Nicola Wiltshire is a member of our Education Navigation team at ProblemShared, combining professional expertise with lived experience of ADHD and autism to support our clients.
Education Navigation is a specialist teaching and advisory programme for neurodivergent children and young people, designed to help clients thrive at school, college, and/or university.
In this conversation, Nic explores misconceptions associated with people with both autism and ADHD, shares practical advice for employers looking to foster an inclusive work environment, and offers insight into the unique ways neurodivergent individuals navigate education, work, and daily life.
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How has your lived experience of neurodiversity shaped your approach to care?
I have both ADHD and autism - I think there’s a high chance I'm dyslexic but undiagnosed. Luckily ProblemShared is extremely tech-based which helps a lot with that.
Both my 11-year-old and 4-year-old girls have autism; the oldest has ADHD, and if the youngest doesn’t have ADHD when she’s old enough to be assessed, I’ll eat my hat!
I’ve supported various family members (sisters, three nephews, one niece awaiting assessment) in getting their diagnosis and then overcoming their struggles to access support in work and at school. My daughter and my nephew both have EHCPs (Education, Health, and Care Plans).
All of this helps in understanding, supporting, and navigating the complex systems of SEN (Special Educational Needs) education with my clients.
Are there any workplace adjustments or approaches that help you thrive in your role?
I use text to speech software to read my reports aloud. I often read quickly and, due to my ADHD, sometimes read what I think should be there, rather than what’s actually there.
When I read and hear it at the same time, I can hear the voice from the software saying the wrong word and it enables me to pause and correct it.
Having an understanding line manager and working for a company that understands neurodiversity is huge, too. Rhiann [Marchant, Education Navigation Team Lead] will always let me know about changes and explain them fully to me - this really helps.
She also knows to give context to meetings or check-ins, which helps me not overthink situations and keeps my rejection-sensitive dysphoria in check.
What’s one common misconception about your neurodivergence that you’d like to challenge?
Not sure if it’s a misconception as such, but when you have both autism and ADHD, some days you just don’t know which one will be the overriding ‘tism.
Sometimes I’m enthusiastic, full of beans, planning social events and all sorts. Other days, I don’t understand what I was thinking and just need to sit under a blanket all day.
So, I guess the misconception I’d challenge is that I don’t always fit in either box as such.
How does your way of thinking or problem-solving differ from what’s typically expected, and how has that been an advantage?
I think most neurodiverse people are creative thinkers. I like to think ‘outside of the box’, probably because my brain never enters the box in the first place.
Sometimes this means I get things done but in my own way; other times it means I’m an excellent problem-solver, making suggestions that other people have never thought of.
People do come to me for advice a lot, perhaps because I’ve previously found things tricky. I’ve got lots of ideas and suggestions on how to solve their problems because I’m used to doing that.
What advice would you give to managers/employers looking to be more inclusive and supportive of neurodivergent employees?
Talk to them, check-in, find out what makes them tick, find out what helps them or what hinders them.
Explain things fully and give reasons. Always give context, even if you’ve asked for a quick five-minute chat, otherwise our minds jump to the worst-case scenario, and we feel like we must be about to get sacked!
Also, sometimes we just need a quick break to regulate, and then we’re ready to go again. A short break or some fresh air can make us 10 times more effective afterwards - trust us.
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Who are ProblemShared?
ProblemShared is a CQC-registered online mind health service, offering the highest quality mental health care and neurodevelopmental assessments.
We believe that diversity of thought drives success. We celebrate all minds and embrace the unique strengths that neurodivergent individuals bring. If you’d like to learn more about our values and commitment to supporting neurodivergent minds, please visit our About Us page.
