Common Conditions and Difficulties
People often get in touch because something feels hard — emotionally, at school, at home, or in day-to-day life — but they are not always sure what kind of support is needed.
Sometimes the right next step is therapy. Sometimes it is a consultation / formulation package. Sometimes a diagnostic or cognitive assessment is more appropriate.
I work with children, young people, adults, and parents/carers, and support a range of common conditions and difficulties, including the following.
Autism (ASD)
Autistic people can present very differently. Some families seek support because of social communication differences, sensory sensitivities, distress around change, shutdowns/meltdowns, masking, or burnout.
What may be helpful (depending on the referral):
psychoeducation and formulation
parent consultation / parent support
autism-informed therapy (adapted to communication and sensory needs)
emotional regulation support
school recommendations
autism assessment (where appropriate)
Helpful organisations / information:
ADHD
ADHD can affect attention, organisation, impulsivity, emotional regulation, and activity levels. It may present as hyperactivity, inattentiveness, internal restlessness, overwhelm, or difficulties with routines and task completion.
What may be helpful:
psychoeducation and formulation
parent support / behavioural strategies
executive functioning support
CBT-informed strategies (adapted for ADHD)
emotional regulation work
ADHD assessment (where appropriate)
Helpful organisations / information:
Learning Disability
A learning disability can affect intellectual functioning and everyday adaptive skills (for example communication, self-care, social understanding, and independence).
What may be helpful:
adapted psychological support (paced and accessible)
parent/carer consultation
behavioural and emotional formulation
practical recommendations for home/school/services
multi-agency planning (where relevant)
Helpful organisations / information:
Dyslexia
Dyslexia (a specific learning difficulty affecting literacy skills) can have a significant emotional impact, especially when a child or young person feels misunderstood or repeatedly struggles in school.
What may be helpful:
psychological support for confidence/anxiety
school-related formulation and recommendations
parent consultation
liaison with school (where agreed)
specialist dyslexia assessment/signposting (where needed)
Helpful organisations / information:
Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia (a specific learning difficulty affecting number sense and maths learning) can lead to distress, avoidance, and low confidence — especially when maths difficulties are persistent and significant.
What may be helpful:
emotional support around school stress / maths anxiety
formulation and recommendations
parent consultation
school guidance
specialist dyscalculia assessment/signposting (where needed)
Helpful organisations / information:
Depression / Low Mood
Low mood can affect energy, sleep, concentration, confidence, relationships, and motivation. In children and teens it may also show up as irritability, withdrawal, or increased conflict.
What may be helpful:
CBT (where appropriate)
behavioural activation approaches
compassion-focused work
parent support (for children/teens)
trauma-informed therapy if relevant
medication discussion with GP/psychiatry (for some people)
Helpful organisations / information:
Anxiety
Anxiety is one of the most common reasons people seek support. It can affect school attendance, sleep, family life, confidence, friendships, and daily functioning.
What may be helpful:
CBT / anxiety management strategies
exposure-based work (when appropriate and paced)
parent support for child anxiety
nervous-system regulation / coping skills
formulation-led work (especially where anxiety overlaps with neurodivergence or trauma)
Helpful organisations / information:
PTSD and Trauma-Related Difficulties
Trauma can affect how safe a person feels in themselves, in relationships, and in everyday life. It may present with intrusive memories, nightmares, hypervigilance, avoidance, irritability, numbness, or dissociation/shutdown.
What may be helpful:
trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT)
EMDR (where appropriate and with a suitably trained clinician)
stabilisation / grounding work
phased trauma-informed therapy
parent support (for children/young people)
Helpful organisations / information:
Common Issues Teens and Parents Often Face
School Avoidance / Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)
School attendance difficulties are often linked to anxiety, overwhelm, bullying, trauma, neurodivergence, learning needs, or a difficult fit between the young person and their school environment.
What may be helpful:
parent consultation and planning
formulation-led understanding of the function of avoidance
anxiety-focused work
school liaison/recommendations (where agreed)
gradual, realistic reintegration planning
Helpful organisations / information:
Body Image Difficulties (especially in teens)
Body image concerns can be linked to comparison, social media pressure, self-criticism, anxiety, low mood, and sometimes eating difficulties.
What may be helpful:
CBT-informed work (including unhelpful thoughts/comparisons)
compassion-focused approaches
self-esteem work
family/parent support (for younger people)
eating-disorder specialist support where relevant
Helpful organisations / information:
Local and National Support Links
Lincolnshire (local)
National (trusted)
Not sure what type of support you need?
That is very common.
You do not need to know in advance whether the best next step is:
therapy
a parent consultation package
a formulation and recommendations package
an ADHD / autism assessment
another type of assessment or signposting
If you are unsure, please get in touch and I can help you think through the most appropriate option.