This Is Manchester Awards 2026: Prior Mindset Celebrates Three Finalist Nominations.
On Thursday 5 November, I attended the This Is Manchester Awards 2026 at Emirates Old Trafford, where Prior Mindset and I were honoured to be shortlisted across three categories.
Prior Mindset | Wellbeing Finalist 2026 Prior Mindset | Wellbeing Finalist 2026 Prior Mindset | Wellbeing Finalist 2026
Woman of the Year: Jerri Prior, Turning Barriers into Purpose and Change.
Diversity & Inclusion Leader / Changemaker of the Year: Jerri Prior, Bridging the Gaps in Neurodivergent Mental Health Support.
Individuals and/or Organisations Promoting Wellbeing: Prior Mindset, Improving Mental Health Through Evidence, Access and Understanding.
You can find the nominations on the official This Is Manchester Awards 2026 shortlist.
After just over two and a half years of building Prior Mindset, being recognised alongside established businesses, community organisations and individuals making a difference across Greater Manchester was a significant milestone.
What stood out throughout the evening was the opportunity to connect with people working across different sectors, many of whom share a commitment to improving inclusion, wellbeing and opportunities within our communities.
It also gave me an opportunity to reflect on why I established Prior Mindset and what I hope to achieve as the business continues to develop.
Why I Started Prior Mindset: Helping People Who Fall Through the Gaps
Throughout my career, I've worked across education, NHS primary and secondary care, specialist mental health services, charities and the third sector. Across these settings, I repeatedly encountered children, adults and families who needed support but didn't always fit neatly into the services available.
Some didn't meet referral thresholds.
Others faced lengthy waiting lists, while many were trying to navigate overlapping difficulties involving mental health, neurodiversity, education and family circumstances.
I often questioned why people had to wait until difficulties became more serious before they could access professional guidance.
That experience became one of the driving forces behind Prior Mindset.
I wanted to create a service that helped people who were falling through the gaps, offering mental health and neurodiversity support alongside advocacy and practical guidance across education and healthcare.
Today, Prior Mindset supports children, young people, adults, families and professionals through a range of services, including:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Psychological therapy for difficulties including all anxiety disorders such as social anxiety, phobias, general anxiety, separation anxiety, OCD, low mood, emotional regulation and distress tolerance
ADHD and autism support: Neurodiversity-affirming coaching, screenings, post-diagnostic guidance and practical strategies for everyday challenges.
Parent and family support: Helping families better understand their children's needs, behaviours and navigate difficult situations.
SEND and EHCP consultancy: Guidance with education-related concerns, Education, Health and Care Plans, advocacy and professional meetings.
Professional consultation: Helping individuals and organisations explore complex situations and identify practical next steps.
Not everybody needs a course of therapy. Sometimes people need a knowledgeable professional who can listen, understand the wider circumstances and help them work out what to do next. Which may only take one advice session.
That remains central to what Prior Mindset is trying to achieve. A place for all, If I cant help you I will find you a service that can do!
Supporting Businesses, Professionals and Neurodivergent Employees
Another area I'm passionate about is supporting professionals and businesses to create environments where people can thrive.
I enjoy mentoring private practitioners who are establishing or developing their own services, sharing the practical lessons I've learned from building Prior Mindset alongside my clinical career.
I'm also looking to expand Prior Mindset's workplace neurodiversity consultancy, supporting employers to better understand ADHD, autism and other neurodivergent profiles.
This includes exploring reasonable adjustments, workplace policies, communication practices, employee wellbeing and ways of recognising individual strengths.
For me, workplace inclusion needs to go beyond awareness training or having policies that look good on paper.
It's about understanding the people within an organisation, identifying barriers and making meaningful changes that help employees feel supported, valued and able to contribute.
I am particularly interested in helping organisations strengthen their approach to neurodivergent employee retention, inclusive management and psychologically informed workplace practices.
Having worked across healthcare, education and the third sector, I've seen how organisational systems can either support people or unintentionally create additional barriers.
My aim is to help businesses develop practical, sustainable approaches to neurodiversity and inclusion, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all model.
Meeting People Who Share the Same Values
One of the most valuable parts of attending the This Is Manchester Awards 2026 was meeting people who share a commitment to improving mental health, inclusion and opportunities within our communities.
It was a pleasure to meet Javeno McLean, recipient of the Manchester Supernova Award, whose work supporting disabled people and those living with physical health conditions demonstrates the importance of making services accessible to everyone. Please give him a follow on instagram and see all of his great work!
I also enjoyed meeting Roman Dibden, founder of BREAKOUT, which received the Outstanding Debut of the Year award.
BREAKOUT focuses on bringing together young people, employers and communities to create opportunities and pathways into employment.
Roman has spoken openly about the personal and professional challenges of establishing the organisation and the importance of ensuring young people have somebody who believes in them.
That message particularly resonated with me.
Throughout my career working with children and young people, I've seen how barriers within education, mental health services and employment can affect confidence, wellbeing and future opportunities.
For neurodivergent young people, including those with ADHD or autism, having their strengths recognised, receiving appropriate adjustments and accessing the right opportunities can make a meaningful difference.
Although Prior Mindset and BREAKOUT work in different areas, we share a commitment to recognising potential and addressing the barriers that can prevent people from moving forward.
Another valuable connection was meeting Mark Murray, co-founder of Whysup, an organisation established alongside Liam McBride that focuses on mental health, addiction awareness and wellbeing education.
It was interesting to hear about the personal experiences that helped shape Whysup and its commitment to supporting individuals, schools and workplaces through education and greater understanding.
Having worked across mental health, education and the third sector myself, I particularly value connecting with people who have used their experiences to develop services that respond to gaps in existing support.
I'm looking forward to continuing conversations with Roman and Mark, hopefully over a cup of tea, and exploring how Prior Mindset, BREAKOUT and Whysup might share knowledge, support one another and potentially collaborate in the future.
For me, these conversations were among the most meaningful parts of the evening. They reinforced why I established Prior Mindset: to help people who might otherwise fall through the gaps and to contribute towards services that are more accessible, inclusive and responsive to people's needs.
Celebrating Inclusion, Wellbeing and Community Leadership
It was also a pleasure to celebrate the achievements of the winners in the categories where Prior Mindset was shortlisted.
Rachel Law, CEO of PossAbilities CIC, received Woman of the Year, recognising her leadership and commitment to supporting people with learning disabilities and creating opportunities within communities.
Edwin Buckley, founder of The Prominence Collective, received Diversity & Inclusion Leader / Changemaker of the Year for his work supporting inclusion and under-represented communities.
Girls On The Go received the Individuals and/or Organisations Promoting Wellbeing award, recognising its contribution to women's wellbeing, social connection and community participation.
Congratulations to all the winners and finalists.
Being shortlisted alongside people and organisations making such an impact was a reminder that meaningful change can happen in many different ways.
An Evening Celebrating Greater Manchester
The awards also recognised achievements across sport, culture, entertainment and community life.
England and Manchester United footballer Ella Toone received the Outstanding Contribution to Sport Award, while Peter Hook was recognised for his contribution to music.
The evening was hosted by Jenny Powell, and I also met Royston Blythe and Nick Malenko, the hairstylists known for their work in the fashion and entertainment industries, including appearances on The Real Housewives of Cheshire.
It was a pleasure to share a table with representatives from The Lowry and Co-op Live at the This Is Manchester Awards 2026. Both organisations were award winners on the night, and it was lovely to celebrate their achievements. So proud of you all!
Over Two and a Half Years of Building Prior Mindset
Establishing Prior Mindset has been one of the most rewarding and demanding experiences of my professional career.
There have been long working days, difficult decisions, uncertainty and plenty of learning along the way. There has been lots of tears, through stress and joy!
Building a business while continuing to work directly with individuals and families means balancing clinical responsibilities with everything involved in developing a service.
And when you're focused on what still needs doing, it can be easy to overlook how far you've come.
One thing I regularly encourage people to do in therapy is recognise their progress rather than focusing exclusively on what they haven't yet achieved.
Attending the awards was an opportunity to practise that myself.
Prior Mindset is still a relatively young business, and there is much more I want to develop, particularly around workplace consultancy, neurodiversity, education and advocacy.
But being shortlisted across three categories at the This Is Manchester Awards 2026 was an important milestone.
I didn't leave with an award, but I left feeling proud of what Prior Mindset has achieved and inspired by the people I met.
For a business established to help people who might otherwise fall through the gaps, that recognition means a great deal.
Thank you to everyone who has supported Prior Mindset, recommended the service, collaborated professionally or trusted me to support them. Especially to my Prior Mindset Patients and collegaues, new and old who nominated me!
And congratulations to everyone recognised at the This Is Manchester Awards 2026.
It was a privilege to be part of an evening celebrating people who are working to make Greater Manchester a more inclusive, connected and supportive place.
Working Together: Mental Health, Neurodiversity and Workplace Wellbeing
As Prior Mindset continues to grow, I'm particularly interested in connecting with businesses, charities, education providers and community organisations that share a commitment to mental health, neurodiversity and inclusion.
Alongside psychological therapy and support for families, I'm developing executive psychological wellbeing coaching for CEOs, business owners and senior leaders, focusing on burnout prevention, resilience, emotional regulation and sustainable professional performance.
I'm also looking to expand workplace neurodiversity consultancy, helping organisations better understand ADHD and autism, consider reasonable adjustments and develop more inclusive working environments.
Whether you're an employer exploring employee wellbeing, a professional interested in collaboration or an organisation supporting young people and families, I'd welcome a conversation about how we might work together.
Find out more about Prior Mindset: www.priormindset.com
Frequently Asked Questions?
What is Prior Mindset, and who does it support?
Prior Mindset is a Greater Manchester-based psychological therapy, neurodiversity coaching and consultancy service founded by Jerri Prior, a BABCP-accredited CBT psychotherapist and registered social worker.
I support children, young people, adults, families, professionals and businesses through mental health support, ADHD and autism coaching, parenting guidance, educational advocacy and workplace wellbeing consultancy.
Can Prior Mindset help with ADHD and autism without a formal diagnosis?
Yes. You do not necessarily need a formal ADHD or autism diagnosis to access psychological support or neurodiversity coaching.
Prior Mindset can help individuals explore emotional regulation, executive functioning, sensory needs, anxiety, overwhelm and everyday challenges while awaiting assessment or following a diagnosis.
Was Prior Mindset a finalist at the This Is Manchester Awards 2026?
Yes. Prior Mindset and founder Jerri Prior were recognised as finalists in three categories at the This Is Manchester Awards 2026: Woman of the Year, Diversity & Inclusion Leader/Change Maker of the Year, and Individuals and/or Organisations Promoting Well-Being.
The recognition came just over two and a half years after Prior Mindset was established. Wow!
Can I access Prior Mindset online if I live outside Manchester?
Yes. Prior Mindset is based in Greater Manchester and offers online psychological therapy, neurodiversity coaching, parenting support and professional consultations to clients across the UK, subject to suitability and availability.
Does Prior Mindset provide mentoring for therapists and private practitioners?
Yes. Jerri Prior provides professional mentoring and guidance for private practitioners who are establishing or developing their services.
This can include discussing the practical challenges of independent practice, professional development, business organisation and building sustainable ways of working.
Can Prior Mindset help with SEND and EHCP concerns?
Yes. Prior Mindset provides educational consultancy and guidance relating to SEND, Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), school-related difficulties and advocacy meetings
Does Prior Mindset provide excutive wellbeing coaching and workplace neurodiversity consultancy?
Prior Mindset is expanding its psychological wellbeing coaching and business consultancy services to support CEOs, business owners, senior leaders and high-performing professionals experiencing stress, burnout, emotional overwhelm or challenges associated with ADHD and autism.Our approach focuses on burnout prevention, psychological resilience, emotional regulation, executive functioning, sustainable performance and work-life balance, helping professionals understand their strengths, manage competing demands and maintain their wellbeing without compromising their ambitions.
We are also developing workplace neurodiversity consultancy to help organisations review reasonable adjustments, strengthen inclusive workplace policies, improve employee wellbeing and create environments where neurodivergent employees can thrive and remain in employment.
Find Out More About Prior Mindset
To learn more about the work I do, visit Prior Mindset, explore our CBT and DBT services, ADHD and autism support or Prior Mindset Resources.
Prior Mindset is not a crisis service and does not provide emergency mental-health support. If you or somebody else is at immediate risk of harm, call 999, attend your nearest A&E, contact NHS 111 or your local urgent mental-health service.
Warm wishes,
Miss Jerri Prior, CBTDip, BSc (Hons) BABCP Accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist Registered Social Worker | Children and Adults Founder and Director, Prior Mindset Winner - Neurodiverse Mental Health Clinic of the Year 2026 - Greater Manchester NHS People's Star Award Winner
References
Bourne, D. (2026, November 6). Peter Hook, Ella Toone and Javeno McLean honoured at Manchester star awards. Manchester Evening News.
This Is Manchester Awards. (2026). The shortlist 2026. https://www.thisismanchesterawards.com/the-shortlist-2026/
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