A calm, steady presence for neurodivergent women in midlife

Hi, I’m Sarah - a humanistic psychotherapist, offering online and face to face therapy for autistic, ADHD, AuDHD and ND‑exploring women who want to understand themselves more deeply and live with more ease. I am warm, gentle and I work at a pace that supports your nervous system - which may have spent years coping, masking or pushing through overwhelm.

My area of special interest is in supporting midlife women who are late‑identified, burnt out or navigating the impact of peri‑menopause on their neurodivergence. Many of my clients arrive feeling exhausted, confused or unsure how to keep coping in the ways they always have. Together, we create a space where you can finally breathe, make sense of your experiences and begin to live in a way that feels more sustainable and true to who you are.

My approach is neuro‑affirming, relational and rooted in both professional training and lived experience. I pay close attention to your sensory world, processing style and nervous‑system needs, offering a steady, compassionate space where you don’t have to mask or explain the basics.

Although I work in a neuro‑affirming way, therapy with me isn’t limited to talking about autism or ADHD. Many of the women I support come because they’re navigating the emotional and relational complexities of midlife:

• peri-menopause / menopause
• shifting identities
• burnout & shutdown
• boundaries
• self-worth
• parenting pressures
• grief
• career changes
• or simply feeling overwhelmed by the pace and expectations of life 

Your neurodivergence is always understood and held with care, but our work is centred on you as a whole person and whatever feels most important in your world right now.

^{Why neuro‑affirming therapy matters to me}

I believe neurodivergent people deserve therapeutic spaces where they don’t have to translate themselves, mask, or minimise their needs. Spaces where their sensory world, emotional intensity and cognitive patterns are understood as valid, not as problems to fix. My practice is built around creating that kind of space: gentle, grounding and deeply respectful of who you are.

In both my clinical and lived experience, many autistic and ADHD adults - especially women in midlife - leave assessment with a diagnosis and some insight, but very little support for what comes next. Navigate Neurodivergence was created to offer the understanding, language and grounding that so many people are missing after realising they are ND. It’s a way of helping you make sense of your experiences, reduce overwhelm, and begin to live in a way that feels more sustainable and true to yourself.

^{How I work}

Therapy with me is calm, spacious and collaborative. I don’t rush, push or expect you to arrive with everything figured out. Instead, we move slowly and thoughtfully, creating a space where you can explore your inner world with curiosity and compassion - at a pace that feels safe for your nervous system.

My practice is shaped by:

Humanistic values - Authenticity, empathy and deep respect for your autonomy. You lead the way; I walk alongside you.
ND‑affirming principles - Your sensory world, cognitive patterns and lived experience are understood, not pathologised. You don’t have to mask or explain the basics.
Nervous‑system awareness - We work at a pace that feels steady and manageable, helping you feel less overwhelmed and more grounded.
Gentle structure - Clarity without pressure. Support without overwhelm. Enough shape to help you feel held, without ever feeling boxed in.

A gentle beginning

Many neurodivergent clients arrive unsure where to start, or carrying years of experiences that feel tangled or hard to put into words. I offer a four week support programme - Navigating Midlife Neurodivergence - which provides a gentle structure and gives language, grounding, and clarity that can make the deeper parts of therapy feel more accessible.

What therapy feels like with me

Clients often describe our sessions as:

• calm and unhurried
• deeply validating
• emotionally spacious
• grounding and regulating
• a place where they don’t have to mask

I pay close attention to your pace, your sensory needs, and the ways your nervous system communicates. Therapy becomes a space where you can soften, breathe, and reconnect with parts of yourself that may have been hidden or dismissed.

My background

I hold a Level 7 Postgraduate Diploma in Humanistic Counselling and am a registered member of the BACP. I’ve worked with a wide range of clients, but my practice has naturally evolved toward supporting neurodivergent women - people who often tell me they’ve never felt fully understood in previous therapeutic spaces. My work is informed by ongoing training in neurodiversity, trauma, sensory processing, and nervous‑system regulation, as well as my own lived experience of navigating an ND life and living with an ND family.

My qualifications & recent training

• Level 7 Postgraduate Diploma in Humanistic Counselling (Distinction) - York St John University
• Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Autism - Askham Bryan College
• Inside Autism - The Autistic Advocate
• Curating Healthy Lifestyles for Late-Identified Autistic Adults - The Autistic Advocate
• Autistic Masking - The Autistic Advocate
• ADHD Strategies
• Registered Member of British Association of Counselling & Psychotherapy, Enhanced DBS, fully insured, ICO registered
• Ongoing learning in neurodivergence, trauma, Polyvagal Theory, anxiety, and relational work 

A space to arrive as you are

Whether you’re burnt out, overwhelmed, curious about your neurodivergence, or simply longing for a place where you can be fully yourself, therapy can offer a steady, supportive anchor.

Not just a therapist

Apart from my work, which I love, I enjoy going to the cinema by myself, walking my two dogs, coffee with friends and singing loudly in my car. My favourite times are spent laughing with my family and I hold a deep belief that connection with others has been key to my own healing. 

If you feel we might work well together, you are welcome to book a free introductory call.
There is no pressure to decide quickly, we take it gently.