every late bloomer has a story

Two colorful, stylized flowers, one orange with five petals and yellow accents in the center, the other pink with six petals and a red center, each with green leaves, set against a blurred multicolored background.

MY STORY

MORE THAN A DIAGNOSIS

I was six years old the first time I walked into a therapist's office. Back then, I obviously couldn't have told you why I was there… I just knew that life felt harder for me than it seemed to for everyone else. As I got older, that feeling never really went away. I watched people around me make friends, cope with change, and carry on through different stages of life in ways that looked so effortless, while I constantly felt like I was trying to keep my head above water.

Over the years I was told it was anxiety, and later depression, and while those were very real parts of my experience, they never quite explained why I felt so different.

Looking back now, I realise I wasn't so much searching for a diagnosis as much as I was searching for some authentic understanding of who I was. Receiving my autism diagnosis at 25 didn't suddenly change my life overnight, but it completely changed the way I looked back on it. For the first time, my story actually made sense, and I could finally replace years of self-criticism with compassion.

Pink flower with seven petals and orange dots in the center on a black background.
Pink flower with seven petals and orange dots in the center on a black background.
A young woman with dark hair smiling while sitting on the ground in a park, wearing a pink floral top and roller skates with pink wheels, with a background of cars and trees.

I've always been a quiet observer. As a child, I spent so much time standing back and listening that one of my teachers actually thought I was mute. Looking back, I think I've always just been curious about people. I love hearing their stories and understanding why they experience the world the way they do.

That curiosity is a big part of why I love coaching. I enjoy helping people make sense of experiences that have felt confusing for years, without rushing them to find an answer.

Outside of coaching, I'm happiest when life feels a little slower. Running has become one of the ways I clear my head, and I've learnt just how much I need sunshine, nature, animals, and time with my family to feel grounded.

I want coaching to feel the same way… a space where you can slow down, breathe deep, and untangle your thoughts.

-Elena

A simple illustration of a light green flower with seven petals and a yellow center, set against a black background.
Woman standing on a sandy beach, smiling, holding shoes, with ocean and cliffs in background, under partly cloudy sky.

“The last thing I want to do is to help you become a different person… I want to help you feel at home in the person that you were born as".”

Work with me

If you've enjoyed getting to know me here, come and join me over on my YouTube channel (Elena Carroll). I share a new video every week, covering honest conversations, practical tools, and topics that support greater self-understanding. It's also a great place to continue learning between coaching sessions.

Hear It in My Own Words

For more educational content and behind-the-scenes moments, come and join me on Instagram.

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