The Brain Charity

Hollie, 26, was diagnosed three years ago with both autism and ADHD.  

Her journey has been shaped by the challenges that come with living with these conditions – which caused a breakdown.  

While she once worked full-time, Hollie struggled to sustain employment due to a lack of the right accommodations and the pressures of her past job. 

Hollie, from Liverpool, said: “My breakdown at work came because of a lack of support and understanding of my conditions. If there was better understanding in workplaces, then more people who are neurodivergent could thrive.” 

The Brain Charity was introduced to Hollie through her mother-in-law. After a period of hesitation, she decided to sign up for our Value of You confidence coaching.  

The newfound confidence she found spurred her on to explore future job possibilities. 

Hollie said: “The confidence coaching was amazing. It helped me feel more confident and able to go out and do more things.”  

The challenges of navigating support systems 

Beyond confidence coaching, Hollie has received support with a PIP application and welfare benefits tribunal process.  

She also received counselling at The Brain Charity and hopes to use our Neuro Gym, as public gyms make her feel self-conscious. 

Living with autism and ADHD 

Hollie often finds herself exhausted by the need to ‘mask’ in social situations.  

She is eager to get back to work, but she knows that true inclusion requires understanding, flexibility, and the right support.  

With organisations like The Brain Charity by her side, she remains determined to build a future where she can balance professional commitments with her personal needs—and where every disabled person has the opportunity to thrive. 

She said: “People struggle to understand what I need or how much I struggle.  

“I have issues with executive function and find changes in routine really difficult.  

“Even with those obstacles, I’ve managed to build a strong support system. I actually met my wife at Edge Hill University, where I graduated in 2020, and we got married in 2023.  

“I really want to get back to work, but I’m looking for a balance that works for both my professional goals and my personal needs.” 

A call for real change 

Hollie believes that the government should fund services that are designed to help disabled people gain the necessary skills and confidence, rather than forcing people into financial insecurity. 

Hollie said, “If the government is more serious about getting disabled people back into work, they should fund things designed to support disabled people back into employment like the Value of You confidence coaching.”