The ADHD Speech and Language Therapist

07/11/2025

✨ Why Total Communication Matters ✨
Not everyone communicates the same way; and that’s a beautiful thing. 💬💖
When we honour gestures, signs, visuals, AAC, and words equally, we make interaction accessible, inclusive, and empowering for everyone.

Let’s celebrate every way of connecting, because every voice matters. 🌈

🪩 Free “Total Communication Approach Guide for All Ages” now available at www.adhdslt.co.uk/resources

05/11/2025

✨ Your words hold power, especially the ones you say to yourself.

If you’re neurodivergent or healing from trauma, affirmations aren’t about pretending everything’s fine. They’re about gently reclaiming the narrative. They’re about showing up for the younger you, the one who needed more kindness than she got.

These 5 affirmations are for you. For your nervous system. For the story you’re rewriting now.

💬 Save your favourite
🧠 Say it aloud
🖨️ Or screenshot and keep close

You are not too much. You are not broken. You are still becoming.
And you’re allowed to speak to yourself like someone worth loving, because you are.

29/10/2025

✨ Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) ✨

ACT is an evidence-based approach that helps people live meaningfully, even when life feels hard. It’s about acceptance, values, and action, not perfection. 🌿

I recently completed my Level 2 accredited ACT training, and I’m now weaving this approach into my neurodiversity-affirming speech and language therapy sessions.

The truth is, I was already following ACT principles long before I knew the theory, focusing on self-advocacy, self-acceptance, and positive self-identity in every session. Now I have the tools and structure to take this even deeper. 💫

ACT supports my clients to:
🌱 Accept who they are
💬 Communicate with confidence
🌈 Live and express themselves authentically

If you’d like to learn more about ACT-informed speech and language therapy, or how it can support you or someone you care for, you can read my new blog post via my website, www.adhdslt.co.uk

—
🧠 Jamie Louise Hollis
Speech & Language Therapist | Neurodiversity-affirming | ACT-informed

17/10/2025

✨ Introducing Chat Mats, a neurodivergent-affirming tool I created to help clients express themselves without pressure to talk.

I first started using Talking Mats informally, until a trainer kindly reminded me they have specific guidance around how they should be used. I took that advice seriously (I’m very by-the-book!) and stopped — but I still saw the need for something that offered that same visual support without demanding conversation.

That’s how Chat Mats were born.

They’re digital PowerPoint templates I use at the start of sessions to explore a client’s likes, dislikes, and preferences. They work beautifully for clients who are shy, experience word-finding difficulties, or are early gestalt processors.

🧠 No pressure. Just connection.

Whether you’re using them to check-in, build rapport, or track change over time, Chat Mats help clients feel safe, seen, and heard.

You can print and laminate them if you want, but I love keeping them digital, it’s perfect for therapists who (like me!) are forever losing bits of paper.

Read the full blog: What Are Chat Mats and Why I Created Them → [link in bio]

15/10/2025

Mindfulness isn’t just about being calm, it’s about being aware.
Aware of our thoughts, emotions, and reactions as they happen.
And that awareness changes how we communicate.

When we notice before we react, we build connection instead of correction. 🌸

For neurodivergent people, this awareness can be empowering.
It helps us:
✨ Reframe “I struggle with…” into “I find it easier when…”
✨ Understand our sensory and emotional needs
✨ Communicate authentically without masking

Research shows that mindful awareness supports emotional regulation, empathy, and self-compassion — all of which strengthen communication (Kabat-Zinn, 2003; Pratscher et al., 2019; Walker, 2021).

💬 It’s not about changing who you are — it’s about meeting yourself kindly.

🪷 Neurodivergent-affirming communication therapy available online.
Visit www.adhdslt.co.uk or message to find out more.

07/10/2025

There are still so many myths about online speech and language therapy, but the evidence tells a different story 🌍💬

✨ Research shows outcomes are comparable to in-person sessions (Scott et al., 2025; Stoliker, 2021).
✨ Autistic children often thrive online, especially with visual and social communication supports (Hao et al., 2023).
✨ And as a neurodivergent therapist, I’ve found that working online means I can give more, more energy, more individualisation, and more presence.

Online therapy isn’t second best. It’s connection, safety, and accessibility, for everyone involved.

💻 Want to find out if it could work for your child?
🪴 Visit my website - www.adhdslt.co.uk

07/10/2025

Online speech and language therapy is often misunderstood — but the research tells a very different story. From flexibility and comfort to evidence-based results, virtual therapy can be just as effective (and sometimes even better) than in-person sessions. In this post, I explore five common myths about online SLT and share both research insights and my own experience as a neurodivergent therapist....

Uncover the truth about online speech and language therapy myths. Learn how effective virtual sessions can be.

01/10/2025

Big milestones like first words and full sentences often get all the attention — but for many autistic children and gestalt language learners, it’s the small communication wins that really matter. A smile, a glance, a sound in a new context — these are the building blocks of future speech. In this post, I explore why celebrating small wins is so powerful, and how my parent coaching sessions can help families nurture communication at home, even when a child isn’t yet engaging directly in therapy....

Celebrate small communication wins — the building blocks of speech. Support autistic children at home with practical tips and parent coaching.

01/10/2025

✨ Parent Coaching Sessions ✨

Not every child is ready to sit through therapy sessions, and that’s okay.
With parent coaching, I support you to create communication opportunities in your everyday routines. 💡



💬 Through:
👉 Play – using favourite games like bubbles or bouncing to spark connection.
👉 Visuals – simple Now/Next boards and picture cues to make transitions easier.
👉 Language – modelling fun sounds and phrases in ways that feel natural for non-speaking children.

Parent coaching is perfect if:
✅ Your child doesn’t engage directly in therapy
✅ You can only access online support
✅ You want confidence in how to support communication at home

You don’t have to do this alone, I’ll guide you every step of the way. 🌿

📩 DM me or visit www.adhdslt.co.uk find out more.

29/09/2025

This blog explores PDA (Pathological / Persistent Drive for Autonomy), explaining why affirming language matters and sharing practical tips for children and adults. Download a free resource and learn how supporting autonomy can build confidence, reduce anxiety, and promote positive self-identity....

PDA isn’t about being “difficult” it’s a deep drive for autonomy. 💜Read my new blog to learn what PDA is, why affirming language matters, and download a free resource with practical tips for children and adults.

25/09/2025

Speech therapy isn’t just for vocabulary or syntax. It can also empower neurodivergent people to reframe deficit-based language, embrace identity, and use their voice with confidence....

Speech therapy isn’t just about vocabulary. Discover how speech therapy for self-advocacy helps neurodivergent people reframe deficit language, embrace identity, and find their voice.

24/09/2025

I’ve added a free Communication Profile Resource to my website. It helps children and adults reflect on their communication strengths, needs, and preferences, and can be shared with schools or workplaces to improve support....

This week’s win is all about neurodivergent communication 💬💡Memes about ADHD and autism quirks have been a brilliant way to break the ice in therapy lately — especially with teens and adults. Humour makes it easier to connect, reflect, and say “that’s so me!” before we get into the d...