When I started my placement at Bounce, I did not realise I was about to go through one of the biggest personal changes of my life. I had been waiting three years for my ADHD assessment, and halfway through placement I finally got seen. The assessment came in blocks because the process itself was not very ADHD friendly. It brought up childhood memories, school stories and years of feeling different without answers. When the psychologist confirmed I met the criteria, I felt relief but also the sadness that people describe as diagnosis grief. I found myself imagining how different things could have been if I had been understood earlier.
At the same time, I began my medication titration, which completely knocked me off balance during the first week. I felt out of it and disconnected from my usual energy. It was not easy, and it made me realise how lucky I was to be on a placement that offered genuine flexibility and understanding. If this had happened in a traditional ward placement with fixed hours, alarms ringing, noise, pressure and no space to breathe, I honestly do not know how I would have coped. The environment would have worked against me rather than with me.
Bounce has been the opposite. From the beginning, the team encouraged open conversations about neurodiversity. I could talk about my lived experience without fear of judgement. I could take a break if I needed to. I could adjust my schedule around my appointments and my medication. All of this allowed me to continue learning instead of feeling like I was falling behind.
What surprised me most was seeing how many people here recognised themselves in my experience. Bounce is a neurodivergent friendly team without even calling itself that. The way they work naturally adapts to different communication styles, energy levels and attention needs. There is no rigid structure for the sake of structure. There is space for people to be human. I felt seen for the first time in a long time.
Having this experience also made me reflect on past placements where my struggles were not understood. In one setting, the environment was intense and overwhelming. My practice educator told me I did not have resilience. At the time I internalised that, but now I understand it differently. It was not a lack of resilience. It was an environment that was not built for my brain. This placement helped me unlearn that shame.
Being at Bounce has shown me what neuroaffirming practice looks like in real life. It is not about special treatment or lowering expectations. It is about designing a working environment that allows everyone to participate. It is about flexibility, trust and meeting people where they are. It is about listening to someone’s lived experience and respecting that they know their body and brain best.
I am grateful that my diagnosis and my placement overlapped, because I was surrounded by people who understood. Instead of feeling embarrassed or scared, I felt supported. Instead of masking, I could be open. Instead of doubting myself, I felt more connected to who I am as a future occupational therapist.
This experience has shaped the kind of therapist I hope to become. I want to work in a way that notices the child or adult who is masking. I want to recognise the student who is struggling silently. I want to ask the question, does this person need help or does the environment need to change. Most of all, I want to be the kind of practitioner who sees the person first, not the difficulty.
Bounce has given me a space to grow during a very vulnerable moment in my life. I hope that future students who come here feel the same sense of safety, belonging and understanding that I have felt. It has been a gift, and one that will stay with me throughout my career.
