Neuro-affirmative Therapy in Manchester
Being neurodivergent can affect many parts of life: how you focus, how you communicate, how you take in the world around you, and even how you feel about yourself. You might feel that no single label quite fits, or that you've always felt a bit different without knowing why, especially if you've had to mask or push through for years. Therapy can offer a space to slow down, make sense of your experiences and feel understood.
As a Level 4 BACP-registered counsellor, I offer one-to-one counselling for neurodivergent adults in Manchester, whether you're diagnosed, waiting for an assessment, self-identifying or still unsure. Our sessions are shaped around your needs and how you experience things, and you won't need to mask or explain yourself. Together, we'll look at what's been hard, what's helped, and how things might start to feel more manageable.
If you'd like to talk about whether counselling could help, I'm here, and the first step is a free 15-minute call.
Counselling for neurodivergent adults
Neurodivergent is a broad word for brains that work differently from what's usually treated as typical. It includes autism and ADHD, as well as dyslexia, dyspraxia, PDA and more.
I work in a person-centered way, which means you're the expert on your own life and there's no set agenda for our sessions. I won't try to make you more typical, more productive or better at fitting in. Being neurodivergent is not a problem to be fixed.
My approach is neuro-affirming, so our focus is on whatever is making life hard for you right now, whether that's burnout, anxiety, low mood or relationships.
I won't set homework or check up on what you've done between sessions. If I suggest something that might help, it's only ever an option.
If putting feelings into words is hard, we don't have to name them in the usual way. We can look at what you were thinking or what came up for you, and use a metaphor or one of your interests if that helps.
The room, and adjustments I can make
My counselling room is quiet and warm, and it's been set up with neurodiversity in mind. The lighting can be dimmed or brightened and the temperature changed straight away, so the room feels right for you. The chairs are large enough to shift around in, and although we usually sit opposite each other, we can change that if you'd prefer.
There's no expectation of eye contact, so you're free to rest your eyes on the artwork or anywhere else that feels comfortable. There are also fidget toys, coloured stones and other things to keep your hands busy if that helps.
Adjustments can be made in any session, and you're welcome to ask for any of these:
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Writing pads and notes, if writing things down helps you think
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Recording our sessions, so you can listen back afterwards
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A reminder email before each session
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Movement breaks, so you can stand, stretch or move around
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Half-hour sessions, if sitting for longer feels uncomfortable
If there's something else that would make sessions easier, just let me know. You can tell me if the room is too bright or a question doesn't make sense, and we'll change it.
What people often bring to counselling
Being neurodivergent looks different for everyone. On the following cards I've described a few things that can come up when you don't fit neatly under one label, such as not knowing which word fits, being both autistic and ADHD, being told you're coping too well, masking, and the overlap with difficult experiences. They aren't a checklist, and you might recognise one, several or none of them
Not Sure Which Label Fits
You might read about autism and recognise some of it, then read about ADHD and recognise some of that too, or find that neither fits exactly. You don't need to have worked it out before you get in touch. We can start with whatever feels hardest right now.
Autistic and ADHD
You might need routine but struggle to keep one, or long for quiet and then feel restless once you have it. When the two pull against each other, it can be hard to make sense of yourself. In our sessions you can bring all of it, without having to pick which part to talk about. There's more on this in the AuDHD section further down this page.
Being Told You're Coping Too Well
Some people are told by a GP, family or friends that they can't be neurodivergent because they seem to be managing, and sometimes that voice is their own. It can leave you doubting your own experience. You won't need to prove anything in our sessions, because how things are for you is enough to start with.
Masking One Thing to Manage Another
You might keep strict routines so nobody sees how scattered things feel, or push through noise and bright lights so you come across as easy-going. Masking in more than one way at once can take a huge amount of energy. There's no need to do either in our sessions: eye contact isn't expected, and the lighting and temperature can be changed to suit you.
Difficult Experiences
Years of being misunderstood or told off can leave their own marks, and it can be hard to tell what's part of being neurodivergent and what's come from how you've been treated. I work in a trauma-informed way, so we'll go at a pace that feels manageable, and you're free to pause or change direction at any point. If things feel unsafe between sessions, we can put a safety plan together so you know where to turn.
Making Sense of the Past
Recognising yourself as neurodivergent later in life can bring up a lot, from relief that things finally make sense to sadness or anger about the years when nobody noticed. You might find yourself looking back at school reports, old jobs or friendships and seeing them differently. There's no need for any of it to feel tidy, or for you to have made your peace with it. We can start with a gentle look at what's brought you here, and take the rest at a pace that feels manageable.
Neurodivergence I work with
Neurodivergence covers more than the best-known labels. Alongside autism and ADHD, I'm trained and experienced in working with dyslexia, dyspraxia and PDA, and the cards below also look at what it can be like to be both autistic and ADHD. You don't need a formal diagnosis of any of these to talk to me about them.
ADHD
ADHD can affect focus, energy, organisation and emotions, and many adults have spent years being told they're lazy, disorganised or unreliable. You might find it easy to focus on something that interests you and almost impossible to start something that doesn't. In our sessions you won't be pushed to be more productive, and we can talk about what's been hard without it turning into a list of things to fix. You're welcome to fidget, move around or take a break, and I can send a reminder email before each session if that helps.
Autism
Autism can affect how you communicate, how you take in the world around you and how much energy everyday life takes, and many autistic adults were missed as children, especially if they learned to mask. You might need a lot of time alone to recover from a day that other people seem to take in their stride. In our sessions you won't be taught to fit in or seem more typical, and you can take as long as you need to answer. If a question is too vague, just tell me and I'll ask it a different way, and if naming feelings is hard, we can come at them from another direction.
AuDHD
Some people are autistic and have ADHD too, which some call AuDHD, and it's often missed because the traits can seem to cancel each other out. You might need things to be predictable and still get bored of your own routines, or crave something new and then find it overwhelming. In our sessions you won't need to decide which part of you is doing the talking, and we can look at how the two affect each other. If organisation is hard, I can send a reminder email before each session, and if a full session feels too long, we can use half-hour sessions or build in movement breaks.
Dyslexia
You might have spent years being told you were careless or not trying hard enough, when reading and writing simply took more effort. I won't set anything written between sessions, and if it helps to listen back to what we talked about, I can record our sessions for you. Some people like to jot things down on a writing pad as we go and others would rather not, and either is fine.
Dyspraxia
Dyspraxia can affect coordination, organisation and planning, and many people have been called clumsy for as long as they can remember. The chairs in my room are large enough to shift around in, and you're welcome to take breaks to stand and move. If keeping track of appointments is hard, I can send you a reminder email beforehand.
PDA
PDA is a profile where everyday demands can bring on a lot of anxiety, even ones you want to meet or have set for yourself, and some people now describe it as a persistent drive for autonomy. In our sessions you lead, with no set agenda and no homework. If I ever suggest something, it's only an option, never an expectation.
Diagnosed, self-identified or not sure
You're welcome to come to counselling with or without a diagnosis. You might have one already, be on a long waiting list, or have recognised yourself in something you read or in a child's diagnosis without being sure what to do with that. You might also have looked at the assessment process and decided it isn't for you, at least for now.
I can't diagnose or tell you whether you're neurodivergent, but I can help you make sense of how things have been for you. The question of what to call it can wait. For some people it becomes clearer over time, and for others it stops feeling like the most important question.
Why work with me?
I work in a trauma-informed, person-centered way, and my training includes Neurodiversity and Trauma with PESI, and Trauma-Informed Counseling with The Open University, which looks at where neurodiversity and trauma overlap. You can find my full training and credentials here.
Many neurodivergent adults have spent years being misunderstood, at school, at work and sometimes in previous support, and I think counselling should recognise that. What matters most to me is that you feel safe enough to be yourself here, without judgement or criticism. You won't need to justify how your mind works, or explain why something that seems easy for other people takes so much out of you.
Everything starts with a free 15-minute phone call. We'll talk about what's brought you to counselling and whether you've tried it before, including what helped and what didn't, and I'll explain how I work so you can decide whether it feels right. There's no pressure to book afterwards.
Flexible ways to access support
I provide a range of counselling services to accommodate your unique needs and preferences.
All interactions are available in 25-minute and 50-minute clinical sessions, with prices from £32.50.
Face to Face sessions at my comfortable and welcoming therapy rooms in Manchester.
Connect with me from the comfort of your own home, maintaining privacy and flexibility.
Receive support and guidance via telephone sessions, ideal for those with limited internet access or who prefer a voice-only interaction.
Based in North Manchester, here to support you
I’m based in North Manchester and work with clients from all across the surrounding areas, including Whitefield, Prestwich, Bury, Radcliffe, Crumpsall, Blackley, Middleton, Salford, and many more local communities. Wherever you're from, if you're looking for support with your mental health, you're welcome here.
Finding me
I offer in-person counselling sessions at my therapy room in Whitefield, North Manchester. It’s a calm, private space that’s easy to reach from across the city and surrounding areas.
Address: 229 Bury New Rd, Whitefield, Manchester M45 8GW. Find me with W3W or via Google
Getting here:
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By car: Free on-street parking is usually available nearby.
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By tram: About a 30-second walk from the Whitefield Metrolink stop.
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By bus: Local buses stop just a short walk away.
If you’re unsure about directions or access, feel free to get in touch - I’m happy to help you plan your visit.
Not local?
If you're not based near North Manchester - or simply prefer not to travel - I also offer counselling sessions by telephone or secure video call. This can be a helpful option if you're juggling a busy schedule, live further away, or feel more comfortable accessing support from home.
Reviews and testimonials
You might be looking for reviews, especially if you're thinking about talking to someone new. I don't use testimonials. Counselling should feel confidential from the very beginning, and I wouldn't want anyone to feel they ought to say something personal in public in order to recommend me.
If it would help to know more about me before you get in touch, you can see my qualifications on my credentials page, and I'm registered with the BACP (register certificate no. 403698), which you can check on their website. The free 15-minute call is also there for exactly this: to ask whatever you'd like to ask, without any pressure to book afterwards.
Do I need a diagnosis to see you?
What if I don't know which label fits?
Can you assess or diagnose me?
I find talking hard. Will that be a problem?
Do I have to phone to get in touch?
Will you try to change how I think or act?
Do you use CBT? It hasn't worked for me before.
Someone I care about is neurodivergent. Can you help me?
I've had therapy before and it didn't help. Would this be different?
How long does therapy take?
Neurodivergent counselling FAQs
Related Therapies
Neurodivergence often overlaps with other things people come to counselling for. If one of these sounds closer to what's going on for you, you're welcome to start there.
Useful Resources
If you're not ready to get in touch yet, these organisations have clear, reliable information about autism.
If you need urgent help with your mental health, the NHS urgent help page explains your options. In an emergency, call 999.
Neurodiversity Help, Support & Guidance
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