Navigate Neurodiversity Occupational Therapy

Home
United Kingdom
Chesterfield
Navigate Neurodiversity Occupational Therapy

Alex (she/her) to our knowledge, the UK’s first neuroaffirming OT service of its kind soley for ND adults, created by a multiply ND OT.

Online OT, “access to work” coaching, & webinars available
Nominated: Dyspraxia advocate “24 & Disabled Role model “25

06/01/2026

What part of birthdays do you wish you could change?

Today i had an unmasked birthday. No forced smiles at a surprise party I didn’t want. No pretending to love being the centre of attention. No sensory overload from loud restaurants or jammy cake I can’t stand.

Instead? I designed it exactly how I needed it.

As neurodivergent adults, we’ve spent years performing what birthdays “should” look like. But here’s the thing – your birthday can be whatever works for YOUR nervous system. Quiet walks instead of parties. Takeaway instead of restaurants. Saying no to cake and having a croissant. Celebrating a week late when you’ve got the energy.

There’s no rulebook that says you have to celebrate the neurotypical way.

Masking… sometimes it is helpful! eg for safety, but being able to unmask on days like your birthday is so lovely

What would your ideal, unmasked birthday look like? Drop it in the comments – I’d love to hear. 👇

ActuallyAutistic

03/01/2026

Things we’re leaving in 2025 ✌️

Some things need to stay in the past…

As a disabled OT working with my fellow neurodivergent adults, these are a few of the many things I reckon we should be ditching for 2026.

Here’s the thing - your aren’t broken. The systems around you? Often they are. And you deserve support & care that actually gets that.

I’m curious - what would YOU add to this list? What are you ready to leave behind? Let’s crowdsource this together 👇

alt: things we are leaving in 2025.
Being mean to ourselves for finding something hard, that others don’t,Excluding the disabled friend from being able to access plans/events,Feeling guilty for saying “no”, The idea that there is a “right” way to socialise or enjoy yourself,Not being “disabled enough” for
support/equipment,Rest as a reward,Plushies and fidgets being only for kids.

18/12/2025

Wow 2025 has gone very quickly!

So much has happened this year. I can’t fit it all into one post….

But I just wanted to pop on and say a big thank you to everyone who has worked with me as a client or who has supported this little OT practice on social media, this year.

Thank you for your trust, your kindness and the laughs and tears we shared together. I truely believe in the power of being surrounded by people who “get it”.

2026 is going to be an even bigger year with some big changes and projects coming. I can’t wait to share them with you.

But until then, thank you again & I wish you a wonderful cosy rest of 2025 & a happy 2026 💛

* I will be off until the 7th of January

Alt text: “end of year wrap up: provided OT to my fellow ND adults, updated my logo based on feedback,nominated for an award, collaborated with other professionals, provided access to work services, started work on a new project for 2026, attended conferences. Improved the accessibility of my software”

11/12/2025

Can we talk about endometriosis for a minute? 💛

Because it’s not just about painful periods. It’s about cancelling plans last minute. It’s about the brain fog that makes you forget mid-sentence. It’s about the fatigue that no amount of sleep seems to fix. It’s about navigating work, relationships, and daily life when your body feels like it’s working against you.

I have endo, and I’m also an OT working with neurodivergent adults - so I see firsthand how chronic conditions affect everything. Your routines. Your energy management. Your mental health. Your ability to do the things that matter to you.

In my latest blog post, I’m sharing what I’ve learned from both sides.

Head to the link to read the full post on Substack 💜

https://open.substack.com/pub/alexnavneuroot/p/endometriosis-and-ot-and-waiting?r=48cv4o&utm_medium=ios

27/11/2025

It’s cold & dark & a lot of us aren’t feeling our best… let’s talk about glimmers!

What’s YOUR glimmer today?✨

You know those tiny moments that just light you up from the inside? Maybe it’s the perfect cup of coffee, your favourite song coming on shuffle, or finally getting that sensory experience just right.

As autistic adults, we often think about ways to to manage overwhelm & challenges of daily life (and yes, that’s important!) - but what about celebrating those beautiful micro-moments of joy? Those glimmers that make our nervous system feel safe, settled, and happy?

I’ve shared some of mine, I’m collecting glimmers today and I’d LOVE to hear yours! Drop them in the comments below!

ALT:
my glimmers and has photos do lavender, dogs, a brass bird, makeup, stickers, art supplies, plushies and mugs
Page 2 Text reads “what are glimmers: Glimmers are things which are the opposite of triggers.
They are small things that bring a sense of joy, peace, calm
Page 3 text reads Text reads: how can glimmers help us
There are lots of ways! But some of my personal favourites are:
→ to help prevent burnout
→ to help me regulate my nervous system
→ to connect with others or myself
→ to reduce stress

26/11/2025

New way to join the waiting list & portal refresh!

In 2026 I will be taking on new self funded and ATW clients 💛

The client portal has been updated, it looks fresher and is simpler to navigate! But the best part is that you can now join my waiting list directly via the portal 🥳

If you’ve been meaning to get in contact, you’re welcome to head over to the portal and add yourself to the list (you’re also still welcome to email instead).

In the notes section let me know a bit about what you are looking for from sessions/ what support you’d like, wether you’re self-funding or ATW & how often you’d like to see me. 💛

Client portal: https://clientportal.uk.zandahealth.com/clientportal/navigateneurodiversityot/home

Alt- photo shows the white and purple client portal homepage with a button labeled “waitlist” and an arrow pointing to it

21/11/2025

Thank you! 💛🥹

I love helping people find stratergies that work for their brains. Problem solving togther and figuring out a plan that is individualised!

Alt: cream background with purple text reading feedback Friday “Alex has helped me so much, I now understand my AuDHD traits so much better, know how to support myself when I'm struggling and I have lots of strategies to work with my executive functioning problems. I would thoroughly recommend Alex as an OT"

18/11/2025

*update: it’s back up and running now as of 3pm. if you have any issues accessing the portal let me know via email ☺️

Hi all, cloudflare has an outage and this is causing all my software to be down, including the client portal is & telehealth links.
I will update this post once it’s back up and running (hopefully soon!)💛

04/11/2025

Thank You, The Bubble Community!💛

Over the past 6 months, 26 wonderful people have joined us for one or more sessions: crafting, chatting, board gaming, colouring, crocheting, sipping tea, making bracelets, and, most importantly, building connections our community truly needs.

Here’s what we’ve achieved together:

✨ Met 6 times,over 6 months

✨ 26 different people attended

✨ Between 3–14 people at each session

✨ 116 chatty messages shared in our group chat

✨Postive feedback from attendees and local social prescribers

It’s been such a joy to create and hold this space for you all. 💛

🌿 What’s Next?

I’m currently chatting with Monkey Park to see if they can host us for quarterly 2-hour sessions.

* If that works out, I’ll share the new plan here, in the group chat, and via email for everyone on the mailing list.

* If not, I’ll find us a new venue!

* We may also run occasional online craft & chat sessions in between.

☕ Worried About the Change?

Now that we’ve got a lovely little community, you don’t have to wait for official sessions to connect! You could arrange your own meetups, maybe a coffee shop hangout or a trip to the board game café. Please do use our group chat on WhatsApp or fb to help!

One of our members is even starting a pub group, so there are plenty of ways to stay connected between sessions. My hope is that The Bubble becomes our hub but that friendships continue to grow beyond it.

💬 Why the Change?

As an OT, I always talk about sustainable energy and self-care and it’s time I practice what I preach! After my recent surgery, it’s important for me to make sure the group remains sustainable long-term.

The feedback form results showed most people preferred quarterly, longer sessions- so we can all look forward to them, manage energy better, and enjoy a full 2 hours together (especially for those travelling from outside Chesterfield).

If you’d like to stay up to date on all things social group, OT resources, Access to Work support, and upcoming webinars, you can join the mailing list here: https://alexnavneuroot.substack.com

Thank you all again for being part of this amazing community, here’s to what’s next! 💛

23/09/2025

Today's headlines about paracetamol and autism are upsetting and frustrating. 💛

Our neurotype is a naturally occurring difference.

The constant barrage of headlines and societal messages that treat us as something to fear is utterly exhausting.

Enough of the eugenics. Enough of the misogyny. Enough of the attacks on people with ovaries.

We live in a world that wasn’t designed for neurodivergent minds. Autism doesn’t need fixing, it’s a vital part of human diversity.

You are valuable. You are whole. You are worthy of love exactly as you are. Full stop

We are not something to be “fixed,” “cured,” or “prevented.”

I’m angry for our community & for the parents who have been made to think they should feel guilty for taking painkillers (which did NOT make their child autistic) ❤️‍🩹

Sending care,
Alex

…..

16/09/2025

Yes! Such a great post. In particular I work with people who have ME/CFS or fibromyalgia very frequently.

The majority of my clients are autistic, ADHDers, dyslexic or dyspraxic (likely because these overlap with my lived experience) but I don’t exclude any neurotype from my services!

Neurodivergence is a lot larger/broader than a lot of people realise! Do read the post below 💛

14/09/2025

When I first got each of my diagnosis’s, I thought that was the finish line. Turns out, it was just the starting point and no one gave me a roadmap. So I decided to create one.

Something exciting is coming soon, and it’s for anyone who’s ever felt lost and said ‘now what?’ 💙

Follow along, you won’t want to miss this.

Alt: “Something exciting is coming January 2026” purple text on a white background with January 2026 highlighted in gold

Address

Chesterfield

Website

http://www.navigateneurodiversityot.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Navigate Neurodiversity Occupational Therapy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Navigate Neurodiversity Occupational Therapy:

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Chesterfield?