More Than Therapists: Survivors, Specialists, Advocates

David Downes doesn’t fit easily into one box — and he wouldn’t want to.

His journey has taken him from the control room of a Royal Navy submarine to the boardrooms of a multimillion-pound tech company, and now, into the heart of psychotherapy practice. But beneath the qualifications and accomplishments lies a far more complex story — one marked by trauma, survival, and extraordinary resilience.

David grew up in a family shaped by loss, silence, and hardship. As a child, he survived emotional trauma no one spoke about. As an adult, he walked away from two near-fatal accidents, both involving serious head injuries, fractured bones, and spinal trauma — the kind of experiences that force a complete re-evaluation of life and identity.

He carries those stories quietly. But they shape everything he does.

David received his ADHD diagnosis in his sixties — and for him, it felt like a light being turned on in a room he’d been living in all his life.

It explained the hyperfocus. The impulsivity. The emotional intensity. The restlessness. And it also explained how he’d managed to survive and thrive — through grit, humour, resourcefulness, and an uncanny ability to adapt under pressure.

His lived experience with adult ADHD, combined with years of clinical expertise, understanding the complexities of trauma vs ADHD or both.  Allows him to support others with rare insight and genuine compassion.

He knows what it’s like to feel misunderstood. He knows how trauma and ADHD can tangle together. And he knows how powerful it can be when someone finally sees you — as you are.

From corporate HR to clinical therapy and coaching, Rebecca’s path has always centred on helping people make sense of overwhelm, because she’s lived it too.

Raised in silence around chaos, Rebecca survived childhood abuse, domestic violence, and profound loss — including the death of their baby son and the long decline of both parents. 

Alongside this, she masked undiagnosed neurodivergence for decades, quietly navigating dyslexia, chronic pain, and autism traits without a name.

Now a BACP-accredited psychotherapist and certified coach, ADHD/AuADHD UKAAN trained. Rebecca supports clients from diverse backgrounds — often late-diagnosed, overwhelmed, or quietly carrying too much. 

Like David, her survival doesn’t define her. But it shapes everything she brings into the room.