Hello, I’m Christina Macnamara
It had been so hard for so long, and I couldn't make sense of it.
I seemed to be intelligent, creative, and driven. I’d done the therapy, the meditation, and everything else I could think of to feel better and live better. So why wasn’t it working?
After speaking to my GP about not being able to sleep, I found myself referred for an ADHD assessment, which also led to diagnoses of autism and dyspraxia.
I’m not going to say it felt like good news at first - I was burned out, and it was a lot to take on board. But there was also a deep sense of relief, like so many mysteries being solved at once.
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It was as if I could finally look back at my life through a new lens, and all the disconnected struggles suddenly seemed coherent. That relief grew over time as I learned more about myself and began to identify the real roots of my overwhelm and stress.
From diagnosis to self-acceptance and compassion
I started to get support from people who truly understood my experience, and it made all the difference. It helped me understand just how different coaching or therapy can be when the practitioner truly ‘gets’ you and deeply understands neurodevelopmental difference.
That’s what allowed me to find positive change through these diagnoses rather than collapsing under their weight. I started to update my sense of self, grieve the past and rebuild my life. My internal narrative shifted from self-criticism and confusion to something softer, more compassionate, and more confident.
Rebuilding from the ground up wasn’t easy. At times, it felt like I was moving forward on blind faith, trusting that this reorientation of my life would bring more than just coping.
I didn’t want to just survive - I wanted to completely close the gap between what I’d always sensed was possible, and the frustratingly limited version I’d been able to access before my diagnoses.
The leap of faith was worth it if I could finally put into action all the plans, ideas and creative projects I’d had in me all along.
That’s what I want for the people I work with too. Not to deny the struggles, but to purposefully build around them. Not a ‘perfect’ life, but one that feels congruent, alive, and genuinely your own.
My pathway to neurodiversity coaching
I was already a coach before I discovered my neurodivergence, building on my background in marketing and leadership as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the International Coaching Federation.
My work naturally started to change shape as I immersed myself in neurodiversity and neuroscience studies. I was able to tailor my post-graduate coaching training to specialise in neurodiversity coaching, and later become an accredited ADHD coach too.
Coaching became a natural extension of everything I’d learned; a way to bring together lived experience, professional training, and a deep understanding of what it means to rebuild life around who we really are.
Click below if you'd like to explore my professional training and credentials, or if you'd like to read what others have shared about their experience of working with me.
We're in this together
I’m always learning more about neurodiversity and how our minds, bodies and brains work. I don’t talk about neurodivergence as a ‘superpower’ because it feels glib when you’ve lived through the struggle and trauma that can often come with it. But there really can be amazing gifts and talents in the mix, which are easier to recognise and access once the dust starts to settle from the pre and post-diagnosis rollercoaster.
In cultures that glorify narrow versions of productivity and performance, it can be pretty rough not to fit the mould (hello under-earning and burnout). We can debate how healthy the current expectations are for anyone, but they seem to be especially impossible for those of us with hyperconnected, complex, sensitive systems.
When we have support and we stop trying to compare ourselves to some concept of ‘normal’ success, those same characteristics can make for a truly fulfilling, interesting, creative life.
Some things to know about me
I love dancing, making art, and jumping in the sea whenever I can.
You’ll often find me cooking up a storm at home, or heading out for a long walk to decompress.
Creativity is a big part of my life, and before becoming a coach, I ran creativity retreats where we used collage and painting as tools for self-discovery.
I live in Bristol, though I’m originally from Ireland and try to get back there a couple of times a year to catch up with family.
Click below if you'd like to explore my professional training and credentials.
Wondering if coaching would help?
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