sensory Overwhelm
- Emotional Dysregulation
- Rejection Sensitivity
- Demand Avoidance
- Executive Dysfunction
Personalised Support
Sessions can include:
- Reflection and reframing
- Psychoeducation
- Strategies and tools
- Goal setting
- Behavioural activation
- Parent support
- Self-advocacy
- Self-compassion
- Reasonable adjustments and support
- Body doubling and guidance for admin tasks, e.g. Access to Work application
- Celebrating your neurodivergent identity and your wins!
Who do we support?
- Late diagnosed, self-identified, and questioning neurodivergent adults
- Diagnosed, self-identified, and questioning neurodivergent young people (12+)
- Parents, carers, siblings, and grandparents of neurodivergent young people
- AuDHD women experiencing neurodivergent burnout, often colliding with perimenopause/menopause
- Managers and organisations supporting neurodivergent staff
Celebrating Positive Neurodivergent Identity
Prior to working with Exhale Neurodiversity Coaching, clients have described their brains as too busy, with 9467 tabs open (and at least two of them are playing random music!); feeling like they are constantly doing it wrong, whatever ‘it’ is; feeling they didn’t get the manual on ‘how to people’; overwhelmed with overthinking and trying their hardest but still struggling with relationships.
Through engaging with Exhale Neurodiversity Coaching, clients have reported having a clearer understanding of themselves; feeling less ‘at war’ with their brain and able to work with it, rather than against it; being kinder to themselves; and feeling much better equipped and confident to advocate for and accommodate their needs.
Get in touch
Telephone: 07949 944 264
E-mail: office@exhale-neurodiversity.coach