Neurodiversity affirming Therapy
A calm and open space to explore neurodiversity
Many neurodivergent people come to therapy feeling exhausted rather than unwell.
Exhausted from masking, managing expectations, and trying to fit into systems that were not designed with them in mind.
Psychodynamic therapy offers a space to slow things down and to think together about your experience. It allows room to explore how your inner world has been shaped by your life, including the experience of being neurodivergent in a largely neurotypical world. You do not need to perform, explain yourself, or be “good at therapy” here.
Living with masking, burnout, and overwhelm
For many neurodivergent adults, daily life involves a high level of unseen effort. Masking, adapting, and monitoring yourself can become so habitual that it may be difficult to know where you end and the expectations of others begin. Over time, this can lead to chronic overwhelm, emotional exhaustion, shutdown, or burnout.
Psychodynamic therapy does not aim to remove these experiences quickly or to push coping strategies before you are ready. Instead, it offers space to understand:
• how masking developed and what it has protected you from
• what burnout may be communicating about your limits
• how overwhelm shows up in your body and emotional life
• what it has been like to carry these experiences largely on your own
Understanding often comes before change. We will work at a pace that feels sustainable for you, and gently explore what supports you in building resilience within everyday life.
Autism and ADHD: lived experiences, not labels
Autism and ADHD are not problems to be fixed. They are ways of experiencing, processing, and relating to the world. In therapy, we might explore experiences such as:
• sensory sensitivity and its impact on daily life and relationships
• differences in attention, focus, and energy
• emotional intensity or emotional distance
• difficulties with transitions, endings, or uncertainty
• experiences of being misunderstood, overlooked, or judged
A psychodynamic approach is interested not only in what you experience, but in how others have responded to you over time, and how those responses may still be shaping how you see yourself.
How I adapt therapy for neurodivergent clients
Therapy itself can feel overwhelming if it is too unstructured, too fast, or too demanding. I adapt my way of working so that sessions feel as predictable and containing as possible, while still allowing room for exploration.
This may include:
• a clear and consistent session structure
• flexibility around pace, silence, and ways of expressing yourself
• space for thinking rather than pressure to “talk freely”
• attention to sensory comfort and emotional safety
• openness about how the therapy process is feeling for you
You are welcome to bring your whole way of being into the room, including uncertainty, hesitation, or a need for clarity.
Trauma and neurodiversity
Many neurodivergent people have also experienced trauma, even if they would not immediately use that word. This can include experiences such as:
• chronic misunderstanding or invalidation
• being repeatedly told you are “too much” or “not enough”
• bullying, exclusion, or social rejection
• medical, educational, or workplace trauma
• developmental trauma linked to unmet needs
Psychodynamic therapy allows us to explore how these experiences may continue to live on emotionally, relationally, and in the body, without forcing a narrative or rushing towards resolution.
Sensory overwhelm & grounding support
Sensory overwhelm is not a failure of coping. It is often a sign that your nervous system is overloaded. Naming what feels overwhelming can sometimes be a helpful first step. This might include:
• noise, light, or visual clutter
• unexpected changes or interruptions
• social demands or prolonged interaction
• time pressure or unclear expectations
We can also think together about what helps you feel more regulated or grounded, in ways that are realistic and respectful of you as an individual.
A space where you don’t have to mask
Therapy can be one of the few places where you don’t need to hide or manage who you are. If you are neurodivergent, or are wondering whether you might be, it can be important to know that there is room to be yourself in the therapy space.
In our sessions, we can take time to explore what helps you feel understood and at ease, and what supports you best.
If you would like to explore whether this way of working feels right for you, you are welcome to get in touch for a free 15-minute consultation. I offer face-to-face sessions in Epsom and Banstead, as well as online counselling across the UK.