Hey there,
I’m Emma.
I’m a certified coach, a positive psychologist, and a firm believer in living life on your own terms.
After navigating years of masking, chronic illness, and people-pleasing, I’ve learned how to find joy in the little things and create a life rooted in self-compassion.
My greatest passion is helping others reduce stress in their lives, and a HUGE part of this comes from developing confident self-kindness. I know how tough it can be to juggle everything and still feel good about yourself. That's why I'm here—to help you kick fear and guilt to the curb and start living a life that's authentically yours.
Through my writing, I reflect on my personal experiences and share insights on mindful living, simplicity, and embracing neurodivergence. I hope my journey offers you some peace and inspiration along the way.
MY STORY
I always felt life could be different, and now I know that it can.
For years, I played the 'good girl' role, always putting everyone else first. On the outside, I seemed like I had it all together, but inside, I was anxious, scared, and utterly lost. I felt different like nobody really knew who I was – including me. I was tired of being a chameleon, constantly changing to fit what others wanted. I never felt good enough and kept striving for approval, thinking I'd finally feel worthy if I could just be who people wanted me to be.
Then, my world turned upside down. I discovered that the person I thought I'd spend my life with had been having an affair and gaslighting me for months, making me feel like I was losing my mind.
Looking back, I realise that this was the universe's way of liberating me from a toxic situation. The years that followed were a journey of self-discovery and transformation. I had to rebuild myself and create a new life for myself and my children. I made unconventional choices, like going to university at 38, changing careers multiple times, and eventually moving to the beautiful Welsh mountains. When I was diagnosed with ADHD at 52 and advised to seek an autism diagnosis, everything I'd felt my whole life finally made sense. It was a moment of relief and freedom, knowing that I was not alone in my struggles.
Being neurodivergent means being different, and those differences can be challenging in a world that doesn't celebrate them. We often feel like we are the problem, but it's the world's setup that's flawed, not us. Many of you probably know the relentless 'you're not good enough' voice in your head. What made a difference for me? Confident self-kindness, also known as self-compassion. Embracing my neurodiversity was a powerful act of self-empowerment, allowing me to stand tall and confident in a world that often tries to make us feel small.
Studying for my MSc in Applied Positive Psychology taught me the importance of self-compassion, setting me on a new path even before I knew I was neurodivergent. I stopped trying to be everything for everyone and started focusing on what I needed. Learning positive psychology tools helped change my life, and self-compassion had the biggest impact. Now, I take much better care of my needs, offer myself kindness when I stumble, allow myself to rest when necessary, and treat myself as I would a good friend.
I'm human, with ups and downs like everyone else, but now I have a toolkit that helps me thrive instead of just survive. I take care of myself the way we all deserve to be cared for, and I feel more confident about unmasking and just being me. Self-kindness is not a luxury, it's a necessity, and by prioritising it, we show ourselves that we are valuable and important.
There are countless benefits to practising self-compassion, and research is beginning to show its positive effects on neurodivergent people, which is something I've felt inside for a while.
When I'm not working, you'll usually find me reading, drawing, or hiking with my golden retriever, Bear.
Ready for some fun facts?
For me, home is a feeling, not a place.
As an RAF child, I moved 7 times and attended 4 different primary schools before turning 11. This nomadic lifestyle continued into adulthood, making 'home' a concept rather than a fixed location. Each move has been a lesson in adaptation and quick friendship-making. While specific details of each residence blur together, the skills I've gained - flexibility, resilience, and openness to new experiences - remain crystal clear. It's remarkable how a life of constant change shapes one's perspective on belonging.
I’ve had a lifetime of rhythm.
Childhood ballroom and 'disco' dancing lessons left an imprint that's both vivid and vague. I earned certifications and competed in an event, experiences that shaped me deeply. While I've left formal lessons behind, the joy of movement stuck with me. These days, my kitchen becomes an impromptu dance floor, proving that some passions are too ingrained to forget, even if the specific steps are a bit fuzzy. And I still love a bit of glitter!
My brain is a time machine, but the controls are a bit wonky.
As someone with a neurodivergent brain, I'm absolutely fascinated by history. From the Vikings to the Medicis, ancient Egyptians to British Kings & Queens, I can lose myself for hours in tales of long-ago civilisations. The fact that people lived such rich, complex lives thousands of years ago never fails to amaze me! But here's the twist – while my mind eagerly travels through time, it often forgets to bring back the specifics. I might spend an entire afternoon engrossed in Roman history, only to struggle to name a single emperor later. It's like having a library where the books are always changing places!