The Neurodivergent Naturopath

The Neurodivergent Naturopath Clinical Naturopath, Specialising in paediatric & women's health care (fertility, hormones, pregnancy & postpartum). Support for Neurodivergent families

PRACTITIONER
As a medical practitioner my role is to provide educate, my role is to guide and support you and your family. NURTURER
I have always been a nurturer, however by becoming a mother my nurturing skills have really flourished. This is one of my biggest strengths and helps me in holding space for parents to release what they need to in our sessions so that they can resume being the awesom

e parent they are. It's not just children that thrive in a position of being nurtured. SUPPORTER
I will be your biggest supporter, this is a completely judgement free zone where you are able to express yourself completely and freely. CONNECTION
Connection & feeling safe within the work we do together is important. A healthy connection between myself and clients is what I strive for. Trust is formed from this connection (after all we are working within your family unit). CHILDRENS DEVELOPMENT
I have a background in Education. Children, their development & health/wellbeing has always been a keen interest of mine. With a special interest in neurodiversities, I'm constantly sifting through research for information that can assist neurodivergent families like mine with the various health challenges that arise.

If your child wakes at 4–5am, I have some practical tips 👇In clinic, I troubleshoot early waking in this order, because ...
08/06/2026

If your child wakes at 4–5am, I have some practical tips 👇

In clinic, I troubleshoot early waking in this order, because it stops you chasing random hacks:

1) Sleep pressure + overstimulation: Overtired kids don’t always sleep longer, they often wake earlier. If bedtime is late, chaotic, or full of negotiation, their nervous system stays on alert.

2) Hunger / fuel debt: Especially if lunch comes home untouched or dinner is light. Some kids wake early because their body is doing a quiet “feed me” alarm.

3) Airway / congestion: Mouth breathing, snoring, restless sleep, chronic blocked nose = lighter sleep and earlier wakes (not to mention poor cognition that stems from this)

4) Discomfort you can’t see: Constipation. Reflux. Eczema itch. Growing pains (If the body isn’t comfortable, it won’t stay asleep).

5) Environment: Early light + warmth flips the “awake” switch fast (especially in lighter sleepers).

Here's a very practical and general 7-day experiment:
👉protein included at dinner
👉optional small bedtime snack if needed
👉darker room (block early light)
👉quick check on constipation/allergy signs

If early waking is relentless and your child seems unrefreshed, I take that seriously. Sleep quality affects regulation, gut function, skin inflammation, and immune resilience; it’s one of the first things I map in consultations.

So if you need a more solid plan that's beyond the general practical tips above, it might be time to book your initial appointment or book your free 15min naturopathic chat.

Look at all of these beauties!! We had a big order arrive just a few days ago and already down to these last 15 (yes the...
07/06/2026

Look at all of these beauties!! We had a big order arrive just a few days ago and already down to these last 15 (yes there will be more to come but only one of each pattern!).

If you see one you love here's the link: https://www.neurothrive.com.au/category/all-products

Maybe your body has been asking for support for a long time. Sometimes it talks through exhaustion that doesn’t make sen...
07/06/2026

Maybe your body has been asking for support for a long time. Sometimes it talks through exhaustion that doesn’t make sense.

It might be:
- A gut that reacts to everything.
- Hormones that seem to change the whole weather system inside you.
- Food feeling harder than it “should”.
- Sensory overwhelm.
- Shutdowns.
- The feeling that you’re coping… but only just.

You are allowed to have a body that needs gentleness.
You are allowed to need more rest.
You are allowed to need food that feels safe.
You are allowed to need support that actually fits your brain, your capacity, and your real life.

My work is about sitting with the whole picture of you. Your nervous system, your digestion, your hormones, your energy, your history, your lived experience.

Healing starts there.

I’m Sarah, naturopath, mum of neurodivergent kiddos, soon to be a paediatric counsellor, indoor plant murderer, golden r...
05/06/2026

I’m Sarah, naturopath, mum of neurodivergent kiddos, soon to be a paediatric counsellor, indoor plant murderer, golden retriever collector, and very big believer that food is medicine.

My work sits in the space where paediatric health, women’s hormones, neurodivergence, feeding challenges, gut health, mental health and real family life all overlap.

I support families navigating ADHD, autism, ARFID, picky eating, big feelings, sensory overwhelm, sleep struggles, gut symptoms, immune issues and the general “why does everything feel so hard right now?” season of parenting.

I’m also studying counselling, with the dream of bringing more paediatric counselling and animal assisted therapy into my work, especially for kids who need support that feels safe, gentle and neuroaffirming.

Also, yes, I do collect golden retrievers (For professional reasons, obviously).

# #

This might be controversial, but adults get to build meals around their preferences, then call kids “fussy” for having t...
04/06/2026

This might be controversial, but adults get to build meals around their preferences, then call kids “fussy” for having theirs.

As adults we choose the meals.
As adults we choose the flavours.
As adults we choose the textures.
As adults we choose what goes in the trolley.
As adults we leave things off our own plates all the time.

But when a child has strong food preferences, suddenly it becomes a problem.
And for children with ARFID, sensory eating differences, anxiety around food, gut symptoms, past choking, vomiting, pain, or neurodivergent nervous systems, this goes far beyond “just being fussy” Food can feel genuinely unsafe.

By removing safe foods, it doesn't magically create food confidence.
- It creates panic.
- It reduces intake.
- It increases pressure.
- It makes the table feel even less safe.

A safe food isn't a bad habit. IT IS A REQUIREMENT.
This is definitely not “giving in”. Sometimes it's the bridge we need.

Trust me I DO know how exhausting this is. The goal is to keep your child fed while we slowly build trust, safety, regulation and capacity around food.

Food bravery grows from safety, not pressure

✌️Sarah

04/06/2026

MORE pretty stuff landed at the clinic!!! Look at these heat bags by .by.ky 🩷🩷

A lot of ND kids genuinely don’t know if they’re hungry, thirsty, tired, or needing the toilet, until it’s urgent (this ...
02/06/2026

A lot of ND kids genuinely don’t know if they’re hungry, thirsty, tired, or needing the toilet, until it’s urgent (this is called interoception).

So asking “Are you hungry?” often gets a reflex no, and then everyone is confused when they melt down 15 minutes later.

Try swapping questions for a routine.
No big talk. Just the same steps at the same times.

The simplest body-check routine:
Food • Water • Toilet • Quiet

Use it:
• on waking
• after school
• before bed
• before leaving the house

Save this for the days that unravel fast.

Comment BODY CHECK if you want a printable routine card with some easy on hand snacks that you can have ready for pickup, you can stick them the fridge.

If your child goes from fine → furious/teary/panicked in five minutes, it’s worth checking if their body cues arrived la...
01/06/2026

If your child goes from fine → furious/teary/panicked in five minutes, it’s worth checking if their body cues arrived late.

A lot of neurodivergent kids have patchy interoception (the sense of what’s happening inside the body) - which is a big topic to unpack, but if you're looking for info head over to my blogs on the website.

So instead of noticing early signs like “I’m getting hungry” or “I need the toilet,” they notice it when it’s already an emergency. which can look like:
• “I’m not hungry” all day → meltdown at 4pm
• refusing water → headache/irritability
• ignoring toileting cues → constipation loops
• sudden nausea or “tummy ache” right when demands increase
• big feelings that magically improve after food / water / bathroom

Don’t wait for hunger cues. Some kids don’t get them in time.

Build body-check moments into your day (no big talk, just routine):
👉on waking
👉before school
👉after school
👉before bed

Keep it simple:
“Food, water, toilet — what’s your body needing?”
If they don’t know, offer the default: snack + drink + bathroom try.

Stimulant meds can be life-changing, and yet they can also quietly wreck your eating rhythm if you don’t plan around the...
30/05/2026

Stimulant meds can be life-changing, and yet they can also quietly wreck your eating rhythm if you don’t plan around them.

Loads of my patients are on ADHD meds and meal timing is something we usually have to do a bit of work around.

If stimulant meds blunt your appetite, it can set up a predictable loop:
🌞Day: not hungry → forget food → run on adrenaline
🌙Night: meds wear off → hunger hits hard → snack spiral → sleep gets messy

What helps (simple, realistic):
1. Eat before meds (or immediately after).. even something small!
2. Mini-meals while meds are active (smoothie, yoghurt, snack plate, soup)
3. Bridging snack mid-afternoon so dinner isn’t a rescue mission
4. Plan dinner before rebound hunger turns into chaos

You can have effective meds and a nervous system that isn’t running on fumes ✌

Constipation isn’t just “a bit uncomfortable.”When motility slows, people often notice:▪️bloating and reflux▪️nausea / p...
27/05/2026

Constipation isn’t just “a bit uncomfortable.”

When motility slows, people often notice:
▪️bloating and reflux
▪️nausea / poor appetite in the morning
▪️headaches
▪️skin flares
▪️worse PMS
▪️irritability + fog (because you feel gross in your body)
▪️foods “randomly” not sitting well

ADHD makes constipation more likely because of:
▪️ inconsistent meals and hydration
▪️ ignoring body cues (interoception)
▪️ sedentary focus marathons
▪️ meds for some people
▪️stress physiology

The boring basics that actually move the needle:
▪️regular hydration earlier in the day
▪️breakfast with protein + fibre
▪️daily movement that includes a gentle walk
▪️enough dietary fibre for you (not a heroic amount)
▪️magnesium/gut support with practitioner guidance

If your gut is sluggish, everything else gets harder.

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Brisbane, QLD
4509

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+61415622231

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