It seems we humans have achieved the opposite of Oscar Wilde’s aspirations. Despite creating machines to do the work so we could have more time to play, we actually have less! Despite all the “progress” (where would we be without dishwashers, washing machines and tumble dryers?), many of us are working even more.

Two ladies happy and having fun whilst dancing You probably (I hope!) know how important exercise is in keeping your body healthy; from strengthening muscles, to supporting cardiovascular health to boosting your immune system. What many don’t realise however, is how important exercise is for your brain. A wonderful illustration of this is the sea squirt, or tunicate. An extraordinary tadpole-like creature that begins life swimming around happily with its primitive brain, ne

Values activity in a coaching session What are your values? What a question! It's one that has come up countless times throughout my training and if I'm honest, I always tried to avoid the activity that went with the question. Values work just seemed... well... a bit boring. I'd much rather spend time learning about the exciting research into resilience, gratitude or strengths than sit with a long list of words trying to work out which ones mattered most to me. Then one day a

If you've been searching for an ADHD or AuDHD coach, you may have wondered: ”Will they understand my neurodiverse brain? “Will they use neurotypical strategies?” "What if I'm too overwhelmed to even know where to start?" The truth is, no two neurodivergent people are the same. Although ADHD and autism share many characteristics, every person's strengths, challenges, experiences and goals are unique. Effective AuDHD coaching isn't about following a programme or giving everyone

When I was a little girl, my grandmother introduced me to magic. The magic lived in toadstools that hid fairies in the woods, in tiny presents left just for me and in the quiet certainty that something unseen yet wonderful, was always nearby. When we left England and moved to live in the desert, I remember worrying that there wouldn’t be any fairies because there were no woods for them to live in. But it didn’t stop them from visiting. My mum carried on the tradition. Sometim

If you're considering coaching for your neuro-sparkly teen, here are a few things to think about first.

The transition to university can be challenging for anyone. For neurodivergent students however, this transition can feel like a whole new level of difficult. Many neurodivergent people struggle with change and transitions. If getting out of the house and into school each morning during A-levels felt challenging, imagine ...

What's in a laugh? Birds do it, dogs do it, even tickled rats do it. A snapshot of the science of laughter....

Growing up we are taught some fairly universal “rules for life”: Be kind. Play nicely. Take turns. Tell the truth. Share. Say sorry. Yet somewhere along the way, particularly as we enter the adult and business worlds, those lessons seem to be quietly undone. Cooperation is replaced with competition. Strength is confused with infallibility. Admitting fault becomes something to fear rather than a mark of maturity. Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” theory is often offered as an

The idea of self-love sounds like a cliché, as does that saying: If you don’t love yourself, how can you expect others to love you? People love to advise each other to focus on loving themselves. It seems to be something vaguely prescribed when things feel hard. But what does it actually mean? What does it look like? Some interpret this to mean indulgent bubble baths, movie nights and walks in nature. For others, it might look like enforcing boundaries or leaving damaging re

Imagine for a moment you are one of the fortunate ones who makes it to the wizened stage of life, sitting in a rocking chair, sipping your favourite tipple, gently reflect on the years gone by. What will be the highlights, your favourite memories your regrets? That is what should be driving you. Those moments you can never get back. The time with your children and loved ones, the experiences you always promised yourself but kept putting off. The idea that our lives are a fi

These days, I’m often asked in coaching sessions whether getting a diagnosis would help. As part of the conversation, a follow up concern frequently voiced by neurodivergent clients is: “I don’t want to be labelled”. Labels are useful because they tell us what something is and how to relate to it. We use labels for the most part because they simplify life for us. An object labelled as chair tells us we can sit on it, a bottle labelled poison warns us away. People use labels

For most of my life I didn’t know I was autistic. I was social, (relatively) high-functioning and female, which means I didn’t fit the stereotype. I have high empathy and like to think that I read people well. So when a friend, who was studying how autism presents in girls, showed me a list of traits, it felt like I had been struck by lightning. I ticked nearly every box. My traits are subtle, and therefore they can be easy to miss. Over time, I’ve learned how they show up; f

One of the key insights from the science of happiness, (aka positive psychology) , is that other people matter. When we act altruistically - when we are kind, compassionate, or generous - our bodies reward us with a biological cocktail of feel-good chemicals. This is because we are physiologically designed to be kind and to connect with others. What’s more, research shows that people who volunteer their time, contribute to meaningful causes, and live in service of something b

Research indicates that children with ADHD are more likely to underachieve in literacy and numeracy, experience more teacher reported behavioural problems, hold less positive attitudes towards school and show poorer attendance with more unauthorized absences (May et al., 2021). This article explores the lived experience of ADHD in the classroom, highlights why attendance can be so difficult, and considers practical strategies schools can adopt to better support students with

Einstein believed that imagination is more important than knowledge. He would probably be very concerned today to learn that creativity has been declining for the past 30 - odd years. It might not surprise many of you that scientists believe the reason for this decline is that we are spending less time daydreaming, our minds now focused on tasks and/or on screens from the moment we wake up to when our eyes close at night. ...

Me & my Bestie A year ago, I was burnt out, off work, and feeling completely broken. I stayed home, listened to podcasts that made me feel deeply - and I cried. A lot. Every day I would take a short walk in nature 🌿, just to try to regulate my emotions. One day, on one of those quiet walks, I felt an overwhelming need to be around people who made me laugh. That’s when it hit me: What I needed wasn’t productivity. I needed to feel alive again. When you’re constantly striving

Like many of you, I assumed we are all a little “on the spectrum” anyway, but the more I learn, the more I realise that this thinking is a disservice to those who really are on the spectrum..

How big is your ‘tribe’? Add together your family, friends, and work colleagues – what about your social media accounts? How many people do you follow? And how much news do you consume? These demands on our attention leave us depleted and exhausted. The constant barrage of news and social media affects sleep and makes us vulnerable to anxiety. This then creates a vicious cycle of feeling low, being easily frustrated, lacking in motivation, and less resistant to doomscrollin

Be their parent Like many parents, my husband and I were haunted after watching the Netflix series Adolescence . The impact of social...