Like many people, I was diagnosed with ADHD later in life and it was no surprise that I was different to others but I wasn't aware of what. I had a great childhood so was healthy with no problems. However, there were many incidents that would highlight my neurodiversity in life but in the 70s, 80s, and 90s there was nothing to go by apart from the hyperactive boy in the class who you just avoided.

I left school with 2 GCSEs, went to college in person and online a total of 5 times but dropped out for different reasons. I didn't start a full-time job until my early 20s when I stumbled into a care job(which I loved). However, I was always off sick-through anxiety , boredom or tiredness. Monotony was really tough for me and I lived in my head with plans for the future but even they changed all the time. At one point I thought if I went to see my GP would he understand if I told him how I was feeling or would he say I was 'crazy'. 

Fast forward to having children. My children struggled in different ways at school and as a parent I tried to support the best I could with several visits to very unhelpful teachers. The emotional toll on parents and teachers at this time is enormous.

So, along with many other people, when my oldest discovered that she may have ADHD after research and a conversation with the GP, she went for a private diagnosis which resulted in her being combined type ADHD. After guiding her trough this I knew this was me. And so it was.

I then felt like I had a purpose and decided to find away to help others with ADHD as, hey I knew what it was and have kids with it too right! No. After reading a couple of good books and going on social media I realised that this is much bigger that my own diagnosis and that there are many different areas of support one person needed. I realised that I need to know more verified, evidence based information to help me and my children and because of the high hereditary rate my grandchildren(if I have any!!)This leads me to my blurb....

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Hello! I'm Tanya Smith. As a neurodivergent mother of four, with three neurodivergent children, I have a deep understanding of the complexities of living with ADHD, autism, and related conditions. Having faced challenges associated with hormonal changes such as PMDD, PMS, and menopause, I recognise the widespread lack of understanding in these areas.

I have learned that ADHD does not come alone and that learning one skill was not going to support the individual completely, environmental factors, co-morbidities and a knowledge of your own child is a great foundation.

With that it is important that parents have the knowledge and skill to support their child from being a small child up to adulthood and that the parents themselves will learn to alter their skills accordingly with the knowledge they have gained.

As an ADHD coach I am also equip to support the parents as there may be an over lap of behaviours as overwhelm can affect both parent and child.

Qualifications

Open Mental Health Bsc hons - (just finished yr2) Within this degree I have had the ability to choose my own modules. I am studying mind and brain, which covers Autism, ADHD, Depression and Dementia as well as a Biology module, covering the nervous system and the senses amongst other issues. In the coming year I have the luxury of having a whole module on a science project which I will of course choose ADHD/Autism and the brain. Along with this I am studying the critical aspects of mental health looking into the health care services in the UK.

 I am so consumed of the neuroscience behind how ADHD impacts individuals. I have so much more incite on my own decision making.

Psychology HNC, I aimed to understand the behaviours and how they manifest in individuals. How we come to believe in what we think and why it has such an impact on our behaviour and our parenting.

Award in ADHD coaching, I focused on mastering the most effective strategies and structures to assist those with executive function deficits and understanding how these deficits manifest. 

As an Emotional Intelligence Practitioner, I learned how emotions can absolutely take over the conscious thinking brain. How our emotional(amygdala)brain is the part we listen to the most and our actions are governed by this. As ADHDers this can be detrimental as our decision making part of the Brain(Pre frontal cortex) is underdeveloped and can't get a word in edgeway's.

As a Well being Therapist I have learned to understand the ego which helps as it is a instigator in our defiance and why it is difficult to help someone with ADHD when they know they are right!

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So, I can't believe that I have achieved so much at 51. I thought that I wasn't academic and that learning wasn't for me and now I love it so much I am even worried what will happen when I complete it all!!

Any way, I hope that I can use the knowledge I have learned and the experience I have had to support parents and the children in what can be a very soul destroying time of life.

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Thanks

Tanya

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