One trusted adult for your child. Someone to share the weight with you.
I'm Ruth, an autistic former teacher and mental health coach. I work one-to-one with neurodivergent children and teens aged 9 to 19 who are finding school hard. You speak to me, and your child sees me, every time.
Sessions are face-to-face at The Practice Rooms in Tunbridge Wells, your home (within 5 miles of Tunbridge Wells), or online anywhere in the UK. I work with families in Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Crowborough, West Kent and East Sussex.
What Is Coaching?
In sessions, we talk, play games, tell stories and try activities that suit your child’s age. Your child explores what makes things hard, what they’re good at, and how their brain works. When they understand that, they are able to choose strategies that work for them.
Coaching looks forward. Rather than going over the past, your child decides what they want to change, and together we work out small, practical steps they can use. If your child needs clinical support, I’ll say so and point you in the right direction.
What I believe
One size does not fit all. Children aren't the same, so sessions shouldn't be either. I don't follow a set programme. Everything is shaped around your child, and no two sessions are the same.
It isn't your parenting. Parents get blamed, sent on courses and handed timetables. You deserve support, not judgement.
Understanding comes before strategies. Strategies only stick when a child understands their own brain. It's what helped me too.
Coaching Services
Ways to work together
Every family starts with a free 30-minute discovery call. If I'm not the right person, I'll tell you honestly and help you find who is.
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For parents who want a clear first step. One visit of two hours: time with your child, then time with you. You'll leave with action points to follow at home or to support talking to school, including how to ask for adjustments for your child, and for balancing home life. I'll email you a written summary within 48 hours.
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For a child who needs support through a tricky time. Six one-hour sessions with your child, weekly or fortnightly. Two 30-minute check-ins with you, each followed by an email. Pay in one go, or in two payments of £232.50.
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For a child who needs more support over a longer time. 12 one-hour sessions with your child, weekly or fortnightly. A 30-minute check-in with you every month, each followed by an email. Pay in one go, or in four payments of £231.25.
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Email ruth@thegentlepathcoaching.co.uk for a quote tailored to your school.
If cost is a barrier, I offer a limited number of subsidised places. Email ruth@thegentlepathcoaching.co.uk in confidence to find out more.
Is this right for your child?
Who coaching is for
I coach young people aged 9 to 19, with a particular focus on neurodivergent young people. Coaching can help if your child:
is autistic, has ADHD or another neurodivergence, diagnosed or not
is waiting for a CAMHS or neurodevelopmental assessment, or has had one and needs help with what comes next
has been turned down by CAMHS, or is no longer under them
is finding it hard to get into school
is struggling with anxiety, friendships or confidence
has a neurodivergent brother or sister and needs support of their own
is adjusting to changes at home, such as parents separating
You don’t need a diagnosis or a referral. Many families come to me early, before things reach crisis point.
Through coaching, young people come to understand how they work and find strategies that help them protect their own mental health.
Support for parents
When I coach your child, I also offer parent support calls. If your child is under 9, or isn’t ready to take part, parent coaching is often a better fit.
When we’ll talk it through first
If your child has recently been through a bereavement, a family breakdown or other trauma, or sees a paediatrician, every situation is different. We’ll talk it through on our first call to make sure coaching is right for them.
When coaching isn’t the right fit
If your child is currently receiving support from CAMHS, I won’t start coaching until that support has finished. You’re welcome to get in touch again then.
If your child already sees a school counsellor or a private therapist, that’s fine. With your and your child’s permission, I may speak to them so that what we cover fits together and doesn’t clash. That’s about making sure we’re not pulling in different directions. It isn’t about sharing what’s said in sessions.
In an emergency, call 999. For urgent help that isn't an emergency, contact your GP or NHS 111.
Childline 0800 11 11
The Samaritans 116 123
Testimonials
“Our daughter started her coaching sessions last September (2025) and is absolutely adoring her time with Ruth. Her gentle, fun and respectful approach has been just what our child needed, and we feel she has come on leaps and bounds both academically and emotionally. We are so very grateful to Ruth”
Every child is different, and I can't promise outcomes, but here's what some families have said.
“We can’t recommend Gentle Path Coaching highly enough. Ruth created a genuinely safe space for our son to open up, talk through what was challenging him, and work out his own solutions. He came home with real, practical strategies he’s actually using, and the change in his confidence has been wonderful to see. He felt properly heard, and that made all the difference. We will absolutely be continuing our sessions, and happily recommend Ruth to anyone.”
Have Questions?
Send me a note, and we'll work out where to start.