Overwhelm, Shutdown & Connection

When we’re overwhelmed, it doesn’t just affect how we feel internally — it can affect how we communicate, connect and respond to the people around us. We might go quiet, lose access to words, become irritable, need to get away, cancel plans or struggle to explain what we need. And sometimes other people can interpret those responses very differently from how they feel on the inside.

This month we’ll explore overwhelm and shutdown through a neurodivergent lens, including what happens when our capacity gets stretched, how that can show up in our relationships, and what might help us understand ourselves and each other better.

We’ll explore

✨ When everything gets too much
Sensory overload, emotional overwhelm, too many demands, decision fatigue, losing words, irritability, withdrawal and shutdown — and noticing what our own signs of overload might look like.

💬 Overwhelm in relationships
What happens when we don’t have the capacity to communicate in the way we normally would? We’ll explore needing space, misunderstandings, different communication needs, cancelling or withdrawing, asking for help and that sometimes very difficult question: “How do I explain what I need when I can’t find the words?”

🛠️ What might help
Recognising our signs earlier, communicating needs before we reach capacity, finding ways to make things easier in the moment, creating recovery time and talking with the people around us about what support actually looks like.

Register here to receive the joining info, and we’ll see you there!

All our groups are currently free to attend. Pay-what-you-can contributions are gratefully received here:
https://buy.stripe.com/aFaeVe15a6Rm1ot9RKcwg00

This helps us keep ND BrainSpace going for as long as possible. Thank you :)

Please note: ND BrainSpace is a peer-support and community group. The conversations and information shared come from lived experience. They should not be taken as medical, therapeutic, or professional advice. If you need medical or professional support, we encourage you to seek guidance from qualified services.

Overwhelm, Shutdown & Connection

When we’re overwhelmed, it doesn’t just affect how we feel internally — it can affect how we communicate, connect and respond to the people around us. We might go quiet, lose access to words, become irritable, need to get away, cancel plans or struggle to explain what we need. And sometimes other people can interpret those responses very differently from how they feel on the inside.

This month we’ll explore overwhelm and shutdown through a neurodivergent lens, including what happens when our capacity gets stretched, how that can show up in our relationships, and what might help us understand ourselves and each other better.

We’ll explore

✨ When everything gets too much
Sensory overload, emotional overwhelm, too many demands, decision fatigue, losing words, irritability, withdrawal and shutdown — and noticing what our own signs of overload might look like.

💬 Overwhelm in relationships
What happens when we don’t have the capacity to communicate in the way we normally would? We’ll explore needing space, misunderstandings, different communication needs, cancelling or withdrawing, asking for help and that sometimes very difficult question: “How do I explain what I need when I can’t find the words?”

🛠️ What might help
Recognising our signs earlier, communicating needs before we reach capacity, finding ways to make things easier in the moment, creating recovery time and talking with the people around us about what support actually looks like.

All our groups are currently free to attend. Pay-what-you-can contributions are gratefully received here:
https://buy.stripe.com/aFaeVe15a6Rm1ot9RKcwg00

This helps cover room hire, refreshments and other essentials — and helps us keep ND BrainSpace going for as long as possible. Thank you :)

Please note: ND BrainSpace is a peer-support and community group. The conversations and information shared come from lived experience. They should not be taken as medical, therapeutic, or professional advice. If you need medical or professional support, we encourage you to seek guidance from qualified services.

Transitions, Change & Uncertainty

Change can be difficult when you’re neurodivergent — even the “small” kinds. A change in routine, plans, expectations, relationships, work, identity or environment can leave ND brains feeling overwhelmed, stuck, anxious or completely thrown off balance.

This session explores the lived experience of transitions and uncertainty for neurodivergent adults — from everyday disruptions to major life shifts.

We’ll explore

✨ Common experiences
Waiting mode, decision paralysis, disrupted routines, anxiety around the unknown, shutdowns, emotional overwhelm, change fatigue, and struggling to adapt when life moves unexpectedly.

🛠️ What can help
Predictability, preparation, recovery time, realistic expectations, self-understanding, communication, and practical ways to create stability during uncertain times.

Register here to receive the joining info, and we’ll see you there!

All our groups are currently free to attend. Pay-what-you-can contributions are gratefully received here:
https://buy.stripe.com/aFaeVe15a6Rm1ot9RKcwg00

This helps us keep ND BrainSpace going for as long as possible. Thank you :)

Please note: ND BrainSpace is a peer-support and community group. The conversations and information shared come from lived experience. They should not be taken as medical, therapeutic, or professional advice. If you need medical or professional support, we encourage you to seek guidance from qualified services.

Transitions, Change & Uncertainty

Change can be difficult when you’re neurodivergent — even the “small” kinds. A change in routine, plans, expectations, relationships, work, identity or environment can leave ND brains feeling overwhelmed, stuck, anxious or completely thrown off balance.

This session explores the lived experience of transitions and uncertainty for neurodivergent adults — from everyday disruptions to major life shifts.

We’ll explore

✨ Common experiences
Waiting mode, decision paralysis, disrupted routines, anxiety around the unknown, shutdowns, emotional overwhelm, change fatigue, and struggling to adapt when life moves unexpectedly.

🛠️ What can help
Predictability, preparation, recovery time, realistic expectations, self-understanding, communication, and practical ways to create stability during uncertain times.

All our groups are currently free to attend. Pay-what-you-can contributions are gratefully received here:
https://buy.stripe.com/aFaeVe15a6Rm1ot9RKcwg00

This helps cover room hire, refreshments and other essentials — and helps us keep ND BrainSpace going for as long as possible. Thank you :)

Please note: ND BrainSpace is a peer-support and community group. The conversations and information shared come from lived experience. They should not be taken as medical, therapeutic, or professional advice. If you need medical or professional support, we encourage you to seek guidance from qualified services.

Sensory Differences

Understanding your sensory needs — and how they shape your experience of the world — can be a big part of making life feel more manageable.

For many neurodivergent people, things like noise, light, touch, or busy environments aren’t just minor annoyances. They can affect focus, energy, emotions, and overall wellbeing in really significant ways.

This session explores sensory differences through lived experience — not as something to “fix,” but something to understand and work with.

We’ll explore

✨ Common experiences
Sensory overload, shutdown, meltdowns, sensitivity to noise/light/touch, seeking or avoiding certain sensations, fluctuating tolerance, and the impact on energy, mood, and daily life.

🛠️ What can help
Recognising your sensory patterns, noticing early signs of overwhelm, creating supportive environments, using tools (like headphones or movement), and building in recovery time.

Register here to receive the joining info, and we’ll see you there!

All our groups are currently free to attend. Pay-what-you-can contributions are gratefully received here:
https://buy.stripe.com/aFaeVe15a6Rm1ot9RKcwg00

This helps us keep ND BrainSpace going for as long as possible. Thank you :)

Please note: ND BrainSpace is a peer-support and community group. The conversations and information shared come from lived experience. They should not be taken as medical, therapeutic, or professional advice. If you need medical or professional support, we encourage you to seek guidance from qualified services.

Sensory Regulation

Understanding your sensory needs — and how they shape your experience of the world — can be a big part of making life feel more manageable.

For many neurodivergent people, things like noise, light, touch, or busy environments aren’t just minor annoyances. They can affect focus, energy, emotions, and overall wellbeing in really significant ways.

This session explores sensory differences through lived experience — not as something to “fix,” but something to understand and work with.

We’ll explore

✨ Common experiences
Sensory overload, shutdown, meltdowns, sensitivity to noise/light/touch, seeking or avoiding certain sensations, fluctuating tolerance, and the impact on energy, mood, and daily life.

🛠️ What can help
Recognising your sensory patterns, noticing early signs of overwhelm, creating supportive environments, using tools (like headphones or movement), and building in recovery time.

All our groups are currently free to attend. Pay-what-you-can contributions are gratefully received here:
https://buy.stripe.com/aFaeVe15a6Rm1ot9RKcwg00

This helps cover room hire, refreshments and other essentials — and helps us keep ND BrainSpace going for as long as possible. Thank you :)

Please note: ND BrainSpace is a peer-support and community group. The conversations and information shared come from lived experience. They should not be taken as medical, therapeutic, or professional advice. If you need medical or professional support, we encourage you to seek guidance from qualified services.

Community Social — Lunchtime Online

Join us for a relaxed online community social on Tuesday 9th June, 12:30–1:30pm.

Come along from wherever you are — desk, sofa, bed, garden chair, or a quiet corner you’ve claimed for the hour.

We’ll also have an optional show and tell, so if you’d like to, feel free to bring along something you’re enjoying, making, reading, researching, fixing, creating, collecting, or currently hyperfocused on.

Camera off for listening or on for chatting — whatever works best for you on the day. No pressure to join in verbally, and absolutely no expectation to “social properly”.

Hosted on Google Meet.

Register here to receive the joining info, and we’ll see you there 💛

All our groups are currently free to attend. Pay-what-you-can contributions are gratefully received here:
https://buy.stripe.com/aFaeVe15a6Rm1ot9RKcwg00

This helps cover running costs and other essentials — and helps us keep ND BrainSpace going for as long as possible. Thank you :)

Please note: ND BrainSpace is a peer-support and community group. The conversations and information shared come from lived experience. They should not be taken as medical, therapeutic, or professional advice. If you need medical or professional support, we encourage you to seek guidance from qualified services.

ND BrainSpace Summer Social at Lifeways

Join us for a relaxed and welcoming summer social on Wednesday 3rd June, 7:00–8:30pm at Lifeways.

We’ll be making the most of the beautiful Lifeways gardens — a calm, leafy space with plenty of room to spread out, chat quietly, wander a little, or simply enjoy being outdoors together. We know social spaces can sometimes feel intense, so we’re aiming for something gentle, flexible, and low-pressure.

This is a welcoming space for neurodivergent adults to connect, chat, and spend time together without awkward icebreakers or expectations. Friends, family members, partners, carers, support people, and support animals (on leads / safely secured) are all very welcome too.

✨ What’s a “show and tell”?

Absolutely no public-speaking skills required. It simply means you’re welcome to bring along something you’d enjoy sharing with the group — or just chatting about naturally if the moment comes up.

That might be:

• a craft project

• a favourite game

• something you’re making or learning

• a comfort item or collection

• a current hyperfocus

• or anything else that brings you joy

There’s no pressure to bring anything at all, and no pressure to “perform”. Listening quietly is equally welcome.

We’ll provide biscuits and soft drinks, and you’re very welcome to bring your own refreshments or something to share if you’d like.

An RSVP to hannah@chooseyourway.co.uk is really helpful so we can plan numbers (and make sure there are enough biscuits for everyone!).

If you have any severe allergies or accessibility requirements, please let us know before the event or when you arrive.

We’d love to see you there 💛

📍 Directions to Lifeways

https://www.lifewaystherapycentre.com/images/lifeways_directions.pdf

💛 Supporting ND BrainSpace

All our groups are currently free to attend. Pay-what-you-can contributions are gratefully received here:
https://buy.stripe.com/aFaeVe15a6Rm1ot9RKcwg00

This helps cover room hire, refreshments, and other essentials — and helps us keep ND BrainSpace going for as long as possible. Thank you :)

🌱 A gentle reminder

ND BrainSpace is a peer-support and community group. The conversations and information shared come from lived experience and should not be taken as medical, therapeutic, or professional advice.

If you need medical or professional support, we encourage you to seek guidance from appropriately qualified services.

Identity & Masking — Lunchtime Online

Join us from wherever you are — desk, sofa, bed, or a quiet corner you’ve claimed for the hour.
Camera off for listening or on for chatting — whatever works best for you on the day.

Masking can be part of everyday life for neurodivergent people — at work, in relationships, and out in the world. It can help us get by, but it can also be tiring, confusing, and make it hard to know who we really are underneath it all.

This session explores identity and masking for neurodivergent adults, grounded in lived experience rather than expectations or labels.

We’ll explore

✨ Common experiences
Masking and unmasking, people-pleasing, imposter syndrome, late identification, identity shifts, and the sense of not quite fitting anywhere.

🛠️ What can help
Noticing when you’re masking, understanding why, experimenting with safer ways to be yourself, and making sense of your identity over time.

We’ll reflect together

💭 When do you notice yourself masking most?
💭 What parts of yourself feel easiest — or hardest — to show?
💭 What might it look like to feel more at ease as yourself?

Register here to receive the joining info, and we’ll see you there!

All our groups are currently free to attend. Pay-what-you-can contributions are gratefully received here:
https://buy.stripe.com/aFaeVe15a6Rm1ot9RKcwg00

This helps cover room hire, refreshments and other essentials — and helps us keep ND BrainSpace going for as long as possible. Thank you :)

Please note: ND BrainSpace is a peer-support and community group. The conversations and information shared come from lived experience. They should not be taken as medical, therapeutic, or professional advice. If you need medical or professional support, we encourage you to seek guidance from qualified services.

Identity & Masking

Figuring out who you are — and how much of yourself you show — can be complicated when you’re neurodivergent. Masking can help you get through work, relationships or everyday life, but it can also be exhausting, confusing, and disconnecting over time.

This session explores identity and masking for neurodivergent adults, drawing on lived experience rather than labels or expectations.

We’ll explore

✨ Common experiences
Masking and unmasking, people-pleasing, imposter syndrome, late identification, identity shifts, internalised expectations, and the feeling of not quite fitting anywhere.

🛠️ What can help
Noticing when you’re masking, understanding why you do it, experimenting with safer ways to be yourself, and making sense of who you are underneath the performance.

Together we’ll ask

💭 When and where do you mask most?
💭 What parts of yourself feel hardest to show?
💭 What might it look like to feel more at ease in your own skin?

All our groups are currently free to attend. Pay-what-you-can contributions are gratefully received here:
https://buy.stripe.com/aFaeVe15a6Rm1ot9RKcwg00

This helps cover room hire, refreshments and other essentials — and helps us keep ND BrainSpace going for as long as possible. Thank you :)

Please note: ND BrainSpace is a peer-support and community group. The conversations and information shared come from lived experience. They should not be taken as medical, therapeutic, or professional advice. If you need medical or professional support, we encourage you to seek guidance from qualified services.

🌿 Boundaries & Self-Care — Lunchtime Online

Join us from your desk, sofa, bed, parked car or wherever you can grab a bit of breathing space.
Camera off for quiet listening or on for chatting — whatever feels easiest on the day.

This month we’re exploring boundaries and self-care for neurodivergent adults — the real stuff, not the “just take a bubble bath” version.

✨ Common challenges
Saying yes when you mean no, people-pleasing, masking at your own expense, sensory overload, guilt, blurred boundaries, and realising you’re burnt out after it’s already happened.

🌱 What helps
Noticing your limits sooner, pacing, realistic self-care, clearer boundaries, recovering energy, and letting go of the idea that self-care has to look a certain way.

🛠️ Practical ideas
Ways to protect your energy, communicate boundaries (without over-explaining), reduce burnout cycles, and figure out what looking after yourself actually looks like for you.

We’ll explore together:
💭 Where do your boundaries tend to slip?
💭 What drains you — and what helps you recover?
💭 What might self-care look like if it was practical, not performative?

Register here to receive the joining info, and we’ll see you there!

All our groups are currently free to attend. Pay-what-you-can contributions are gratefully received here:
https://buy.stripe.com/aFaeVe15a6Rm1ot9RKcwg00

This helps cover room hire, refreshments and other essentials — and helps us keep ND BrainSpace going for as long as possible. Thank you :)

Please note: ND BrainSpace is a peer-support and community group. The conversations and information shared come from lived experience. They should not be taken as medical, therapeutic, or professional advice. If you need medical or professional support, we encourage you to seek guidance from qualified services.

Boundaries & Self-Care

Boundaries and self-care can feel especially complicated when you’re neurodivergent — knowing where your limits are, how to communicate them, and how to look after yourself without burning out or people-pleasing your way into exhaustion.

This month we’re focusing on the real, lived experience of boundaries and self-care for ND adults.

We’ll explore:
✨ Common challenges — saying yes when you mean no, masking at your own expense, sensory overload, energy depletion, guilt, people-pleasing, blurred boundaries, and not noticing you’re overwhelmed until it’s too late.
🛠️ What actually helps — recognising your limits, pacing, realistic self-care (not the Instagram kind), communicating boundaries, reducing burnout cycles, and finding ways to protect your energy that work for your brain.

Together we’ll ask:
💭 Where do your boundaries get stretched or ignored?
💭 What drains you — and what helps you recover?
💭 What might self-care look like if it was practical, not performative?

All our groups are currently free to attend. Pay-what-you-can contributions are gratefully received here:
https://buy.stripe.com/aFaeVe15a6Rm1ot9RKcwg00

This helps cover room hire, refreshments and other essentials — and helps us keep ND BrainSpace going for as long as possible. Thank you :)

Please note: ND BrainSpace is a peer-support and community group. The conversations and information shared come from lived experience. They should not be taken as medical, therapeutic, or professional advice. If you need medical or professional support, we encourage you to seek guidance from qualified services.

Work, Careers & The ND Brain

Join us from your kitchen table, office chair, sofa cocoon or anywhere you can sneak a few minutes.
Camera off for quiet listening or on for chatting — whatever feels easiest on the day.

This month we’re unpacking the realities of work and careers when your brain doesn’t follow the standard settings.

✨ Common challenges
Sensory overload, organisation hurdles, uneven motivation, burnout cycles, tricky feedback, misunderstandings and the pressure to mask.

🌱 Strengths & superpowers
Creativity, deep-focus bursts, problem-solving, empathy, innovative thinking — the brilliant stuff that often gets overlooked.

🛠️ Practical strategies
Workplace adjustments, communication ideas, pacing, energy management, and shaping roles to suit how you actually function.

We’ll explore together:
💭 What makes work harder than it needs to be?
💭 What helps you show up as your real self?
💭 What kind of work life feels more aligned with you?

Register here to receive the joining info, and we’ll see you there!

All our groups are currently free to attend. Pay-what-you-can contributions are gratefully received here:
https://buy.stripe.com/aFaeVe15a6Rm1ot9RKcwg00

This helps cover room hire, refreshments and other essentials — and helps us keep ND BrainSpace going for as long as possible. Thank you :)

Please note: ND BrainSpace is a peer-support and community group. The conversations and information shared come from lived experience. They should not be taken as medical, therapeutic, or professional advice. If you need medical or professional support, we encourage you to seek guidance from qualified services.

Work can be a minefield when you’re neurodivergent — brilliant strengths sitting right alongside energy crashes, communication tangles, overwhelm, and the eternal mystery of “why can everyone else just… do that?”.

This month we’re diving into the real-world experience of ND folks in the workplace.

We’ll explore:
✨ Common challenges – sensory overload, organisation struggles, uneven motivation, burnout cycles, masking at work, tricky feedback, misunderstandings, and the chaotic dance of deadlines.
🛠️ Practical solutions – workplace adjustments, communication strategies, pacing at work, energy management, job-crafting, and figuring out what actually works for your brain.

Together we’ll ask:
💭 What makes work harder for you than it needs to be?
💭 What helps you thrive — or at least cope — in a work setting?
💭 What kind of career path feels more aligned with who you are?

All our groups are currently free to attend. Pay-what-you-can contributions are gratefully received here:
https://buy.stripe.com/aFaeVe15a6Rm1ot9RKcwg00

This helps cover room hire, refreshments and other essentials — and helps us keep ND BrainSpace going for as long as possible. Thank you :)

Please note: ND BrainSpace is a peer-support and community group. The conversations and information shared come from lived experience. They should not be taken as medical, therapeutic, or professional advice. If you need medical or professional support, we encourage you to seek guidance from qualified services.

ND Relationships — Lunchtime Online

Join us from your sofa, desk, bed, parked car, or blanket nest… wherever feels most comfortable.
Listen along with your camera off, or hop into the chat if you fancy sharing — totally your choice.

This month we’re diving into the beautifully messy world of ND relationships — romantic, platonic, somewhere-in-between, or still-figuring-it-out.

✨ Common challenges
Communication tangles, mixed signals, sensory overwhelm, masking, rejection sensitivity, and the classic “I want people… but not too close… but also don’t leave me” dance.

💛 What helps
Clearer boundaries, honest conversations, realistic expectations, and finding people who actually like your real brain.

🌿 Being yourself
The relief of dropping the mask — and the bravery it sometimes needs.

We’ll explore together:
💭 What makes connection tricky for you?
💭 What kind of relationships feel safe and nourishing?
💭 What small tweaks could make connection easier?

Register here to receive the joining info, and we’ll see you there!

All our groups are currently free to attend. Pay-what-you-can contributions are gratefully received here:
https://buy.stripe.com/aFaeVe15a6Rm1ot9RKcwg00

This helps cover room hire, refreshments and other essentials — and helps us keep ND BrainSpace going for as long as possible. Thank you :)

Please note: ND BrainSpace is a peer-support and community group. The conversations and information shared come from lived experience. They should not be taken as medical, therapeutic, or professional advice. If you need medical or professional support, we encourage you to seek guidance from qualified services.

Relationships can be wonderful… and also wildly complicated when you’re neurodivergent.
Whether romantic, platonic, queerplatonic, family-ish or “I’m still not sure what this is” — connecting with people who get you (or at least genuinely try to) can feel tricky.

This month we’re exploring the messy, tender reality of ND relationships.

We’ll look at:
✨ Common challenges – communication mismatches, sensory overload, rejection sensitivity, masking, mixed signals, energy crashes, and the classic “I want connection but also please leave me alone”.
💛 What helps – clearer boundaries, softer expectations, honest conversations, different ways of showing care, and finding people who actually like your real brain.
🌿 Being yourself – the relief of dropping the mask, and the courage it sometimes takes.

Together we’ll ask:
💭 What gets in the way of connection for you?
💭 What kind of relationships feel safe and nourishing?
💭 What small changes could make connection easier?

All our groups are currently free to attend. Pay-what-you-can contributions are gratefully received here:
https://buy.stripe.com/aFaeVe15a6Rm1ot9RKcwg00

This helps cover room hire, refreshments and other essentials — and helps us keep ND BrainSpace going for as long as possible. Thank you :)

Please note: ND BrainSpace is a peer-support and community group. The conversations and information shared come from lived experience. They should not be taken as medical, therapeutic, or professional advice. If you need medical or professional support, we encourage you to seek guidance from qualified services.

🌿 A Neurodivergent New Year — Lunchtime Online

Join us from the comfort of your sofa, desk, bed, blanket fort… whatever works.
Dial in and simply listen along, or pop your camera on if you fancy joining the chat — totally your choice.

This month we’re gently easing into the year with some honest reflection:

✨ What I’m leaving behind
The habits, expectations and energy-drainers that never actually worked (no matter how hard you tried to make them).

🌱 What I’m taking forward
The small wins, helpful routines and bits of self-knowledge that made life a little kinder last year.

❄️ Winter survival tips
Because January isn’t always the time for a dramatic reinvention — sometimes it’s a season for blankets, pacing and doing what’s realistic.

We’ll explore together:
💭 What surprised you about yourself last year?
💭 What helped you feel well — and what didn’t?
💭 What might a “good enough” start to 2026 look like?

Register here to receive the joining info, and we’ll see you there!

All our groups are currently free to attend. Pay-what-you-can contributions are gratefully received here:
https://buy.stripe.com/aFaeVe15a6Rm1ot9RKcwg00

This helps cover room hire, refreshments and other essentials — and helps us keep ND BrainSpace going for as long as possible. Thank you :)

Please note: ND BrainSpace is a peer-support and community group. The conversations and information shared come from lived experience. They should not be taken as medical, therapeutic, or professional advice. If you need medical or professional support, we encourage you to seek guidance from qualified services.

A Neurodivergent New Year

January can feel like an evaluation form nobody asked for. Resolutions, “new year, new me”, pressure to optimise… meanwhile ND brains are often still decompressing from December.

This month we’re doing it differently. No reinvention. No hustle. Just honest reflection.

We’ll explore:
✨ What I’m leaving behind – habits, expectations, environments or routines that drained you, overwhelmed you, or just never actually worked.
🌱 What I’m taking forward – the tiny wins, helpful patterns, comforting things and self-knowledge that made life a little easier last year.
❄️ Winter survival tips – because January might not be the moment for a full personal rebrand; maybe blankets and hibernating might be more realistic.

Together we’ll ask:
💭 What surprised you about yourself last year?
💭 What supported your wellbeing… and what sabotaged it?
💭 What would a “good-enough” start to 2026 look like?

All our groups are currently free to attend. Pay-what-you-can contributions are gratefully received here:
https://buy.stripe.com/aFaeVe15a6Rm1ot9RKcwg00

This helps cover room hire, refreshments and other essentials — and helps us keep ND BrainSpace going for as long as possible. Thank you :)

Please note: ND BrainSpace is a peer-support and community group. The conversations and information shared come from lived experience. They should not be taken as medical, therapeutic, or professional advice. If you need medical or professional support, we encourage you to seek guidance from qualified services.