About Leigh

I am a neuro-inclusive coach. I aim for our sessions to be a calm, non-judgmental space where you can be yourself, reflect, inquire, and grow at your own pace. I prioritise creating an environment where you feel supported to explore who you are and what you need to thrive.

I believe it is essential you feel empowered to recognise that moment-to-moment factors, both internal and external (such as sensory sensitivities and your unique energy drains from earlier in the day), may influence how you engage in our sessions. It is important you feel able to express this so we can adjust the intentions for your session accordingly.

I take a strengths-based approach to our work together. This means identifying and using existing abilities, talents, cognitive patterns, and strategies, as well as reframing skills that may have been misunderstood in the past.

For example, a childhood label like “she’s so bossy” might actually reflect early self-advocacy – a coping strategy for managing sensory overwhelm.

This approach does not ignore the real challenges we can face as neurodivergent people in a world that often misunderstands or fails to accommodate our differences. Society’s norms around physiology, learning, and behaviour often overlook our unique needs. The neurodiversity model underpins my practice – helping you embrace your strengths while addressing the real obstacles in your path.

At the heart of my coaching is curiosity.

I believe you already know a lot about what makes you tick. Our relationship is about being even more curious. Together, in working out what drives you and what might be holding you back, we can uncover your unique strengths and values alongside your challenges. That space for curiosity will help you carve out a way forward that feels authentic and sustainable.

Through careful encouragement and exploration, I help you gain insight into thoughts, feelings, behaviours and opportunities you might not yet have recognised.

Understanding our nervous system is central to understanding how we process stress, relate to others, and access a sense of safety.

Understanding polyvagal theory and learning somatic approaches is one way to help you recognise and regulate your physiological states, creating the conditions for meaningful self-awareness, choice, and change.

For neurodivergent people, this integration supports a deeper connection between body and mind, reduces overwhelm, and builds resilience from the inside out.

“When you have met one autistic person, you have met one autistic person”

This is an oft-used quote by Dr Stephen Shore and is repeated for a reason: it is a succinct truth.

Your thinking, learning, and processing bring both challenges and powerful strengths. Your individual profile is yours alone and deserves to be honoured.

You may have heard the term ‘spikey profile’. It doesn’t mean someone is difficult; it describes the uneven pattern of strengths and struggles across different areas of functioning. While some people show steady abilities, neurodivergent people often have noticeable highs and lows, sometimes referred to as ‘spikes’.

I share this because society tends to value conformity, consequently, it often focuses on areas where people struggle and overlooks areas where they shine.

In coaching, I centre on your experience – what matters to you, how you feel, and what you want. Together, we shift the focus from ‘fitting in’ to valuing who you are. We embrace your spikiness and set aside limiting labels to focus on what you truly want from coaching.

Neuro-inclusive coaching has many benefits of which this is just one.

My approach is deeply rooted in the Neurodiversity model, which advocates that thinking, learning, and processing differences are a normal part of human diversity and that each person’s profile is different from the next. The model stresses the importance of celebrating differences and acknowledging strengths as well as challenges.

I also draw on the Social model of disability, which highlights how current societal structures and systems can dis-enable a person. Consequently, the model stresses and normalises the need for reasonable adjustments.

While I recognise the role of the Medical model within our current systems and structures, I view it as a ‘necessary evil’. Something to understand all the while conscious that it takes a deficit approach and, while prevalent, is not complete and should not define or limit our identity.

There is a blog for more on this.

It is very important that your coach understands the implications of and differences between these different models have for you and the way society views and interacts with you. This is yet another way in which neuro-inclusive coaching is different and transformative.

Traditional coaching often emphasises the belief that the ‘thinker’ holds all the answers. While I respect this approach, I’ve seen how years of masking, microaggressions, and societal misunderstandings can erode our trust in our intuition.

With this in mind, I may introduce elements of psycho-education, sharing insights, tools, or frameworks that may resonate with and support your journey. You will always have the choice to engage with these or set aside this information – personal preference means no one tool or strategy suits everyone. Often, it is about discussing ideas, seeing if they are of interest, and then deciding whether or not to experiment. A neuro-inclusive coach recognises that different learning profiles can have a significant impact on not only the accessibility of a tool or strategy but also on how likely it is to become embedded as a practice.

For example, my coaching supervisor once suggested we tackle a challenge I brought to the conversation using role-play. I did not feel comfortable with this; however, when she proposed an alternative coaching tool called ‘chairs’, I jumped at it – the technique could tackle the same issue but in a way I felt comfortable engaging with.

I will encourage you to push back in the same way.

As someone who is AuDHD and dyslexic, I understand the shared language and nuances of the neurodivergent experience. This lived experience informs my approach.

In particular, I am mindful of how language shapes our self-perception and ensure my coaching avoids harmful narratives. For example:

• Encouraging someone to “drop the mask” without acknowledging the risks and context of doing so ignores why those masks were developed in the first place
• Framing coaching around “change” can perpetuate the idea that we are broken and need to be fixed

You will never hear me say: “can you just…”