Relationship with Self: What Is It and Why Does It Matter?
Feeling overwhelmed is something many neurodivergent adults know all too well. Sometimes it looks obvious — stress, anxiety, frustration or tears. Other times it can show up as withdrawing, shutting down, losing words, struggling to think clearly, or simply feeling unable to cope with one more thing.
This month we're exploring dysregulation, overwhelm and shutdown through a neurodivergent lens. Together we'll make sense of what happens when our brains and nervous systems become overloaded, and share ideas that help us recognise the signs earlier and recover more effectively.
We'll explore
✨ Common experiences
Sensory overload, emotional overwhelm, decision fatigue, burnout, shutdowns, losing access to words, feeling stuck, irritability, anxiety, and the impact of too many demands for too long.
🛠️ What can help
Recognising your early warning signs, understanding your triggers, building recovery time into your life, communicating your needs, and finding regulation strategies that genuinely work for your brain.How often do you stop to think about the relationship you have with yourself?
Most of us spend a lot of time thinking about our relationships with family, friends, colleagues and partners, but the relationship we have with ourselves is just as important. It influences how we respond to challenges, how we speak to ourselves, how we recognise our needs and how we experience the world around us.
For many neurodivergent adults, that relationship has been shaped by years of feeling different, trying to fit in, masking, misunderstanding or being misunderstood. Over time, those experiences can affect confidence, self-esteem and the way we see ourselves.
This month we'll explore what it means to build a healthier relationship with yourself through a neurodivergent lens. Together we'll reflect on self-understanding, self-trust and self-acceptance, sharing ideas that can help us move away from self-criticism and towards greater compassion.
We'll explore
✨ Common experiences
Self-criticism, perfectionism, masking, comparison, imposter syndrome, people pleasing, shame, feeling "not enough", difficulty recognising strengths, and learning to trust yourself.
🛠️ What can help
Understanding your neurodivergent brain, recognising your strengths, noticing your inner dialogue, setting realistic expectations, celebrating progress, practising self-compassion and learning to trust your own needs, values and decisions.
Together we'll ask
💭 What has shaped the relationship you have with yourself?
💭 What messages about yourself are you ready to question or let go of?
💭 What would a kinder, more trusting relationship with yourself look like?
Register here to receive the joining info, and we’ll see you there!
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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.