What is Neurodivergent Inclusive Coaching

The Coaching Crowd® Podcast with Jo Wheatley & Zoe Hawkins

NDI Coaching Programme & Resources https://igcompany.co.uk/ND

Is kindness enough when it comes to creating inclusive coaching spaces, or do we need something more intentional, informed, and powerful?

In this episode we explore something that sits deeply in our hearts and runs through our work: neurodivergent inclusive coaching.

As coaches, we often say we're inclusive. We’re empathic. We care deeply. But as we discovered through both personal experience and professional insight, good intentions aren’t always enough. Kindness can’t replace knowledge and inclusion doesn’t happen by accident.

Many of our clients are neurodivergent. Some know it. Some don’t. But all of them deserve a coaching space where they can be who they are, without masking, adjusting, or feeling “too much.” That’s the space we’re committed to helping others build.

We talk about how neurodivergent inclusive coaching isn’t just about working with those who are autistic or have ADHD. It’s about setting a tone in our language, our websites, our chemistry calls, and our sessions that says; “You are safe here.”

We break down why language matters so much. For instance, referring to someone as “a person with autism” versus “an autistic person” may seem like a detail, but it can reflect respect or a lack of understanding. These nuances define how welcoming our spaces feel.

We dive into strength-based coaching, trauma-informed practice, sensory sensitivity awareness, communication differences, and how to adapt your coaching rather than expecting clients to conform.

So often, neurodivergent clients have lived through trauma, especially from workplaces or education systems that weren’t built with their needs in mind. These layers show up in coaching, and we need the skills to recognise, honour, and support that.

From eye contact and body language to executive functioning and stimming, we explore practical ways to create a truly inclusive space, and challenge the assumption that neutrality equals inclusivity. It doesn’t.

Creating neurodivergent inclusive coaching isn’t optional if you care about inclusion. It’s not just about adding a string to your bow. It’s about making your coaching safer, deeper, and more human.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 — Why this topic matters so much to us
• 01:30 — What it means to be neurodivergent inclusive
• 03:50 — The power of language and identity
• 06:15 — Strength-based coaching, masking, and belonging
• 10:00 — Trauma and internalised neuro-negativity
• 13:50 — Creating space for unmasking and authentic presence
• 17:30 — Sensory sensitivity, communication preferences & micro-adjustments
• 23:40 — Why inclusion must be intentional, not assumed
• 27:00 — What’s in the NDI Coaching Programme and how to join

Key Lessons Learned:

1. Inclusion isn’t passive: it requires education, intention, and effort.
2. Neurodivergent clients have often experienced trauma: understanding that changes the way we coach.
3. Language and labels matter: small shifts can build or break trust.
4. Masking is exhausting: coaching should be the space where people can unmask safely.
5. Strength-based approaches honour neurodivergence instead of trying to “fix” it.
6. Your job as a coach is to adapt: not to expect your client to adjust to you.
7. Kindness is not enough: inclusion takes ongoing learning and humility.

Keywords:

Neurodivergent inclusive coaching, Coaching for neurodivergent clients, Inclusive coaching environments, Trauma-informed coaching, Coaching and masking, ADHD coaching strategies, Autism friendly coaching, Neurodiversity in coaching, Strength-based coaching, Sensory sensitivity in coaching,

Links:

• NDI Coaching Programme & Resources https://igcompany.co.uk/ND
• All coaching programmes mentioned (Emotions Coaching, Neurodivergent Inclusive Coaching, CPD, Foundations to Masters):https://igcompany.co.uk