Zoe
ADHD COUNSELLOR & PSYCHOTHERAPIST
LATE DIAGNOSIS & WOMEN SPECIALIST
EX PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER
DIAGNOSED COMBINED ADHD
LOCATION ~ SCOTLAND
It was only when Zoe started to study to be a therapist that she realised she had ADHD. She was reading a book about neurodiversities and it was a lightbulb moment. “Oh my god, there is a reason why I am like this?!”
A period of reading everything about ADHD ensued and led her to the long and difficult road to getting an ADHD diagnosis. Looking back all the signs were there: at school her teachers and report cards always said “her head is in the clouds, she is always gazing out of the window, could do much better if she just applied herself”. Excellent grades in subjects she loved but terrible in ones where she wasn’t interested or just struggled to understand.
Zoe was the classic inattentive child at school, usually managing to fly under the radar, aside from being in trouble for persistent late coming… which eventually resulted in a suspension. Other things started to make sense too, four abandoned college courses and three course changes at university! Constant house moves, job changes and living in a variety of quite random countries. Constant executive function struggles…The list goes on. The diagnosis allowed Zoe to understand and work WITH her ADHD, and not against it.
After eventually completing her university course Zoe moved to Japan to be a teacher. The next 10 years were spent mainly in Asia as a primary teacher, which she loved but didn’t see as a lifetime job. After a few big life events (break-ups and bereavements) she decided to seek out therapy. It was pretty life-changing for Zoe and she knew she also wanted to help people in a very real and impactful way.
She completed her psychotherapy PGDip at Keele University in Stafford before moving back to Scotland where she is continuing her studies by writing a thesis on ADHD to complete her Master’s. Zoe is also an ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP) which focuses on finding customised strategies for every client.
A special interest of Zoe’s is women who were diagnosed later and the mixed emotions this can bring this: shock, grief, processing what might have been, reframing their personal stories. This is also the subject of her current research. Zoe approaches her clients with complete acceptance, non-judgment and empathy and hopes to help them establish greater understanding and acceptance of themselves and to develop a toolkit to enable them to thrive with ADHD.
Zoe has always had a keen interest in holistic therapies and nutrition, she studied yoga intensively, as well as thai yoga massage, reiki and nutrition. She is very interested in the mind-body connection and uses nutrition and exercise as tools to help herself and interested ADHD clients. She is a big animal-lover, vegan, music-obsessive, wannabe-potter, traveller and language student (Italian, Japanese and now Spanish).
Qualifications
- PGdip Counselling & Psychotherapy 2023
- Grad Certificate in Counselling & Psychotherapy 2021
- CELTA 2011
- BA (Hons) Languages and Psychology 2010
- Accreditations & Memberships:
- Member of British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
- ADHD-CSSP (Certified Clinical Services Provider)
Accreditations & Memberships
- Member of British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
- ADHD-CSSP (Certified Clinical Services Provider)
ZOE
ADHD COUNSELLOR & PSYCHOTHERAPIST
LATE DIAGNOSIS & WOMEN SPECIALIST
EX PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER
DIAGNOSED COMBINED ADHD
LOCATION ~ SCOTLAND
It was only when Zoe started to study to be a therapist that she realised she had ADHD. She was reading a book about neurodiversities and it was a lightbulb moment. “Oh my god, there is a reason why I am like this?!”
A period of reading everything about ADHD ensued and led her to the long and difficult road to getting an ADHD diagnosis. Looking back all the signs were there: at school her teachers and report cards always said “her head is in the clouds, she is always gazing out of the window, could do much better if she just applied herself”. Excellent grades in subjects she loved but terrible in ones where she wasn’t interested or just struggled to understand.
Zoe was the classic inattentive child at school, usually managing to fly under the radar, aside from being in trouble for persistent late coming… which eventually resulted in a suspension. Other things started to make sense too, four abandoned college courses and three course changes at university! Constant house moves, job changes and living in a variety of quite random countries. Constant executive function struggles…The list goes on. The diagnosis allowed Zoe to understand and work WITH her ADHD, and not against it.
After eventually completing her university course Zoe moved to Japan to be a teacher. The next 10 years were spent mainly in Asia as a primary teacher, which she loved but didn’t see as a lifetime job. After a few big life events (break-ups and bereavements) she decided to seek out therapy. It was pretty life-changing for Zoe and she knew she also wanted to help people in a very real and impactful way.
She completed her psychotherapy PGDip at Keele University in Stafford before moving back to Scotland where she is continuing her studies by writing a thesis on ADHD to complete her Master’s. Zoe is also an ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP) which focuses on finding customised strategies for every client.
A special interest of Zoe’s is women who were diagnosed later and the mixed emotions this can bring this: shock, grief, processing what might have been, reframing their personal stories. This is also the subject of her current research. Zoe approaches her clients with complete acceptance, non-judgment and empathy and hopes to help them establish greater understanding and acceptance of themselves and to develop a toolkit to enable them to thrive with ADHD.
Zoe has always had a keen interest in holistic therapies and nutrition, she studied yoga intensively, as well as thai yoga massage, reiki and nutrition. She is very interested in the mind-body connection and uses nutrition and exercise as tools to help herself and interested ADHD clients. She is a big animal-lover, vegan, music-obsessive, wannabe-potter, traveller and language student (Italian, Japanese and now Spanish).
Qualifications
- PGdip Counselling & Psychotherapy 2023
- Grad Certificate in Counselling & Psychotherapy 2021
- CELTA 2011
- BA (Hons) Languages and Psychology 2010
Accreditations & Memberships:
- Member of British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy
- ADHD-CSSP (Certified Clinical Services Provider)