SERVICES
Speaking & Writing
Shirley's Approach
Supporting professionals and individuals to deepen understanding, build confidence, and create change around layered lives.
Speaking & Writing
Sharing stories, insights, and lived experience to open up new ways of thinking about inclusion, layered lives, and what it means to be human.
Through both speaking and writing, Shirley brings clarity, compassion, and practical understanding to complex topics, helping people feel seen, informed, and inspired to act.
Speaking
Shirley is a speaker who weaves together lived experience, deep professional expertise, and an unwavering belief in empathy and equity. Her talks invite reflection and spark real conversations about disability, neurodiversity, trauma-informed practice, and inclusion in everyday life.
Speaking topics include:
• Understanding Combined and Layered Disabilities
• Invisible, Misunderstood, and Still Showing Up: Life with Chronic Fatigue Conditions
• The Grief No One Talks About: Identity and Reinvention After Illness
• Inclusive Education and Workplaces
• Mental Health and Neurodivergence in Education and Work
• Lived Experience as Expertise
• Creating Safe Spaces and Preventing Burnout in High-Empathy Roles
• Trauma-Informed Practice for Professionals
Speaking formats:
Keynotes and conference presentations
Panel discussions
CPD and away day sessions
Community and sector-specific workshops
Shirley’s style is grounded and authentic, combining heartfelt storytelling with professional insight. Audiences leave with both emotional resonance and practical takeaways.
Writing
With over two decades of experience across disability support, inclusive education, and wellbeing, Shirley knows how to write for audiences who need to feel seen and understood.
Writing services include:
Ghostwriting: Helping individuals and organisations tell their stories with honesty and impact.
Course & Resource Development: Creating training materials, workbooks, and inclusive guidance for professionals.
Technical & Accessibility Writing: Translating complex topics into clear, accurate, plain language.
Copywriting & Content Creation: Website and campaign content written in a human-centred voice.
Specialist areas:
• Co-occurring and layered disabilities
• Neurodivergence and mental health
• Inclusive education and workplace practice
• Assistive technology and access systems
Shirley’s approach is collaborative and flexible, she can write in your voice, help you find it, or co-create something entirely new.
"Working with Shirley was an absolute pleasure. She took a complex brief and transformed it into a clear, engaging training programme that perfectly captured our values and voice. Her ability to balance accuracy, empathy, and accessibility made the whole process seamless and enjoyable. We’re thrilled with the final result."
About Shirley’s Approach to Writing and Speaking
Every talk and every piece of writing Shirley creates is grounded in empathy, curiosity, and the belief that understanding changes everything. She brings both lived and professional insight to her work, creating space for honest reflection and practical action. Her aim is always the same, to connect, to clarify, and to leave people feeling seen, supported, and inspired to do things differently.
Let’s Create Something That Resonates
Whether you’re planning an event, developing resources, or sharing a story that matters, Shirley can help you bring it to life with clarity and care.
© 2025 Shirley Appleby Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Stories that empower. Wisdom that heals. Spaces that feel safe.
Company No. 04818695. Registered Address: 158 High Street, Herne Bay, Kent, England CT6 5NW. - Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Accessibility