About Alicja Nocon and Expand the Circle

Why choose to work with me

My purpose

My mission is to make the world more aware, accepting and adjusted to neurodivergent ways of being.

It’s a very personal mission. I’ve always felt that I’m different but did not know why. This changed when I received an autism spectrum diagnosis in my 30s. At the time, there was little support available within the insurance industry. So I decided to carry out my own investigation, with the help of a specialist autism mentor.

It took me several years (and a Master’s degree in psychology and coaching) to understand how my brain works and what support system I need around me to stay well and be able to contribute to other people’s lives. Now, I want to share my expertise and lived experience with others.


A truly impactful approach

I engage with neurodivergent individuals and organisations where neurodivergent professionals work. I believe this dual approach expands the impact of neurodiverse self-advocacy and neuroinclusion in the workplace:

  • Through coaching, I empower neurodivergent individuals to to be seen, take up more space and expand their comfort zone. But for real change to happen, their environment needs to welcome and enable this personal expansion to take place.

  • Through coaching, training and other bespoke engagements, I enable organisations to be more open and inclusive of different ways of thinking and being in the world. Neurodivergent talent can unmask and express themselves only when it's psychologically safe to do so.


Uniquely different

What I do is not not necessarily unique; many organisations working in the neuroinclusion space serve both neurodivergent individuals and organisations and like me provide a range of services. However, very few bring the unique experience that I do:

  • Most training providers have professional training in psychology but lack lived experience or experience working in large organisations.

  • Most neurodiversity coaches or trainers have either the lived experience or professional training. Some have both but very few also have experience of working in large organisations


or carry on to find out more about my impact and background…

My impact

  • Changing lives and workplaces

    I’ve positively impacted more than 30 neurodivergent coaching clients, across a range of neurotypes, ages, gender identities and career levels.

    I’ve provided neurodiversity training to a range of organisations, from charities and small start-ups to technology giants. For one client, I created a bespoke offering combining training, coaching and consulting.

  • Driving change in the employment market

    As a Steering Committee member and Community Engagement Director of GAIN (Group for Autism, Insurance, Investment and Neurodiversity), I helped shape GAIN’s development and strategy in its early stages.

    I have since continued supporting GAIN as a dedicated Member Services Partner.

  • Speaking in the community

    I share my expertise and lived experience through public speaking to bring about positive changes in the wider system.

    My most treasured appearances include Autscape (an autistic-led conference) in 2022 and DiveIn festival (a global diversity and inclusion festival for the insurance industry) in 2021.

"Alicja was one of the earliest founders of GAIN. Her direct and deeply thoughtful contribution was instrumental in shaping GAIN’s mission and strategy. In particular, her personal journey and insights on the impact of late-life diagnosis and the importance of workplace adjustments have been fundamental to us from the outset."

– Laurie Edmans CBE, Co-chair of GAIN (Group for Autism, Insurance, Investment and Neurodiversity)

About Alicja Nocon

Coaching Qualifications: MSc EMCC Senior Practitioner

Industry Qualifications: FIA CERA

Identities: Late-diagnosed autistic, Silesian/Polish-British, working class background and first generation economic immigrant.

 

As a neurodiversity coach, trainer and consultant, I bring a unique blend of my own lived experience, my corporate and life experience alongside relevant qualifications.

 

After years of trying to understand why I struggle while others somehow can keep it together, I found the answer (and no, it’s not BPD or ‘low self-esteem’) – I’m autistic and they are not! I received my diagnosis in 2020 when I was in my early 30s.

Since then, autism, neurodivergence and neurodiversity have become my new interest: I consumed books, lived experience accounts and scientific research papers on the topic. I have also been working with a specialist autism mentor myself.

My lived experience.


Prior to creating Expand the Circle, I enjoyed a diverse career as a Consulting Actuary (FIA CERA) for 10 years. During my time in the financial services sector, I worked at Deloitte, Legal & General and Munich Re.

Working in various roles (pricing, R&D, group reporting, risk function) across consulting, insurance and reinsurance gave me an insight into different business models and organisational and team cultures.

My corporate experience.


I have a Master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology (MAPPC) from the University of East London (2021, Distinction). My research on character strengths of autistic adults in the UK has been published in a peer-reviewed academic journal.

As a coach and mentor, I’m accredited with the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) at the Senior Practitioner level (see the certificate here). This confirms that I’ve carried out at least 250 hours of coaching and mentoring for at least five years and have appropriate qualifications to do so.

I work under regular coaching and mentoring supervision of two experienced professionals, one of which is a specialist autism mentor.

My professional qualifications.


I’m originally from Silesia, a coal-mining region in Poland that’s gone through many transitions (post-communism and moving borders from Germany to Poland).

When I was 18, I decided to travel solo to Edinburgh with £300 and a one-way flight ticket in my pocket. Some say this was very brave, I have a different explanation for that. Anyway, unbelievably, it worked out. I have since lived and worked in Scotland (Edinburgh and Isle of Skye), Spain (Salamanca) and England (Greater London).

I currently live in Croydon with my husband, two high-need high-love rescue cats, lots of plants and zero children.

My life experience.

Take the next step

To explore how we could work together, please get in touch: