Workplace Coaching for Neurodivergent, Disabled & Chronically Ill Employees
Support for neurodivergent, disabled and chronically ill employees to work more sustainably, navigate workplace challenges and remain well at work.
Practical, psychologically informed coaching for employees — and a clear specialist support route for HR and managers.
When a valued employee is struggling, good intentions aren’t always enough
You may be here because:
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A valued employee is returning after sickness absence, burnout or a period of ill health.
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Someone is repeatedly reaching overwhelm or struggling to work within their capacity.
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An employee has recently disclosed ADHD, autism, disability or a chronic health condition and needs support navigating what that means at work.
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Reasonable adjustments are already in place, but they are not translating into sustainable day-to-day working.
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A manager genuinely wants to help, but is unsure what further support would make a difference.
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You want to retain and support a good employee without expecting HR or their line manager to become their coach, therapist or sole source of support.
Policies, reasonable adjustments and wellbeing initiatives matter, but they do not always address what it is actually like to navigate work while neurodivergent, disabled or living with chronic illness.
My specialist workplace coaching gives employees dedicated one-to-one support to understand their needs, communicate them more confidently and develop ways of working that are genuinely sustainable.
What we can work on
Every employee is different, so coaching is tailored to the person, their role and what is happening at work. Areas we may explore include:
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Understanding strengths, needs, capacity and working patterns
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Workload, prioritisation, executive functioning and energy management
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Communicating needs and preparing for reasonable-adjustment conversations
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Confidence, boundaries and self-advocacy at work
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Recognising burnout patterns, masking and overcompensation
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Navigating difficult conversations and workplace relationships
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Returning to work or adapting following changes in health or capacity
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Career progression, increased responsibility or transitions at work
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Developing practical strategies that make work more sustainable day to day
What you can expect
The aim isn’t simply to help an employee cope better with a difficult situation. It is to help them develop a more sustainable, confident and effective way of working.
For the employee:
Greater clarity about what they need to work well, more confidence communicating needs and boundaries, practical strategies that work with their capacity, and more sustainable ways of working over time.
For the organisation:
A clear specialist support pathway, better communication between employees and the workplace, specialist support alongside HR and line managers, and stronger support for retention, inclusion and sustainable performance.
The people I work with are often highly capable and motivated. The difficulty isn’t a lack of ability — it’s trying to perform sustainably within ways of working that don’t fully account for their needs or capacity.
How workplace coaching typically works
No two employees or workplace situations are exactly the same. Coaching is therefore shaped around the individual, their role, what is happening at work and the outcomes the organisation and employee hope the support will address.
Some employees may benefit from a focused piece of work around a specific challenge, while others may need support over several months. The number and frequency of sessions are agreed according to the individual and organisational context.
Initial conversation and contracting
We begin by understanding what support is needed, what the employee would like to work on and, where appropriate, the broader outcomes the organisation hopes the coaching will support.
One-to-one coaching
Sessions are tailored to the employee and may focus on areas such as workload, capacity, communication, reasonable adjustments, confidence, executive functioning, burnout patterns or returning to work.
Time between sessions
Sessions are usually spaced to allow time for reflection and for the employee to try out new approaches in their working environment.
Review and next steps
Progress is reviewed at agreed points, and further support can be discussed where useful.
Following an initial conversation, I can recommend an appropriate coaching arrangement and provide a clear proposal outlining the scope, investment and next steps.
How organisations can access support
Coaching is delivered online and can support employees across the UK. Support can be commissioned:
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Directly by an employer
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Through an EAP or Occupational Health pathway
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Through Access to Work where appropriate
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Alongside a return-to-work or reasonable-adjustment process
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As part of existing employee wellbeing or inclusion support
Where an organisation funds the coaching, goals, confidentiality and any agreed review process are clarified from the outset.
Confidentiality
Coaching conversations are confidential. Agreed goals and overall progress can be reviewed at appropriate points and with the employee’s knowledge, but the content of individual coaching conversations is not shared without their consent.
The boundaries between coaching, therapy, Occupational Health and employment management are kept clear throughout.
A coach who understands both the person and the system
Hi, I’m Emma
I’m a ICF-trained workplace coach and BACP-accredited psychotherapist with a background in psychology and more than 15 years’ experience supporting adults through complex change in a range of settings. My coaching work has a particular focus on neurodivergence, disability and chronic illness at work.
If you work in HR or People, you’re often holding several things at once: supporting the employee as a person, while also thinking about their role, the wider team, performance, absence, reasonable adjustments and what is realistically sustainable.
That is the space I work in.
My background means I’m comfortable working with complexity without making things unnecessarily complicated. I understand how burnout, masking, changing health, confidence, identity, workplace relationships and previous experiences can all affect how someone functions at work.
The coaching itself stays practical and forward-focused. I help employees understand what enables them to work well, communicate their needs more confidently, make better use of adjustments and develop approaches that support both performance and sustainability.
I also bring lived experience of chronic illness and neurodivergence, which shapes the way I work. I’m not interested in coaching people to simply cope harder with ways of working that are unsustainable. I want people to understand what helps them perform well and to feel more confident having the conversations that make that possible.
For organisations, that means you’re bringing in someone who understands both the person and the professional context around them — including confidentiality, boundaries and the realities HR and managers are trying to navigate.
BACP-Accredited Psychotherapist · ICF-Trained Professional Coach · BSc Psychology · Clinical Supervisor · EMDR Practitioner · Trauma-Informed · Neuro-Affirming
Let’s talk about what your organisation needs
Every organisation, referral route and employee is different. If you are looking for specialist coaching for neurodivergent, disabled or chronically ill employees, I’d be happy to discuss what would be most useful.
Coaching can be commissioned for an individual employee, as part of an existing support pathway, or as ongoing specialist provision for organisations looking to strengthen the support available to their people.
Get in touch using the contact form below to discuss your requirements, referral process and the most appropriate coaching arrangement.