Hi I'm Gabrielle
I support quiet, introverted, sensitive, empathetic, midlife women who suspect or know they have ADHD, find self-acceptance and understanding, as well as calm and joyful freedom to be their unique, beautiful selves.
The big picture
I’m here to help people understand, accept and love themselves so that we can create a world that is more understanding, accepting and loving of each other.
A bit about me
I’m a trained coach, a writer, an author, a podcaster and a late-diagnosed (at age 48) ADHDer. I’m quiet (too quiet I’ve been told), introverted, sensitive (too sensitive as well), and empathetic.
I wouldn’t describe myself as neurosparkly or neurospicy and I don’t feel like a unicorn because I’m still the quiet woman I always have been, just with this new understanding of myself.
I can be chatty (with people I’m comfortable with), I’m a sucker for a quality rom-com and I usually have at least three books on the go at any one time.
I write about wellbeing for magazines (I’ve been featured in i newspaper, Psychologies, Red, The Simple Things, Happy News, and Breathe among others).
I had a successful career in children’s publishing, built and sold a profitable stationery business, trained and work as a coach and educator, saw my first book, The 1% Wellness Experiment, published and completed an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology… all without knowing I’ve been living with ADHD all my life.
I’ve been supporting women overwhelmed by their overthinking and overdoing, their people-pleasing and perfectionism, their frustration and procrastination, to feel calmer, to be kinder to themselves, to speak up for what they want and need, to feel lighter and more joyful for nine years.
Support for the quiet ADHDer
What I only realised since discovering I have ADHD is that the podcast episodes I recorded, the newsletters, blog and social media posts I wrote, the courses and workshops I created, the talks I gave, the magazine features and the book I wrote were all through my quiet ADHD lens – I just didn’t know it at the time. (Even though I was told by other neurodivergent folk how ND-friendly my writing and offerings were.)
Diving deep into learning about ADHD (hyperfocus, anyone?) and seeing the connections to the support I had been offering led me to make a subtle and powerful shift in the focus of my work to specifically supporting quiet, introverted, sensitive women who suspect or know they have ADHD (FYI you don’t need a formal diagnosis to prove you have ADHD).
Who I’m for
These are the quiet women* who don’t see themselves as unicorns or describe themselves as neurosparkly/spicy (zero shade if you do, all the colourful, glittery power to you). The women who are exhausted from spending their lives trying so very hard to fit in, to not be too much and feeling like they’re not enough.
Who try to do the right thing, to do what they think they should do, what others want them to do while feeling like they come up short. Who listen and observe and take what others say to heart, with criticism or a negative remark feeling like visceral rejection, painful as a knife to the chest.
Before coaching I felt like I was in a storm, overwhelmed and heading for burnout. Now I am so much more centred in myself. I'm doing things from a point of I want to rather than I should. I'm happier, I'm more fun to be around and I have more energy. Thank you for helping me walk a little taller in the world.
- Julie
Who hate getting things wrong or being bad at something so avoid trying it even if they really want to do it. Who replay what they said or did, wondering what they should have said or done, what the other person thinks of them and all the ways they could and should have done better.
Who may struggle with getting started on tasks or completing them, but also get so absorbed they forget to eat or pee. Who put a huge amount of energy into trying to be organised so they don't forget birthdays, lose things or arrive late for appointments.
Who care so much (too much they’ve been told), can’t bear injustice, and want to help and fix and make other’s lives better. Who try so hard to make people happy, to please and never let anyone down (or be thought of as a disappointment), even though it’s exhausting and breeds resentment (with the accompanying guilt for feeling that way). And who still feel like they’re letting down others, and themselves.
Who have spent a lifetime trying to be who they think they’re supposed to be or expected to be, containing and criticising themselves, striving to do more, to be more, to keep up but feeling like they never quite manage it. Who are thoughtful and contemplative, who have been told they’re too idealistic, too scattered in their thoughts, attention and interests, too quiet, too sensitive which all adds up to the long-standing feeling that they’ll never. be. enough.
I feel like I can breathe properly, like a weight has come away from my shoulders. I feel that I am a better wife, mother, friend and me as a result of Gabrielle’s support and guidance. I feel more confident about who I am and what I need. I am happier.
- Karin
The quiet, introverted, sensitive, empathetic women whose many coping strategies no longer work like they used to because the pressure of years of striving and midlife hormonal changes make everything feel like it’s unravelling.
If you see yourself here you are not alone.
I see you.
I know you.
I’m with you.
Take a look at how I can support you personally here.
What else?
I live in the Brecon Beacons national park in south Wales, UK, with my husband and little rescue pup, Bailey
Before that I’ve lived in Maryland and Pittsburgh in the US, and Southampton, Leicester, Manchester, Oxford, London and Surrey
I had a corporate life in youth publishing for 15 years and for several years I was a small creative business owner designing, manufacturing and selling stationery products (I named my business after my favourite fiction book – Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery)
I can’t bear cauliflower but love peanut butter and jam sandwiches
I've been volunteering at my local Trussell Trust food bank since 2016
A cheesy 80s or 90s pop tune can put me in the best mood within three minutes
My idea of heaven is spending the day curled up reading a book with a cup of tea and my pup
I’m a homebody who likes to explore and then come back home
My core values are Compassion, Curiosity, Freedom, Joy and Making a difference, and my top three strengths are Perspective, Honesty and Kindness
What else?
I live in the Brecon Beacons national park in south Wales, UK, with my husband and little rescue pup, Bailey
Before that I’ve lived in Maryland and Pittsburgh in the US, and Southampton, Leicester, Manchester, Oxford, London and Surrey
I had a corporate life in youth publishing for 15 years and for several years I was a small creative business owner designing, manufacturing and selling stationery products (I named my business after my favourite fiction book – Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery)
I can’t bear cauliflower but love peanut butter and jam sandwiches
I've been volunteering at my local Trussell Trust food bank since 2016
A cheesy 80s or 90s pop tune can put me in the best mood within three minutes
My idea of heaven is spending the day curled up reading a book with a cup of tea and my pup
I’m a homebody who likes to explore and then come back home
My core values are Compassion, Curiosity, Freedom, Joy and Making a difference, and my top three strengths are Perspective, Honesty and Kindness
When I first connected with Gabrielle I was stressed, burnt out and I longed to enjoy life and just be myself. Gabrielle was so approachable, kind with a sense of fun, she wasn't at all judgmental but encouraging and understanding. My coaching experience was amazing, it went far beyond my expectations. My sense of humour has returned, I've set boundaries and I have moments of sheer joy and excitement. My husband has noticed I'm no longer so agitated or frustrated and my friends have noticed I'm more confident. Now I'm more relaxed, I look after myself properly, I have energy for my life – I'm just happier!
- Diana
*This space is for women and by that, I mean anyone who identifies as a woman, in whatever way feels true for them. This includes cis women, trans women, and non-binary or gender-expansive people who see themselves reflected in this space.
I'm here for the late ADHD discovered, the introverted, sensitive, quietly overwhelmed, those who have spent their life trying to be who they thought they were supposed to be. If that’s you, you’re welcome here, just as you are.