Jane McPhillips Hypnotherapy

Is it possible to be more autistic/ADHD following a diagnosis?

Is it possible to feel more autistic/ADHD after a diagnosis? — Jane McPhillips Hypnotherapy | Sheffield Not much is talked about how life is after the label is confirmed, as so much energy and media focus is on waiting for the formal diagnosis. However clients report feeling as though all the dials have been turned up and life is extremely vivid in many ways. These experiences are normal and need more

Moved to hear how this amazing team are finding wellbeing sessions useful. 🙏🏻

Family Voice and Ammi's Kitchen want to thank McPhillips Hypnotherapy for her wonderful support during these hard times for the voluntary sector.

She comes to us every term to support us each to work out our strategies for coping with the demands of the work we all do. She brings a lovely calm with her and gently creates a safe space.

It's an incredibly valuable session for everyone on an individual level, but also as a team. Jane is simply extraordinary in how she leads the sessions; she listens deeply with quiet integrity.

Her work is invaluable and makes our team work more sustainable.

We can’t change how we are wired.
But we can change how we interpret our sensitivities.

For many people, discovering they are neurodivergent, whether ADHD, autistic, or both, feels like the lights have finally been turned on.
Past experiences begin to make sense.
Struggles with anxiety, overwhelm, or exhaustion soften into understanding and self-compassion.

From there comes acceptance,
not a single moment, but an ongoing practice.

And then something powerful can happen.
When we stop fighting our sensitive brains,
when we loosen the exhausting effort of masking or trying to be who we think we should be,
we create space to reinterpret the signals our brain is constantly receiving.

Because neurodivergent brains often notice everything:

• Sounds, conversations, subtle shifts
• Body language, emotional tone
• lights, smells, textures, temperature

With the amygdala frequently on high alert,
a lifetime of interpreting these signals as threatening can fuel anxiety and chronic overwhelm.

But interpretation is not fixed.

With awareness, we can begin to shift from:

“This is a threat” → “This is something I notice”
“They’re judging me” → “My brain is reacting from old patterns”

Many people with ADHD or autism know the internal loops:

Am I too loud?
Too intense?
Did I interrupt?
Did I respond correctly?

While social awareness has its place, constant self-monitoring is draining, particularly when masking becomes a survival strategy rather than a choice.

What if we softened the judgement?
Reduced the fear?
Allowed noticing without spiralling?

In Adlerian terms, how others perceive us belongs to their life task, not ours to carry.

Awareness
Acceptance
Self-love
Retraining interpretation

Less energy spent fighting yourself.
More space to work with your wiring.

Because when we do:

• The nervous system finds more regulation
• Sensitivities become information, not danger
• Differences reveal strengths

And life can feel lighter

If this resonates with you, personally or professionally, especially if you’re navigating ADHD, autism, anxiety, or overwhelm, you’re not alone in the journey.

The ‘wall of awful’ and how it can sabotage the neurodivergent experience.

It can seem like a simple task, so why don’t we just get started?

The wall of awful is a phrase that can shed some light and validate this experience for many neurodivergent people, especially those of us with ADHD.

When we do a task, we aren’t just dealing with that one task.
We are dealing with a whole list of past experiences (maybe seen as failures by ourselves) that create often unpleasant emotions.
Feelings that we would like to avoid again at all costs.

These may include (but not exclusively):

🙁Past rejections when we have made a mistake
🙁Being found out for an error and being shamed for it
🙁Letting someone down due to forgetting an important task
🙁Missing an important date, birthday etc

We don’t just need motivation to complete a task, but also the time and strength to overcome the wall in front of it.

So how do we manage this? How do we get that thing done?

Recognise the wall is there.
It is real.
It triggers unpleasant emotions.
Other people may not understand this wall. (We are not other people).

Having awareness and recognising these experiences start to break down the wall, bit by bit.
Give yourself some time to process this trigger and what the wall looks like for you.

Get to know your wall of awful and how to break it down brick by brick.

Then take steps to climb over it, see through it, or maybe even knock it down!

The ‘wall of awful’ is a concept by ADHD coach Brendan Mahan, taken from Jessica Mccabe’s book ‘How to ADHD’.

🌟Neurodivergent networking tonight 7pm in Sheffield, few spaces left!!🌟

Why not come along to our first gathering where you can find a supportive place to share your business, amongst others with similar strengths and challenges.

The aim is to:

🌟Support each other’s exciting new projects and help each other to spread the word

🌟Unmask the challenges of running a business being neurodivergent

🌟Build confidence in how to network, alongside others that understand

There is a small charge (under £6) to cover the cost of the venue.

When: tonight Dec 2nd 7pm
Where: RumKeg Abbeydale Rd



Tickets click here ⬇️

Neurodivergent Networking (with a difference) A safe space to connect with other neurodivergent business owners locally.This first gathering is to gather ideas on how we would like this group to serve you in business.The aim is to:🌟Support each other’s exciting new projects and help each other to spread the word🌟Unmask the challenges of...

Networking to learn, connect, and grow 🌱

I walked into the Infinite Skills CiC networking event hoping to meet a few like-minded people…
I left with a full heart, new connections, and a whole lot of inspiration. 💛

✨ First ever experience of Human Bingo (surprisingly brilliant for getting us all talking and laughing — even the introverts!).
✨ Genuine conversations with kind, interesting people who made me feel instantly welcome.
✨ Thought-provoking talks from the amazing Liban Saleh and Kaltum Osman Rivers, sharing stories that were informative, and inspiring.

So grateful for evenings like this — where community, learning and a little courage come together.

Special thank you to Sahra Garuf for being my networking buddy, this is your year! 🙏

Here’s to more connection, collaboration, and stepping outside the comfort zone. 🙌