"I'd convinced myself I was the problem. The first shift was realising that wasn't true."

"When we started I was misreading colleagues, misjudging dynamics, and getting things wrong in ways I couldn't fully explain. The scale of adjustments I believed I needed to make felt insurmountable. I'd convinced myself I was the problem.

The first shift was realising that wasn't true. That some of the responsibility to understand me lay with others — and I had every right to push back. I'm autistic, and I work hard to meet neurotypical people on their terms. It's not unfair to ask them to meet me halfway.

The deeper shift came through the coaching itself. Instead of learning to mask more effectively, I started to get honest about how I actually work, what I'm good at, and what kinds of problems I'm built for. The ceiling I kept hitting wasn't about capability — it was about fit. The right question stopped being how do I change enough to survive, and became where would someone like me actually be valued. When you stop needing a particular place to work out, it loses its power over you.

The most impactful thing I took from the work was learning to account for the actual cost to me of any given relationship or situation. Some environments just aren't worth what they cost to participate in. Recognising that isn't defeat. It's clarity.

If you're an autistic senior professional who's been wondering whether the problem is you or the environment — and you're willing to look at that question seriously — this is worth your time and investment."

—  Communications Director, Healthcare