Novena-Chanel Davies

02/09/2026

New academic year, same reminder: access matters.

As students return to schools, colleges and universities, this feels like an important reminder.

A student struggling does not necessarily mean a student who is incapable, unmotivated, disengaged or “not trying hard enough”. Sometimes, the environment is creating or merely amplifying their struggle.

ADHD, autism, dyslexia, anxiety and other non-visible disabilities can affect executive functioning, processing, concentration, communication, sensory regulation, organisation and the ability to demonstrate knowledge in the ways education traditionally expects.

Reasonable adjustments are not about giving someone an unfair advantage; they work to remove the unnecessary barriers to learning that most have had to endure for too long. For some, completely destroying their association with education, learning, and academic success.

So, this academic year, here are a few things we can all do differently:

Lecturers & educators: Be explicit. Give clear written instructions alongside verbal ones. Break larger tasks into manageable stages. Avoid assuming that missed deadlines, lateness, silence or difficulty initiating work automatically mean a lack of commitment. Ask, “What might help you access this?” rather than, “Why haven’t you done this?”

Students: Learn what helps your brain learn. Ask what reasonable adjustments are available and use the adjustments that are available to you. Ask for clarification when instructions are ambiguous. Use assistive technology, reminders, visual planning, body doubling and academic support where helpful. You do not have to wait until you are drowning before asking for support.

Parents & carers: Look beyond behaviour. Procrastination, avoidance, emotional overwhelm, shutdown and apparent disorganisation can sometimes tell us that the demands being placed upon a young person exceed their current capacity or available support. Curiosity will often tell us more than criticism.

More below in the comments section 👇🏾

02/09/2026

New academic year, same reminder: access matters.

As students return to schools, colleges and universities, this feels like an important reminder.

A student struggling does not necessarily mean a student who is incapable, unmotivated, disengaged or “not trying hard enough”. Sometimes, the environment is creating or merely amplifying their struggle.

ADHD, autism, dyslexia, anxiety and other non-visible disabilities can affect executive functioning, processing, concentration, communication, sensory regulation, organisation and the ability to demonstrate knowledge in the ways education traditionally expects.

Reasonable adjustments are not about giving someone an unfair advantage; they work to remove the unnecessary barriers to learning that most have had to endure for too long. For some, completely destroying their association with education, learning, and academic success.

So, this academic year, here are a few things we can all do
differently:

Lecturers & educators: Be explicit. Give clear written instructions alongside verbal ones. Break larger tasks into manageable stages. Avoid assuming that missed deadlines, lateness, silence or difficulty initiating work automatically mean a lack of commitment. Ask, “What might help you access this?” rather than, “Why haven’t you done this?”

Students: Learn what helps your brain learn. Ask what reasonable adjustments are available and use adjustments available to you. Ask for clarification when instructions are ambiguous. Use assistive technology, reminders, visual planning, body doubling (working alongside someone else) and academic support where helpful. You do not have to wait until you are drowning before asking for support.

Parents & carers: Look beyond behaviour. Procrastination, avoidance, emotional overwhelm, shutdown and apparent disorganisation can sometimes tell us that the demands being placed upon a young person exceed their current capacity or available support. Curiosity will often tell us more than criticism.

More below 👇🏾

15/08/2026

The news of Professor Jason Arday’s death is devastating.

Whatever our individual opinions may be about the allegations surrounding him, I would urge you to think about what happens when unapologetic public scrutiny becomes a spectacle. There were relentless unverified accounts sourced, character assassination, punishment, and social media became a court room without the balance of actual evidence and defence.

Some matters did warrant proper investigation, as questions about academic integrity absolutely deserve to be examined. However, too many had decided guilt before even the completion of a proper investigation, overlooking previous investigations, and to be blunt, the power dynamics and possibly motivations of those who seemed to tear him down. It became a public pile-on.

So many who have never written a doctoral paper suddenly became academics who understood referencing and citations. Too many with little understanding of neurodivergence became specialists, or, for some, without knowledge of the impact of things such as dyslexia or autism, dismissive.

Neurodivergence does not remove responsibility or mean that someone cannot be held accountable. However, we should be capable of holding two thoughts at once: people can be accountable for their actions, while also being psychologically vulnerable to sustained public humiliation, harassment and social rejection.

He resigned. Still, for some people, that wasn’t enough. That is the part I believe we need to sit with.
What exactly are we asking for when somebody has lost their position, their reputation is being publicly dismantled, investigations are under way, and thousands of strangers continue demanding more?
At what point does accountability become punishment?

As a therapist, I think often about the psychological consequences of shame. Public shame is particularly powerful because there is seemingly nowhere to escape it. Your name becomes searchable, strangers discuss your character, and people who have never met you become convinced that they know who you are.

Whatever may have been established through appropriate investigation, Professor Arday was entitled to due process, dignity and humanit

15/08/2026

The news of Professor Jason Arday’s death is devastating, and becoming too familiar.

Whatever our individual opinions may be about the allegations surrounding him, we are asked to truly think about what happens when unapologetic public scrutiny becomes a spectacle, with relentless unverified accounts sourced, character assassination, and punishment, with social media becoming a court room without rules of evidence.

Over recent weeks, allegations, commentary, speculation and claims about Jason Arday travelled rapidly across traditional and social media. Some matters warranted proper investigation. Questions about academic integrity absolutely deserve to be examined. However, too many had decided guilt before even the completion of a proper investigation. An investigation and accountability are not the same thing as a public pile-on.

So many who have never written a doctoral paper suddenly became academics who understood referencing and citations. Too many with little understanding of neurodivergence became specialists, or, without knowledge, unkind and dismissive.

Neurodivergence does not remove responsibility or mean that someone cannot be held accountable. However, we should be capable of holding two thoughts at once: people can be accountable for their actions, while also being psychologically vulnerable to sustained public humiliation, harassment and social rejection.

He resigned. Still, for some people, that wasn’t enough. That is the part I believe we need to sit with.

What exactly are we asking for when somebody has lost their position, their reputation is being publicly dismantled, investigations are under way, and thousands of strangers continue demanding more?
At what point does accountability become punishment?

As a therapist, I think often about the psychological consequences of shame. Public shame is particularly powerful because there is seemingly nowhere to escape it. Your name becomes searchable, strangers discuss your character, and people who have never met you become convinced that they know who you are.

Whatever may have been discovered, Jason deserved humanity and respect.

10/08/2026

08/08/2026

Explore new NHS mental health hubs opening soon! 🏥