A few years ago, I was living in a constant state of holding it all together.

On the outside, I looked capable. On the inside, I was exhausted from trying to fit into systems and environments that were never designed with me in mind.

I was always trying to explain myself - and somehow still felt misunderstood.

When I was diagnosed as autistic and ADHD, things started to make sense. But understanding why things felt hard didn’t automatically give me the language to explain what I needed.

Every time I tried, I’d feel overwhelmed - and worry I was coming across as “difficult”, rather than simply different.

Through coaching and reflection, I learned how to:

• recognise what I actually needed

• explain it clearly and calmly

• and build ways of working that genuinely supported me

That clarity changed everything.

And it’s what inspired me to create the Self-Advocacy Profile.

Who this is for

This tool is particularly helpful if you:

• struggle to explain what you need without overthinking or shutting down

• feel misunderstood in work, healthcare or everyday situations

• want to communicate clearly, without feeling like you’re “too much”

• are exploring neurodivergence, or already identify as autistic or ADHD