Hi, I’m Alison, some people call me Ali. I’m a proud AuDHDer (Autistic and ADHD), and
I live in the North East with my husband and our two sons. Together, we’re a proudly
neurodivergent household, with a mix of autism, ADHD and DCD/dyspraxia, embracing
both diagnosed and self-identified experiences. We also have a tortoise, who will outlive
all of us!
Outside of work, I love spending time in nature, especially sea dipping and enjoying a
bit of sunshine. I also enjoy baking, exploring new places, and taking holidays
somewhere warm, when I can.
I qualified as an Occupational Therapist in 2016, although I’d wanted to follow this path
since I was 14. It took a slightly longer and more winding journey than expected to get
here, but that journey has always involved supporting autistic people and individuals
with learning disabilities. My experience spans a wide range of roles, including support
work, advocacy, service development and management, training and coaching, and
person-centred planning. I’ve supported people transitioning from long-stay hospitals
into the community, as well as young people moving from school into adult services,
and have coordinated the use of telecare and assistive technology to promote
independence. These experiences ultimately brought me back to my original goal of
becoming an Occupational Therapist, so here I am, finally!
Since qualifying, I’ve worked across a variety of settings, including older adult inpatient
mental health, an assessment and treatment unit for adults with learning disabilities,
and a children’s crisis team. I now split my time between my NHS/Local Authority role
and independent practice. In my NHS/LA role, I work within a trauma team, supporting
children who have experienced early adversity and complex developmental trauma,
along with the important people around them. Alongside this, my independent work
focuses on supporting neurodivergent children, their families, and schools: this is
especially important to me as a neurodivergent person in a neurodevergent household.
Why working for ASK works for me
I work for ASK Psychology as an associate because it gives me freedom to work when
it suits me, to be more creative and child centred, and in turn, they support my drive for
neuroaffirming practice.
My experience and training
My postgraduate training includes a Postgraduate Certificate in Sensory Integration, as
well as additional training in Sensory Attachment Intervention and Acceptance and
Commitment Therapy (ACT). Earlier in my career, I also trained in Makaton, Intensive
Interaction, and Talking Mats, and have delivered training in areas such as autism and
communication, Person-Centred Thinking Skills, Person-Centred Teams, and Person-
Centred Planning, among many others.
I’m passionate about listening to and validating each person’s lived experience. I work
collaboratively with children and their key adults to achieve shared goals, and I place
strong emphasis on the impact of both the physical and relational environment on a
child’s experience, believing this is often where meaningful and lasting change begins.