Private Therapy Clinic

13/04/2026

ADHD burnout doesn't always look like a dramatic collapse.

Sometimes it looks like someone who has been holding everything together for a very long time, and can't any more.

If that sounds familiar, we've written about why ADHD makes people particularly vulnerable to this kind of depletion, how to tell it apart from depression, and what actually helps.

ADHD burnout is more than exhaustion. Learn why it happens, how to tell it apart from depression, and what recovery actually involves.

10/04/2026

If you have spent your adult life feeling slightly out of step, socially effortful in a way others are not, intensely absorbed by things people find obscure, or exhausted in a way that is hard to explain, this piece is worth reading.

We have written a detailed guide to how Asperger’s and autism present in adult women, why so many women were never identified, and what the path to assessment looks like in the UK.

Asperger’s has been underdiagnosed in women for decades. We explain why, what the female profile looks like, and how adult women can seek assessment in the UK.

09/04/2026

“Asperger’s” is a word that still carries a lot of meaning for a lot of people, even though it was formally retired as a diagnosis over a decade ago.

If you have been trying to understand the difference between Asperger’s and autism, whether you carry an old diagnosis or have just started exploring your own neurology, our latest blog covers the history, the science, and what getting assessed looks like today.

Asperger's is no longer a separate diagnosis, but the profile remains real. We explain what changed, what it means, and how to seek assessment today

07/04/2026

ADHD LIVE PANEL: Medication vs Non-Medical Approaches

In person event Shepherds bush London tomorrow (8th April 2026) at 8pm. You can also join the livesteam online.

With Dr. Sami Timimi, Dr. Daria Radsulter and myself (Dr. Becky Spelman).

Ask the Experts Anything

Join us for a live, interactive panel discussion where you can ask your most pressing questions about ADHD — openly, honestly, and without judgement.

Whether you’re considering medication, exploring alternatives, or just trying to better understand ADHD, this session is designed for you.

🧠 What This Panel Covers

We’ll be exploring both sides of ADHD support, including:
• 💊 Medication for ADHD
How it works, benefits, side effects, and what to expect
• 🌿 Non-medical approaches
Therapy, lifestyle strategies, coaching, and nervous system regulation
• ⚖️ Making the right choice for you
How to decide between — or combine — different approaches

👩‍⚕️ Meet Your Expert Panel
• Dr Becky Spelman – Psychologist & Founder
• Dr Daria Radsulter – Psychologist
• Dr Sami Timimi – Psychiatrist

Each brings a different clinical perspective — giving you a well-rounded, balanced understanding of ADHD treatment options.

💬 Your Questions, Answered Live

This is not a lecture — it’s a conversation.

✔️ Join the session live
✔️ Ask your questions directly
✔️ Choose who you want to answer (or open it to the panel)

No question is off-limits — from medication concerns to alternative therapies, diagnosis, or personal experiences.

👥 Who Should Attend?
• Individuals with ADHD (diagnosed or exploring)
• Parents of children with ADHD
• Adults considering medication
• Anyone curious about non-medical approaches
• Professionals wanting a broader perspective

✨ Why Attend?
• Get honest, expert answers — not generic advice
• Understand all your options clearly
• Feel more confident in your next steps
• Hear real questions from others like you

📢 Call to Action

Reserve your place now and bring your questions.

👉 Join live. Ask anything. Leave informed.

You can purchase tickets for the event here for £9.99

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

02/04/2026

Today is World Autism Awareness Day, and we want to use it to talk about the girls who are still being overlooked.

Autistic girls are diagnosed around four times less often than boys in the UK. Not because autism is rarer in girls, but because girls tend to be better at hiding it. They learn the scripts. They copy the expressions. They sit on their hands in class to stop themselves fidgeting. By the time a girl reaches a clinician, she has often spent years performing neurotypicality so convincingly that nobody thinks to look further.

The result is that thousands of girls in the UK are going without the understanding, support, and accommodations they need, some for their entire childhoods.

We have published a new blog today covering what autism looks like in girls at every age, why masking is so harmful, what it tends to get mistaken for, and what to do if you are concerned about your daughter.

If you have ever had a feeling something was different but could not quite name it, this is worth a read

01/04/2026

Autistic people don't get attached.

This is one of the most persistent myths about autism, and one of the most damaging. The research tells a different story. Autistic people form real, often intense bonds. What can differ is how those bonds are expressed, and how easily they are recognised by others.

In our latest blog, we explore:
• Why attachment in autism can look different from the outside (and why that is not the same as absence of attachment)
• Why some autistic people become intensely attached to one person
• What the research says about attachment styles in autistic adults
• The real clinical risk of confusing autism with an attachment disorder If any of this resonates with your own experience, or someone you care about, the blog is worth a read.

Autistic people form real attachments. Understand the research behind autism and attachment, why bonds look different, and how therapy can help.

30/03/2026

Today is World Bipolar Day, and a topic often forgotten is the similarities between Bipolar Disorder and ADHD.

If you or someone you love has ever been told "it might be ADHD" , or "it might be bipolar", and you're not sure which, or whether it could be both, you're not alone.

These two conditions share so many symptoms that misdiagnosis is common. And when both are present at the same time, the impact on daily life can be significant.

ADHD and bipolar disorder share many symptoms but need very different treatment. Learn the differences and when to seek specialist help

28/03/2026

Rejection affects everyone. But for some people, it doesn't just hurt. It stays. It drains. Sometimes it completely floors you.

Rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) is an intense emotional response to real or perceived rejection. It's not a formal diagnosis, but it's something clinicians who work with ADHD and autism see constantly.

Our new article explains what RSD actually is, why it happens, and what actually helps. Not "just don't take it personally" (that doesn't work). Real options that can make a difference.

Read the full article here:

What RSD actually is, why it's common in ADHD and autism, and what therapy can do that coping tips can't. Consultant Psychiatrist Prof. Ahmed Hankir explains

27/03/2026

Tired of online quizzes giving you three different attachment styles in one week?

You're not alone, and no, attachment theory isn't just 'astrology for therapists.'

The internet has simplified decades of real psychological research into neat little four-box quizzes... but the actual science is far more interesting, compassionate, and hopeful.
In our new blog post we explore:

How attachment styles really develop (and why they aren't fixed personality traits)

The difference between secure and the three insecure patterns

Why your 'style' can feel different depending on who you're with

Common myths the internet gets wrong

And most importantly: how patterns can change with the right support

If you've ever felt 'too much', shut down in closeness, or stuck in the same relationship cycles, this one's for you.

👉 Read it here:

What attachment styles actually mean, why online quizzes get it wrong, and whether your patterns can change. Research-based guide from clinical psychologists.

26/03/2026

"I know I need to get up. My brain is making plans. But my body won't move."

Sound familiar?

If you have ADHD, struggling to wake up in the morning isn't a character flaw, it's neurological.
New research shows that about 60% of adults with ADHD have co-occurring sleep disorders, and many experience a delayed circadian rhythm that makes early mornings feel like biological nighttime.

We've written a new blog exploring:

✓ Why your ADHD brain struggles with mornings
✓ The science behind sleep inertia and dopamine
✓ Why "just set more alarms" doesn't work
✓ Strategies that actually help

Struggling to wake up in the morning with ADHD? Understand why difficulty waking up happens and find strategies that actually work for ADHD brains.

21/03/2026

You've always been "the clumsy one." Bumping into things, struggling to catch a ball, handwriting that never improved no matter how hard you tried. If you're autistic, there's a good chance this isn't just clumsiness.

It might be dyspraxia. Our new blog explains how the two conditions overlap, why dyspraxia so often goes undiagnosed, and what it means for everyday life.

Up to 80% of autistic people have motor coordination difficulties. Learn how dyspraxia overlaps with autism and affects driving, handwriting, and daily life.

19/03/2026

Why do so many people with ADHD struggle with food?

Forgetting to eat. Bingeing in the evening. Getting stuck on the same meal for months. These patterns can look like lack of discipline from the outside – but they're actually driven by how the ADHD brain processes hunger, reward, and planning.

Research shows people with ADHD are nearly 4 times more likely to develop an eating disorder. For binge eating disorder specifically, the link is even stronger.
Our new blog explores:

🔹 The science behind ADHD and eating difficulties
🔹 Why "just plan your meals" doesn't work
🔹 When eating patterns cross into clinical territory
🔹 How understanding ADHD can change everything

If you've ever felt confused by your own relationship with food – or you're supporting someone who struggles – this one's worth a read.

👉 theprivatetherapyclinic.co.uk/blog/adhd-and-eating-disorders/