Kat Roberts

Living as an autistic, ADHD, or neurodivergent person can be exhausting. You may struggle with constant anxiety and overwhelm that overshadows your life constantly. When you look at others, it may seem like they've got it all together and you're falling behind. And sometimes, you might even wonder, ‘Am I just a bad person?’

Maybe you feel like every friendship or relationship you’ve had has failed, and you never seem to ‘click’ with others. Has masking for years left you burnt out, and now struggling to cope with life's demands?

It’s possible that people have told you that you are ‘too sensitive’ or ‘too much’ all your life, and now you just want to find out who you really are.

Counselling can help

I offer genuinely specialist therapeutic services, informed by 10 years of experience with autistic and neurodivergent people, as well as lived experience of neurodivergence.

Clients who have worked with me often feel more able to proactively self-manage, to recognise when they are struggling, and to understand how to help themselves when things go wrong. They leave counselling with an increased self-knowledge and the confidence to navigate life’s ups and downs.

As a specialist in my field, I can help you: 

• enjoy life again, without feeling burnt out all the time
• understand how your past experiences have shaped the person you are, and how to move towards a life you want
• recognise and process your feelings in healthy and sustainable ways
• develop coping strategies that work for you when you are struggling
• be compassionate with yourself whilst managing burnout, panic, anxiety and depression
• release shame and negative self-talk so that you can engage in life with less fear and worry
• offload the stresses of life, leaving you feeling less weighed down
• develop a calm confidence, allowing you to have fulfilling friendships and relationships

Who are my clients?

I work with adults and teens who are or suspect they might be neurodivergent, with or without a diagnosis.

Within this group, I see a lot of clients who:

• are dealing with burnout and overwhelm
• struggle to socialise without feeling anxious or self-conscious
• have experienced difficulty with family relationships
• have experienced trauma or painful life events
• feel unable to manage their emotions
• are struggling with the pre- or post-diagnosis period
• feel they can’t make or maintain friendships

Some more specific and specialist challenges I am equipped to support clients with: 

• working with individuals who sometimes struggle to verbalise or describe their thoughts and feelings
• supporting clients who experience a lot of distress and emotional dysregulation, including panic, ‘spiralling’, meltdown and shutdown
• working with anxiety around education and workplace settings, including those who are currently unable to attend their workplace or education setting

Who am I?

My name is Kat Roberts, and I am a specialist Autism and ADHD Therapeutic Counsellor, Educator and Mentor.

I blend both lived (AuDHD) and professional experience of neurodivergence to deliver truly specialist services to adults, teens and organisations, via my private practice, Same Page.

Prior to counselling, I was an ALN (additional learning needs) teacher and an Autism Trainer at a charity, running wellbeing and independence courses for autistic adults. I have a real breadth of experience working across different presentations of autism and neurodivergence, across all ages and a variety of settings.

I also undertook a Masters level degree in ALN, specialising in autism. I am keenly interested in the research around neurodivergence, including evidence-based therapeutic interventions, and I advocate for neurodivergent voices within research.

I am an active part of the neurodivergent community and culture and involved in the ongoing discussions within the community and with the Welsh government, via policy consultation groups.

I feel proud to call myself a specialist in this field, through both lived and professional experience, and engagement with neurodivergence culture.

How does my approach help autistic and ADHD people?

I am a pluralistic counsellor, meaning I work with the person in front of me and access a variety of therapeutic approaches that align with my clients and their individual differences. Importantly, I am flexible and responsive to your needs, in the moment.

Below are some of the main ways my approach can help you as a neurodivergent person:

A gentle, safe pace

Therapy should be a validating and gently challenging space, where you begin to feel safe and open up over time. As a result, I slow sessions down and encourage building a sense of safety through relational care, grounding, and positive experiences with my clients.

Learning to know and like yourself

Knowing and liking who you are allows you to develop self-confidence and the ability to self-advocate. Therefore, I work to support clients in learning about themselves and their neurodivergence and building a life in which they can have positive personal and social experiences.

Offering alternatives to spoken communication 

The way you process and express is completely individual, and it matters that we work with it. As a result, I work beyond purely verbal communication with my clients and understand the significant positive impacts of creative and sensory exploration and expression.

Encouraging autonomy and independence

I believe in the importance of empowering neurodivergent individuals to independently access the tools they need to manage daily life, promote mental wellbeing and navigate stressful life events. Your time and money are precious, and my aim is always to reach a point where my clients are ready to move into life beyond therapy.

Grounded in experience, theory and training

All of my work with clients is informed by my 10 years of experience and my professional training. The therapeutic approaches and interventions I draw from the most in my practice include: person-centred approaches, ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), TA (transactional analysis), creative approaches, and IFS (Internal Family Systems, or ‘parts work’).

What to expect during our first call

It’s really normal to be nervous about your first call or session with a counsellor. Reaching out to ask about counselling is a huge step, and attending therapy sessions can feel intimidating and scary. I am committed to making you feel as comfortable and reassured as possible in the process.

Here are some things you can expect in your free initial call

• After you contact me, I will respond to you by email to arrange a time with you to have a free 20-minute call.
• I will then send you a Google Meet invite, which you can accept and which will show in your Google Calendar.
• I will send you a basic overview of what we will cover in the initial call. You don’t need to prepare anything for the call, and you do not have to put your camera on during the call.
• At the start, I will explain the structure of the call. Generally, it includes introductions (name/pronouns), a brief chat about why you are looking for counselling, me telling you more about the work that I do, some practical questions, and then time for any questions.
• I will let you know what the next steps are if you do choose to go ahead and book in some counselling sessions.
• There will be no pressure to let me know whether you'd like to book in for sessions during the call. I will encourage you to take your time processing the information.
• I will send you an email after the call with written notes of everything we have spoken about. 

You can email me after the call with any further questions
 
I will be clear with you about what to expect from the therapeutic process in counselling sessions. Usually, the early sessions are about me getting to know you and your situation.

I will provide as much or as little structure as you need/want and aim to take the pressure off to let you settle in

If you have any more questions about what to expect, please email me.

Practical information

Adults & teenagers:

I work with both adults and teenagers over the age of 13, following an initial assessment.

In-person & online:

I provide in-person counselling in Cardiff. My counselling offices are on Charles Street, in central Cardiff.

I also provide online counselling for anyone within the UK.

Mentoring:

I am also an experienced mentor and can provide therapeutic mentoring sessions for neurodivergent people. Mentoring is more structured, goal-focused, and time-limited work.

Fees:

Sessions are £55 each.

I offer some session slots at a concessionary rate. If these slots are full, I will offer you bi-weekly sessions and/or place you on a waiting list for the concessionary rate slots.

Finding the counsellor that is right for you

I am committed to you getting the support you need in counselling. If you feel like we would be a good fit, please do reach out to me for a no-pressure, free 20-minute call where we can discuss the ways I can help you. 

My specialisms are in autism, ADHD, and neurodivergence generally.

I also work with EBSA (emotionally based school avoidance) with an agency. Please contact me for more information about this.

I offer some session slots at a concessionary rate.

If these slots are full, I will offer you biweekly sessions and/or place you on a waiting list for the concessionary-rate slots.

Full enhanced DBS check on the update system