Karen-Anne Manghan

Contact: asckeymentoring@gmail.com

Karen was diagnosed as autistic in 2014 and ADHD in 2024, her lived experience affords her an intrinsic understanding of her clients and the barriers they often face, she also brings 22 years of pastoral support experience to her specialist mentoring work, training and public speaking.

Karen initially trained as a Psychodynamic Counsellor, achieving an advanced certificate in Counselling Skills and Theory, before starting her career in educational support in 2002. Karen is accredited as a Specialist Mental Health Mentor by UMHAN, has delivered training and supervision for the mentors involved with the NDSA peer mentoring programmes, provides career specific mentoring for Autism Forward and holds a Pg Cert in Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. Karen specialises in working with Young People between the ages of 16 – 30, specifically to manage educational or employment transitions, or support individuals and families pre and post diagnosis. Karen has an excellent track record of supporting her clients into appropriate and successful educational placements, apprenticeships and jobs. 

Karen has worked in many different settings supporting autistic young people and adults, including delivering and running therapeutic support services at a Further Education college, Guidance management at a Sixth Form college, running Sussex wide Youth Work projects, Specialist Mentoring at a University and since 2009, as an independent autism and mental health mentor. Karen also set up, secured funding for, and ran the first Social Club specifically for autistic young people in Sussex. 

Karen has been delivering Autism awareness training since 2010, some of her clients include The University of Birmingham, Bird and Blend Tea co, Diageo, The NHS, Relate and the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland.

Karen is also a qualified Pilates teacher and the founder of Pilates for Neuro-diversity, Karen specialises in teaching the Pilates method to autistic clients, either in a group or one to one setting. Karen has recently delivered a presentation to the autism peer support group at Axia in Chester, written about how Pilates can be beneficial for autistic people for Autism Health and Wellbeing, and completed training in the Integrated Movement Method (IMM) with the EDS Society and Movement Specialist, Jeannie Di Bon. Please contact Karen directly if you are interested in joining a class, or to arrange one to one teaching.

Karen was recently featured as part of the Autistica Change Makers campaign, you can read the full article here:https://www.autistica.org.uk/get-involved/my-autism-story/karen-anne-specialist-mentoring 

Support Offered:

Exploring possibility of Autism YES
Post-diagnostic support YES
Parents of autistic children NO
Autistic parents NO
Couples work NO
Young People 16–18 year olds YES
Adults YES
Employment YES
Dating Support YES
Anxiety and Depression YES

Karen’s Testinmonials

'We just wanted to write to thank you so much for all of your help and support for our son. Without your skills, knowledge and experience we have no doubt that he would still be at home without work or purpose. It's only been a short time but already we have noticed a big difference in him. He is really quite chatty which we haven't seen for many years and his quirky sense of humour has returned! Your style of working has been to build a positive relationship with him and go at his pace and this has built his confidence. Just as importantly has been your connections with possible employers. This enabled you to find him the perfect job and to support him to get it which he wouldn't have done without you. He is now talking like a man with a future and we know he feels good that he is contributing to the family. Thanks again Karen your support has been invaluable.'

'Karen has been an invaluable independent support for our son who has a diagnosis of high functioning autism.  Over the last year, she has tailored her support to help him identify and apply for jobs, and coached him in interview skills.  He has now been offered a permanent part-time contract locally, which fits in beautifully with his part time distance learning.  Karen has kept him motivated and positive, and helped build his confidence and self-esteem, as well as focusing on practical skills. She has been proactive in suggesting a reduction in support, though on this we are for once reluctant to take her advice!'

'The support I received from Karen was a massive help to both my confidence in finding employment and interviews. In particular, she significantly aided me in learning interview techniques and stress management in such conditions. Her help in my becoming employed in February this year cannot be underestimated.'

'Karen is an excellent mentor who has supported me better than I could have hoped for over this last year. She has supported me in a range of areas from getting PIP and going through that entire process as well as with support moving jobs and helping me cope with a deteriorating living situation. I feel better able to cope with stressful events although not fully confident in this area but that has more to do with me than the excellent and outstanding support I have received from Karen.'

'Talking with another autistic female offers a short hand that I have never before experienced. Gaining a better understanding and acceptance of myself and my identity as an autistic woman is both empowering and affirming. I am in no doubt that Karen’s support, insight and understanding have made life post diagnosis less daunting. Autistic mentoring matters. And working with Karen is mentoring at its finest.'

'Autistic-led mentoring has been a lifeline for me, supporting me move from a situation that was unsustainable and leading to cyclical burnout, to a position and life where I am now thriving. I feel so grateful I'm able to access this support, talk with someone who understands the difficulties and joys of being autistic and feel seen and heard. I now recognise that my environment and set up hasn't been working for me rather than the overwhelming feeling I had of it being me who was broken and incapable. I now have a much better understanding of my strengths and what puts me in the red and creates melt down. I feel capable and able to find the best place for me in the world and this is due to the potent nature of this mentoring. The critical positive impact it has had on my life I am now feeding into my work supporting and mentoring autistic children. I feel plugged into a community of autistic people and see my place in it. I couldn't speak more positively about the effect of the mentoring I'm receiving. Properly life changing, and not just mine.'