By Dr Tamasine Black, Founder and Clinical and Educational Psychologist at Tabla Psychology
Every year, World Mental Health Week invites us to pause and reflect on something we all share but often struggle to talk about – our emotional wellbeing.
As a psychologist specialising in autism, ADHD, and family support, I see every day how the language of “mental health” can feel distant or even irrelevant to families whose challenges don’t fit neat categories. When your child struggles with sensory overload, emotional outbursts, or rigid thinking, “mental health” isn’t always what comes to mind. But it should be.
Mental Health Isn’t Always About Anxiety or Depression
Mental health is often misunderstood as just “feeling sad” or “feeling anxious.” But in neurodivergent children and teens, mental health can look like:
- Meltdowns after school from masking all day
- Refusal to attend school, not out of defiance but overwhelm
- Constant vigilance from a parent trying to keep their child regulated
- Siblings quietly struggling in the background
Mental health is about how we cope with the world, and how the world responds to who we are.
For Parents: Your Mental Health Matters Too
Many of the parents I work with are running on empty. They’re the project manager, case worker, emotional sponge, and 24/7 interpreter for a child whose needs are rarely understood. They often come to me burnt out, not because they’re doing anything wrong – but because the systems around them expect superhuman stamina.
World Mental Health Week is for you too.
Supporting a neurodivergent child requires an understanding of both behaviour and underlying neurology. It also requires permission—for rest, for help, and for gentleness toward yourself.
Schools, Systems, and Support
One of the most important parts of my work is writing assessment reports for children whose needs are not being met—often because their mental health challenges aren’t “visible enough.” Schools may not realise that the child who never speaks, or who jokes constantly, or who gets 9/10 on a spelling test but cries every morning before school, is struggling deeply.
This is why I believe in integrating clinical and educational psychology—so we can speak both languages and build a bridge between diagnosis and day-to-day support.
What I Hope for This Week
Mental health is not something separate from neurodiversity, as for every one, it is woven through every part of it.
Supporting autistic and ADHD children means understanding how emotional regulation, executive function, sensory processing, and social experience affect their wellbeing every day.
And supporting their mental health starts with supporting yours too.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
At Tabla Psychology, we offer in-depth assessments for autism, ADHD, and SEND Tribunal support—but more than that, we offer understanding. This month’s free talk is ‘Anxiety and Autism: Practical Strategies Masterclass’ and it’s open to all.
