My journey into nutrition began when my child was five years old. By that time, my husband and I were already aware that our child was different, so we had strategies in place to accommodate and meet their special needs. However, these seemed insufficient in the face of the new challenges. Suddenly, our child stopped using words to communicate. They found most food textures unpalatable, so getting them to eat was a struggle. They were unable to wear clothes as these would hurt their hypersensitive skin. If we managed to go out, they would meltdown in public places as the noise and light levels were too overwhelming for them. They would become very agitated or fearful when in a group setting, so we had to reduce or sometimes avoid attending social gatherings. Also, they frequently seemed to be in a physical pain that couldn't be explained.

All this was heart-breaking, so I became single-minded in the pursuit to understand what was happening to my child and find ways to help them.

I threw myself into research. Pouring over books, articles, scientific papers, I discovered the whole new world of evidence based nutritional science. One of the first things I realized was how some of the foods my child liked to eat were in fact making them sick.

In time, I was able to find an approach that was specifically suited to my child's needs. Within months of implementing it, they were again happy, full of energy, curious, talking and making friends. Once their suffering was lifted, their beautiful, neurodiverse self flourished.

This personal success prompted me to find out how to help others in similar circumstances, which eventually led me to study nutrition and gain professional qualification in the field.

There have been many other challenges over the years and it is not over yet. However, today my child is an accomplished, compassionate young adult, with many interests, a group of close friends and a bright future. Their neurodiversity makes them a uniquely resourceful and creative individual – an extraordinary gift for our modern world.

My Story

Professional Qualifications

Diploma in Nutritional Therapy awarded by Crossfields Institute

Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach, Institute of Health Sciences

Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Children & Young people's Mental Health

Certificate of Achievement in Understanding Autism

BA (Hons) English Literature

Mental Health Nurse

mNTOI mFNTP