I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD or Autism – Now What?

By Dr Naomi Coleman, Clinical Psychologist | Mind Body Medicine Consultancy

Having just come out of working in a purely diagnostic service, I’m excited to return to what has always been my first passion — therapy.

In the diagnostic centre, I loved meeting families, hearing their stories, and building relationships grounded in warmth and compassion. But I often wished I could continue the journey with them — beyond the diagnosis — helping them to make sense of what it all means and to move forward with confidence.

Many clients told me they wanted the same: the continuity of care, the ongoing connection, and the relief of not having to retell their story especially when there is already heightened anxiety. I get it. Finding a good therapeutic fit is so important, yet the system doesn’t always make that easy.

Receiving a diagnosis — even one you’ve long suspected — can trigger a whole cascade of emotions: validation, relief, joy, confusion, anger, anxiety. It’s normal to feel all of these, sometimes all at once. But one of the biggest questions that follows is:
“What does this mean for me — for who I am?”

Moving Towards Understanding, Acceptance, and Growth

A diagnosis can be a way of understanding yourself more deeply. It offers a framework to make sense of your experiences, to notice your strengths, and to reduce self-blame. It can also help others — family, friends, teachers, employers — understand and support you better.

When we accept our neurodivergent identities and reduce internalised stigma, the impact on our mental health can be profound. Therapy with someone experienced in autism and ADHD can be a safe, supportive space to explore how this new self-knowledge fits into your life and identity.

Understanding ADHD and Autism: Beyond Stereotypes

Autism and ADHD look different in every individual — there’s a saying that once you’ve met one autistic person, you’ve met one autistic person.

Both are forms of neurodivergence, meaning the brain processes information, emotions, and sensory input differently.

ADHD often involves differences in attention, motivation, and impulse control. The prefrontal cortex, which supports planning and organisation, develops later (up to around age 25), and neurotransmitters like dopamine and noradrenaline, that send messages between our brain and body, and influence focus, reward, and alertness.

Autism often involves differences in communication style, sensory processing, and emotional regulation. There can be a preference for routine, strong interests, and challenges with social nuance — but also unique ways of seeing and understanding the world.

Both can be associated with intense creativity, empathy, focus, and resilience — qualities that shine when understood and supported.

Understanding the Stress Response and Emotional Regulation

Many neurodivergent people live with a highly tuned nervous system, always scanning for safety. Over time, this can lead to chronic stress or anxiety — especially in environments that are noisy, unpredictable, or overwhelming.

This “on alert” state activates the sympathetic nervous system (the fight-flight-freeze response), while chronic overstimulation can also lead to shutdown or burnout.

Learning how to soothe the nervous system and activate our relaxation response is foundational to wellbeing. Practices such as mindful breathing, movement, yoga, time outdoors, or sensory grounding help the body return to safety. When the body feels calm, the mind can follow.

Executive Functioning

Executive functions are the brain’s “management system” — responsible for planning, organising, time management, working memory, and emotional regulation.

When these skills develop differently and/or are impacted by our mental health, everyday tasks can feel harder — but they can be supported and strengthened.
Practical tools might include:
- Visual schedules and reminders
- Chunking tasks into smaller steps
- Allowing movement breaks to reset attention
- Using gentle, compassionate self-talk to stay on track

The key is to work with your brain, not against it.

Sensory Processing & Overload

If you notice that bright lights, noise, or crowds leave you drained, this isn’t “being too sensitive” — it’s your sensory system signalling what it needs.

Some people are hypersensitive (feeling things intensely), while others are hyposensitive (seeking stronger sensory input).

These differences can affect our attention (we can’t concentrate when our sensory system is dysregulated), mood (sensory overload can be painful and distressing), and sociability (our primary need is to cope with the overwhelm to our system and we may feel exhausted).

Sensory regulation is therefore an important act of self-care. When we create environments that feel safe to our senses, we support focus, calm, and confidence — whether that’s at school, work, or socially.

Mind-Body Strategies for Regulation and Growth

Research increasingly shows that calming the body helps calm the mind — and vice versa.
Evidence-based approaches include:

- Mindfulness and breathwork, which improve attention and emotional regulation
- Body-based therapies, like yoga, movement, or grounding exercises
- Cognitive-behavioural approaches adapted for the individual
- Lifestyle supports — good sleep hygiene, physical activity, balanced nutrition, and time in nature to support circadian rhythms
- Therapeutic connection — a compassionate, validating space to build understanding, self-acceptance, and self-trust

Moving Forward

Diagnosis is just the start of the journey. It’s an opportunity to know yourself more fully and to create a happier, healthier life that fits with who you truly are.

Therapy can help you navigate that journey — not to change who you are, but to help you live more authentically and with joy.

This article was written by Dr. Naomi Coleman
Clinical Psychologist & Founder, Mind Body Medicine Consultancy, Elstree, Hertfordshire
Supporting emotional wellbeing through a compassionate, integrative, and evidence-based approach.

To reach out to Dr Naomi to get in touch or arrange an initial consultation please do so via her website www.mindbodymedicineconsultancy.co.uk