264: Coaching Neurodivergent Professionals: Self-Advocacy and Authenticity with Mike Bedford

In this warm and insightful episode, host Kate Jenkinson sits down with friend and fellow coach Mike Bedford over a comforting cup of Yorkshire tea to explore coaching neurodivergent professionals. Together, they unpack the importance of unconditional positive regard, and the everyday challenges neurodivergent individuals navigate in the workplace—such as ambiguity, masking, and burnout. Mike encourages neurodivergent individuals to be brave and open from the start about who they are and what they need: sharing the transformative role of self-advocacy, support networks, and clear communication in thriving at work.   The conversation also highlights the value of individualised approaches to well-being and professional development. Kate and Mike reflect on strategies for managing mental health, recharging, and maintaining balance, while examining how language, identity, and boundaries influence neuro-inclusive spaces. They discuss the role of technology in burnout, and how hidden agendas or vague communication can exacerbate stress for neurodivergent individuals. What emerges is a thoughtful reminder that authenticity, reflection, and respect are essential ingredients in coaching, workplace and leadership practices that truly embrace neurodiversity where neurodivergent professionals can be themselves and flourish at work.   You will learn:   ·       The complexities of unconditional positive regard at work ·       The power of self-advocacy ·       Tips and insights for supporting neurodivergent employees   'If you don’t know yourself, you’re never going to truly be able to get what you need to thrive.'   Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review! Your feedback helps us bring you more valuable content.   For the episode resources and guest bio, please visit:  https://www.associationforcoaching.com/page/dl-hub_podcast-channel-neurodiversity-in-workplace-burnout-self-advocacy-neurodivergent  

In this episode, host Kate Jenkinson interviews Anita Patel, an inclusion and intersectionality speaker, trainer, and neurodiversity coach. Anita shares her personal journey with late-diagnosed autism and ADHD, discussing the challenges neurodivergent individuals face at work and the evolution of organizational attitudes toward neuro-inclusion. She explains why intersectionality and lived experience are essential for authentic inclusion, and how businesses, leaders, and HR professionals can move beyond tokenistic gestures toward strategic, systemic change.   The conversation dives into practical strategies for embedding neuro-inclusion into organizational culture, highlighting the power of strength-based coaching, psychological safety, community support, and open dialogue. Anita offers a hopeful vision for the future—one where neurodivergent employees feel celebrated, supported, and empowered to thrive. Whether you’re a coach, business leader, or HR professional, this inspiring episode provides actionable insights to foster genuine inclusion and drive meaningful impact.   You will learn:   ·       Why lived experience and intersectionality matter in shaping effective neurodiversity initiatives ·       How organizations can shift from tokenistic practices to positive systemic inclusion ·       Practical steps leaders can take to build psychological safety and support neurodivergent employees     “More recently, I've noticed a shift where people are thinking about what neuro inclusion actually means through an intersectional lens and how this can be embedded throughout the year”   Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review! Your feedback helps us bring you more valuable content.   For the episode resources and guest bio, please visit:  https://www.associationforcoaching.com/page/dl-hub_podcast-channel-neurodiversity-in-workplace-intersectionality-organisations-neuroinclusion

In this episode, host Kate Jenkinson talks to Nathan Broad, IT Director at Certas Energy, for an insightful conversation on how leaders can create inclusive workplaces. Nathan shares both personal and professional experiences, highlighting the power of organizational kindness, supportive policies, and community-driven approaches to inclusion. They explore practical initiatives such as quiet spaces, community groups, and tailored IT solutions that help neurodiverse employees thrive. The discussion also unpacks common misconceptions and emphasizes the value of reflective listening and feedback as tools for building stronger, more supportive workplaces.   Nathan also speaks candidly about the role of leadership in championing neurodiverse talent, the challenges organizations face in creating truly inclusive cultures, and the progress still to be made. By shifting mindsets, addressing language and narratives around neurodiversity, and embedding feedback loops into workplace practices, leaders can build environments where every employee feels empowered and valued. This episode is both a call to action and a practical guide for coaches, leaders, and organizations committed to fostering more inclusive, compassionate communities.   You will learn: ·       Why organizational kindness is good business ·       Why a top-down approach is essential ·       How employee accountability empowers and informs workplaces ‘Business will be more effective if we do the right things by people’   Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review! Your feedback helps us bring you more valuable content.   For the episode resources and guest bio, please visit:  https://www.associationforcoaching.com/page/dl-hub_podcast-channel-neurodiversity-in-workplace-organizational-kindness-inclusive-leadership

Looking for practical ways to make recruitment more inclusive and supportive of neurodivergent talent? In this episode, host Kate Jenkinson sits down with Mark Crawley, founder of Diversita, a consultancy neurodiversity consultancy that help organizations become more neuro inclusive through training, recruitment and awareness. Mark shares his personal motivation for this work, unpacks the barriers many neurodivergent candidates face, and explains why equity—not equality—is key to creating fair opportunities. Together, they explore actionable strategies such as skills-based recruitment, making reasonable adjustments, and equipping managers with the right training. Mark also introduces Diversity’s new digital platform for neuro-diverse job seekers and shares inspiring success stories that show what’s possible when organizations truly embrace neurodiverse talent.   Listeners will come away with two powerful takeaways: first, the importance of shifting recruitment systems to recognize strengths rather than screen out difference; and second, the vital role coaches play in helping create supportive processes and environments where neurodivergent individuals can thrive. Whether you’re a coach, supervisor, HR professional, or organisational leader, this conversation is packed with insights, tips, resources, and next steps to help you attract, hire, and retain the incredible neurodivergent talent out there.   You will learn:   ·       Why neuro-inclusive recruitment is so important ·       How organisations can start their journey to embracing neurodivergent talent ·       Advice for neurodivergent job seekers   ‘We wanted to make sure we represented jobseekers, but equally so we wanted to make sure we trained and educated organizations. and that a twofold approach is something that no other real recruitment agency or organization are really doing.’   Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review! Your feedback helps us bring you more valuable content.   For the episode resources and guest bio, please visit:  https://www.associationforcoaching.com/page/dl-hub_podcast-channel-neurodiversity-in-workplace-recruitment-neurodivergent-talent

In the first episode of a new series – Neurodiversity in the Workplace – host Kate Jenkinson is joined by Ellie Hand, Senior HR Advisor and Training Lead at Bhayani Law, to discuss how organisations can move beyond legal compliance to create truly inclusive workplace cultures that celebrate difference and empower individuals to thrive. Ellie shares practical advice on tackling misconceptions, implementing reasonable adjustments, and the importance of empathy and clear communication in supporting neurodivergent employees.   She explains what good feedback looks like and delves into the risks organisations face when they neglect neuro-inclusion, including both legal exposure and commercial risk. Ellie emphasises the role of leadership buy-in, collaboration, and valuing lived experiences as workplace champions, when shaping inclusive practices. With insights into intersectionality, unconscious bias, and the impact of effective feedback, listeners will leave with a richer understanding of how to support neurodivergent colleagues and embed meaningful culture change that benefits everyone. Whether you are a coach, HR professional, leader, or part of an organisation seeking to do better, this conversation offers practical strategies and thought-provoking takeaways.   You will learn:   ·       Why moving beyond compliance is key to building inclusive and supportive workplace cultures ·       How reasonable adjustments, empathy, and effective feedback can transform employee experiences ·       The risks of neglecting neuro-inclusion and the importance of leadership commitment and culture change   ‘Organisations are starting to recognise that neurodiversity isn't just a legal issue. It's about creating an environment where all minds can thrive, regardless of where that thrives sits.’   Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review! Your feedback helps us bring you more valuable content.   For the episode resources and guest bio, please visit:  https://www.associationforcoaching.com/page/dl-hub_podcast-channel-neurodiversity-in-workplace-compliance-inclusion-workplace-culture

Welcome back to another episode of our Day in the Life podcast series, where we meet real coaches living real lives. In this inspiring conversation, host Maxine Bell sits down with Conny Weyrich, an arts-based and trauma-informed coach from Melbourne, Australia. Conny shares her remarkable mid-life journey from a corporate career in marketing and consultancy to art therapy, and ultimately into the world of coaching. Her story offers valuable insights for coaches and supervisors who are curious about weaving creativity, compassion, and trauma-awareness into their practice.   In this episode, Conny shares what art-based coaching really means, the significance of being a trauma-informed coach, and how curiosity and compassion guide her client work. She reflects on her typical workweek, memorable coaching moments, and the deep importance of supervision and self-care. Whether you’re an experienced coach or just beginning your journey, Conny’s wisdom and practical tips will encourage you to reflect on your own practice, become clear of the scope of your own practice, focus on the development of relational skills and embrace creativity as a pathway to growth. A highly recommended listen for coaches, supervisors, and anyone interested in the intersection of art, healing, and coaching.   You will learn:   ·       The role of creativity and arts-based methods in helping clients grow ·       Why being trauma-informed is invaluable for sustainable, ethical coaching ·       Why self-care, self-awareness and supervision make you a better, more effective coach     “I would say the skills around, being in relationship, being present, being attuned to the client and to the process are probably always more important than any skills around a particular coaching framework or coaching tools.”   Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review! Your feedback helps us bring you more valuable content.   For the episode resources and guest bio, please visit:  https://www.associationforcoaching.com/page/dl-hub_podcast-channel_day-in-the-life-of-coaches-art-based-trauma-informed  

Can we truly make coaching spaces inclusive? This powerful closing episode of our Coaching Supervision Uncovered series invites you into a dynamic panel conversation on the role of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in coaching supervision. Host Helen O’Grady is joined by master coaches Shruti Sonthalia, Dumi Magadlela and Claire Pedrick as they unpack how supervision can become a sacred space for reflection, authenticity, and growth.   Together, they explore how supervisors can model courage, examine safety, shame and co-design spaces where vulnerability becomes a strength rather than a risk. The conversation dives deeply into identity, systemic, cultural and continental context - highlighting the ways power dynamics and intersectionality shape supervision relationships. By weaving personal insights with practical reflections, the panellists show how re-humanisation, presence, and recognition of interconnectedness can unlock truly inclusive coaching spaces. As the series finale, this episode is both a celebration of what has been uncovered and an open invitation to continue the dialogue on inclusion as a living, co-created process.   You will learn:   ·       How to hold supervision as a sacred space that enables authentic reflection and growth ·       Why vulnerability, courage, and cultural awareness are essential to inclusivity. ·       Practical ways supervisors can co-create inclusive environments that allow coaches to come as they are     'We can’t declare that a space is safe. We also can’t declare that a space is inclusive because as the supervisor, that’s not our decision.'    Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review! Your feedback helps us bring you more valuable content.   For the episode resources and guest bio, please visit:  https://www.associationforcoaching.com/page/dl-hub_podcast-channel-coaching-supervision-uncovered-identity-power-inclusion

How does power truly manifest in coaching supervision? In this episode, host Helen O’Grady sits down with executive coach and supervisor, Shruti Sonthalia to unpack the often overlooked but critical dimension of power in supervision. Together, they explore how power is an inherent element of all human relationships and why acknowledging its presence is essential for supervisors, coaches, and leaders. From "power over" and "power under" to cultivating shared power, this episode dives deep into the ways identity, privilege, and cultural context influence supervision relationships.   Listeners will hear what red flags indicate power imbalance, and practical strategies that foster shared power in supervision. The conversation also sheds light on systemic dynamics, the challenges supervisors face in balancing relational warmth with ethical responsibility, and the transformative potential of curiosity and humility. If you’re a coach, coaching supervisor, or leader coach seeking to navigate complex dynamics with greater self-awareness and impact, this episode offers a rich and thought-provoking guide to embodying shared power.   Key Learning Points: ·       Why power is an unavoidable and essential element of all coaching supervision relationships ·       How supervisors can consciously foster shared power dynamic within the coaching supervision relationship ·       The impact of broader systemic and identity issues on a shared power relationship      “When you are able to name what needs to be named and really listen to the unspoken, you are in service to both the coach and the larger systems they serve and the power dynamics that might exist in the systems.”   Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review! Your feedback helps us bring you more valuable content.   For the episode resources and guest bio, please visit:  https://www.associationforcoaching.com/page/dl-hub_podcast-channel-coaching-supervision-uncovered-power-privilege-identity  

What if coach supervision wasn’t just about reflecting—but about completely rethinking how you grow? In this episode, host Helen O’Grady speaks with Dr. Elizabeth Crosse about how coach supervision can foster real coach development – a dynamic, critically reflexive practice that meets coaches exactly where they are. Drawing on her research, Elizabeth introduces a practical typology for growth through three distinct lenses: the craft of coaching, self-work (the internal work) and the art of coaching (the external learning that comes through coaching). Together, they explore the non-linear, cyclical nature of coach development, and how supervision encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and self-awareness for more effective, holistic coaching.   Elizabeth also shares insights from her Developmental Mindset Inventory— a tool designed to help coaches and supervisors assess and expand their developmental approach. She explains how supervision can meet coaches where they are, balancing professional capability with personal capacity, and turning learning into meaningful growth. This episode is both a framework for practice and an invitation to slow down, notice what resonates, and engage with your own evolving developmental path.   You will learn:   ·       Why supervision must support both professional capability (knowledge and skills) and personal capacity (navigating complexity). ·       That development is not about adding more apps — it’s about upgrading your system ·       How to be critically reflexive instead of just reflective    "For me, development is something like happiness; you cannot guarantee you'll be happy, but you can do things that are more likely to enhance your ability."   Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review! Your feedback helps us bring you more valuable content.   For the episode resources and guest bio, please visit:  https://www.associationforcoaching.com/page/dl-hub_podcast-channel-coaching-supervision-uncovered-coach-development

In this episode, host, Helen O’Grady is joined by Michelle Lucas, an accredited Master Executive Coach and Supervisor, who explores the vital role of reflective practice in coaching supervision. She clarifies the definition of reflection and reflexivity in coaching; it’s iterative nature and application in various contexts. Michelle discusses the three methods of reflection: self-supervision, peer supervision and professional supervision and the challenges coaches face in engaging reflective practice.   She explains how to recognise individual reflective practices and addresses the common barriers. Michelles stresses the value of experimentation with different reflective methods and examines the difference between supporting new and more experienced coaches, highlighting the need for intentional, regular practice. Listeners gain practical insights and resources to deepen their reflective habits and enhance their coaching effectiveness.    You will learn: ·       The importance of taking a diversity of approaches when reflecting ·       How supervisors can encourage coaches to broaden their reflective repertoire ·       How to tailor reflective activities that work for you - there are no "shoulds" here!   'For me, reflection is a really iterative process; it doesn't stop, it just evolves and often comes back several times before we feel resolved.' Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave us a review! Your feedback helps us bring you more valuable content.   For the episode resources and guest bio, please visit:  https://www.associationforcoaching.com/page/dl-hub_podcast-channel-coaching-supervision-uncovered-reflective-practice-reflexivity