Occupational Therapy for Adults with ADHD, Autism and Burnout
Support to help you function, regulate, and design a life that works with your brain.
Approach
Many adults who reach out for occupational therapy aren’t looking for motivation or productivity tips. They’re looking for support that helps them design daily life in a way that reduces friction between what matters to them and what feels possible right now.
This work is especially helpful for people who are insightful and capable, yet find themselves cycling through overwhelm, shutdown, or difficulty following through. Together we slow things down, understand what’s happening in the nervous system and daily routines, and build practical strategies that actually fit your life.
A common experience
Many of the people I work with are capable, intelligent adults who care deeply about doing things well. They are reflective, resourceful, and often the people others rely on.
They think deeply. They notice patterns. They’ve experimented with tools, systems, and routines in an effort to shape daily life intentionally.
And yet, there can be a sense that things require more effort than they need to.
For adults with ADHD or autism, differences in attention, energy rhythms, and sensory processing mean that environments designed for consistency and linear productivity don’t always align naturally with how they operate.
Occupational therapy focuses on alignment - understanding how your brain and nervous system work, and shaping routines, environments, and expectations so daily life flows with your strengths rather than against them
Alyse Iliffe
Occupational Therapist
I’m an Occupational Therapist registered with AHPRA, working primarily with neurodivergent adults. My background in occupational therapy, along with additional training in mental health, executive functioning, sensory processing, and nervous system-informed practice, shapes the way I approach my work.
Much of my OT career has been supporting children and families which gave me a strong understanding of neurodevelopment across the lifespan. Over time, my work naturally shifted toward adults navigating ADHD, autism, burnout, and the complexity of everyday life.
I enjoy working with people who are curious about how their minds work and want practical ways to make life feel easier. I appreciate the honesty, creativity, humour, and directness that often come with neurodivergent ways of thinking.
My practice has also been shaped by my own experience of adjusting work and life while recovering from significant burnout. I understand how confusing it can feel when effort doesn’t seem to translate into ease and how much steadier things can become when daily structures genuinely fit your capacity and values.
I care about offering a service that is thoughtful and well-considered. That means taking time to understand what’s actually happening, being deliberate about the support we focus on, and shaping strategies that work in the context of your real life.
What working together looks like
In the early stages, we build a clear picture of how your day actually functions across home, work/study, relationships, and self-care. We look at patterns in attention, energy, sensory load, transitions, and routines to understand where things flow easily and where friction builds.
Support might include:
Understanding your patterns
Clarifying meaningful goals
Understanding patterns in daily functioning
Identifying where executive functioning, sensory processing, or environmental demands create unnecessary strain
Designing systems that fit
Designing routines and systems that align with how you naturally operate
Strengthening planning, task initiation, transitions, and follow-through
Adjusting environments or expectations to support greater consistency
Building capacity
Developing regulation skills and awareness of energy and sensory thresholds
Strengthening communication and self-advocacy at work, study, or in relationships
Exploring regulation, identity, or navigating changing demands.