Navigating Life's New Chapter
Empty Nest, ADHD Brain: When Your Children Leave and You Fall Apart
Discover how to thrive during life’s transitions, even when the path feels uncertain. This page offers insights and support for navigating the challenges and opportunities that come with change.
The Impact of Change
“I Should Be Fine… But I’m Not”
They leave for uni, or they move out, and you’re proud.
But inside? It feels like your world is collapsing.
Tears won’t stop. You’re spending impulsively.
You zone out. You’re irritable. You’re wired and flat, all at once.
For many ADHD women, the empty nest isn’t just sad.
It’s an identity crisis.
Redefining Roles
The Emotional Journey Beyond Motherhood
Understanding the Transition
It’s Not Just Grief, It’s Neurological Whiplash
ADHD thrives on stimulation, contact, noise, routine.
Your children provided all of that.
When they leave, the brain loses its anchors , and dopamine crashes follow.
What do we do to compensate?
➔ Shopping sprees
➔ Overeating or undereating
➔ Drinking more
➔ Overbooking ourselves
➔ Crying, zoning out, and not being able to “snap out of it”
Embracing Neurodiversity
When ADHD Meets Motherhood, and Then Motherhood Ends
For years, you had a role. A routine. A rhythm.
Now the house is quiet. You’ve got more space and time…
And instead of feeling free, you feel lost.
This isn’t weakness. It’s the ADHD brain losing its scaffolding.
From Quick Fixes to Lasting Peace
Cultivating Self-Compassion
Navigating Change
You’re Not a Bad Mum (or Broken)
Each person regulates differently.
My son is ADHD and dyslexic; he just needs a small pocket of time and attention. A quick check-in, a hug, and he’s topped up.
My daughter is more likely to be autistic and also dyslexic. She doesn’t like to be hugged. She prefers quiet company and gentle presence.
And me? I don’t mind touch, as long as I’m not tired or overwhelmed.
It’s different for all of us.
What matters most is recognising that neurodivergent needs vary, and asking “What helps you feel safe and regulated?” is the most powerful place to begin.
Reflective Exploration
From Dopamine Hits to Self-Compassion
The instinct is to self-soothe, quickly.
That means shopping, eating, swiping, and spiralling.
Instead, therapy helps you build long-term relief:
➔ Understanding your wiring
➔ Replacing impulsivity with consistency
➔ Talking through identity shifts without shame
➔ Naming grief and rage without guilt
Navigating Emotional Transitions
Understanding Life's Shifts
You’re not going mad.
You’re entering a new season, and your brain doesn’t know the rules yet.
Let’s rewrite them together.
Questions I Ask My Clients
➔ Who are you when you’re not parenting?
➔ What does your brain need to feel safe, every day?
➔ What are your dopamine defaults (and how can we soften them)?
➔ What does support look like for you?
Understanding Eating Disorders
Recovery Isn’t Just for Eating — It’s for Identity, Too
This is recovery.
Not from illness. But from perfection.
From burnout. From shame.
And if your ADHD is crashing post-parenthood, I promise you’re not alone.
A Journey of Understanding
Meet Becky Stone
I’m Becky Stone, a neurodivergent, trauma-informed therapist based in Canterbury. I specialise in supporting women with ADHD, eating disorders, and emotional overwhelm, especially during identity-shifting transitions like the empty nest. As a late-diagnosed ADHD woman myself, I know how hard it is when the roles you’ve built your life around suddenly change. My work is grounded in honesty, flexibility, and self-trust, helping you understand your nervous system, reconnect with who you are, and rebuild a sense of safety and self-worth from the inside out.
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