Celebrating neurodiversity: embracing creativity, strength and inclusion
At South London and Maudsley, we are proud to celebrate Neurodiversity Celebration Week, a time to recognise and appreciate the many ways people experience and interact with the world.
As part of this celebration, we are excited to showcase the incredible artwork of Alice Jo Willow, a talented artist with autism and ADHD who has accessed services at our Trust. Her powerful pieces - ‘When My Neurons Are Dancing’, ‘Sensory Overload’, and ‘Burnout’ - beautifully illustrate the vibrant, yet sometimes overwhelming, reality of being neurodivergent. Alice's work invites us to reflect on what it feels like to experience the world when your mind processes information differently.
‘Sensory Overload’ vividly conveys the intense, sometimes chaotic sensory input that can overwhelm people with autism and ADHD. Describing this piece, she said “My environment can become distorted when I am in sensory overload”. “Bright lights can seem brighter, noises become so loud and my hearing so acute”. “People around me may see me holding my ears, cry or even meltdown, which looks like an anger outburst. But it’s far from anger, it’s distress”.
Alice's portrayal of sensory overload not only captures the intensity of overwhelming sensations but also highlights the strength it takes to navigate these moments, demonstrating the resilience inherent in neurodivergent experiences.
Meanwhile, ‘Burnout’ speaks to the exhaustion that can follow prolonged sensory or social demands. For this piece, she explained how she “specifically chose soft pastels, as they are a delicate medium that can easily break if you apply too much pressure. This is what burnout can feel like”. “I feel I need to hide away from the world and my brain feels so frazzled that it completely shuts down.”
Neurodivergent people, including those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other conditions, often have incredible strengths such as creativity, problem-solving skills and unique perspectives. The challenges they experience aren’t shortcomings; they simply reflect the unique ways neurodivergent minds interact with the world. And, often, these challenges arise because everyday systems and spaces often don’t align with the way neurodivergent minds work.
This is where the social model of disability is important. Rather than viewing neurodivergent individuals as inherently ‘disabled,’ it highlights that barriers exist because society isn’t built to accommodate different ways of thinking and processing. By embracing flexible environments and inclusive attitudes, we can break down these barriers and challenge misconceptions about neurological differences. Greater understanding of diverse experiences can help create spaces where everyone can thrive and contribute their unique strengths.
At South London and Maudsley, we are committed to ensuring our services are accessible, flexible and inclusive. We have implemented better processes for clearly documenting reasonable adjustments that our patients need to access our services. By recording this information, we can better meet individual needs and improve outcomes for those requiring additional support.
In healthcare, understanding and embracing neurodiversity is crucial. By recognising that people experience the world in different ways, we can better tailor our care to meet individual needs. Listening to neurodivergent patients, making adjustments to support them and fostering an environment where everyone feels valued are all vital steps in delivering compassionate, effective care.
Discover more of Alice's amazing work by following her on social media: @alicejwillow on TikTok and alice_jo_willow on Instagram.
