Rebecca Jackson Audhd Coach

Anyone else a voracious childhood reader but has struggled with getting into and focusing on reading fiction, as they get older?

I believe this is not uncommon for some AuDHDers, especially for people who really did devour every book and then some.

It made me really sad when I started to struggle with novels. I remember being absolutely transfixed and transported as a kid. I was sad that I might not figure out a way to tap into that again.

Anyway, over recent years, I was noticing that as my book consumption went down, my internet consumption went up. (I don't think this is an everyone thing but it is definitely a me thing and might be a "some of you, too") thing - you may decide.)

Correlation isn't causation but I always like to tap into my curiosity and experiment and play around.

A few days ago I turned my phone grey scale so everything is black and white. I find black and white so visually boring that I won't even watch old films. That's made interacting with my phone less sticky, and also less accessible visually so it feels clunky to use.

I also put App Blocker on my phone (loads of these apps exist and some are free, freemium and some premium). The free version allows me to block up to five websites and a handful of apps at specific times of the day. It also tells you how much time you're on your phone and how many times you picked it up to unlock it, so you've got some metrics to work with, if that's your bag.

Now, I knew that one helpful aspect of my ADHD (yours could be different) is that I can't abide being bored and - within reason and the law - my brain would rather do anything than completely nothing so...I suspected if my phone was unappealing and unusable, I'd probably go back to other sources of stimulation...and, yup, within that, reading.

It worked.

I've been lashing a novel, reading before sleeping for the first time in what must be well over a decade. It feels good to keep turning the pages just to find out what happens...a bit like scrolling but slower, more rewarding and probably with less exposure to dodgy content! 🤣🤣🤣

I'm going to keep going with this as it is pleasurable and won't be effortful, I think, to play further with. Usually good signs for embedding a self-support that might just hang around a while.

I would, though, be interested to know if any stalled readers have other ways of getting back into it - for myself and to share with anyone else who needs.

What has worked for you?

As always, we are all different and ADHD/autism/AuDHD come out in different ways for each of us so just because something helped me, it may or may not be of use to another. Feel welcome to adopt, adapt or discard according to how you feel.

Nevertheless, I am keen to hear what's been of use to you all in getting back to fiction 🎉🎉🎉 Happy reading? 📖

Current adhd/autism positive psychology coaching availability:
UK Wednesday 9am (free from now until mid-April only)
UK Saturday 9/9.30am start time (programme of 12+ weeks)

I have capacity for lunchtime/early afternoon thorough consults in the next two weeks, choice of a couple of days of the week.

If you're wanting to drill into the following from an adhd/autism/audhd lens, let me know:
* energy stewardship
* executive functioning
* emotion curation
* engagement
* enthusiasm
* (self) efficacy
* executing (on what you choose and on your terms)
* environment (space, senses, supports, work etc)

Consults are for checking goodness-of-fit, rapport, that I am qualified and ethically able to help, that coaching is potentially safe and suited to you right now, and to explain how it all works and answer any questions you have.

At the end, I will let you know if I feel I am professionally resourced and ethically suited to working with you and give you some ideas of what we could get up to in coaching, but you do not need to tell me if you want to work with me. It really is just a consult, as it's just as much for me as it is for you, since working at the right time with the right person is important for us both! :)

In any case, if you're interested in either of those slots, you can message me here or email [email protected]

Some of my favourite topics to work in in coaching:
- energy stewardship
- enthusiasm
- environment (adjustments, sensory stuff, systems and setups)
- executive functioning
- engagement with the stuff you choose and enjoy (self-motivation but no icky toxic positivity stuff)
- emotional regulation (non-clinical)
- (self) efficacy (your assessment that you are able to influence the outcome/circumstance - I believe the most commonly reported benefit of all coaching in the literature)

I'm really wanting to focus on this kind of work more and more this year with my fellow ADHD and/or autistic folks. I'll be able to start a few more clients by the start of February (private, company arranged or access to work) so you're welcome drop me an email to:
[email protected]

Morning all - happy 2026 and all the best to you for the coming year!

I'm sorry I have not posted for a while. I completed my Level 7 applied positive psychology coaching research project and we had a serious family illness that required my support - I have now been able to return to the book of face.

You'll notice that the name and branding of my coaching practice is changing - I wanted it to feel more representative of who I am professionally and personally. I'll now just be known as "Rebecca Jackson AuDHD Coach'" and my website address is http://rebeccajackson.WheelyDivergent Coach

If you need to email me about coaching - whether private, company paid or Access to Work funded - you can drop me a link on [email protected] Coach

Lovely to be back in touch with you all again - once again, I hope this year will be a lovely one for you. Becci :)

AuDHD Coach & Research Practitioner

I wrote a post about anticipatory anxiety and audhd based on something that I experienced the other day, in case it is useful to anyone here today. Have a good rest of the day and thanks for taking an interest :)

rjacksonaudhdcoach.wordpress.com

rjacksonaudhdcoach.wordpress.com

I'm speaking about "AuDHD & Women" in central Leeds for Seed Talks on the 6th of October at The Wardrobe in Leeds.
The link to book is in the comments, and here's the talk description to see if it's something you might find relevant and enriching:
What happens when a brain is wired for both structure and spontaneity, for deep focus and constant novelty? When someone lives at the intersection of autism and ADHD – known as AuDHD – the result can be a unique but often misunderstood neurotype. Join us in exploring what it means to be AuDHD, especially for women, whose presentations often go unnoticed for years.
We’ll break down how ADHD and autism overlap, how they can contradict or camouflage each other, and how to begin untangling your own unique profile. Grounded in science, lived experience, and strengths-based psychology, this talk offers both understanding and practical strategies. You’ll explore how to identify and separate your ADHD and autistic needs. Whether you're newly navigating the AuDHD landscape, have long suspected your neurodivergence, or are supporting someone you care about, you’ll leave this talk with greater clarity for living more in sync with your neurotype.
Speaker Bio:
Dr Rebecca Jackson is an AuDHD positive psychology coach and research practitioner. She runs a hopeful and energetic coaching practice for ADHD and/ or autistic people seeking to understand who they are, what they want and need, and how they can bring it about with agency, sovereignty, and choice. Rebecca researches the enjoyment, safe enough-ness, and efficacy of positive psychology coaching for AuDHDers, and the role of story, play, game, and imagination in coaching. She is anti-toxic positivity, anti-toxic productivity, and pro self-acceptance and drawing down self-chosen benefits of enjoyment, curiosity, play, and interest, even at difficult times. When she’s not thinking about coaching, Rebecca is out walking, playing Dungeons & Dragons, snorkelling, singing to cheesy pop music, or cuddling her dogs in her hammock.

Huzzah! We finally have an awareness day for combined ADHD and autism.

I wrote a post on joy and AuDHD (I'll put link in the comments) as my contribution to the materials and resources.

Enjoy your day 😊👍

Folks, I've been taken on by Seed Talks and I'm giving my first online workshop about AuDHD in women on the 25th of August at 5pm.

We'll be digging into what AuDHD might be and the recent history of this concept, what it can be like to experience AuDHD, and discover some self-support and self-coaching exercises and strategies that help you understand and navigate those two conditions that interact.

The talk is grounded in research and my personal lived experience, as well as ideas tested in my research practice.

If you'd like to come along, please book on. I can't believe I get to do this 🎉🎉🎉

AuDHD & Women Workshop Understand how autism and ADHD intersect in women, and discover how to manage your traits effectively. With Q&A.

Are you adhd/autistic and a specialist in something?

(Specialist, by the way, might mean you consider yourself to have formal expertise/experience but also includes deep interest and passion in a topic, field or interest, in my book!)

I have been thinking for some time about how I can better take what I have specialised in and talk about it more openly and more usefully...and provide coaching more tightly linked to it.

I might have given hints in previous posts and in newsletters that I was thinking of where to go...now that I have over 1000 hours of 121 audhd coaching practice completed and I've nearly submitted my level 7 research project on psychologically safe enough coaching, I think it is time to come back to what I am doing and how as a coach.

I went through a list of all of my clients over the last 18 months and really reflected on who I coached with most ease, energy, enjoyment and enthusiasm, and who seemed to get the most ease, energy, enjoyment and enthusiasm - as well as "results" - from the work.

I ended up with a list of clients with seemingly very disparate careers, hobbies and preferences, but my instinct was telling me...no, there will be a pattern, a common thread. Just find it!

Anyway, I reflected for a few days and it popped up for me randomly when I was minding my own business doing something else...

Those adhd/autistic coaching clients were all deep specialists in something. Whether a business owner with a very niche and valuable service, an academic in their own very particular field, or someone in "the professions" such as law, midwifery, surgery, accounting, HR and so on. Oh, and authors and speakers/podcasters now and again, too!

All specialists. All seeking ease, energy, enjoyment and enthusiasm around engaging with their specialism OR supporting themselves to be able to lean into it when they want to.

I had a good think and decided: yep, that's for me. I am a specialist myself and need those things myself and if I look at what I do end up helping people with in coaching, it is actually those topics...and all the models and psychoeducation from my training that go along with them.

So...that's what I do now. A specialism in coaching adhd/autistic specialisms.

(I will say though I am itching for someone to come and say to me I want to get specialised about an old hobby, or a dream activity or I want to play D&D like you! So, please, interpret specialist how YOU think best!)

There are three ways to arrange coaching
1) Access to Work funding
2) Workplace self-development funds for coaching (available as part of benefits depending on the workplace and its packages)
3) Personal funds that you have already saved up and intend to use on your own learning and growth

I only have one more space for coaching until the end of March now so if you would like a thorough free consult with no decision from you on the day, you're welcome to email [email protected] Coach

Thank you for reading and have an amazing day :)

Good morning! I've been focusing on my energy and research for a couple of weeks, but am still fully immersed in my coaching work, as I always put that first in my professional life.

At present, I only have space for one more client now until the end of March. I will need to open my waiting list again once this space has been taken. (Most coaching engagements are 12-24 weeks, and I keep a small set of clients at any one time to balance my energy, so a small waiting list is needed at times).

My latest testimonial (below) shares something about what it's like to work with me and some of the benefits the client experienced (shared with full permission).

If you're looking for an ADHD and/or autistic trained coach who also conducts research on ADHD/autistic coaching, then feel free to email me for an extensive but no commitment consultation - [email protected]

Here's the testimonial:

"The coaching has been really helpful. It came at a time where I didn't know where I was going with things. I came to coaching looking mainly for strategies but I've additionally learned that it's ok to use time and resources on myself to understand myself. I now have the confidence to know it's ok to "be different" and have learned that when I ask for accommodations, many people are reasonable and accommodating. I also developed greater understanding of my emotions and how to work with them - I feel grateful for the process."

What do you mean, slow can be fast?

That's one of my personal principles and, boy-o, my experience of a less than fun winter time from a cognitive perspective illustrates this well for me.

My newsletter today talks about how slow-to-be-fast has helped me...as well as what I needed to do to support myself as an AuDHDer with my own coaching practice in the winter time.

You can read it here if you choose: https://mailchi.mp/148181702807/what-do-you-mean-slow-is-fast

If you haven't yet signed up, you are welcome to give it a try here and I have zero rejection sensitivity about who does/doesn't sign up or who unsubscribes - so please opt in or out at any time :D

Here's the signup link https://coach.us21.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=4d719ca475dbcdd427872d91f&id=b04c9e97f9

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