Mindfulness for Neurodivergent People – Dr. Emma Bede

Mindfulness practices can have huge benefits: managing strong emotions, coping with physical pain, increasing focus, becoming more attuned to our bodies, being more present with positive experiences and more. But it also has some risks associated with it, and the ways in which it is usually taught are not often a good fit with neurodivergent brains and bodies.

This workshop will explore:

• the uses of mindfulness, particularly for autistic and ADHD people
• some common obstacles to using mainstream mindfulness resources (such as physical health problems, fidgety bodies, fidgety brains, a tendency to zone out or dissociate, aphantasia)
• how to match your (or your client’s) specific strengths and resources to mindfulness practices that will be a good fit and will meet the specific needs you have

We will try out some specific practices during the second half of the session, though participation is always optional, as not every practice will be a good fit for every person.

In January-February 2026, there will be a series of one-hour sessions focusing in more detail on exploring and trying out some specific forms of mindfulness practice that are covered in this session.

Learning Objective Participants Can Expect From This Event

• Understand the potential benefits of mindfulness for neurodivergent people, and the potential obstacles to using it.
• Find ways to match your specific needs with your particular physical and cognitive profile, in order to create mindfulness practices that work well for you (or how to go through this process with people you work with).
• Experience “tasters” of a wide range of possible practices in order to expand your repertoire – these will be covered in more detail in the sessions in January and February.

Who is This Workshop Appropriate For?

• Autistic and/or ADHD people, and therapists of any neurotype who work with them – whether you have never tried mindfulness, tried it and hated it, or have extensive experience or an ongoing practice.

How May This Workshop Impact Your Practice?

• Increase your repertoire of mindfulness practices in your work and/or your own life, and find flexible and creative ways to use mindfulness.

RECORDING 

This event will be recorded and you can use the ticket function to pre-purchase the recording before the event. This will be useful for colleagues who are not able to attend the event live and also for those who attend the event live and want to watch it again.

ZOOM 

This event will be hosted on the Zoom meeting platform where we will use our cameras and microphones to interact with each other as a group.

SELF-SELECT FEE

The self-select fee is a radical inclusion policy to open learning for all colleagues. The guide price for this event is £20.00, however, we appreciate that income varies greatly in different locations and circumstances. Please contribute what you can to help us maintain inclusive professional training.

___________________________

At Onlinevents, we and the presenters we collaborate with are committed to working in a way that aligns with the ethical codes and frameworks of our respective professional organisations. We expect all colleagues attending our events to uphold the ethical principles of their professional membership.

If you are not a member of a professional organisation, we ask that you participate in a way that is both authentic and respectful, fostering a space of mutual learning and professional engagement.

By registering for this event, you agree to be present and interact in a manner that reflects these principles.

Dr. Emma Bede

Dr Emma Bede is a Clinical Psychologist with over twenty years of experience working with neurodivergent adults and children in clinical, diagnostic and academic contexts. She works therapeutically with adults of all ages, genders and neurotypes, as well as carrying out formal diagnostic assessments for autism and ADHD, and providing supervision to other therapists. She has been practising mindfulness for twenty years, and uses it as part of her therapeutic work.

Website | www.willowpsychology.co.uk