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What steps help me adapt to changes? · Wellbeing Solutions - Ask A Counsellor

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: So, when we're asking the question about what can help us adapt to changes as a neurodivergent person, as with the previous topics that we explored, that needs to be something that we explore from a place of curiosity and adjustments rather than expecting ourselves to just simply cope better.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: For many neurodivergent people, changes to routine can require additional processing, particularly when there is an uncertainty, a sensory overload, or a feeling that control has been taken away.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: So we can start by exploring the experience and what happens for us when something might change unexpectedly.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: Is it the change itself that feels difficult or is it the uncertainty around what happens next?
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: What from that do you notice in your thoughts, emotions, your bodily sensations, and what helps you feel as though you have some predictability or control again?
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: One helpful approach can be to build flexibility into the routine before change happens.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: Rather than having one fixed plan, we can have a possible few versions of the day.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: We can also identify anchor points as we've previously discussed.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: A few things that provide familiarity and predictability, just to recap, while allowing the rest of the day to move around them.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes having a transition plan in place can help.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: That might mean giving yourself extra processing time, knowing what is changing and what is staying the same, using reminders or visual prompts, or having a familiar activity available after something demanding.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: If a change happens suddenly, rather than asking why can't I just adapt and falling into shame, we could ask ourselves, what do I need right now to process a change?
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: That's a lot less sensory input, some quiet time, maybe some reassurance, information about what happens next, or simply just time.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: When we feel ashamed, we still feel how we're feeling.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: Now we just feel bad about it, so we want to be challenging that shame ideally.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: Adapting to change doesn't necessarily mean being completely comfortable with unpredictability.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: It's a coping strategy.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: It means developing supports that make change more manageable.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: So to close off, we can think about what we can put in place to give ourselves a sense of predictability, even when the situation itself might feel unpredictable, and how we can adapt our environments and expectations to support our neurodivergent needs rather than expecting ourselves to adapt at the cost of ourselves.