Olive or Fig
Tailored Support- Turning Potential Into Exceptional Outcomes
3 Ways Working together Creates Change
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Turn intention into action
I identify exactly why tasks are stalling and create personalised systems that make starting, prioritising and finishing easier. You gain clear next steps, reliable ways to follow through and greater control over your time.
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Replace overwhelm with stability
I uncover what is driving your overload and help you reduce unnecessary demands, protect your energy and respond before exhaustion becomes collapse. Life becomes more manageable, predictable and sustainable.
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Turn hidden ability into visible results
I help you understand your unique neurotype, rebuild trust in your judgement and work in ways that use your strengths. Your intelligence becomes completed work, better decisions, clearer communication and measurable progress.
About me.
I am Mia Preston MSc, PGCE, founder of Olive or Fig and The Orchard, and a specialist mentor for neurodivergent adults, students and families.
My three decades of experience span engineering, teaching, fostering, specialist mentoring, training and content creation. Engineering taught me to analyse systems and find the point at which something stops working. Teaching taught me that understanding is only useful when it can be translated into action. Fostering deepened my knowledge of attachment, regulation, safety and the effect of environments on behaviour.
I bring those disciplines together with neuroscience, psychology, practical coaching and lived experience of ADHD and dyslexia.
My analytical ability has a practical purpose. I use it to notice patterns, make connections across different fields and translate complex evidence into strategies you can use on an ordinary Tuesday morning. Clients do not have to become experts in executive function, nervous-system regulation or behavioural science. I do that thinking so we can concentrate on making daily life work.
Empathy is central to this process. I understand the bewilderment of being highly capable while struggling with something that appears simple to everyone else. I listen without judgement, take your experience seriously and keep asking, “What is making this difficult?” until we find something concrete enough to change.
I am also a child of two cultures, with the experience of fitting nowhere completely and learning to understand many different rooms. That has made me attentive to the gap between how a person is perceived and what is happening beneath the surface.
Experience recognised at a national level
In February 2026, I gave evidence on neurodivergence in employment to the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee at the Scottish Parliament, representing the Federation of Small Businesses Scotland.
The Committee’s final Neurodivergence in Scotland report quotes my evidence three times. It draws on my contributions about matching work to neurodivergent strengths, designing environments that work for more people and recognising the employment pressures faced by parents and carers.
I have also delivered talks and training for teachers, professionals and consultant psychiatrists, contributed to podcasts and published writing in the European Healing Network and Aromatherapy Times. Through Neuroground, Olive or Fig and The Orchard, I continue to translate research and lived experience into practical support for neurodivergent people, families and organisations.
How it works.
How it works.
Olive or Fig isn’t about telling you what to do. It is about listening, - to your challenges, your dreams and your fortitude. We will identify your main goals to set the direction of our sessions, and from there we will complete a life audit exploring your strengths and how to apply them. Strategies will be created that are unique to you and your neurobiology and therefore profoundly effective.
This approach is for anyone who is neurodivergent, whether you have been diagnosed or identify as. You can be any age and at any stage of development in your life. Your needs guide us.
I offer personal life mentoring as well as workplace strategy coaching. Every session is tailored to your needs and strategic, long term goals.
We always start with a free half hour session to see if we are a good fit. After that, we will use a combination of Socratic questioning, reframing and neuroscience. Throughout the process, I will be your consistent companion.
1:1 or The Orchard.
Choice is at the heart of the Olive or Fig ethos.
1:1s are great if you want an immediate response to your unique circumstances and a guiding hand. A ready ear to listen, responding in real time to your challenges, frustrations and ambitions.
An alternative to this is The Orchard. A library of videos and resources for neurodivergent people. A place you can explore, picking what you need when you need it. Every path is different and every piece of content is designed to bring a mix of calm, clarity and practical support.
Inside you’ll find content that covers diverse situations and offers many approaches to suit you.
* Study & Work * Communication * Money * Food & health * Neuroscience * Yoga * Self-image* Sleep & Practical Strategies *
and much more.
There is also the option of having both if you think it’s appropriate for you. Remember your needs guide the process.
Fresh ideas, practical strategies, and a dash of reflection—our weekly blog explores how neurodivergent thinking can spark growth in work, learning, and everyday life, inspiring change you can actually use.
Blog
Feedback
“I wanted to say a final thank you for everything you've done for me over the past year and a bit, I truly don't know if I would have made it to the end without your help. I appreciated and savoured our sessions/conversations more than you'll ever know, truly a privilege to work with and know you.” - EM
“I wanted to let you know I received 22/22 on my thesis and will graduating with a first! My grades this term were some of the best I've received and I don't doubt this was because of your advice and support! Thank you again!” - AG
“I would like to thank you again for all your support and kind words. I truly believe the guidance you gave me helped me immensely in achieving what I have done in my final year of university. I am pleased to say I will be graduating two weeks today with a first-class degree! I cannot thank you enough for your support, particularly for the skills and techniques you taught me that I will continue to use for many years to come.” - FM
“Before I started having sessions with Mia, I felt like a lot of areas in my life had broken down. I felt lost, filled with self-doubt and like a shell of a person. I knew I wanted things to change and start moving again but didn’t know where to begin.
Mia helped me build a toolbox of skills and techniques that I’ll take forward with me for a long time. Instead of trying to leap from A-Z and then feeling overwhelmed with tasks, she guided me into creating a realistic plan for moving forward in a way that suited me and prevented that familiar feeling of shut down.
Building back up my sense of identity again, Mia gave a lot of insight into the way our brains work and how to start to challenge my inner critic that I’ve been able to put into practise.
Together in our sessions we worked on areas where I could start to improve my wellbeing, personal goals, money management and reconnecting with creative hobbies that matter to me. She was a safe place to be totally honest and open up with.
I’m deeply grateful for the supportive, accepting and non-judgemental space she creates. Alongside the practical help, I always felt understood and safe, and with that came a sense of clarity.
I would highly recommend Mia to anyone who feels stuck, lost or like they’re constantly trying to fit into a world that doesn’t seem to work for them. Spoiler alert, you don’t have to change to fit into anyone else’s mould.” - Ellen
