Neurodivergent Communications Specialist

A middle-aged woman with dark hair tied back, wearing glasses and a dark grey top, sitting indoors against a plain light-coloured wall. She is closing her eyes tightly and holding her nose with her right hand, as if reacting to an unpleasant smell. Her expression suggests discomfort or sensory overwhelm. She wears a silver bracelet on her right wrist. The image conveys a moment of sensory overload or aversion to a strong or unpleasant scent.

A middle-aged woman with dark hair tied back and wearing glasses, indoors against a plain light-coloured background. She is squinting and grimacing slightly, shielding her eyes with her right hand as if reacting to a bright, overwhelming light. Her expression conveys discomfort and sensory overload caused by the intense brightness. She wears a dark top and her hair is pulled back loosely. The image portrays sensory overwhelm due to bright light.

A middle-aged woman with dark hair tied back, wearing glasses and a dark top, indoors against a plain light-coloured background. She is holding both hands to her ears, eyes closed tightly, and grimacing as if overwhelmed by loud noise or sensory overload. Her expression conveys distress and discomfort due to excessive auditory stimuli. She wears a watch on her left wrist. The image portrays sensory overload caused by noise.

A woman wearing glasses and a dark headscarf is indoors against a plain background. She has her eyes closed tightly and both hands pressed against her forehead, fingers spread slightly, conveying a sense of sensory overwhelm or mental strain. Her expression suggests discomfort or an attempt to cope with intense sensory input

A woman wearing glasses and a dark headscarf is indoors against a softly lit, plain background. She is smiling warmly with her eyes open, looking slightly downwards. Her expression conveys calmness and gentle happiness, creating a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere.

I’m wired differently

As a female who discovered she has Autism Type 1, ADHD, PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance), Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia in her late thirties, I have found that I am not an alien or weird, or even eccentric. I’m just wired differently. I’ve pushed myself very hard to try to fit in with “normal” people. I tried to modify my behaviour because it didn’t emulate everyone else. I also pushed myself to conform.

But it’s just not me.

I have learned to strike a balance between functioning in society with society’s rules and being true to myself.

Through all this personal development and self-improvement and reflection I have been able to see life through both lenses. This means I’m able to translate for many non-Autistic people who are trying to understand some of the language and behaviours used by those with Autism (or Asperger’s). I can also help explain why someone may react in a certain way in a given situation.

A split image showing two people engaged in conversation outdoors against a wooden fence background. On the left image, a fair woman with dark hair tied back and wearing glasses and a black top is speaking animatedly, her left hand extended towards the man. The image is presented in black and white. On the right image, a man with short dark hair wearing a white and grey striped polo shirt is listening attentively and gesturing with his right index finger raised, as if making a point. Both appear focused and engaged in a serious discussion. The image is presented in colour.

Work Colleagues, Friends & Family

I have found that I am able to help translate some of the behaviours and characteristics to non-Autistic people in words they will understand. This can be very difficult for Autistic people to do themselves. This situation can be very frustrating for both parties. That’s why it’s very rewarding that I can help to bridge that gap.

I have also helped Autistic adults to find ways to get their message across. This often involves helping them understand how to ask for what they want or what they need in the language of non-Autistic people to self-advocate. I have developed a training course called Rules of Engagement TM which addresses these communication problems that present themselves in teams.

Conflict Resolution

My mission is to dispel the Autistic myths of superhero powers and savant characteristics, selfishness, sociopathy, laziness, stubbornness or supposed lack of empathy. It doesn’t matter which side you are on, I can help. Whether you think someone ignores you or you can’t get a job, I can help.

I offer tips and techniques to diffuse tricky communications and behaviours from both side of neuro-diversity. If you would like this translation or interpretation service, please contact me. I work very much on a case by case basis. If you have met an Autistic person you’ve met an Autistic person. Everyone is different and is wired differently.

A conference room filled with people seated in bright green chairs, facing a speaker at the front of the room. The audience consists mostly of women, some taking notes on laptops or notepads. The speaker, dressed in dark clothing, stands near a podium next to a large screen displaying a presentation. The room has large windows on one side, allowing natural light to enter, and ceiling lights providing additional illumination. The atmosphere is professional and focused, suggesting a presentation setting.

A fair woman with dark hair tied back and wearing glasses and a patterned top stands indoors against a bright yellow wall. She is gesturing with both hands, palms facing upwards, as if presenting. To her left is a vertical banner featuring a photo of her and text describing professional services such as coaching, training, and speaking. The setting suggests a workshop, seminar, or professional presentation.

A woman stands at the front of a conference room, speaking to an audience seated in rows of black chairs. The speaker is dressed in black and gesturing with her left hand. The audience, consisting of men and women of various ages, is attentively facing the speaker. The room has white walls, a red accent wall at the back right, and ceiling lights providing bright illumination. There are flip charts and a table with a laptop near the speaker, suggesting a workshop or training session environment.

An award announcement graphic featuring a circular photo of a woman with red hair, glasses, and a blue top, smiling gently. The text reads: "AND THE WINNER IS... SAM WARNER" followed by "Congratulations!" and "SPIRIT OF JOY AWARD 2024." The graphic includes logos for "Speaking Business Summit" and "25+ PSA" in the top corners. The design uses a white background with maroon and gold accents.

I started my company in March 2008 so that I could reach out to more people to help them. I have been very fortunate in my life to have access to books, training and broad experience. Over the years, I have learned a great number of techniques and methods that can help to enhance lives.

I have a degree in Business Management, and I’m also a TEDxSpeaker. I organised TEDxTelford for two years. In addition, I hold a Diploma in Autism Awareness, I’m a Certified Mental Health First Aider, and I am a Distinguished Toastmaster (twice over). So I do, at least, have some credentials to verify that I know what I’m talking about.

“Becoming self-aware is the key that opens the door to enlightenment (Knowledge, Freedom and Happiness). Most people don’t understand the impact they have on the world. When they open their mouth without thinking, when they react instinctively instead of consciously and when they feel they are waiting for something good to happen to them; they are existing, not living.”

Sam Warner

A smiling woman with light brown hair pulled back, wearing glasses and a dark poncho-style shawl with fringes. She is standing indoors on a stage or platform, holding several rolled-up papers and a notebook in her left hand. Her right arm is extended forward in a welcoming or gesturing motion. She wears a name badge on her shawl. The background includes a large screen and a wall with a forest-themed mural. The atmosphere suggests she is speaking or presenting at an event or workshop.

Experienced stage & classroom / virtual trainer and remote coach based in Shropshire, UK.

Certified Mental Health First Aider
Autism Awareness Diploma
Distinguished Toastmaster 2018 & 2020
BA (Hons) Business Management

Passionate. Enthusiastic. Caring. Compassionate. All words that describe Sam when she is speaking to her audiences. She is also truly engaging, keep the attention of her audience through her entire talk – not an easy achievement when speaking online. And yet Sam does it, with a smile on her face the entire time

Chantal

See Sam in action

What others say about me

Really liked that she talked from personal experience, it was so much more believable. And also liked that we weren’t expected to breakout and discuss, it was just informative, relevant and relatable

Victoria Hale

Sam is really amazing at helping Individuals and Organisations understand how to use the incredible talents of those with autism, particularly in the IT sector. She is a very relevant and enthusiastic speaker who will engage your audiences and provide huge value to your organisation.

Change

I had a meeting with Sam after recently being diagnosed with ADHD at 27, and she was excellent at making me feel validated and highlighting the positive aspects of my attitude towards my diagnosis. Being diagnosed with any neurodivergent disorder can be a scary time and can make you question a lot about what you know about yourself, but Sam was so relatable and engaging that it alleviated a lot of my worries about what is to come!

Daniel Hunter

Empathetic listener and a great communicator‘ is what comes to mind when thinking about Sam.
I’ve known Sam for over a year and it’s been my pleasure to have her as my mentor.
I’ve recently been promoted to manage a new team. Sam helped me to understand the Rules of Engagement and now I have a much clearer idea on how to best engage with my new team & how to promote open culture.
If you need someone to help you improve the culture & communication in your team/organisation, I’d recommend Sam

Michaela Kalaria

Sam is a high energy, very positive trainer who enthuses you to communicate better in simple yet powerful ways. Very generous with her time and supports and mentors people along the way. She is a coach and a trainer, a professional speaker and has a specialism in helping autistic adults

Kim Gilmour

The workshop I enjoyed the most at the WiRE Conference in April was Sam’s, her energy, what she said made sense, and I got a lot of value out of that session.

Kath

Sam Warner