Hi, I’m Ellen!
For decades I thought I was just an anxious person
I bullied myself through the anxiety to keep functioning
Then I shamed myself when that didn’t make me any less “anxious”. I would ask myself: “Why am I so pathetic? Everyone else can do it!”
When my daughter was tiny I finally realised that maybe something else was going on for me, and I embarked on a quest to figure out what. Over time I identified and processed a mountain of buried emotions.
That process was so life-changing for me, that I felt drawn to help other people on the same journey and I trained as a coach with One of Many®. But a lot of my “anxiety” was still there.
Midway through my coaching training I realised I was autistic
I was certified as a coach in April 2024 and received my autism diagnosis a month later. So much fell into place for me at that time, as I paid more attention to what was really going on for me through an autism lens.
I realised my “anxiety” was really an overloaded nervous system
I was often in a state of overstimulation… or hypervigilance… or social fatigue, and mistaking those sensations for anxiety. Over time I learned what helped me in each of those distinct experiences.
I’d been using emotion wheels and lists to help me identify what I was feeling. So I looked for a version that included nervous system experiences, but I couldn’t find one. That’s when I decided to create my own. An impulsive social media share asking for testers generated a lot of interest and Feelings Unjumbled was born.
The career path that brought me here
Before becoming a coach, I spent two decades exploring what meaningful impact looked like for me – from consulting to social enterprise, policy research, and environmental work.
I began my career in PwC’s Public Sector team and eventually became a senior manager. But I never fit in the high-pressure corporate world. Then I took a career break to lead trail-building teams in remote, stunningly beautiful parts of Iceland. And something clicked. For the first time, I wasn’t overstimulated. I was grounded, present, fully myself. I knew I couldn’t go back.
After that, I studied Conservation at Imperial College, worked in charities, freelanced in strategic foresight, and shaped a life and career more aligned with my values. As I went deeper into my own healing journey, coaching emerged as the natural next step.
I believe that when people can identify and skilfully respond to their feelings, they naturally reconnect to their intuition. And then they make better choices – for themselves, their families, their communities, and the planet.
I also occasionally have a burst of rage when I think of all the energy being wasted by so many awesome people who are using it to keep their feelings stuffed away.
I can’t change the whole world. But I can help you get to know your feelings and learn to trust yourself – and I believe the ripples from that reach further than we’ll ever know.
The training that shapes how I coach
Certified Women’s Coach
One of Many® (ICF Accredited)
This is where I learned how to coach. In a way that honours the nervous system, emotional cycles, and the wisdom of the body. As soon as I saw that “listen to your body” was a core principle, I knew I was in the right place. These powerful tools for self-awareness and compassion are woven through everything I do.
Although my original certification focused on women, I work with all genders.
IFS-Informed
IFS has helped me understand how different parts of us hold onto different emotions. I use this lens to help you gain a little separation from your feelings.
Saying “part of me feelings anxious” naturally gives you more agency than saying “I am anxious” and fully identifying with the feeling.
Trauma-Aware
Understanding how trauma shows up in subtle, everyday ways has been essential to my work.
I work hard to create a space for my clients to explore their feelings in a way that honours their past and the way their brain works.
VBIP-Trained
Featured in Unmasking Autism by Devon Price, VBIP is a powerful process to get clear on what truly matters to you. I had the privilege of training directly with its creator, Heather Morgan
Curious about exploring VBIP?
Ready to go further?
Got questions?
the only way we can change the way we feel is by becoming aware of our inner experience
Sometimes a video call is too much, and a mailing list doesn’t quite cut it either. I get it!
If you have a question, or just something to share, I’d love to hear from you.
You can email me at ellen@unjumbled.me