A space that makes room for how you experience the world
Whether you are autistic, wondering if you might be or making sense of a diagnosis, I want to understand how you experience the world. We can talk about what is difficult, what helps and how to make counselling work for you.
What this can feel like
You may recognise some of these experiences. We can begin with what matters most to you.
Masking
The effort of hiding your needs or trying to appear at ease.
Sensory overload
Finding noise, light, crowds or competing demands exhausting.
Feeling misunderstood
Having your reactions or communication interpreted unfairly.
Changes and uncertainty
Needing predictability while life keeps shifting.
Relationships and boundaries
Working out how to express what you need and protect your energy.
Identity and self-understanding
Revisiting your experiences through a different lens.
Understanding your needs can change the conversation
Autism is a difference in how a person develops and experiences the world. Your individual experience matters: sensory needs, communication, relationships and daily demands may affect you in different ways.
We can explore anxiety, low mood, difficult experiences and the strain of masking. We can also discuss clearer language, a slower pace, written prompts or other adjustments that may make our sessions more useful.
How therapy can help
I will ask about your communication preferences and sensory needs, rather than expect you to adapt to a fixed way of working. We can review what helps as we go.
Compassion
Take your experience seriously and make space for the impact of being misunderstood, criticised or expected to hide your needs.
Curiosity
Learn about your sensory preferences, patterns of overwhelm, strengths and ways of communicating. You can tell me what works for you.
Change
Develop boundaries, ways of expressing needs and practical responses to stress. Adapt the work together, with your preferences at its centre.
More sustainable ways of living
Change may mean recognising overload sooner, resting without guilt, explaining a need or making less room for expectations that exhaust you.
A little more about this work
Do I need a diagnosis to come to counselling?
You can come to explore your experiences without a formal diagnosis. We can work with the difficulties and questions you bring.
Does counselling provide an autism assessment?
This page describes emotional support through counselling. A formal autism assessment is a separate process; the NHS link below explains how to access one.
Can sessions be adapted?
Please tell me about communication or sensory needs before we begin. We can discuss the pace, use of clear language, pauses and any other arrangements that may help.
Explore at your own pace
The longer article below explains this topic in more detail and includes further resources.
Read more about Autism & Neurodiversity →Useful resources
- NHS: autism assessments ↗
How formal assessment works and how to seek a referral.
- National Autistic Society ↗
Information, advocacy and support for autistic people.
Explore what else may be involved
Autistic burnout can involve profound exhaustion, reduced capacity and greater sensory sensitivity. The Burnout page explains how this differs from occupational burnout. The Procrastination page explores executive-function barriers, perfectionism and the debated PDA concept without equating demand avoidance with a diagnosis.
Would you like to talk about it?
Send me a short message about what is troubling you. We can talk about what you need and whether counselling with me could help.
Get in touch