Navigate Neurodiversity Occupational Therapy

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

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 th...
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


New way to join the waiting list & portal refresh!In 2026 I will be taking on new self funded and ATW clients 💛The clien...
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

Thank you! 💛🥹I love helping people find stratergies that work for their brains. Problem solving togther and figuring out...
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!)💛

Thank You, The Bubble Community!💛Over the past 6 months, 26 wonderful people have joined us for one or more sessions: cr...
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! 💛

Today's headlines about paracetamol and autism are upsetting and frustrating. 💛Our neurotype is a naturally occurring di...
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 💛

When I first got each of my diagnosis’s, I thought that was the finish line. Turns out, it was just the starting point a...
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

When I first got each of my diagnosis’s, I thought that was the finish line. Turns out, it was just the starting point a...
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.

Text reads: Something exciting is coming January 2026

12/09/2025

The Bubble Social group Update: PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS:

I wanted to share a little update about the group as we move towards the end of the year.

We’ll be finishing for a Christmas break after our November session, which means there are just the October and November sessions left in this round. I’d especially encourage you to come along in November if you can, so we can all be together, whether that’s for the last time this year, or potentially the last session of this pilot run.

June–November was always planned as a pilot to see how the group felt and to explore what the future might look like. I love running the group, but holding it monthly alongside work and post-op recovery hasn’t been sustainable for me. Rather than risk stopping completely if I burn out, in December, I am taking some time to think about what shape the group could take next.

Here are a few options I’m exploring for the new year:

👉Online version of the group (this has been highly requested).

👉A support group rather than a social group, online or in-person

👉Longer BUT less frequent in-person sessions (e.g. 2/3 hours every couple of months, perhaps alongside online?).

👉Seasonal/term-based blocks (e.g. Sept–Nov, then Mar–May, with breaks in between).

👉Quarterly drop-ins: more casual, longer 2-hour social gatherings instead of monthly meetings.

👉Occasional themed sessions: stand-alone events with different focuses (e.g. craft swap, board games, coffee social), so people can join whichever ones appeal.

Any other ideas let me know

I know uncertainty can feel tricky, so I want to reassure you that this isn’t a sudden or permanent ending. It’s simply me making sure the group can continue in a way that feels sustainable for everyone, myself included. As always, this group is molded by you, so Id like to take a vote to decide what the next step is!

I’ll keep you updated as soon as I know more. Whatever happens next, it’s been so special to see this group grow, and I’m really grateful for the energy and openness you’ve all brought. 💛

Have your say!!

Please use this form to share your thoughts about the group's future!

Here is the link to our anonymous feedback form. If you havent attended before you are still welcome to use the form, just skip the first page:
👉https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd2FZYTZkzI7Id0VGKB_JJ7MLbAzbOvmnBGNb6VTnfaTUX59A/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=108354147536465000782

I had to jump on this trend with some of my own!Unfortunately I do love…-pets interrupting sessions-putting cute clip ar...
11/09/2025

I had to jump on this trend with some of my own!

Unfortunately I do love…
-pets interrupting sessions
-putting cute clip art of frogs, dogs & cats on client resources
-clients showing me their plushies
- a piping hot oat latte
-emails between sessions celebrating wins
-rotating between 3 drinks
-having a weighted plushy on my lap
-demonstrating fidgets/sensory items

💛💛💛💛💛💛💛

Address

Chesterfield

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