How years of self-criticism can make it difficult to recognise what we’re doing well Since writing my previous article about discovering ADHD and autism during menopause, I’ve found myself reflecting on what came afterwards. Not the diagnoses themselves, but the process of beginning to see myself differently. Recently, I was asked a question that, on […]
How menopause became the beginning of understanding myself for the first time For much of my life, I thought I was simply struggling more than everyone else. I was the woman who held everything together on the outside whilst quietly battling chaos on the inside. I was raising children, working hard, supporting everyone around
Late-discovered ADHD and autism in menopause: My journey from survival to purpose Read More »
Late diagnosis, societal expectations, and the uncomfortable question at the centre of the neurodiversity conversation We talk a lot about neurodivergence now: ADHD, autism, masking, burnout, sensory overload, executive dysfunction. And rightly so because awareness matters as does language and understanding ourselves. But lately, I’ve found myself circling a different question entirely: What even is
What does “neurotypical” actually mean? Read More »
Reflections on late-discovered ADHD and autism, motherhood, intergenerational trauma and healing within families. There’s something very strange about writing a book about your life. Not because of the writing itself, although that can be emotional enough, but because at some point the people who know you best begin reading parts of you that perhaps they’ve
There’s a sentence I hear often from women in midlife: “My ADHD diagnosis explained so much… but there are still pieces that don’t quite fit.” For many women, receiving an ADHD diagnosis can feel life-changing. Suddenly there is language for the overwhelm, procrastination, emotional intensity, burnout and exhaustion that may have been present for decades.
My ADHD diagnosis explained a lot… but not everything Read More »
I recently read an article about the growing mental health crisis affecting Gen X women, and it really stayed with me. Not because it was shocking, but because it felt familiar. It captured something many women are experiencing quietly. That sense of feeling unlike yourself, things feeling harder than they used to, wondering where your
This question often arrives with a mix of relief and doubt. Relief, because something has finally clicked and the struggles with focus, overwhelm, exhaustion or emotional intensity suddenly make sense. And doubt, because you’ve managed for this long, so surely it can’t be ADHD… can it? For many women, especially in midlife, wondering
Should I get assessed for ADHD in midlife? A gentle guide for women Read More »
You’re in a conversation and someone says something that is plainly wrong. Not nuanced or debatable, just wrong. And instead of tilting your head, softening your tone, cushioning the truth so it lands gently, you say it. “That’s not correct.” No smile to soften it, no apology for saying the thing out loud or emotional
Why I don’t give a flying fajita! Read More »
The new autism research helping late-identified women make sense of a lifetime of masking For decades, autism was explained through one dominant idea: that autistic people were “mind-blind”. This theory suggested autistic individuals struggled to understand other people’s thoughts or emotions, shaping research, diagnosis, education and public perception for nearly forty years. Autism became
When understanding yourself changes everything with autism Read More »
Ageing. It’s one of those topics people whisper about, as though saying it too loudly might invite a wrinkle to appear on the spot. We’re surrounded by products, slogans and trends promising to reverse it, pause it or disguise it. But what if ageing wasn’t something to battle? What if it was something to lean
How do you feel about ageing? Read More »
