Counselling for Families

17/02/2026

One of the biggest communication traps I see is indirect language.

We often speak in shorthand, hints, frustration, or emotional tone — assuming our partner will “pick up” what we mean. In neurodiverse relationships, this often doesn’t land the way we hope.

For example:
📌 “You never help around here.”
📌 “You don’t care.”
📌 “I’m fine.”

What’s often underneath might actually be:
💔 I’m overwhelmed
💔 I’m lonely
💔 I need reassurance
💔 I need practical support
💔 I’m exhausted and close to burnout

When meaning stays hidden, misunderstanding grows.

A more supportive habit is learning to say the meaning kindly and clearly:
✅ “I’m feeling overwhelmed tonight and I’d really appreciate some help with dinner.”
✅ “I’m needing some reassurance that we’re okay.”
✅ “I’m not actually fine — I’m feeling fragile and could use a hug.”

This isn’t about being blunt or robotic. It’s about reducing guesswork and emotional risk for both of you. Clarity builds safety.

14/02/2026

Happy Valentine's Day! 💓

Today can bring up lots of different feelings. However you’re experiencing Valentine’s Day, your feelings are valid.

Be gentle with yourself today.

Interested in couples or individual counselling? Contact Julie on 📱07412651894 or ✉️ hello@juliewalescounselling.co.uk.

10/02/2026

Julie is here to share some nuggets of wisdom around being in a neurodiverse couple! 💞

Communication is key, as with any relationship, and Julie shares about how fear around communication can impact neurodiverse relationships.

Want to access Julie's ebook about navigating a relationship as a neurodiverse couple? Email Julie at ✉️ hello@juliewalescounselling.co.uk!

09/02/2026

Nervous system mismatch, not personality flaws.
Each person needs to feel comfortable and safe and stress free to be able to talk about tricky things.

If you need help with your communication please contact Julie.
www.juliewalescounselling.co.uk

05/02/2026

Why communication can feel extra hard in neurodiverse relationships...

Before we jump into tools, I want to normalise something. When neurodiversity is part of a relationship, communication challenges often relate to:

💔 Different processing speeds
💔 Literal versus emotional language styles
💔 Sensory overload and nervous system stress
💔 Shutdowns, masking, or overwhelm
💔 Difficulty reading or expressing emotional cues
💔 Needing predictability and structure to feel safe

Over time this can lead to painful patterns:

📌 One partner feels emotionally unheard or lonely
📌 The other feels criticised, confused, or overwhelmed
📌 Conversations escalate or collapse
📌 Both retreat into protection rather than connection

This can quietly erode closeness — even when love is still very much present.

03/02/2026

If you’re in a neurodiverse relationship, there’s a good chance you’ve said (or thought):

“We love each other — so why does communicating feel so hard?”

I hear this every week in my counselling work.

Couples come to me exhausted, confused, sometimes hurt, sometimes quietly lonely. They care deeply about each other — yet conversations spiral into misunderstandings, shutdowns, frustration, or emotional distance. Often one or both partners are autistic, ADHD, or neurodivergent in ways that shape how they process information, emotions, sensory input, and stress.

And here’s the important part:
👉 You’re not failing.
👉 Your relationship isn’t broken.
👉 Your nervous systems simply work differently.

Neurodiverse relationships don’t need “better effort.” They need different tools, different pacing, and a lot more compassion — for yourselves and each other.

02/02/2026

I’ve launched a new TikTok account:

The Neuro Relationship Coach

It’s a space to support neurodiverse couples with communication, emotional regulation, and feeling safer and more connected in their relationships.

I’ll be sharing gentle, practical tools you can use in real life — not quick fixes, not blame, just understanding and support.
https://www.tiktok.com/?lang=en

The introduction video is now live and pinned.

0 Followers, 0 Following, 2 Likes - Watch awesome short videos created by theneurorelationshipcoac

29/01/2026

While the women's group will remain flexible to member needs, potential session themes include:

💔 Understanding Cassandra Syndrome
💔 Emotional loneliness vs. emotional availability
💔 Communication differences in autistic–NT relationships
💔 Reducing sensory–emotional collisions
💔 Navigating shutdowns, overwhelm and missed cues
💔 Rebalancing emotional labour
💔 Tools for grounding, resilience and coping
💔 Boundaries without blame
💔 Rebuilding connection with yourself
💔 Maintaining hope and emotional safety

Julie's new support group for women in neurodiverse relationships is launching in 2026. Contact Julie for more information.

27/01/2026

By the end of the new programme for women in neurodiverse relationships, you may experience:

💕 Greater clarity about your emotional needs
💕 More understanding of autistic–neurotypical communication differences
💕 Reduced guilt and self-blame
💕 Practical tools for managing Cassandra exhaustion
💕 A stronger sense of self-worth and boundaries
💕 Validation from women who truly understand your lived experience
💕 A calmer, more grounded internal state
💕 Less loneliness and more connection
💕 The ability to navigate neurodiverse relationship challenges with confidence and compassion

22/01/2026

Cost of the 2026 online Cassandra Syndrome support group

To ensure the group remains accessible while still offering specialist therapeutic support, the programme will be available at a clear and gentle price point. Please email for further information.

Each session includes:

💞 A 90-minute facilitated online group session
💞 Neurodiversity-informed psychoeducation
💞 Emotional wellbeing tools and grounding strategies
💞 A safe, confidential space for sharing and support
💞 Optional access to a private members-only community
💞 Session summaries and reflective worksheets

20/01/2026

Why I’m creating this group...

Over the years, I’ve seen extraordinary resilience in women navigating neurodiverse relationships. I’ve also witnessed the quiet pain: the tears held back, the guilt about needing more emotional connection, the confusion about what’s “neurodiverse wiring” and what’s “relationship dynamics,” and the fear that these concerns won’t be understood anywhere else.

Too many women tell me:
💔 “I don’t have a space where I feel safe saying this.”
💔 “I feel guilty for needing more.”
💔 “I’m exhausted from keeping on asking for what I need and being the only one who sees the emotional impact.”

You deserve support too. And you deserve a space where your truth is held with compassion, not judgement.

15/01/2026

Who this group is for...

This group may be a good fit if you are:

💔 A woman in a relationship with an autistic partner
💔 Feeling emotionally alone despite loving your partner
💔 Carrying invisible emotional labour
💔 Unsure how to express needs without triggering conflict
💔 Trying to understand the neurodiverse dynamics while also honouring yourself
💔 Wanting connection with others who share similar experiences
💔 Seeking clarity, grounding, and emotional resilience
💔 Wanting a gentle space that respects both partners

If any of these resonate, you’re not alone — and this group may be a meaningful next step.