Navigate Neurodiversity Occupational Therapy

10/08/2025

Thank you so much Wings Magazine for featuring our social group! 💛
As a Wingerworth-based OT running a not-for-profit group in Chesterfield, I’m really, really grateful for the support 🙌🏻💛💛💛
Just to clarify our group is open to all neurodivergent people, not just the neurotypes listed in the article.

P.S. The person-first language wasn’t my wording (as most of you know, I use identity-first). But I’m so appreciative to Wings for the kind shout-out 😄💛

08/08/2025

💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛

Text reads:

Hi everyone!

I will be off from the 9-26th August for Surgery and recovery.

Thank you for all your well wishes over the last couple of weeks, I really appreciate it.

you are welcome to email me but I will get back to you on my return. My PA Helen will help with any admin or booking queries via my email.

see you soon!
Alex

07/08/2025

I love this! I often suggest using natural items as fidgets 😍

Nature Fidgets

Seashells can be effective fidgets for some people.

Look around your home to see if you have any nature fidgets already
-We do not recommend taking from the beach
-Nature fidgets can be a useful alternative to purchased non-recyclable options

05/08/2025

Thank you for a beautiful August session of The Bubble! (Neurodivergent adults social group in Chesterfield, Derbyshire)

We had such a wonderful turnout, it was heartwarming to see the space filled with friendly faces, chatting, crafting, colouring, using fidgets, sipping tea, and bonding over shared interests.

When I created The Bubble, my hope was to build a safe and welcoming space for adults who are so often left out of traditional support offerings. People who want to connect, but haven't had the environment to do so comfortably. Seeing that vision come to life this month was truly special.

->Your feedback matters
Many of you shared that you'd love for the session to be extended to two hours. Thank you! I’m definitely taking this on board. If attendance stays strong, I’ll look at making this change in the new year. (Please note: a longer session will need slightly higher contributions to help cover costs.)

You also asked for online sessions and workshops, and that’s on my radar too. If there's enough interest, I’ll explore how we might make the online sessions happen next year, it will take a bit of planning and may need to be infrequent due to my own energy constraints, but I’m excited by the possibilities. Workshop-wise, this is something I am working on over the next couple of months, so watch this space!

->A little note from me:
As many of you know, I’m a one-person team running the not-for-profit group alongside my OT work. That means while I’d love to say yes to everything right away, I need to pace myself so I can continue to show up with energy and care. Your patience and encouragement truly mean the world.

Let’s keep growing this beautiful little community together. 💜

->Here is some of the latest feedback:
"Thank you so much to Alex for what you have done. It was my first time going to the group. I’ve only been recently diagnosed so I am on a bit of a journey understanding where I fit in. For the first time in my life I was in that room and I felt seen and understood. Being in that room gave me so much hope."

"1st time coming and I shall be returning, nice space. Wonderfully low key environment with things to do if you want and a chat if you feel up to it. Really good to feel like I'm not the odd one out."

"Alex is so so friendly and sweet and welcoming and really helps to make the environment feel very chilled"

->Fancy joining us?
If you have been considering joining us, bookings are open for September-November!

You can find out more about the group here:
https://www.navigateneurodiversityot.com/socialgroup

If you'd like to join us, simply email me with the date you'd like to attend, and I'll send you the information pack and booking confirmation. or use my booking portal: https://clientportal.uk.zandahealth.com/clientportal/navigateneurodiversityot

If you're worried about attending, pop me an email, I can support you :)

Alex@NavigateNeurodiversityOT.com

01/08/2025

“This feels empowering in a quiet but brilliant way” - how wonderful is this

Thank you to a lovely client who shared feedback on their expedience of working with working me.

The full quote:
“My sessions with Alex have helped me understand myself so much better. After my autism diagnosis, I felt overwhelmed by the thought of figuring out how to make my life more manageable and learning how to support myself more effectively. Working with Alex gave me the understanding of what needed to change in my life, and the confidence to make those changes. I'm now working towards creating a lifestyle that works for my neurotype and prioritizing rest, compassion and understanding towards myself”

Thank you for your kindness and I’m so so glad I’ve been able to provide a space where people can feel empowered and be more compassionate towards themselves. This isn’t easy but it’s so very important for our wellbeing.

I’m so lucky to work with the loveliest people 💛🙌🏻

21/07/2025

A long overdue reflective blog post about accepting my disabilities. There is much more I could write on this, but I wanted to share a little with you, without overthinking it too much. So here is is a raw reflection....

You can read it here:

*I am dyslexic so there will be spelling and grammer mistakes *Trigger warning: mentions of su***de So, how do we learn to accept ourselves and our new lives now that we realise we are disabled? This seems like a particularly tricky topic….On the one hand, someone might respond to talking about ac...

06/07/2025

Thank you so much to the 4 lovely people who joined Tom and i today at Monkey Park

It was so special to have you there we shared some funny chats, got creative with colouring and making, explored sensory items, and had some brilliant convo prompts hosted by Tom

Mostly though, it just felt really good to be in a kind, welcoming space with such a thoughtful group of people

If you couldn't make it today we'd love for you to join us in August!

🙌🏻We need more attendees to help keep the group running sustainably, so your presence genuinely makes a big difference.

Please share the groups details far and wide so we can reach more people 🫶🏻

Sign up here or you can message or email me and I can book you in- no problem 🙂
https://clientportal.uk.zandahealth.com/clientportal/navigateneurodiversityot

Hope to see you next time!

If you have any questions or worries about attending chat to us in the comments, DM me or email
alex@navigateneurodiversityot.com

P.s l'll pop round a feedback form for anyone that came or signed up, tomorrow.
I really value your thoughts x

30/06/2025

Self funded slots will be opening in August & Sept
Stay tuned on my newsletter to be the first to know (the announcement of the slots opening will be soon) 💛

https://alexnavneuroot.substack.com/subscribe

P.s 1x Access to work slot is currently available, email me!: https://www.navigateneurodiversityot.com/access-to-work-coaching)

Access to Work coaching for autistic and ADHD adults (and other neurotypes). Specialist OT support for workplace wellbeing, executive functioning, and remote coaching.

30/06/2025

Absolutely! Knowing i was dyspraxic was very important for my self-acceptance and self-love.

There are more tools and stratergies than you might realise, not to”fix” us but to help us make daily life easier 🫶🏻

I might do a free OT q&a for dyspraxia magazines- dyspraxia week, if people want it :)

🧠🌻 Dyspraxia Awareness IS VITAL 🐝

Up to 10% of the population is affected by Dyspraxia/DCD, yet awareness remains shockingly low.

This impacts education, employment, mental and physical health, and day-to-day life, often leading to misunderstanding, isolation, and a lack of support.

💬 We must change the narrative by raising awareness in schools, workplaces, and across our communities.

📢 Please share this poster far and wide, on your feed, in your stories, with your HR department, SENCOs, educators, or community groups.

💻 Resources and free events will be hosted by Dyspraxia Magazine during Awareness Week from 06 - 12 October.

👉 For more info: www.dyspraxiamagazine.com

19/06/2025

How are you finding the heat? ☀️

For us neurodivergents we often process this temperature shift quite intensely. It can make our “window of tolerance” smaller making us more easily frustrated, sensory overloaded and tired (and much more).

Be kind to yourself & if you’re doing energy management try to factor the weather in, it can have a bigger impact than we might have thought! 🫶🏻💛

09/06/2025

👀 Why do I frequently screen for Dyspraxia & hEDS as a neurodivergent OT?

Because I see what others might miss.
Because lived experience shapes clinical instinct.
Because so many are still undiagnosed, misdiagnosed, or gaslit.
Because screening is a helpful first step to support.

Dyspraxia and connective tissue often fly under the radar especially in AFAB people & minority communities.

🧠 Your pain isn’t “just anxiety.”
🦴 Your joint dislocations aren’t “just party tricks.”
🌀 Your coordination challenges aren’t “just you being clumsy.”
🍽️ And your preference for spoons? It’s not because you “don’t know how to use cutlery.”

It’s not all in your head.
It’s real and you deserve to be taken seriously.

👉 Tag someone who needs to see this.
💬 comment a 🦓 or ✋ if this hits.
📲 Save + share to raise awareness.