My Journey

Since I was young, I knew I was different. But I didn’t understand why or how to express this. Growing up, I struggled to fit in at school and then university. I became very good at masking.

A Lifetime of Being Different

Eventually, the social and academic pressures became overwhelming, causing my self-esteem to plummet.

I was diagnosed with social anxiety, depression, OCD, and various eating disorders.

Academic and Social Strain

When I tried to express how I felt to my teachers, I was simply told I needed to “calm down.”

I felt misunderstood and isolated. I became my biggest critic. Even though I excelled at sport, my perfectionism always took over and I constantly felt like a failure.

Misunderstood and Dismissed

I was diagnosed with ADHD just three weeks before my exams (aged 18).

I had never felt so alone and embarrassed at the thought of others finding out. I even said ‘sorry’ to my mum.

The Diagnosis Shock

I was put onto ADHD medication, which wreaked havoc with my anxiety and caused me to have a panic attack in my exams. I know medication can work much better for others, but I didn’t react well to it.

Medication Mayhem

Despite everything, I pushed through and earned a first-class degree in Sports development & Health. But I wasn’t prepared for the pressures of adult life after graduation.

Surviving University

Surrounded by neurotypicals and expected to follow rigid rules and ways of working that didn’t suit my brain, I found employment tough. I worked hard, but whenever I needed support or was struggling, I was met with disbelief or discrimination.

I was often told I didn’t fit in and needed to change who I was. Eventually, I became silent—my only way to stay in control and avoid accidentally saying the wrong thing.

I knew I had value, but it was often misunderstood, so I decided to start my own business.

Discrimination Sparked My Business

For nearly a decade, through Ellie Bullock Fitness, I helped hundreds of clients worldwide reach their fitness and nutrition goals. I found it incredibly rewarding when to see my clients succeed.

My method was based on three pillars— Nutrition, Movement, and Mindset, which proved to be very successful, and the business grew fast. However my drive for perfection led to constant burnout and exhaustion.

The Rise (and Strain) of Ellie Bullock Fitness

Due to me being very open & honest about my own mental health journey, many neurodivergent clients approached me as they felt comfortable & understood. I saw how vital mindset was—especially for the anxious mind.

That moment made me rethink everything: I no longer wanted to soley coach fitness, but I wanted to become a full-time ADHD coach. I began teaching sport to young adults with learning difficulties as a natural progression.

From Fitness to ADHD Coaching

Time to Heal

I knew that before I could coach others, I needed to heal myself and really understand how my ADHD affects me.

After undertaking some ADHD coaching myself, I realised that everything I hated about myself was simply because I did not understand my own ADHD, things like:

Talking too much and being loud

Interrupting others

Being late all the time

Feeling like emotions controlled me

Feeling intense rejection when criticised (and the list goes on…!)

ADHD coaching helped me see my traits as strengths, not flaws.

With a growing toolbox of skills and strategies, I’m now better equipped to handle my emotions, feelings and whatever life throws at me.

I’m no longer driven by critical self-talk or fuelled by anxiety. I'm more emotionally grounded, have achieved better life balance, and am more productive in my work.