Hi! I'm Lara, a mental health writer, journalist and content creator.
Lara Rodwell is a writer, speaker and founder exploring loneliness, neurodiversity and social connection.
A First-Class MA Arts & Lifestyle Journalism graduate from UAL, her work focuses on the often overlooked experience of loneliness - particularly for those who feel out of place in traditional social environments.
Alongside her journalism, Lara is the founder of The Lonely Club, a growing community creating low-pressure, inclusive spaces for connection. Her work is rooted in lived experience and informed by her recent diagnosis of autism and ADHD, which has shaped both her writing and her approach to community building.
She has written for Stylist, The i Paper, Business Insider, The Guardian, Metro and Dazed, as well as charities including West Sussex Mind, Together Co and St Barnabas.
Her work sits at the intersection of personal narrative and social insight - exploring themes of belonging, masking, and the gap between how connection is often presented and how it actually feels for many people.
Lara is available for features, first-person commissions, and commentary on loneliness, neurodiversity and inclusive social spaces.
A Bit More About Me
As an identical twin, I've always been introspective and curious in what makes each human being unique. For years I expressed what I learnt about myself, others and the world around me abstractly through visual art, graduating with a Fine Art BA (Hons) in 2019 from Falmouth University.
In September 2020, I experienced the loss of a close family member. Although I'd always dabbled in blog writing, I discovered how healing writing first-person stories that may help others in a similar situation was for me was for my grieving journey. From here, I published my first book, a Guided Grief Journal - From Prognosis to Peace: Navigating Grief Through Gratitude, Discovery and Healing.
In December 2023, I graduated from UAL with a MA in Arts & Lifestyle Journalism - where I learnt the art of journalistic storytelling to write about the lives of others. Whilst studying, I was commissioned to write features for Dazed Digital and MetroUK and since have written for The Guardian and Stylist+. During my degree, I also set up The Lonely Club - initially as an online community, and now a growing in-person initiative creating low-pressure, inclusive spaces for adults who feel disconnected from traditional social environments.
What began as a response to the “loneliness epidemic” has since evolved into a more focused exploration of belonging, neurodiversity, and the types of spaces that enable genuine connection. This work continues to inform both my writing and wider projects.
"I'm trying with all my heart to write the stories I need to hear, the stories younger me needed like air".
Mishka Hoosen, author of Call It a Difficult Night