The Space Between Therapy UK

The Space Between Therapy UK 🧠 Adapted CBT | CFT | EMDR for neurodivergent minds
♾️ Late diagnosed AuDHD
👦🏻👦🏻 Boy mum
đź’ˇScience backed musings of therapy & lived experience.

09/09/2026

The Importance of Protected Time for Yourself

I talk about the irony of recording this while my son sleeps in the car, and how much of your week is truly protected time for yourself, not just after work or when kids are asleep, but real daytime hours free from demands. I explore the struggle of running on empty and the need to find space for your own happiness, even outside family time, because your needs matter too.

This is something that I have been navigating since having two full days off from parenting in six years. Not because we don’t love our children, but because it is a recognition of what’s missing. In amidst the sadness and depletion is a reflection of the parts of myself I have temporarily lost along the way.

So I, like many others navigating this, need to look at our own barriers and beliefs that stop us from making that time. I am now consciously reflecting on how I can carve out more predictable, consistent periods of time to recharge. I also appreciate that this is not always possible, e.g. when you have a newborn or other commitments and limitations. But it’s certainly worthwhile food for thought.

Appreciation post: Just reflecting on the therapy office space that my other half renovated. We thought that the summer ...
08/09/2026

Appreciation post: Just reflecting on the therapy office space that my other half renovated. We thought that the summer house was waterproofed when we moved in. Little did we know, there was significant water damage and the space was uninhabitable.

My partner worked tirelessly, sometimes until midnight building this, whilst we tried to juggle the needs of our small children at the time.

I’m extremely thankful for the sacred space he’s created. Especially after we moved from a two bed house where I worked from a desk in our bedroom. Further renovations are TBC to make the pathway to the therapy space safe and accessible.

Until then, I am continuing to host remote sessions from this confidential space.

08/09/2026

For those who didn’t see my story, this is a reminder to take it easy if you’re feeling frazzled after the summer holidays

I talk about taking it easy on yourself if you don’t have all the answers after the summer holidays, and how it’s okay to need space and stillness for things to settle. I also reflect on how many people are thinking about the year so far and what’s ahead, and encourage finding time to recoup with the change of seasons.

18/08/2026

Managing Rejection Sensitivity Without Challenging Every Thought

I talk about rejection sensitivity, what it is, and why it’s more common in neurodivergent people. I explain that instead of questioning every thought like traditional CBT might suggest, I recommend naming the thought and accepting its presence without letting it hold you back. I also discuss how hormones, trauma, and OCD can amplify these feelings, and how to process memories so they don’t trigger the same emotional response.

The research:

* 🧠 Intrusive thoughts more common in early-luteal phase, with intrusion frequency linked to a low estradiol/high progesterone ratio (post-ovulatory window study)
* Progesterone → increased amygdala–prefrontal connectivity → more perseverative negative thinking (Makovac et al., 2016)
* Traumatic flashbacks more likely when the trigger happens in the luteal phase (Bryant et al., 2011)
* Vulink et al. (2006) found 49 of 101 women with OCD reported symptom exacerbation during the premenstrual/late-luteal period
* Evidence is mixed overall — not every study replicates this, so it’s a pattern, not a rule 🌙

17/08/2026

Understanding Masking: The 3 Different Types and Their Impact

Here I explore three versions of masking. Unconscious, conscious & unhelpful and conscious and helpful.

I explaining what they are, why we do them, and their effects. I discuss how masking can suppress discomfort, both physically and psychologically, sharing examples like pushing through car air freshener / travel sickness.

Some hope ✨ for those who may need to borrow it from others. Explicit consent was obtained to share this information for...
15/08/2026

Some hope ✨ for those who may need to borrow it from others. Explicit consent was obtained to share this information for the purpose of helping others feeling fearful of taking the first step.

12/08/2026

Why Some Parents Discover They’re Autistic After Having Children.

I talk about why some parents, including myself, discover they’re autistic after having children. I explain how the DSM-5 criteria for autism, like needing routine and predictability due to bottom-up processing, clash with the chaos of parenting an infant. I also cover sensory sensitivities, such as loud noises from a crying baby or busy playgroups, and social communication challenges from the double empathy problem, where cross-neurotype interactions can be tough. I note that losing previous coping strategies, like masking or drinking, can lead to late diagnoses.

12/08/2026

Why Parents with Undiagnosed ADHD Struggle After Having Children.

Here I explain how undiagnosed ADHD affects parents, focusing on challenges with attention regulation, task initiation, emotional control, and working memory. I discuss how having children adds extra demands like managing kids’ routines, emotional needs, and limited recovery time, leading to overwhelm.

Six years ago a therapist I was working with suggested I might be autistic whilst I went for support for burnout. I was ...
04/08/2026

Six years ago a therapist I was working with suggested I might be autistic whilst I went for support for burnout. I was working in a role which was fast paced and involved high caseloads, with minimal time for rest. My first thoughts were, what if this means I am incapable of being a therapist. Somehow I’d forgotten that I’d already been in the field for 7 years already and there was never a question about my capability.

I had received exactly zero training on neurodivergent presentations. Embarassingly, I allowed myself to believe outdated research and assumptions.

Being uneducated wasn’t the problem but staying uneducated would have been. Thankfully I spent the next 6 years deep diving and learning all there is to know about being neurodivergent. More importantly, none of those fears turned out to be true. Every one of them, I’ve since learned, is a common myth rather than a lived reality. If anything, my neurodivergent traits ENHANCE my capability as a therapist.

What changed wasn’t me. It was building a life and a practice around how I actually work, rather than forcing myself into a shape that was never mine. Managing CAPACITY to facilitate my CAPABILITY.

Swipe through for the fears, and the realities I wish someone had handed me six years ago. 🌊

When people consider if they might be neurodivergent, it can often come with beliefs about themselves or fear of judgeme...
04/08/2026

When people consider if they might be neurodivergent, it can often come with beliefs about themselves or fear of judgement from others.

Many people go through life believing these assumptions about neurodivergent people, including themselves. Especially if they’re newly questioning later in life. They are fears that are picked up from a world that wasn’t built for the way that some minds work, a world that often asks you to shrink to fit rather than making room for who you are.

It was never about capability. It was about capacity, and whether the space around you makes room for what you really need.

Thriving isn’t something you earn by masking less. It’s what becomes possible when the space around you makes room for who you already are.

If you’re neurodivergent or wondering if you might be, I hope this reassures you more than the fears make you feel.

Save this for the days you need reminding.

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