Lucy Smith

Speaker, Facilitator, Compare

Inspiring audiences & making a difference

Neurodiversity | Managing Change | Resilience

Life Stories | Social Enterprise

Authentic storytelling that makes a difference

Hi, I am Lucy!

Some people call me the "pocket rocket". I think that is because I have passion and energy to bring out the best in an audience.

I have been working with audiences for almost 25 years in many guises - Lecturer, radio presenter, drama teacher, children's entertainer (I have been a professional fairy) facilitator, compare and speaker.

As a speaker I believe there has to be some substance behind us and I sure have that too. Not being able to settle and always saying "YES" to opportunities has led to a whole lot of experience that informs my work and my presentations.

At my core I am a purpose led social entrepreneur who loves to start a conversation about topics that matter.

I start those conversations with stories some that will surprise and some that will inspire. I talk about some difficult stuff and combine my unique expertise and knowledge.

Relatable, authentic and thought provoking

Lucy x

Neurodiversity

What is your perspective?

I come from a range of different perspectives when I talk about neurodiversity. From pedagogy, organisation development and leadership, research, personal and family and real lived experience. With a a strengths based approach I talk positively and with passion about change and neurodiversity in work, school and community.

I engage audiences to get them thinking and start conversations that will make and does make a lasting difference.

Change Management

Let me meet you at your

bus-stop

In the world of change management, it's not about imposing a new route; it's about understanding where you're starting from.

I have spent a decade working with senior leaders in transformational change where I have learned that change is often an individual journey and we will all join that journey from a different bus-stop.

I combine theory with reality and always have an eye on the future.

Life Stories

The secret change agent

A wealth of stories based on real lived experience with plenty of lessons for the future. Spilling some my secrets on here would be giving away some of my best work which you will want to hear straight from the source.

Oh, okay, let's just say I can talk about resilience, royalty, and some really fun stuff from a career in international law enforcement,

Social Enterprise

Making a difference - the torch that lights the stars

Lighting people up to make sustainable change happen is a big part of what I do. From setting up a community radio station to developing an innovative and groundbreaking conference around digital wellbeing and young people.

I talk the talk and walk the walk when it comes to social enterprise, from grass roots to engagement at the highest levels right up to Downing Street.

What do other people say?

Don't take it from me, here is what others say about working with me.

Work with me

Want to work with me?

Book a call to work directly with me.

Choose from 60 or 30 minutes.

A chance to talk about your challenges, ask questions, work through a problem.

It's your call and your time.

Listen online

Podcasts, interviews and YouTube

Read more

The blog

a pink background with two women's torso. the text says From Brain Fog to Clarity, Why can't I focus.

Why Can’t I Focus Anymore? Menopause, Brain Fog, and the Neurodivergent Mind

April 02, 20254 min read

So, you walk into a room, forget why. You start a sentence, then lose your words mid-flow. You open your laptop to do that one thing and find yourself checking emails, opening three tabs, and staring into the digital abyss.

Sound familiar?

If you’re in perimenopause or menopause - and you’re also neurodivergent - these moments of forgetfulness, distraction, or mental “glitching” aren’t a personality flaw. They’re part of a very real neurological shift. One that can feel scary, disorienting, and invisible to the outside world.

Let’s talk about it.


You’re Not Losing Your Mind: Your Brain Is Rewiring

Menopause is more than hot flashes and skipped periods. It’s a neurological transition. Estrogen, one of the key hormones that supports memory, focus, and mood regulation, begins to decline. For neurodivergent women, this isn’t just a blip - it can feel like an internal system crash.

Executive functioning (planning, organising, remembering) is already a delicate dance for many of us. When hormones shift? That dance turns into trying to tango in quicksand.


What Brain Fog Actually Feels Like

“Brain fog” sounds a bit fluffy, doesn’t it? But for many women, it’s anything but. Here’s how it often shows up:

  • You can’t find the words you want (hello, tip-of-the-tongue syndrome)

  • Tasks that used to be simple now feel impossible to start

  • You read the same paragraph three times and still absorb nothing

  • You forget appointments, names, and why you opened the fridge

Add sensory overload, disrupted sleep, emotional sensitivity, and anxiety to the mix, and you’ve got a full cognitive cocktail.

Why It Hits Neurodivergent Women Harder

If you’re autistic, ADHD, or identify as neurodivergent in any way, your brain already processes the world differently. You may rely heavily on routines, systems, and structure to navigate daily life.

Now imagine those internal systems being scrambled by hormonal upheaval. Yep—it’s a lot.

Common impacts include:

  • Increased sensitivity (to noise, light, textures, even emotions)

  • Executive dysfunction on overdrive

  • Meltdowns or shutdowns you thought you’d “grown out of”

  • Feeling even more out of step with the world around you

So What Can You Do?

Here Are 9 Things That Actually Help

These tips aren’t about “fixing” you. They’re about supporting your brain, honouring your needs, and reclaiming clarity - one small shift at a time.

1. Lower the pressure

This isn’t the season to hold yourself to peak performance. Let “good enough” be enough. Compassion > perfection.

2. Create a single point of truth

Use one planner or digital calendar. Not three. Keep things visual and central.

3. Use task timers

Set a 20-minute timer for a single task. Take a break. Then repeat. Your brain loves rhythm, not pressure.

4. Speak your thoughts aloud

Say what you’re doing as you do it. It helps with memory, focus, and grounding.

5. Drink more water than you think you need

Hydration affects brain function. Set reminders. Add lemon or cucumber if it helps.

6. Ditch multitasking

Do one thing. Then another. Your brain will thank you.

7. Build in white space

Don’t stack your schedule. Leave room between meetings, errands, and activities. Recovery time is brain time.

8. Make your environment sensory-friendly

Dim lighting. Reduce visual clutter. Wear soft clothes. Your nervous system will feel the difference.

9. Say no without guilt

You don’t need a big reason. “I don’t have capacity right now” is enough.

You’re Not Alone in This

One of the hardest parts of navigating menopause as a neurodivergent woman is feeling like no one else gets it. You’re expected to hold it together, keep smiling, keep showing up.

But behind closed doors, so many women are whispering the same thing:

“I don’t feel like myself anymore.”

You’re not making it up.

You’re not the only one.

And, most importantly, you don’t have to go through it alone.

Ready for More Clarity?

If this post had you nodding along or even tearing up a little, the From Brain Fog to Clarity workshop was created for you.

It’s an online session that dives deep into what’s happening in your brain and body, and gives you real, neurodivergent-safe strategies to manage the overwhelm.

We’re not here to “fix” you. We’re here to support you - because the way your brain works is valid, even when it’s foggy.

Join us here:

https://inclusivechange.co.uk/brain-fog-to-clarity-workshop





menopausebrain fogneurodiversityperi-menopauseworkshopneurodivergentADHD and menopauseautism and menopausesymptoms of menopause
blog author image

Lucy Smith

Lucy Smith

Back to Blog

Some of the Companies Inclusive Change Have Worked With

Inclusive Change Ltd

The Brightwell, Bradbury House

Wheatfield Drive

Bradley Stoke, Bristol

BS329DB

Reg no: 12412464

Copyright 2023 - Inclusive Change Ltd

VAT NO: 352 1564 17

ICO Reg: ZB081779

UK Register of Learning Providers: 10090652

Column Header

  • Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consecetuer lorem ipsum

  •  Organically grow the holistic world view of disruptive innovation

  •  At the end of the day, going forward, a new normal that has evolved

Column Header

  • Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consecetuer lorem ipsum

  •  Organically grow the holistic world view of disruptive innovation

  •  At the end of the day, going forward, a new normal that has evolved

Column Header

  • Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consecetuer lorem ipsum

  •  Organically grow the holistic world view of disruptive innovation

  •  At the end of the day, going forward, a new normal that has evolved