About Dr Nicola Ferreira

I work with those who suspect or know they’re ADHD, or similarly neurodivergent, and are looking for support for their wellbeing.

Some of those I work with are multiply neurodivergent, for example, dyslexic, dyspraxic, and/or autistic, whether diagnosed or self-identified. You might have many diagnoses or none at all. If you find I speak to you in some way, I’d be glad to hear from you, and together we’ll see if I might be the right person to support you.

I tend to work with people who are ready to truly commit to making sense of themselves and what they’re going through on a deeper level. This way we’ll get to the roots of your struggles, strengths, and needs, to experience lasting transformations in your wellbeing.

I help people with various issues that might be directly related to being ADHD. I also help people who have a sense that whatever they’re facing, they can be better understood by someone who truly gets what it can be like to be ADHD.

It can be a huge relief to let go of neurotypical expectations and the burden of teaching others about ADHD, not to mention stay clear of the common myths and misunderstandings that can add to the struggle.

With ADHD in mind, I work with a range of proven therapies to help people work through various areas, such as:

Anxiety | Anger | Bereavement | Bipolar | Bullying | Burnout | Childhood Emotional Neglect | Depression | Gender | Identity | Obsessive and Compulsive Tendencies | Relationships | Self-Esteem | School Issues | Self-Harming | Sexuality | Shame | Stress | Suicidal Thoughts and Intentions | Traumatic or Painful Experiences

I’ve worked in psychology for over 16 years. To give a few examples, I’ve worked in NHS secondary care psychological services (for adults), a charity-based organisation for young people (11-25), and child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).

I’ve worked with many ADHDers to support them to come away from therapy feeling better in themselves. Many have struggled through expectations based on their gender, culture, ability, and sexuality, that have coloured their experience of being neurodivergent in a neurotypical world. Many have gotten to dark and desperate places before gaining the support they need. Often this is partly because they learned to compensate for difficulties and didn’t strike others, including professionals, as ADHD.

My experience supporting ADHDers has taught me to embrace my curious mind and be open to each person’s story and unique experiences. Most of all it’s taught me that it can be crucial to work with an understanding of your ADHD brain as an important part of what shapes you and your world, so we can find ways forward that work for you.

I often work with ADHD adults and young people who’ve already had therapeutic support that’s been experienced more like teaching. Understandably this typically hasn’t quite stuck or gotten to the roots of the issues. At worst it can add to the overwhelm of neurotypical expectations and messages of criticism.

Rather than teach you, I work in a way that means it’s how we connect, with you, and each other, that makes the difference. My aim is to provide a nurturing space, where you can feel deeply heard, respected, and accepted for who you are, in part, to develop your self-awareness. I also aim to provide an empowering space where we can get to the roots of what you’re going through, and develop your own personal answers from within yourself. Many ADHDers find this particularly helpful in building trust and confidence in themselves, to experience lasting transformations in their wellbeing.

We’ll get curious about what’s shaped you and how you relate to yourself, others, and the world around you. Often, this will play out between us, and I’ll share what I notice so we can work through it together. For example, I might hear you being critical of yourself, trying to ‘get it right’, or please others. We can be curious about what this means to you, and what this tells us of your personal experiences and needs. This way we’ll work towards you developing what you need, such as understanding and kindness towards yourself, or your capacity to advocate for yourself, including with your inner critic. Along the way, you’ll develop the courage and freedom to be true to yourself, so you discover more fulfilment in life and relationships.

While some aspects of therapy and coaching overlap, there are some key differences to understand to figure out which, if not both, might suit your needs at this time.

Coaching is intended to empower people to address practical problems for everyday situations. It typically focuses more on the future. With ADHD coaching, support might be around time management, planning, prioritising, and organisation. Although the practical help of coaching can lead to improved emotional wellbeing, such as developed self-esteem, coaching isn't intended to address complex emotional and relational difficulties.

To address these various aspects, coaching in parallel with therapy can be a particularly empowering combination. I work closely with a number of trusted and fully certified ADHD coaches, for adults and young people, who I'm happy to signpost to.

I offer therapy rather than coaching. Therapy is intended to offer deeper emotional and psychological transformations. Although there are skills-based therapies that can feel more like being taught or coached, I don't work in this way. I offer developmental and relational therapies, where deeper and long-lasting transformations are cultivated from what we create together in how we relate.

These therapies typically focus more on present moment experiencing, and understanding past experiences that have shaped us in ways that no longer serve us. Developing self-awareness in these areas, with neurodivergence in mind, can be key to addressing the roots of what keeps us stuck, to experience lasting transformations in wellbeing.

Finding the right therapist for you can make all the difference. With so many options out there it can be overwhelming trying to figure out who to go with. I’d encourage you to speak with at least two or three therapeutic practitioners before making a decision. That way you’ll have a better idea of your options, and can get a sense of who you feel most comfortable and connected with.

You’re welcome to book a consultation session for us to get a better idea of what you’d like to gain from therapy, and whether I might be a good fit to support you.

It’s also completely reasonable to approach this session as a taster session to see whether you’d like to book in for weekly sessions from there.

If you’d like to take the first step to get started, I’ll look forward to hearing from you!