Mentoring for neurodivergent teens
Understanding your teen starts with understanding their experience.
If your teenage child (age 14+) has recently been identified as neurodivergent, is waiting for an assessment, or you've simply started to wonder whether they experience the world differently, it can bring up as many questions as answers. You may be trying to navigate school, friendships, family life and everyday challenges, while also wondering how best to support them without losing sight of your own wellbeing.
I offer a person-centred* space for parents and families to explore those questions together. Rather than focusing on changing your teen, we'll focus on understanding them more deeply, recognising both the strengths and challenges that come with neurodivergence, and finding approaches that feel right for your family.
Every neurodivergent young person is unique. My hope is to help families move away from trying to fit into someone else's idea of what's "normal", and instead build confidence in understanding, supporting and celebrating the way their teen naturally experiences the world.
*person centred means working in a way that suits the client, not vice-versa.
Hi I’m Amy (and this is Vinnie), here’s why this matters to me
For as long as I can remember, I've had the sense that my mind experiences the world a little differently. I've always been deeply sensitive to my surroundings, noticing subtleties that others often seem to miss, feeling emotions intensely, and becoming easily overwhelmed by too much noise, information or stimulation. At different points in my life, those qualities have felt both like my greatest strengths and my biggest challenges.
Looking back, I realise how fortunate I was to discover creativity at a young age. It gave me a way to process my thoughts, make sense of my emotions, and build a career where curiosity, imagination and seeing the world differently were genuinely valued. But I've also experienced environments where those same qualities felt much harder to navigate, where structure, pace and expectation left little room for the way my mind naturally works.
Through years of personal therapy, counselling training, and working with people from many different backgrounds, I've become increasingly interested in the many ways our minds experience the world. I've learnt that understanding ourselves isn't about finding the perfect label or trying to change who we are. It's about recognising our strengths, understanding our challenges, and discovering ways of living that feel more aligned with our real selves.
That's why I created Find A Creative Mind. My hope is to create a space where different ways of thinking are not only understood, but valued. Where creative thinking isn't seen simply as something artistic, but as a way of exploring ourselves, making sense of our experiences, and discovering approaches that genuinely work for our individual minds.
Through mentoring and retreats, I hope I can create space for people to slow down and notice their strengths
What is Creative Mentoring for Neurodivergent families?
Creative mentoring combines person-centred principles with creativity as a way of creating space for parents and teens (aged 14+) to better understand one another, rather than trying to change. Whether you're navigating a recent diagnosis, waiting for an assessment, or simply finding family life more challenging, these sessions are designed to strengthen communication, build mutual understanding and help you discover approaches that genuinely work for your family.
Rather than offering rigid strategies or expecting every family to fit the same mould, creative mentoring encourages curiosity, flexibility and collaboration. Together, we'll explore what's working well, where tensions or misunderstandings might arise, and how to build on your teen's strengths while navigating the challenges that neurodivergence can bring. My aim is to help families move away from conflict, frustration and self-blame, towards greater confidence, connection and understanding.
Some of my specialisms
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Neurodivergent minds
Whether you've recently received a diagnosis, suspect you may be neurodivergent, or are beginning to understand yourself through a new lens, these sessions offer a space to explore how your mind works. Together, we'll focus on acceptance, regulation, and building a life that works with your strengths rather than against them.
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Navigating menopause
Menopause often brings much more than physical symptoms. It can spark questions around identity, confidence, relationships and what’s next. I provide space to make sense of the changes you're experiencing, reconnect with yourself, and navigate this transition with greater clarity, compassion, and self-trust.
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Putting down your phone
Many of us feel trapped between wanting to be present and constantly reaching for our phones. Together, we'll explore your relationship with technology, what might be driving those habits, and how to create more space for rest and connection without feeling like you have to disconnect from modern life completely.
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Creative career slump
Working in creative industries can be inspiring, but it can also leave you feeling depleted, pressured, or disconnected from the reasons you started creating in the first place. Together, we'll explore ways to reduce overwhelm, navigate perfectionism, and reconnect with curiosity, confidence, and a more sustainable creative practice.
Mentoring packages
Not sure which option is right for you? Book a free 20-minute conversation and we can figure it out together. Sessions are available either online, or in person across Manchester, UK.
6 session pack (£80 a session*)
Designed for people navigating a period of change. This might be menopause, a career shift, a relationship ending, a late diagnosis, creative burnout, or simply a feeling that life no longer fits quite right. Together, we'll explore how you feel, and what comes next.
3 month deep dive (£440 a month)
Offers space to slow down and explore what emerges over time. With weekly sessions and optional creative prompts between them, it's designed for those who want to better understand themselves, navigate a significant transition, or make lasting change.
Corporate team 121s (4 people or more)
A confidential space for employees to better understand how they work, navigate pressure, and think more clearly. Particularly valuable during periods of burnout, neurodivergence, leadership development, or creative challenge. Learn more
Creative mentoring is a new idea, so if you’re still not sure if it’s for you, these FAQs might help! Or book a call here
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No. Many people I work with are exploring whether they might be neurodivergent, while others have received a diagnosis years ago. Creative mentoring is a space to explore your experiences without needing a formal diagnosis.
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For many neurodivergent young people, yes. Some spend so much energy navigating school, college or social situations that they return home feeling completely depleted. This can sometimes be misunderstood as moodiness, withdrawal or challenging behaviour. Together, we'll explore what may be contributing to those patterns and how greater understanding can help both parent and child feel more supported.
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Many neurodivergent young people experience difficulties around education, friendships, transitions, anxiety or feeling misunderstood. While creative mentoring isn't educational support, it can provide space to explore these experiences together, strengthen communication and build confidence in navigating them as a family.
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Where possible, yes. The aim is to create a shared space where both parent and child feel heard and understood. However, there may be times when it feels more appropriate to begin with a parent-only session before deciding together what would be most helpful going forward.
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Often, yes. Not everyone finds it easy to express themselves through conversation alone, especially teenagers. Creativity offers another way of exploring thoughts, emotions and experiences, without pressure. Sessions are always led by the people in the room, and we'll work in whatever way feels most comfortable and supportive.
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Alongside my Person-Centred Counselling training, I've completed additional neuro-affirming training with Aspire Autism Consultancy, helping me better understand neurodivergent experiences through a strengths-based, affirming lens. I continue to develop my knowledge through ongoing professional training and reading.
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I'm currently completing my Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling and am a Student Member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). My work is guided by the BACP Ethical Framework, and I receive regular clinical supervision as part of my training.
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Creative Mentoring sits somewhere between coaching, counselling, and creative exploration. It's a space to slow down, better understand yourself, and explore challenges from a different perspective. The focus isn't on giving advice or telling you what to do, but helping you uncover what feels right for you.
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No. While my approach is influenced by my training in Person-Centred Counselling, Creative Mentoring is not a substitute for therapy. It is a reflective, supportive space that combines conversation with creative thinking to help you better understand yourself and navigate change.
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Every session is different because every person is different. Some sessions are entirely conversational, while others may include simple creative or reflective exercises. We begin with whatever feels most important to you and work from there.
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People often come to me when they're experiencing a transition or feeling stuck. This might include menopause, neurodivergence, burnout, creative block, career changes, relationship changes, settling after a nomadic lifestyle, technology overwhelm, or simply a feeling that life no longer feels quite right.
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I offer creative mentoring in Manchester, as well as online sessions for clients across the UK and internationally.
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Traditional coaching is often focused on goals, performance, and action plans. Creative Mentoring is more exploratory. Rather than trying to fix a problem quickly, we take time to understand what's really going on and what you need moving forward.
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At the moment I work in packages because meaningful change and insight usually take time. The sessions build on one another and create space to explore things more deeply than is often possible in a single conversation.
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Many neurodivergent young people experience difficulties around education, friendships, transitions, anxiety or feeling misunderstood. While creative mentoring isn't educational support, it can provide space to explore these experiences together, strengthen communication and build confidence in navigating them as a family.
Join The Creative Retreat
Creativity is not just drawing, painting, writing… it doesn’t have to be an activity at all. Creativity could just be a state of mind that feels MORE FREE. That’s why our creative retreats + events are not just for creatives, they are for anyone that needs to rediscover more joy and ease in their lives.
Do you feel the need to disconnect from external expectations, and connect to something that feels more natural - more like you?
“It feels like a permission slip to explore freely.”
Haley Withers • Mentoring Client
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