Therapy with Abbey
Person-Centred
Neuro-affirming Therapy
Let’s get one thing straight from the beginning: you are not broken. You are not too sensitive, too emotional, too much, lazy, dramatic or failing at being an adult. You might have just spent years trying to survive in a world that did not understand how your brain works or give you what you needed. If you have spent most of your life masking, people-pleasing, overthinking every conversation and wondering why everyday life seems to take so much out of you, I hear you. It is bloody exhausting.
I offer person-centred, neuro-affirming therapy for neurospicy adults who have autism, ADHD or AuDHD. You do not need a formal diagnosis; if you are questioning, waiting for assessment or self-identifying, this is a safe space to explore it. As a late-diagnosed AuDHD therapist myself, I understand what it is like when your brain does not quite fit the standard settings. Therapy with me is not about teaching you how to look more neurotypical, behave in a way that makes other people more comfortable or hide the parts of yourself that have been labelled as “too much.” It is about understanding yourself, recognising what you actually need and finding ways to live that feel more manageable, less exhausting and more authentic to who you are.
Abbey Brocklehurst
What does neuro-affirming therapy actually mean?
Neuro-affirming therapy recognises autism, ADHD, AuDHD and other forms of neurodivergence as natural differences in how people experience, process and respond to the world. It does not treat neurodivergence as something that needs curing or something that should be trained out of you. Many neurodivergent people come to me believing they are the problem after years of being called lazy, forgetful, disorganised, overdramatic, difficult, rude, too quiet, too loud, too emotional or too sensitive. They may have heard statements like “so much potential, if only you would try harder, apply yourself or stop making excuses". After hearing those messages for long enough, you start to believe them and start to talk about yourself that way. Therapy can be a non-judgemental safe space to explore and question those beliefs with compassion and empathy.
Neuroaffirming therapy is not one specific technique, worksheet or modality. It is about getting to know the person sitting in front of you and working together on what genuinely helps them. Depending on what works for you, we might use visual tools, sensory and fidget tools, written prompts, diagrams, metaphors or tailored worksheets alongside our sessions if it's something that you feel you need to help you process. If something does not feel helpful, we change direction.
Therapy without having to mask
Lots of neurodivergent people have learned how to perform their way through professional spaces; you might force eye contact, rehearse what you are going to say before the session, monitor your facial expressions or pretend you have understood something because asking me to explain it again feels embarrassing. Masking in therapy can leave you feeling completely drained.
You might spend the whole session trying to appear like you are engaging “properly,” then leave feeling completely drained. You do not have to do any of that with me. With me, you can:
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Not force eye contact
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Stim, fidget or move around
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Sit in whatever position feels comfortable
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Bring notes or write things down beforehand
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Use visual tools to organise your thoughts
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Ask me to repeat or rephrase something
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Take extra time to process a question
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Say “I don’t know”
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Forget what you were saying halfway through
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Change the subject and come back to something later
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Attend online with your camera off
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Use the chat function when speaking feels difficult
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Have silence without rushing to fill it
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Tell me when something I have said does not feel right
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Swear, laugh or use whatever language feels natural to you
What might we explore?
Every neurodivergent person is different, so our work will be shaped around you and what you want to explore. You might want therapy that understands your neurodivergence while you explore something completely different, such as grief, childhood experiences, relationships, trauma or a major life change. You are a whole person, not just a diagnosis. However, if you are coming to therapy for your neurodivergence in particular, some of the things we might explore could include:
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Masking and feeling unable to be your authentic self
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Neurodivergent burnout
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Grief following a late diagnosis
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Anger about why nobody noticed struggles
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Shame and internalised ableism
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Comparing yourself to other people
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Comparing your current capacity to a previously masked version of yourself
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Rejection sensitivity
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Emotional regulation
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Sensory overwhelm
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Executive dysfunction and task paralysis
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People pleasing and difficulty setting boundaries
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Questioning internalised beliefs
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Struggling to recognise or communicate your needs
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Rebuilding your identity after diagnosis
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Difficulties at work or in education
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Relationship and communication difficulties
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Anxiety, depression and low self-worth
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Support exploring possible assessment and referral routes
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Trauma caused by years of being misunderstood
The therapy Room
Lived experience
I was diagnosed as AuDHD at the age of 30, so my understanding of neurodivergence does not come only from textbooks or professional training. I understand the relief of finally having an explanation for why life has felt so difficult, followed by the grief and anger of wondering why nobody noticed. I understand looking back over your entire life with a completely different lens. Suddenly, experiences you blamed yourself for begin to make sense; the things you thought, or were told were personality flaws might have actually been unmet needs, executive dysfunction, sensory overload or years of masking. I understand questioning which parts of you are genuinely you and which parts were created to survive, fit in and keep everyone else comfortable. However, sharing a diagnosis does not mean I will assume that your experience is the same as mine. There is no single way to be autistic, have ADHD or experience AuDHD. We may have similarities, but your experience is still completely your own. My lived experience helps shape the empathy and understanding I bring into the room, but therapy will always remain focused on your world, your needs and what neurodivergence means for you.
Think we might be a good fit?
You don’t need to have the perfect words or know exactly where to begin. If you are interested in me being your therapist and want to know more you can find details on where I am based, fees and other information on the "How I Work" page. You can Join My Waiting list and I’ll contact you when a suitable space becomes available.