Louise Taylor

Hello and welcome to my Counselling Directory page. My name is Lou and I am based in Northern Ireland and I am The Neurodivergent Therapist. I was privately assessed and diagnosed with ASD (November 2020) And Dyslexia (February 2022) in my forties and I am embracing life as a neurodivergent therapist, consultant, and coach. These diagnoses and my subsequent career progression have been life-changing, and life-affirming, and have brought me immense peace, relief, and fulfillment. A lot of things make sense and now I am getting the accommodations and support I need to live a great life that suits me, my neurotype, and my personality.

In my career (pre-diagnosis) I worked with many neurologically diverse adults and children and have a real affinity with this section of society through my lived experiences and my professional history. These experiences and this knowledge mean that I generally only accept referrals with people who identify as neurodivergent (eg, ASD, ADHD, ADD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Bipolar, BPD, Clinical Depression, Tourettes, etc). I believe I am best suited to these clients and am best equipped to help them with issues and concerns relating to their conditions. As a result of working with this client group, I think it is important that I also acknowledge that I am a trans ally, a sex-positive therapist, a pleasure activist and an advocate and supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community. I have been on Pride committees in the North of Ireland and I believe in the importance of community inclusivity and acceptance of different beliefs and lifestyles in all parts of the world. I have done a lot of work helping clients to understand and accept their sexuality and gender identity. I am an ally to the trans community and I support all those who identify as queer or who do not believe that heteronormative ways of living suit their needs, wants and romantic/ aromatic desires and preferences. 

I believe my honesty, integrity, intellect, and passion help my clients to accept their experiences, take responsibility for their actions, and create meaningful and successful lives.  A life where they are free to be themselves fully and where they can take steps to reach their potential and stay safe with their variant neurotypes and divergent thinking and processing styles. My background is a variety of several disciplines but my preferred approach would be largely intuitive therapy that blends counselling, coaching and consultancy and is informed by psychoanalysis, psychosynthesis (spiritual psychoanalysis), trauma-informed practices, and compassion-led principles. This is the unique services that I have to offer and this way of working is successful, productive and helpful for many people, but will not suit everyone.

This also means that I only work with those who will be suited to my style and how I work, which is an unconventional and largely intuitive blend of coaching, therapy and consultancy. I have developed this style through working with neurodivergent, mainly autistic/ AuDHD/ ADHD clients and it seems to be more effective to blend the various approaches for brains that are different and process and experience the world differently. I am neurodivergent and I do not mask in my sessions and welcome stimming, which means that my approach incorporates my autistic and neurodivergent traits and is neuro variant affirming. This authenticity is central to my ethos and I hope that it allows my clients to safely and securely unmask also (with the right people and in safe environments). I intend to help my clients to be their true selves safely and confidently, as I believe this is how we live our best and most meaningful lives. 

I have a Ph.D. in Politics which explored the relationship between Nature and Mental Health. I enjoy helping people to engage with natural settings for wellness purposes and I am a proud advocate of ecotherapy, ecopsychology, and ecofeminism. 

I am currently a blogger for Psychology Today, reflecting on my experiences as a neurodivergent therapist and sharing my views on neurodiversity and most recently women and autism.  I believe that neurodivergent people have a lot to contribute to society and I believe we need to listen, uplift and empower this section of society more. That is why I am open and very public about my neurotype. I feel proud of how I have overcome many hurdles and obstacles throughout my life and I love helping others to overcome adversity and be their magical, neurodivergent self in a world that can often seem scary, hostile, and confusing.

I believe the future is bright and the future is neurodiverse!

Please get in touch if you would like to book a session and I am more than happy to answer any questions or queries you may have. 

I am also interested in supporting people with their spirituality and I am interested in using nature for therapeutic purposes. I enjoy supporting children and adults in developing their self expression and creativity. I believe that when we express ourselves and connect with our creativity we can begin to recover from trauma and are more connected to our true selves.

Fees vary depending on the needs of the client and the types of counselling/ coaching/ consultancy/ therapy being requested.

I take on mainly long-term clients and I only take on those who identify as neurodivergent.

Concessions  offered on request. 

I enjoy writing and have been writing for years. I find writing therapeutic, empowering and enriching. I believe that when we share our voices, our experiences and our stories we can help others to do the same.