Exploring Neurodivergence as a Journey
Note to Reader: In this article, I share my experiences of late recognition of my neurodivergence and the emotional journey that followed. I explore the grief, pressure, and profound relief that can come with understanding yourself after years of masking. I also introduce "Exploring Neurodivergence" - a 10-week guided course, designed as a journey to support the exploration of neurodivergent identity. Whether you’re newly recognised, questioning, or simply seeking a space to reconnect with yourself, this article and the course discussed are an invitation to move at your own pace, with self-discovery, compassion, and community support.
Topic: Neurodivergence, Adult Diagnosis, Neurodivergent Identity, Masking, Self Discovery, Grief and Growth, Burnout Recovery, Authenticity, Community, Trauma Informed, Inclusive Wellbeing, Exploring Neurodivergence, Belonging
I wasn’t recognised with regards to my complete neurodivergent profile until my late 30s. By then, I had already lived a whole life, raising children, studying, building a career, supporting others, often quietly holding the sense that I experienced the world differently. I had no name for it. I just thought I needed to try harder, be more organised, stop being so sensitive, and stop getting overwhelmed. Like so many late-identified women, I had spent years masking my needs, overcompensating, and pushing myself far beyond what was sustainable, to meet the expectations of what society calls “normal.”
When I finally had my needs recognised through diagnosis, it was a moment of deep validation, but it also came with an unexpected wave of grief.
Grief for all the missed opportunities where I might have thrived if I had understood myself sooner. Grief for the years of self-criticism, calling myself lazy, flaky, too much, not enough, when I was burnt out from trying to function in ways that didn’t fit me. Grief for the relationships strained by miscommunication, for the times I forced myself to conform, endure, and stay silent when something felt off.
And layered on top of that grief came the realisation that naming my neurodivergence didn’t guarantee understanding or support. Suddenly, I had to navigate new kinds of pressure and stigma, people seeing me differently, underestimating me, or questioning whether I was “really” neurodivergent. The fear of being dismissed or misunderstood never entirely goes away. And I wasn’t sure how to begin piecing myself back together with this new knowledge.
That’s why I created the Exploring Neurodivergence Course: not as a course to teach you who you are but as a space to discover that for yourself - gently, curiously, together.
This 10-week journey is for anyone who’s ever looked back at their life and thought, If only I’d known. It’s for those questioning their identity, needs, traits, and place in the world. For people ready to stop forcing themselves to fit in and start learning what it means to belong to themselves and within a vibrant community.
Together, we move through themes like:
Grief and Belief – honouring the emotional weight of missed understanding, while beginning to build belief in your strengths
Unmasking and Reclaiming Identity – exploring who you are beyond survival, and what authenticity might feel like
Energy, Burnout, and Balance – learning to listen to your body and find rhythms that support, not deplete, you
Communication, Boundaries, and Joy – discovering how you express, connect, and what brings you calm or delight
But most importantly, this isn’t something you have to do alone.
One of the most powerful parts of my journey has been connecting with others who get it—not because we all share the same traits or stories, but because we understand what it’s like to feel different in a world that prizes sameness. That sense of recognition, of being understood without explaining, can be transformative.
This is more than a course. It’s a chance to reconnect with the parts of yourself that were hidden, quieted, or pushed aside. To ask what you need. To begin again, not from scratch, but from a place of deeper self-knowledge.
And once you begin, that way of exploring, gently, openly, and without judgment, is something you can carry into the rest of your life. You’ll start to notice what supports you, what drains you, and what lights you up. You’ll become more attuned to what your neurodivergence means and what you need to feel safe, content, and whole.
You don’t need a formal diagnosis. You don’t need to explain why you’re here. You need to know that there’s more to you than you’ve been told, and be willing to take the first step in finding it.
What has been your biggest lesson since affirming your neurodivergence? Head to the ND Perspective Community to discuss further!
Supporting and Celebrating our Neurodivergent Communities,
Jess x x
To learn more about our Exploring Neurodivergence Course starting September 2025 please go to - ND Perspective Ltd