Understanding and Awareness Sessions (Neurodivergent -Centred Support)

These sessions are designed to support autistic, ADHD, and AuDHD individuals — whether children, teenagers, or adults — who may experience challenges in being understood by those around them. The work centres on the neurodivergent individual, while gently including family members, partners, or carers to build deeper mutual understanding, communication, and compassion.

These are not traditional family therapy sessions. Instead, they provide a space to explore and translate experiences across neurotypes — helping everyone feel more connected and better equipped to support one another.

Whether you're navigating sensory sensitivities, communication differences, emotional misunderstandings, or relational tension, Understanding & Awareness Sessions offer gentle psychoeducation and practical support to help bridge the gap.

Common themes explored in sessions include:

Communication differences and the Double Empathy Problem
Sensory and emotional processing needs
Supporting regulation and wellbeing
Psychoeducation around autism, ADHD, and AuDHD
Compassionate space for reflection and questions

These sessions are particularly helpful for neurodivergent individuals who want to involve others in their support journey — especially where there has been misunderstanding, disconnection, or a desire to be more deeply understood.

Session fee: £75 for 50 minutes.

Sessions can be booked as a one-off consultation or as part of ongoing support, depending on your needs. (Available to both new and existing clients.)

If you'd like to read more about the Double Empathy Problem, a helpful starting point is the National Autistic Society’s website.

"My son, who is autistic and struggles with anxiety, and I have been seeing Carolyn for therapy sessions for a few months now. Attending the sessions together has made it easier for my son to attend, and it has been invaluable in enabling me to understand how he thinks and what makes certain tasks, environments, and situations so hard for him. It has also helped him to understand why I and other members of the family can find him frustrating and why we worry about him. Carolyn has helped us develop strategies to cope, and he is now starting to think about how he can make more tasks and situations workable for him, which has improved his life and made family life a little easier."

Parent of an autistic child, October 2024

"Carolyn has been a godsend for my teenage daughter, and to us as a family. She has gone above and beyond to help, and genuinely cares about her well being. My daughter can read if someone likes her or not, and feels comfortable enough with Carolyn to open up about things which she hasn’t shared with others.

Within the first session Carolyn identified possible neurodiversity needs that we hadn’t, and since we have now got a formal diagnosis and hopefully are on the pathway to the correct support. Carolyn continues to support our daughter to help her navigate her emotions and develop strategies to build her self esteem and feelings of self worth. Carolyn has written to both our GP and school to outline her areas of need and to suggest ways in which she could be supported in a school environment. We are truly grateful for all the help she has, and continues to provide. Carolyn has remained professional and warm throughout, and I have never felt uncomfortable making contact or seeking advice. I wholeheartedly recommend Carolyn (I have signposted her to others I know) and I only wish we had gone to see her earlier."

Parent - April 2025