When the Thing You Need Help With Gets in the Way of Getting Help

I have noticed of late a few things that I wanted to share. I have been offering specialisms of carers, anxiety, adult diagnosis of ADHD and email counselling here in Bradford and West Yorkshire. What struck me was that as I thought about these, they are all experiences — either direct or indirectly — that can lead to barriers to accessing therapy. The very thing you would want to seek help about leads to problems accessing the help to address it. It isn't lost on me.

So I thought I would share a little about each specialism, and simply emphasise that I know it isn't easy.

Carers

It is really hard to be responsible for someone else and find time for you. The appointments that come in at unpredictable times and not always with a great deal of notice. The changes in condition that lead to a need for prioritising your needs. How could you ever have a set time that can't be changed? It must be doubly frustrating when you feel like a) you're letting someone else down or b) you can't commit time to yourself. The guilt with putting yourself first is so difficult to manage.

I really understand this. As a therapist working with carers in Bradford and West Yorkshire, I recognise that I need fixed appointments as best I can to manage my clients' and my own time. I try to be understanding of shift workers and have some slots available to book in advance, rather than only having regular time slots. I appreciate I may still be difficult to fit around, but I welcome anyone and would note my cancellation policy of 24 hours' notice, and flexibility where I can to try and reschedule.

ADHD in Adults — Late Diagnosis

I started to work with ADHD after a couple of clients attended with other issues and carried a diagnosis as a secondary presentation. It felt like genuinely enjoyable work. Through it, I realised I was experiencing similar things myself and decided to seek my own diagnosis — which I received in 2025. I had already been diagnosed late with dyslexia and found that a confusing and unsettling time. I realised a diagnosis was the start of the story, not the ending.

I explored and over time understood the things that were related and had impacted me — and also when they had not. It took time and the reflection skills I had developed, but not everyone reaches for those as a first response. This led me to think carefully about being a practitioner for adult ADHD in Bradford and West Yorkshire — specifically for those with a late diagnosis — to help people understand the impact, unpack a lot of the questions, historical frustrations, and make peace with moving forward.

I think this client group can find that the support available is not widely known, with ADHD coaching being mainly focused on how to move forward. That is why I see a real barrier to accessing supportive, reflective therapy for adults with ADHD.

Anxiety

Anxiety presents in so many different ways — our health, phobias, or the texture of general day-to-day life. Anxiety can present as a barrier to travelling to therapy at all. It can increase when attending any kind of appointment, especially medical or therapeutic ones. It does help in time, but the feeling of dread beforehand — whether that's using a bus, driving, or simply planning what you want to say — can make it hard to manage. And then on top of that, you have to speak and open up once you get there.

My response to this is to make people feel as welcome as possible. I understand that how I am, and how my therapy room at Merrydale House in Bradford (just off the M606 motorway) feels, directly impacts on a client's comfort and can reduce some of that anxiety. I make a point of making a hot drink for people to feel relaxed and welcome. I use accessible language, metaphors, and avoid clinical jargon — the more straightforward our conversations are, the easier it is to take our work forward.

Email Counselling

This fascinated me, and I wondered at first how it could be useful — or whether it was only suited to one particular client group. The beauty of email counselling in the UK is that it broadens the scope considerably. I can help people who may not normally feel confident or comfortable moving forward with therapy, whether that's because of what they want to talk about, discomfort with being seen on a screen, or because speaking itself feels difficult for them.

It opens up so many avenues by breaking down barriers. If there is one thing I am passionate about, it is helping people access therapy that actually works for them.

What Ties It All Together

Thinking about it, the thing that connects all of my specialisms is my desire to support people with experiences that may have left them feeling lost or unable to seek therapy in the first place. I try to be flexible and understanding in my role, and I am always thinking about how I can improve what I offer.

If any of this resonates with you, please feel free to get in touch. I offer a free 15-minute phone consultation, and I would be happy to have a conversation about whether counselling with me might be a good fit for you.

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