Do I Have to Have a Diagnosis to Work With You?

One of the most common questions I receive is: “Do I need an autism or mental health diagnosis to work with you?”

The short answer is: No, you don’t.

Many of the women I support come to therapy with questions, not labels. You might resonate deeply with traits of autism, ADHD, or trauma responses — but have never had a formal diagnosis. Or maybe you've always felt different but never had the language to explain why.

That’s completely okay.

My work isn’t about checking diagnostic boxes. It’s about creating a space where you feel safe, seen, and supported — regardless of whether a professional has given your experience a name. For some clients, a diagnosis is empowering. For others, it feels unnecessary or even retraumatising. Both choices are valid.

In our work together, we focus on you: your patterns, your emotions, your relationships, and your needs. Whether you’ve been formally diagnosed or are still exploring what fits, what matters most is that you feel something isn’t working — and you’re ready to understand it with more compassion.

I specialise in supporting women who are navigating self-doubt, burnout, masking, relational trauma, and perfectionism. Many of them are late-identified autistic or ADHD, or quietly wondering if they might be.

There’s no gatekeeping here. Therapy is for exploration, not judgement.

So, absolutely no, you don’t need a diagnosis to work with me. You only need a sense that you’re ready to start untangling the knots and making space for the real you.

#QuercusCounselling #Autism #ADHD