Access to Work Strategy Coaching
Strategy Coaching
Trying to work whilst managing disability, chronic illness, neurodivergence, mental health, burnout or overwhelm can feel like doing two full-time jobs at once.
Not because you are failing. Because many workplaces, systems and expectations were never designed with disabled people in mind.
I offer Access to Work strategy coaching for employed and self-employed people who need practical, sustainable support to navigate work in a way that actually works for them.
My background in coaching and psychotherapy means this work is not just about productivity hacks or forcing yourself to “push through.” It is about understanding the reality of working whilst managing fluctuating health, stress, access barriers, executive functioning difficulties, fatigue, anxiety, sensory overwhelm, confidence loss or the long-term impact of surviving environments where you have had to constantly adapt just to keep going.
Before working independently, I worked within an agency supporting clients with Access to Work awards. I helped develop coaching services, supported the building of workplace support teams, and worked alongside people navigating both employment and self-employment whilst trying to access the support they were entitled to.
I also supported people through the Access to Work application process itself, helping them understand what support may be available and how to advocate for what they genuinely needed.
What is Access to Work?
Access to Work is a UK government scheme run through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
It can provide funding and practical support for disabled people or people with long-term health conditions who are working, self-employed, starting a business or preparing to begin work.
Support can sometimes include:
Strategy coaching
Workplace support workers
Specialist equipment
Travel support
Communication support
Mental health support services
Adjustments to help you remain in work
Many people are entitled to support they either do not know exists or do not feel “disabled enough” to ask for.
What does strategy coaching involve?
Strategy coaching is tailored to you, your work and the way your brain and body actually function.
For some people, this looks practical and structured.
For others, it starts with untangling the exhaustion that comes from years of masking, over-performing or trying to work in ways that were never sustainable.
Sessions may include:
Managing overwhelm, stress and workplace anxiety
Building sustainable ways of working
Executive functioning and planning support
Prioritising and managing workload
Communication and boundary setting
Navigating self-employment whilst disabled
Understanding capacity and pacing
Reducing burnout cycles
Confidence rebuilding after illness, trauma or workplace experiences
Creating realistic strategies that work in real life, not just on paper
My approach blends coaching and therapeutic understanding. Sometimes people need practical structure. Sometimes they need space to process what working life has done to them. Often, it is both.
Access to Work Support for Self-Employed People
Self-employed people are often left trying to manage everything alone.
There can be pressure to constantly produce, stay visible, keep earning and hold everything together regardless of health, energy or capacity.
Access to Work can sometimes fund coaching and practical support for self-employed people, including freelancers, business owners and sole traders.
I understand the additional complexity that comes with balancing health, income, identity, visibility and sustainability when your business depends on you functioning.
This work is not about turning you into a productivity machine.
It is about helping you create ways of working that are more sustainable, accessible and realistic for your life.
Coaching That Understands the Human Behind the Work
Many people I work with are highly capable people who have spent years adapting quietly.
People who are exhausted from trying to appear “fine.”
People who are good at surviving but struggling to sustain.
People who need support that sees the whole picture, not just their output.
You do not need to have everything figured out before reaching out.
If you would like to explore Access to Work strategy coaching or support around applying for Access to Work, you are welcome to get in touch.