On 26 June, our Clinical Director Dr Jessica Donohoe, Gabrielle Monnington (Assistant Clinical Psychologist) and Natalie Duxford (Expert by Experience & SEND Advocate) joined professionals and community members at Walsall Council’s first Neurodiversity and Wellbeing Conference.
The day focused on connection, honesty and listening to those who are too often left out of the conversation. Held as part of Walsall’s suicide prevention strategy, the conference brought together people from education, health, housing, social care and the justice system, along with individuals with lived experience. From the outset, the atmosphere felt purposeful. There was no performance. Just people willing to show up and speak truthfully.
Dr Donohoe and the team delivered a talk on mental wellbeing and neurodivergence, followed by a workshop on the impact neurodivergence can have on families. These sessions offered space for real discussion, practical ideas, and reflections on how services can evolve to meet people where they are.
Events like this remind us that while assessments matter, so do the conversations that follow them. When we talk about mental health in neurodivergent communities, we’re not just looking at symptoms. We’re looking at environment, identity, and the barriers that can make daily life feel overwhelming. We were proud to take part in a day that moved the conversation forward.