Louise Belshaw

Burnout does not always look like collapse. Sometimes it looks like thriving on five hours of sleep, holding everything together, and then suddenly realising you cannot do it anymore. Louise Belshaw shares the story of what happened when decades in teaching, perimenopause, and undiagnosed ADHD collided - and why that moment changed everything.Collette Easton (colletteeaston.com) speaks with Louise about the hidden cost of being the capable one in the room: the perfectionism, the overwork, the constant self-pressure, and the shock of discovering her ADHD only after leaving a 25-year career in education. Louise opens up about the slow build-up to burnout, the physical anxiety she ignored, the quiet exit from school, and the master's project on late-diagnosed women that unexpectedly led to her own diagnosis.You'll discover how ADHD can show up in teaching as relentless problem-solving, hyperfocus, and high performance - until the system stops working for you. Louise shares why the classroom once felt like the perfect environment for her brain, how Ofsted and one-size-fits-all expectations pushed her over the edge, and why she now sees so many young people being failed by rigid behaviour policies, managed moves, and blanket sanctions.We also break down what actually helps students and staff who are struggling: tailored adjustments, better communication, and environments that respect neurodivergent needs instead of punishing them. Louise makes the case for schools to move beyond discipline-only thinking and asks a question every workplace should be asking - if a small change could keep a great person well and productive, why would you not make it?This is essential listening if you have ADHD, suspect you might, work in education, or have ever kept going long after your body and brain were asking for help. Honest, raw, and deeply practical, this conversation will hit home for anyone who has ever been told to just get on with it.