Apr212026

Rethinking the NHS Five Steps to Mental Wellbeing: A Neurodivergent-Affirming Adaptation

Article by: Annette Friar, Dip. Aromatherapy (CMA Member) — Mental Health Advocate &

Founder, Burnt Orchid Organics

Wellbeing advice is everywhere

They’re in GP surgeries, workplace posters, and social media feeds.

The NHS Five Steps to Wellbeing are often presented as a simple formula for feeling better: connect, be active, keep learning, give to others, and take notice.

For many, these steps are helpful reminders. But for others, especially those who are neurodivergent, highly sensitive, or living with fluctuating energy and sensory needs, they can feel overwhelming. What’s meant to support wellbeing can sometimes feel like pressure.

As an inclusive wellbeing formulator and aromatherapist, I’ve seen how traditional wellbeing advice often overlooks the realities of sensory load, emotional regulation, and the need for gentleness. Many people want to engage with wellbeing practices, but the guidance doesn’t always meet them where they are.

This article grew from that gap, from the question, ‘What would the NHS Five Steps look like if they were re-imagined through a neurodivergent-affirming, sensory-aware lens?‘

Why This Matters

For neurodivergent people, wellbeing isn’t about doing more, it’s about feeling safe, regulated, and grounded in a world that can be too loud, too fast, or too demanding.

“Connect with others” can feel daunting when socialising drains your energy.

“Be active” can feel inaccessible when your body cycles through fatigue or pain.

“Keep learning” can feel overwhelming when focus and executive function fluctuate.

“Give to others” can feel impossible when you’re already depleted.

“Take notice” can feel confusing when your senses are already dialled up to maximum.

The intention behind these steps is good, but the delivery often assumes a neurotypical experience. When we soften that assumption, the framework becomes more inclusive, more compassionate, and more realistic.

A Sensory-Aware Lens

In sensory‑aware wellbeing, we start by listening to the body.

We recognise that sensory needs vary, energy levels fluctuate, and emotional regulation requires safety, not pressure.

When we apply this lens to the NHS Five Steps, they transform:

Connect — not just with people, but with yourself, nature, or comforting objects.
Be Active — not through exercise, but through gentle movement, rocking, stretching, or
walking slowly.
Keep Learning — not through courses or goals, but through curiosity, noticing, and
small discoveries.
Give to Others — not through self‑sacrifice, but through kindness, encouragement, or
sharing a resource.
Take Notice — not through stillness, but through sensory grounding: texture, colour, scent, or sound.

These adaptations don’t replace the NHS Five Steps, they make them accessible. They invite people to engage with wellbeing in ways that feel safe and achievable.

Why I Wrote This

I wrote this piece because well-being should be inclusive, gentle, and sensory-safe.

Too often, people feel like they’re “failing” at wellbeing, not because they don’t care, but because the advice doesn’t fit their reality.

This article is my way of saying, ‘You are not the problem.’ The framework just wasn’t designed with your nervous system in mind, but it can be adapted.