NAVIGATING CHANGE when Neurodivergent

Change happens, but feeling completely unprepared and unsettled by it? That doesn’t have to be your reality.

Maybe you're juggling the rollercoaster of emotions from a breakup, a surprise job shift, or the pressures of caregiving and family stuff. Or maybe you've been yearning for a place where you truly fit in, but you still feel stuck—like you're caught between what used to be and the uncertainty of what's next.

One moment, you're excited about a fresh start, and the next, you're hit with doubt, fear, or sadness that seems to take over.

Here’s something important—handling life's twists and turns doesn’t mean you need to have every detail planned out. It’s more about building tools and strategies that help you manage things as they come.

So why does change feel so overwhelming, especially when it’s unexpected? It’s not your fault.

For neurodivergent folks, the unknown or the sudden shift in routines can feel extra unsettling. It’s how our brains and bodies are wired—we crave structure, predictability, and knowing what to expect. If your past included instability or unmet needs, your system might cling tightly to what’s familiar—even when that familiarity isn’t working anymore.  We struggle with change in our daily lives in different ways to neurotypical folk, so when a BIG life change occurs….we often go into overwhelm and cannot function effectively, because:

• Breakups can feel shattering—your brain and body see disconnection as a threat to your sense of safety and identity.

• Career changes bring extra anxiety—uncertainty feels chaotic, even when the new path could be a good one.

• Starting something new can feel overwhelming—your experiences may have taught you that change equals instability or risk.

• Life transitions like empty nesting might hit harder—your sense of purpose and structure shifts, and that can feel like a loss, even though it’s natural.

The good news? You can learn to navigate these challenges in ways that work for your brain and body.  Through tools like Equine Informed Awareness, a somatic (body-based) approach, you can start to create a foundation of safety and self-trust. Instead of just understanding the patterns of your past, this kind of work helps you retrain your nervous system to feel secure, stable, and resilient in the face of change—on your terms.  The key for neurodivergent folk is somatic – body based – modalities. We work harder to be connected and grounded just to exist in a neurotypical world.  So when we face BIG life changes we need extra support.

If you’d like to explore this Equine Informed Awareness and how it could help, feel free to get in touch at elizabethdenniss@bigpond.com or 0456728961.  You can also check out videos of what Equine Informed Awareness sessions look like at our property website Rainbow Ridge Farm.