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Michelle Shavdia

FOUNDER/ADHD COACHING PSYCHOLOGIST
MSC (DIST.), BSC (HONS)

Feeling dismissed? Frustrated? Misunderstood? Not knowing which way to turn? Then I may be able to help you.

I am Michelle Shavdia, a coaching psychologist who set up Find Your Spark in 2011 initially to support at-risk young people following the London Riots because I myself was an lost at-risk young person so understood some of the challenges these young people were experiencing.

Since then, Find Your Spark has evolved to support parents, professionals and more recently adults and children with ADHD.

This is because I was late diagnosed with ADHD, dyspraxia and dyscalculia at 37 years old.

Up to that point, ADHD had never been suggested to me so I lived 37 years not realising and knowing this was why I was so different to my peers and finding things so much more difficult. You may resonate with this yourself.

Prior to getting my diagnosis and then again subsequently, I realised there was not a lot of support available to adults with ADHD so I created an ADHD Awareness support session for this very reason, which was needed by the public and has grown from strength.

I have 20 years’ experience of coaching, mentoring and delivering inspiring talks to young people and adults.

I qualified with a Coaching Psychology Masters in 2015 and began supporting young people, parents and professionals in London, Thurrock, Colchester and Tendring.

Subsequent to my late ADHD diagnosis, I now work with, coach and support those with ADHD. My typical clients include adults, parents and young people to help them navigate a neurotypical world and system that is not set up to accommodate their ADHD brain. This is my passion now, to help people with ADHD overcome these challenges and to change the current perception of ADHD.

When I am not working I love to read, watch crime documentaries, boxsets, listen to podcasts (my favourites being Parenting Hell and Staying Relevant) and going for walks with my therapy dog Marley.

My formal qualifications include:

I have published research in a highly regarded coaching journal in 2015 which some of the Find Your Spark interventions are based on.

I have also won many awards and grants including the Haberdashers’ Grant and funding from Investec’s Bromley By Bow’s Beyond Business programme which enabled me to set up Find Your Spark as a social enterprise. I also have received one to one business mentoring and coaching from Ernst & Young, Llyods and BT. I additionally receive regular monthly clinical supervision.

I have completed several professional short courses and CPD events related to ADHD, psychology and working safely with people, most recently these include:

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