About Black Dog Coaching
About Kate Choppen
I came to this work through lived experience, not just training.
For a long time, I believed I was depressed, anxious and not resilient enough.
I was working as an Occupational Therapist in the NHS, doing work I cared deeply about, but constantly exhausted, emotionally overwhelmed, and struggling in ways I couldn’t explain.
I pushed through, assuming I just needed to cope better. That I was faulty.
It wasn’t until the last couple of years that I realised I have ADHD.
That understanding reframed everything; my emotional responses, burnout, coping strategies, and the way I moved through work and life.
The way I criticised myself and never felt good enough. Felt an imposter in my own life. Things that had once felt like personal failings finally made sense.
That insight didn’t just change how I saw myself, it changed how I worked with others.
From Burnout To Building Something Sustainable
While working in the NHS, I began to see that the systems I was operating within weren’t supporting my nervous system or wellbeing. I was giving a lot to my work, but it was coming at a personal cost.
Choosing to work for myself was a turning point. It gave me flexibility, space, and the ability to work in a way that supported my own emotional regulation and health.
That experience now shapes how I support others; helping people build ways of living and working that don’t constantly deplete them.
Learning Alongside My Clients
As my practice grew, I found myself working with more and more clients with ADHD, often late diagnosed or undiagnosed, often misunderstood- clients like me!
Learning alongside them deepened my understanding. Through training, reflection, and lived experience, I began to recognise familiar patterns in both my clients and myself.
My work now combines professional knowledge with real-world insight into what it’s like to live with a busy, emotionally heightened brain.
Why This Work Matters To Me
Part of what drives me is a desire to pay it forward. I think about my daughter, future generations, and the many people who come into my space feeling overwhelmed, confused, or quietly ashamed of struggles they can’t quite name.
I aim to offer the kind of support I wish I’d had earlier; compassionate, practical, and grounded in understanding rather than judgement.
Kate was brilliant; her understanding and subsequent guidance and support has made such a difference to my life. I hadn't truly appreciated my struggles. I had just been getting through things, but it started to feel unsustainable. I'm sure I'll continue to benefit from my time with Kate, the tools and skills she's given me
Louise O
My Approach
My approach is collaborative, non-judgemental and practical.
I work with you to make sense of what’s happening beneath the surface, particularly around emotional dysregulation, burnout, overwhelm, decreased motivation and lack of self-trust. There’s no pressure to perform or fit into a rigid framework.
Clients often tell me that working with me feels easy and supported; no matter how they arrive to the session they leave feeling clearer, calmer and heard. They leave with their next step(s) and they have the belief and tools to take action.
You can work with me in a few different ways:
1:1 Coaching
Dedicated and Personalised Support
Embrace Course
Intimacy and ADHD Course (coming soon)
Free Resources
A gentle place to begin
If You’re Here…
If you’ve found your way here, it’s likely you’ve already spent a long-time coping, masking, and pushing through.
You don’t need to do that here.
You’re welcome to explore the resources on the site or reach out when it feels right; no pressure, just the option of a thoughtful conversation.
I’ve been working with Kate for a while now, and she is one of the kindest, professional people I have ever met. She's helped me through so many situations that I thought it was impossible to ever change or get out of. She is so amazing at what she does. Her exercises and techniques are absolutely phenomenal, and they help me massively; they helped me to finally feel like I’m able to breathe and have some time off from my mind.
MB
My Qualifications
Professional Bodies/ Memberships
* BSc Occupational Therapy (2002). Member of Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration number OT35347
* Medical Diploma Clinical Hypnotherapy (2017). Member of Complimentary and Healthcare Council (CNHC) registration number 000089-D18
* Somatic Trauma Informed Coach (2025)
* ADHD Practitioner (2025)
* ADHD Coach (2025) and Advanced ADHD Coach (2026)
Kate is also qualified in Emotional Freedom Technique (2024), Havening Techniques (2021), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (2006) and Mindfulness (2017).
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