Trevor Sherwood
Counsellor
Accredited counsellor offering mental health and neurodiversity-informed support.
LilyAnne’s Autism Mental health support
Autism Mental Health Support in Hartlepool
Neurodiversity-informed mental health support for autistic adults experiencing anxiety, loneliness, masking, overwhelm, burnout, low mood or life challenges.
A space where you are understood
Support that understands autism
Autism can affect how people experience communication, relationships, emotions, sensory environments and everyday life. Mental health challenges may be made worse by masking, social pressure, misunderstanding and a lack of suitable support.
Our support is calm, compassionate and neurodiversity-informed. We aim to provide a safe space where autistic adults can feel heard, respected and understood.
Meet our counsellors
Our counselling team
Our counsellors offer compassionate, confidential and person-centred support shaped around each client’s individual needs.
Angela Arnold
Counsellor
Providing compassionate counselling and community-based emotional wellbeing support.
Shelby Phillips
Counsellor
Psychologist and counsellor supporting mental health, trauma and neurodiversity.
We may support with
Autism is not a mental-health condition, but autistic adults may experience challenges that affect emotional wellbeing. Select a topic to read the relevant LilyAnne’s guide.
Anxiety
Feeling worried, unsafe, overwhelmed or unable to switch off.
Read the anxiety guide →Low mood
Feeling sad, hopeless, unmotivated or disconnected from everyday life.
Read the low mood guide →Autistic burnout
Feeling drained, overloaded, unable to cope or needing time to recover.
Read the burnout guide →Loneliness and isolation
Feeling isolated, misunderstood or disconnected from other people.
Read the loneliness guide →Emotional overwhelm
Finding emotions, change, uncertainty or daily demands difficult to manage.
Read the overwhelm guide →Sensory overload and stress
Feeling overwhelmed by noise, light, crowds, change or ongoing pressure.
Read the stress guide →Masking
Feeling exhausted from trying to fit in, hide difficulties or appear okay.
Read the masking guide →Managing change and uncertainty
Feeling distressed or overwhelmed by unexpected changes, disrupted routines, transitions or uncertainty.
Read the managing change guide →Being yourself safely
Masking and mental health
Many autistic adults describe masking as trying to hide or suppress autistic traits to fit in, avoid judgement or meet social expectations. It can be exhausting and may contribute to anxiety, low mood, burnout and disconnection from your own needs.
Support that respects you
Counselling for autistic adults
Counselling can provide space to explore anxiety, low mood, trauma, identity, relationships, masking, burnout and life experiences. It may help you understand your needs, boundaries and emotional wellbeing.
We do not try to change who you are. We support you to better understand yourself, feel heard and access support that respects your neurodivergent experience.
Our approach
We recognise that autistic people are often expected to adapt to environments that do not always meet their needs. Our approach is built around understanding, respect and working at your pace.
What happens after you refer?
Referral
You complete our online referral form.
Review
Our team reviews your information and checks whether our service is suitable.
Contact
We contact you to discuss the most appropriate next step.
Support begins
You begin the most appropriate support journey with LilyAnne’s.
Autism and ADHD
Some people are autistic and also have ADHD, sometimes referred to as AuDHD. People may experience sensory and social overwhelm alongside difficulties with focus, impulsivity, emotional regulation or executive functioning.
Neurodivergent experiences are individual. We will work with you to understand what support feels right for you.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an autism diagnosis?
No. You do not need a formal diagnosis to seek support. Many people come to us while waiting for an assessment or exploring whether they may be autistic.
Can counselling help autistic adults?
Counselling may help with anxiety, overwhelm, low mood, masking, burnout, relationships and understanding your own needs.
Will I be expected to make eye contact?
No. We understand that communication needs differ. You will not be judged for how you communicate or process information.
Is the service confidential?
Yes. There are limited circumstances where information may need to be shared because of safeguarding, serious risk or another legal responsibility. This will be explained to you.
Ready to access autism-informed support?
Taking the first step can feel difficult. We are here to make it simple, safe and supportive.
