My Story
I grew up in rural Wales as part of a large immediate and extended family, and was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness. Leaving the Jehovah’s Witness and experiencing the impact it had across all facets of my life is a significant part of my own story. It has given me first-hand experience in rebuilding identity after a significant life change.
As a child, I struggled with hyperactivity and selective focus, along with a persistent sense of feeling different. I was diagnosed in my early 30s with ADHD. A few years later, my two children were diagnosed with autism. These experiences led to a period of reflection where I explored my own neurodivergence and how it had shaped my life and experiences.
Being both late-diagnosed neurodivergent and an ex-Jehovah’s Witness taught me something important: pretending to be somebody you are not is exhausting. Whether the expectations are coming from a religion, society, family, or even ourselves, trying to fit into a version of who we think we should be can take a real toll on our self-esteem, identity, and our innate wellbeing.
Finding my own way in life meant unlearning years of rigid conditioning. It also meant forming an understanding of my neurodivergence as part of who I am, rather than something to hide. These experiences have shaped me both as a person, and as a counsellor.
I also developed a chronic illness in my 20s, and learned firsthand how disability affects so much more than the physical body. I had to adapt in the present and realign what my future looked like. While my own experiences inform my counselling work, I endeavour to remain curious with my clients about their individual experiences with disability, and recognise that no two disability journeys look the same.
When I work with neurodivergent clients, there is no “right” way of communicating. You are welcome to stim, move about, avoid eye contact, or simply be yourself. I have aimed to create a space where you don’t need to mask who you are.
My experiences and research as a former Jehovah’s Witness have taught me that the therapeutic process does not center on deconstructing beliefs. I prefer to support clients in processing their difficult experiences, the rediscovery of their identity, making meaning of the past and present, and developing healthy and boundaried relationships.
Alongside my personal experiences, my training and professional work have given me experience supporting clients with:
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Neurodivergence
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Abuse
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Cult dynamics
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Pregnancy loss
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Grief
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Complex trauma (CPTSD)
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Poverty
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Infertility
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Disability
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Anxiety
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Depression
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Self-esteem
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Identity
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LGBTQ+ issues
If you think we might be a good fit, I offer free 15 minute, no-pressure, consultations. It is an opportunity for us to meet and speak about what you’re looking for. Together we can decide if I am the right counsellor for you.
Rebecca Rose