A Love Letter to Psychoed: Reflections on Psychoeducation for ADHD and Autism
Author— Nicoletta Bakolas
The Journey
As I began my placement with the 3 Borough s ervice, I was introduced to the psychoeducation sessions offered as post-diagnostic support for people who received a diagnosis of autism and/or ADHD. While I was familiar with what psychoeducation is and with its value on paper, I realised that I still held preconceptions about this intervention. Many questions played on my mind: Will I just be providing information? Is that enough for the people I will see? Will it have an impact? Having recently concluded 6 months in th is service and having seen the positive impact of this work, I have found a new love for psychoeducation and wanted to share some reflections o f my journey.
The Context
P sychoeducation is a therapeutic approach providing information, knowledge, and resources to individuals, families, and groups to better understand and cope with a condition. T he 3B service offers a post-diagnostic psychoeducation programme typically consisting of an 8-week psychoeducation group with sessions lasting 90 minutes. The sessions focus on increasing understanding of ADHD or autism in day-to-day life, supporting the development and strengthening of skills and strategies to manage any challenge s that may be connected to the diagnosis. The groups also provide the opportunity to meet others who have been diagnosed in adulthood, share experiences , and exchange peer support .
Relevant Questions
With the start of my journey came additional questions. What is the purpose of an intervention? Who defines this and who does that serve? How do we know it is effective? What is a meaningful session, and can we truly measure such outcomes? These are important questions, particularly when thinking about decision-making on which interventions and research topics receive support and funding from the NHS.
Empowerment
One of the most significant aspects of psychoeducation in my view is its capacity for empowerment. By disseminating information and providing a language for people to better understand and name their experiences , we leave them better equipped for self-advocacy and activism, countering existing oppressive power structures. With that in mind, we clinicians carry a significant responsibility and must continue to re-evaluate what information , resources, and language is privileged in session materials and whether th at may inadvertently be reinforcing existing dominant systems.
Furthermore, the building of a community in these groups allows for reflections on shared challenges, generating support and motivation for broader activism and reforms. Having a space in the sessions for participants to share their stories was particularly impactful. During this process, p eople received va lidation from other group members , and discussion led to calls to action and advocacy . P articipants shar ed success stories and advice for taking care of themselves in the process, fostering motivation and support for making change.
There is also an inherently empowering element (both for clients and clinicians) in supporting people to actively manage their own symptoms and conditions through the provision of knowledge and making informed choices around their care planning.
Validation and Normalisation
Validation and normalisation stood out as particularly valuable therapeutic elements. Many neurodivergent people have ha d invalidating experiences, leading to self-blame and internalised invalidation, which then impact s on wellbeing, functioning, identity, and self-worth. The act of naming, validating , and normalising this cycle and emotions that come from it was extremely impactful.
There is an intangible therapeutic quality about holding this space, exploring self-critical thoughts, and supporting people to link past experiences with present self-criticism. Encouraging the shift in participants becoming more self-compassionate and re-framing past ‘failings’ from a kinder perspective was a core aspect of this work . Through this process, challenges are understood not as ‘personal failures’ or ‘lack of effort ’, but rather as stemming from lack of support and accommodations and systemic inequalities , while s trengths and resilience are highlighted .
Neurodiversity and Identity
Integrating discussion around neurodiversity and identity and explicitly addressing the impact of trauma and systemic inequalities within psychoeducation session materials was incredibly important for group participants. Group reflections even highlighted instances where the impact of racism on their experiences had not been previously recognised by NHS services, affecting their perception of and trust in these services. This underscores our responsibility as clinicians to continuously develop and update materials that highlight identity and intersectionality.
Conclusion
I am truly grateful for my experiences training in this service, the chance to become immersed in a different way of working and seeing psychoeducation interventions in a new light. Ultimately, psychoeducation is much more than ‘just’ the provision of information. It is a dynamic and therapeutic process that bolsters understanding, empowers individuals, builds community, and validates the continuously invalidated experiences. I will carry on my passion and drive for this type of work through out my career.
About the author
Nicoletta is a Trainee Clinical Psychologist at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust ( SLaM ) and is completing her doctoral training at King’s College London. As part of her training, she completed a six-month placement with the 3 Borough Adult ADHD & Autism Service, providing post-diagnostic psychoeducation.
