Panorama: Private ADHD clinics exposed

Here is my response to Panorama’s exposé. Yes, my husband (Shiny Si) and I watched the Panorama “exposé” about private ADHD clinics and found it one-sided and sensationalist. Si has contacted Panorama to tell them his story of neglect, prejudice, mistreatment from the Birmingham NHS ADHD team, who deliberately fob off as many people asContinue reading “Panorama: Private ADHD clinics exposed”

Unregulated neurodiversity bandit

I am one of those unregulated neurodiversity advocates, neurotic to the bones no doubt about it.  You have been warned! Only follow me if you are interested in my lived experience of:– Autism, ADHD and C-PTSD– The double rainbow intersection of both the AuDHD and LGBTQIA+ spectrums– Surviving bullying and discrimination in education and work–Continue reading “Unregulated neurodiversity bandit”

Autism month brain dump

Questions from Carol Jean Whittington for her Mind Your Autistic Brain website. Question 1 – What does accessibility mean to you? Reducing or eliminating barriers to inclusion or success, which requires conscious inclusion. Question 2 – What is your big “why” for advocating for autism inclusion in the workplace? Workplace inclusion is my niche becauseContinue reading “Autism month brain dump”

Livid experience of autism

This is about livid experience of autism. Lived experience, but the things we’re really angry about. People who preach “be kind”, then bully or mock people for being weird and different. People who think we’re shifty and dishonest due to eye contact differences, whether not holding eye contact because it’s uncomfortable, or holding it tooContinue reading “Livid experience of autism”

My lived experience as a late-diagnosed autistic

Here is another extract from my talk for #NeurodiversityCelebrationWeek 2023, this one about my lived experience as a late-diagnosed #autistic woman. I was a loner and tomboy at school. Oh, I doodled a lot in lessons, and daydreamed, and often gazed out of the window. I had very intense interests, so there were some thingsContinue reading “My lived experience as a late-diagnosed autistic”

Background on me

Having made it into Theo Smith’s list of Top 80 UK Neurodiversity Evangelists to follow, here is some background for my new followers. In 2018, I took my eldest child, who was 14 at the time, to see a psychiatrist about his extreme anxiety attacks. She listened and observed, then concluded that what he wasContinue reading “Background on me”

Neurodiversity and mental health conditions

An interesting debate from a LinkedIn group I’m in. Apparently there’s a TikTok trend from people with Cluster B personality disorders to identify as neurodivergent. Some people in the recognised neurodivergent community, with lifelong neurodevelopmental conditions such as Autism, ADHD, dyslexia, are not sure how to feel about it. Here’s my personal view. Caveat –Continue reading “Neurodiversity and mental health conditions”

Finishing my CIPD Diploma in HRM

Conscious I have not been around much recently here, I thought it’s time for an update. At New Year of 2021, I somewhat foolishly decided that I have lots of free time due to working from home, so I resolved to update my professional qualifications (as HR has evolved in 20 years). 15 months ofContinue reading “Finishing my CIPD Diploma in HRM”

Rant about NHS mental health support

Please just indulge me this rant, without any overwhelming flurry of concerned personal messages. I’m basically OK today, and about to get stuck into some rock painting. This rant concerns NHS mental health services for adults in my area (Worcestershire). In the months following my son’s death last April, I realised I require some specialistContinue reading “Rant about NHS mental health support”

New Year Resolution for 2020

New Year’s Resolutions, just a continuation of a resolution I made a while ago: Think twice before volunteering, making new commitments, agreeing to things. Remember that you’re spread too thin already, and never know how you or your dependants will feel from one day to the next. My “don’t enter too many races” resolution startedContinue reading “New Year Resolution for 2020”