The Blog
Unfiltered thoughts, useful things, and life behind the work.
ADHD in Midlife: Why So Many Women Are Missed
Posted 13th March
Many women reach their 40s or 50s before realising ADHD may be part of the picture.
They may have spent years feeling overwhelmed, forgetful, emotional, burnt out, or like they are constantly failing at things that seem easy for other people.
Often, they were not “disruptive” enough to be noticed earlier in life. They may have coped by masking, overachieving, people-pleasing, or pushing themselves far too hard.
By midlife, that coping can start to crack.
Hormonal changes, stress, burnout, caring responsibilities, grief, and life pressure can all make ADHD traits feel harder to manage. Things like focus, memory, motivation, emotional regulation, sleep, and organisation can suddenly feel much worse.
This does not mean someone is lazy, dramatic, or not trying hard enough.
It may mean they have been carrying unsupported ADHD for years.
Counselling can help people make sense of these patterns, reduce shame, and find more realistic ways to cope. Whether someone has a diagnosis, is exploring ADHD, or is simply wondering why life feels harder than it used to, support can help.
Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria: You are not "Just Being Sensitive".
Posted 2nd March 2026
Someone doesn't reply to your message. A throwaway comment from a colleague. A look that might mean nothing.
And you're done. Flooded. Ready to quit, hide, or explode.
That's RSD. And if you have ADHD, there's a good chance you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria is an intense, often overwhelming emotional response to perceived rejection or criticism. Not always real rejection — perceived. Your brain doesn't wait for evidence. It reacts first and asks questions later.
What it actually looks like day to day:
Not sending the email because what if they think it's stupid Replaying a conversation at 2am trying to work out what you said wrong Going from fine to devastated in about 30 seconds People-pleasing yourself into exhaustion just to avoid disapproval Quitting before anyone gets the chance to reject you first
It can blow up relationships, careers, and your own self-worth — because when it hits, it feels completely real and completely unbearable.
And the kicker?
Most people around you will tell you you're overreacting. You've probably told yourself the same thing a thousand times.
You're not overreacting. Your brain genuinely processes emotional pain more intensely.
What actually helps:
Naming it in the moment. Not to dismiss the feeling, but to get a second between the trigger and the fallout.
And talking to someone who gets it, not someone who'll tell you to "build resilience" or "let it go."
If this sounds familiar, we work with this stuff. Book a free consultation.
Vision Boards: A Neurodivergent-Friendly Way to Stay Focused
Posted 26th January, 2026
Neurodivergent brains are often great at generating ideas, but starting tasks or staying focused can be more difficult.
A visual reminder can help.
Vision boards offer a clear, visible way of keeping goals and intentions present. For many ADHD and autistic people, this can support motivation by making abstract ideas feel more concrete and easier to return to.
There’s no right way to create a vision board.
- Some people prefer digital tools, such as Canva
- Others prefer paper, images, words, drawings or stickers
- What matters most is choosing a format that feels accessible and engaging
When should you start?
Whenever it works for you. New year, new term, or any point where change feels possible.
How long should it last?
That’s flexible too. A year is common, but not essential.
A vision board should feel supportive — not pressurising.
Small steps count, progress doesn’t have to be perfect.
A Neurodivergent New Year: From “New Me” to “True Me”.
Posted January 2026
At this time of year, we’re often pushed towards “new year, new me”. New habits. New routines. A complete overhaul.
For many neurodivergent people, that pressure doesn’t inspire change, it creates overwhelm.
A more sustainable approach is shifting the focus from becoming someone new, to being more authentically you. From a neurodivergent perspective, meaningful change tends to happen when we work with our brains and nervous systems, not against them.
Instead of rigid goals or dramatic transformations, small and flexible steps are often far more effective.
What might this look like in practice?
- Reframing expectations and setting gentle, realistic intentions
- Allowing rest to be part of progress, not a failure
- Starting small rather than trying to change everything at once
- Using novelty to support ADHD motivation, or repetition to support autistic routines
- Creating environments that reduce overwhelm rather than increase it
Lasting change doesn’t come from forcing yourself into a version of success that doesn’t fit.
It grows when you build from who you already are.
Neurodiverse or Neurodivergent?
Posted 9th September, 2025
Julie here – I’m a neurodivergent counsellor, and one question I often see is: what’s the difference between neurodiverse and neurodivergent?
Here’s the simple answer:
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Neurodiverse = all of us (every brain is different).
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Neurodivergent = people whose brains work differently to the typical. This includes ADHD, Autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and Tourette’s.
Neurodivergent brains are different because the way they process information, emotions, and sensory input follows different pathways to a typical brain.
It’s easy to mix them up. Language around this is always changing and evolving. The important thing is that we keep learning together.
Why Can’t I Just Start Things?
Posted 4th July, 2025
You know what needs doing.
You’ve told yourself ten times to just start.
But hours go by… and nothing happens.
That’s ADHD task paralysis. When your brain is overwhelmed.
Here’s what might be getting in the way:
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Fear of getting it wrong (hello RSD)
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Wanting it to be perfect
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Too many steps
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Time blindness (you tell yourself you’ll do it “later”, but “later” never comes)
Here’s what can help:
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Do one micro-step (just open the document, or move the plate)
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Set a 5-minute timer — and only do 5 minutes
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Try body doubling (yep, we offer that here)
You’re not lazy.
You’re just dealing with a brain that freezes under pressure — and that’s something we can work with.
Want to try body doubling or talk to us about support options?
This week we’ve launched something new – ANA.
Posted 20th June, 2025
It stands for AI-powered Neurodivergent Assistant.
ANA isn’t a counsellor or therapist, but it has been trained by one (Julie Knowles).
The idea is simple: it’s a support tool for when you’re stuck, overwhelmed, spiralling, or just need somewhere to offload without judgement.
Whether it’s helping you plan what to do next, get started with something like cleaning, or just sort through your own thoughts — ANA is there when you need it.
It’s free, available any time, and made with ADHD and Autism in mind.
Want to try it? click here.
* Please Note: This is a customGPT and needs a ChatGPT account to use it. Also make sure you have read OpenAIs Terms or service and privacy policy before using.
Why I’m Blogging Instead of Just Posting on Social Media
Posted 15th June,2025
Julie here - As a neurodivergent counsellor, I'm not great at keeping up with our social media.
Not because I don’t care — but because I find it hard to fit into 30-second reels and neat quotes...(before adding a sprinkle of my time-blindness and apps designed to distract me).
Blogging will give me (and the team) space to say the things that we want without trying to fit it into a social media post.
Social media is brilliant for awareness — but it can’t always show the full, debilitating side of ADHD and/or Autism. The stuff that’s not so shareable:
- The shame when you're late (again).
- Sensory overwhelm.
- The impact of spiralling thoughts.
- The piles of doom (pots, clothes, letters, unreturned parcels).
- The burnout. The paralysis. The crash after the mask.
This blog is about all of them things and a little extra.
If you’re neurodivergent, tired, and trying your best — you’re exactly who this is for... so put your feet up, switch off from the distractions and keep reading...