New Beginnings, Familiar Values. Storytelling, new partnerships and expanding opportunities to support neurodivergent people.

The last few weeks have been rather busy, with some exciting developments, a few unexpected opportunities and the occasional moment of wondering how I managed to fit everything in!

From stepping onto the stage at Storyhouse in Chester to expanding my clinical work and developing new professional relationships, there have been quite a few changes.

Change can be exciting. It can also be a little daunting, particularly when you're someone who understands, both personally and professionally, how much energy navigating new experiences can require.

However, while you might start seeing me in a few different places, the focus of my work remains the same: understanding individual needs, recognising barriers to participation and helping to make everyday environments more accessible and supportive.

A Rather Special Week at Storyhouse

One highlight of recent weeks was being invited to Storyhouse in Chester, where I had the pleasure of hosting an event with the wonderful author and illustrator Oliver Jeffers.

Oliver's books have been enjoyed by children and adults around the world, and it was a real privilege to explore his creative journey, the stories behind his characters and the inspiration for his work.

As someone who has written a children's book myself, I found the experience particularly interesting.

We both have penguins in our books. We were both inspired to create something for our children. And we both use stories to explore ideas about the world.

Of course, comparing myself with Oliver Jeffers feels a little like pointing out that a tomato is technically a fruit. I'm technically an author, too. But I think we can agree there are a few differences!

Nevertheless, the experience reminded me how powerful storytelling can be. Stories give us opportunities to explore complicated ideas, recognise ourselves in others and begin conversations that might otherwise be difficult to have.

Penguins, Pigeons and the Importance of Belonging

I also had the opportunity to share my own book, Penguins and Pigeons: A Bird's Tale, during a children's storytelling session at Storyhouse.

I originally wrote the story for my daughter, who loved penguins. It follows Lily, a penguin living in Pigeon Valley, where everyone seems to expect her to behave like a pigeon.

But Lily isn't a pigeon.

She has flippers rather than wings designed for flying. She is an excellent swimmer, but the environment around her doesn't necessarily recognise or value what she can do.

The story encourages children to think about difference, expectations and belonging.

During the session, we explored some simple questions:

What can a pigeon do that a penguin can't?

What can a penguin do that a pigeon can't?

What happens when everyone is expected to do things in exactly the same way?

These are simple questions, but they introduce an important concept.

Sometimes the difficulty isn't what someone can or cannot do. It's what their environment expects them to do.

As an Occupational Therapist working with neurodivergent children and adults, this is something I see regularly. A person may have considerable strengths and abilities, yet experience difficulties participating in education, employment or everyday activities because the demands of their environment do not match their individual needs.

Understanding this distinction is fundamental to neuro-affirming practice.

My hope is that Lily's story helps children recognise that difference does not mean inadequacy, and that we all have a responsibility to create environments where different abilities are recognised and valued.

Expanding My Clinical Work

Alongside these rather lovely creative experiences, there have also been some important professional developments.

I'm expanding my face-to-face assessment provision to include Tarporley, creating additional opportunities for children, young people and adults to access specialist neurodevelopmental assessment.

I'm also starting a new associate role with AYC, which gives me the opportunity to work collaboratively with other professionals while continuing to develop my specialist practice. Collaboration is particularly important in neurodevelopmental assessment.

Understanding an individual's experiences requires more than identifying diagnostic characteristics. It involves considering their developmental history, sensory processing, motor coordination, emotional regulation, cognitive demands and participation across different environments.

It also means listening carefully to the individual and those who know them well.

No two neurodivergent people have identical experiences, and good assessment should reflect that individuality.

Bringing Neurodiversity Conversations into the Workplace

Another area I'm increasingly focusing on is working directly with HR teams and employers to improve understanding of neurodivergence in the workplace. For many neurodivergent adults, difficulties at work are not necessarily related to their knowledge, competence or ability to perform their role.

They may arise from sensory demands, communication expectations, organisational processes, executive functioning demands or workplace cultures that assume everyone works most effectively in the same way.

An employee might be highly skilled but struggle in an open-plan office. Another might produce excellent work independently but find frequent interruptions or unpredictable changes particularly demanding. Recognising these differences creates opportunities to make meaningful adjustments.

My approach is not simply about helping neurodivergent employees adapt to existing workplace expectations. It is also about helping organisations consider whether those expectations, environments and processes could be more inclusive.

Ultimately, the aim is sustainable participation: enabling people to contribute meaningfully without continually compromising their health and wellbeing to meet expectations that may not be necessary.

Different Opportunities, the Same Values

Looking back over these developments, a common thread connects them.

Whether I'm sharing Lily's story with children, discussing creativity with an internationally recognised author, undertaking specialist assessments or supporting employers, the underlying message remains remarkably similar.

People are different. Their strengths, needs and experiences are different. And the environments we create can either support or restrict their opportunities to participate. Did you know the theme of The World Federation of Occupational Therapists this year was participation?

As an Occupational Therapist, participation has always been central to my work.

As a neurodivergent person and parent of neurodivergent children, it is also something that matters to me personally.

So, although you might see me in a few new places over the coming months, the values behind J.B.O.T. UK aren't changing.

Understanding the person. Recognising the environment. Removing unnecessary barriers. Supporting meaningful participation.

As we approach Halloween, I've been thinking about what might feel scary. For lots of neurodivergent people, change can be scary, but it can also open doors to opportunities we might not have considered before.

And I'm looking forward to seeing where these next steps lead.

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