ADHD Therapist for Anxiety, Overwhelm & Life Transitions

Hi, I’m Lora. It’s lovely to have you here.

Maybe you’ve spent years being told that you overthink, talk too fast, jump between ideas or make things more complicated than they need to be. Or perhaps you just feel overwhelmed, stuck, burnt out, or unsure why something in your work or life no longer feels right.

Therapy with me is about making sense of what sits underneath those experiences, unpacking the messages you’ve picked up about yourself, and understanding how your mind actually works. That might mean exploring your ADHD, getting curious about what your anxiety is trying to tell you, questioning the things you think you should be doing, or working out whether something genuinely needs to change.

The aim is to help you find ways of working with yourself rather than against yourself.

You don’t need to become less intense, less thoughtful or less yourself. Sometimes the work is learning to trust the way your mind moves, and making more room for the person you already are.

How I Can Support You

I work with adults who are trying to understand themselves more clearly, especially around ADHD, anxiety, overwhelm, burnout and periods of change.

My approach is person-centred, neurodivergent-affirming and collaborative. We can look at what is happening underneath the surface, make sense of the patterns that keep showing up, and work out what feels supportive for you rather than forcing you into a one-size-fits-all way of coping.

  • You might be wondering whether ADHD could explain patterns you’ve lived with for years, or you may already have a diagnosis and be trying to work out what it actually means for you.

    Getting an ADHD diagnosis can bring relief, but it can also bring grief, anger, uncertainty and a lot of looking back. You may start questioning things you once understood as laziness, being “too sensitive”, not trying hard enough or simply being bad at things that seemed easier for everyone else.

    We can explore what ADHD means for you, including identity, self-criticism, masking, overwhelm and the expectations you’ve learned to place on yourself. You don’t need a formal diagnosis to start that process. The aim is to help you understand your brain with more compassion and find ways of working with it rather than constantly fighting it.

  • If your mind rarely switches off, anxiety can start to feel like background noise that never really leaves.

    I’m interested in what sits underneath that anxiety, not just in helping you push through it. Sometimes there is fear, sadness, anger or pressure underneath. Sometimes overwhelm is also connected to ADHD, autistic traits, masking, sensory differences or simply spending too long trying to function in ways that take far more effort than anyone else can see.

    Anxiety and panic can also make much more sense when we understand what your mind and body are trying to protect you from. Whether you’re neurodivergent or not, we can get curious about what is happening and help you understand your responses rather than assuming you simply need to control them better.

  • Sometimes you know something needs to change, but you’re not sure what.

    You might be questioning your job, considering a career change, thinking about moving, or simply feeling that the life you have built no longer fits in the way it once did.

    If you’re neurodivergent, these questions can have another layer. A job might look perfectly manageable on paper but leave you exhausted by the sensory environment, social expectations, constant task switching or pressure to mask. Equally, you may have spent years making choices based on what you thought you should be able to cope with rather than what actually works for you.

    Therapy can help us untangle what is driving that feeling. Are you moving towards something that matters to you, or trying to get away from something that no longer fits? Together, we can work out what you actually want underneath all the expectations.

  • Neurodivergent burnout can build slowly. If you have ADHD or are AuDHD, you may find yourself pushing through tiredness, overwhelm or stress for much longer than feels sustainable.

    Often, that is because stopping does not feel simple. There may always be one more thing to do, or you may have spent years believing you should be able to cope, keep going or manage more than you realistically have capacity for.

    ADHD and AuDHD burnout can also be shaped by masking, sensory overload, constant self-monitoring, or the effort of trying to function in ways that do not come naturally to you.

    Therapy can help us look at what is keeping that cycle going. We might explore self-criticism, perfectionism, difficulty noticing your limits, or the beliefs that make rest feel uncomfortable or undeserved.

    Recovery may need to look different when you are neurodivergent. The aim is not simply to get you functioning again as quickly as possible, but to understand what needs to change so that you are not repeatedly pushed beyond your capacity.

  • If you’ve spent years feeling misunderstood, getting things “wrong”, or being told you are too much, too sensitive, too intense or not trying hard enough, it can really shape the way you see yourself.

    You may have become used to second-guessing yourself, looking outside yourself for reassurance, or measuring your choices against what you think you should or ought to be doing.

    Therapy can help you notice where those messages came from, question whether they still belong to you, and begin building more trust in your own judgement.

    For some people, that means rebuilding confidence and self-worth. For others, it can feel more like finding your way back to yourself and working out who you are underneath all the expectations.

About Me

  • I’m a person-centred therapist, but that doesn’t mean I’ll sit silently while you do all the work.

    I’m warm, curious and actively engaged in the conversation. I’ll listen closely, reflect things back, ask questions and help you make connections between the different threads that are coming up.

    If your thoughts move quickly or jump from one thing to another, that’s welcome here. My own brain can work a bit like a spider web, making connections in several directions at once, so you don’t need to organise everything neatly before bringing it to therapy. We can work out together which thread feels most useful to follow.

    I also use psychoeducation where it feels helpful. Sometimes understanding why your brain or body is responding in a particular way can make an experience feel much less frightening or confusing.

    I tend to match your pace and energy rather than expecting you to adapt to mine. Some sessions might be lively and fast-moving, while others need more space and quiet. What matters is that the therapy feels like somewhere you can show up as you are.

  • I didn’t take a straight path into counselling. Before becoming a therapist, I worked across a few different areas, including law and teaching. I know what it feels like to realise that something can make perfect sense on paper and still not feel right for you.

    I have ADHD myself, so a lot of the things I work with are things I understand from both a personal and professional perspective. I know how exhausting it can be to feel like you need to explain yourself, slow yourself down, or make the way you think seem more acceptable to other people.

    I think that is part of why I’m so interested in identity, self-worth and the expectations we pick up along the way. Sometimes therapy is about understanding what has happened to you. Sometimes it is also about working out which parts of the life you’ve built still feel like yours.

  • Core Therapy Qualifications

    Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling (UCEN Manchester)

    Other Qualifications

    • Bachelor of Laws (LLB), University of Edinburgh

    • PGCE with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), University of Manchester

    • Level 3 Personal Trainer, Diverse Trainers

    Professional Membership

    • British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) — Registered Member (01030647)

  • Fees

    • Daytime therapy is £70 for a 60-minute session.

    • Appointments after 5.00pm are £80 for a 60-minute session.

    • Sessions can be arranged either weekly or fortnightly.

    A free 20-minute introductory call is available if you would like to get a sense of whether working together feels right before booking.

    Availability

    I currently offer appointments on Monday afternoons and evenings, Tuesday afternoons, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays during the daytime, with some Saturday morning availability.

    Where possible, I can offer some flexibility around these times. Early morning appointments from 8.00am can sometimes be accommodated, and an additional weekday evening may also be possible depending on availability.

    Current spaces can change, so Common Ground will confirm availability when you enquire.

Think Lora Might Be the Right Therapist for You?

If something you’ve read here has resonated with you, you can take the next step in whichever way feels right. You don’t need to be completely sure before getting in touch.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Working With Lora Fitton

  • Yes. You don't need a formal ADHD diagnosis to explore your experiences in counselling. Whether you're beginning to wonder if you might have ADHD, are considering an assessment or have spent years feeling that your brain works differently, Lora offers a space to explore what this means for you.

    ADHD counselling isn't about making you fit someone else's idea of how you should function. It's about understanding yourself, recognising patterns and developing a kinder relationship with your brain. Lora doesn't provide ADHD assessments or diagnoses, but she can support you as you explore your experiences.

  • Receiving an ADHD diagnosis in adulthood can change how you understand yourself and your past. You might feel relief at finally having an explanation, alongside grief, frustration or anger about the years you spent feeling misunderstood.

    Lora works with adults navigating the emotional impact of a late ADHD diagnosis. Together, you can explore how ADHD has shaped your experiences, question beliefs you've developed about yourself and begin making sense of who you are beyond the expectations you've spent years trying to meet.

  • Lora's approach to ADHD therapy focuses on self-understanding rather than simply managing symptoms or becoming more productive. She helps you explore how your brain works, the expectations you've absorbed and the ways you may have learned to criticise yourself for finding certain things difficult.

    Sessions are collaborative and conversational. Lora might help you notice patterns, offer different perspectives or explore how earlier experiences influence the way you see yourself today. The aim is to help you work with your brain rather than constantly feeling you're fighting against it.

  • Yes. You don't need to know exactly why you're anxious or overwhelmed before starting counselling. You might find yourself overthinking, struggling to switch off, worrying about decisions or feeling constantly on edge without understanding what's causing it.

    Rather than focusing only on ways to manage anxious feelings, Lora is interested in understanding what might sit underneath them. Together, you can explore the pressures, emotions, experiences or unmet needs contributing to your anxiety, and develop a better understanding of what you're feeling and why.

  • ADHD burnout can leave you feeling mentally and emotionally exhausted, overwhelmed by everyday demands or frustrated that things you once managed now feel much harder.

    Lora can help you explore the patterns that may be contributing to burnout, including self-criticism, difficulty setting boundaries and the pressure to keep pushing yourself even when you're struggling.

    Counselling can offer space to understand how you've reached this point, reconsider the expectations you're carrying and explore what a more sustainable way of living might look like for you.

  • Yes. You don't need to have a clear plan or even know whether you want to make a change before coming to counselling.

    Perhaps you're feeling unfulfilled at work, approaching burnout or questioning whether the life you've built still reflects what you want. You might also be struggling to separate your own wishes from what you feel you should be doing.

    Lora brings an understanding of career and life transitions, having navigated changes across different professional fields herself. Rather than telling you what decision to make, she'll help you explore what's driving your uncertainty, what matters to you and what might be keeping you feeling stuck.

  • That's absolutely fine. You don't need to arrive at therapy with your thoughts organised, know exactly what you want to talk about or follow a particular structure.

    Lora understands that conversations don't always move in straight lines, particularly when you have ADHD. She describes her approach as noticing different threads in what someone shares, almost like mapping out a spider's web.

    If several things come up at once, she can help you make sense of how they connect and explore which feels most important to you. There's no expectation to communicate in a particular way or keep your thoughts neatly on track.

  • Yes. Lora has experience working with autistic clients and welcomes neurodivergent adults, including people who identify as AuDHD, meaning both autistic and ADHD.

    Her particular experience and interest lie in ADHD, self-understanding, anxiety and life transitions, rather than specialist autism-focused therapy.

    She recognises that everyone's needs are different and that some people may benefit from a therapist with more specific autism expertise. If you're unsure whether Lora would be the right fit, Common Ground's therapist matching service can help you explore your options.