I use my clinical expertise, lived experience, and hyperfixation on the autistic and adhd experience to support other ND humans and their families through consulting, coaching, and speech language therapy.
After nearly a decade spent working in public education, I made the leap to private practice in order to serve my people...other neurodivergent individuals and their families. I LOVE thinking, reading, and talking about neurodivergent brains, learning styles, culture, language, and misconceptions. I specialize in supporting people in the areas of executive functioning, social pragmatics and communication, bridging the language and communication gap between neurodivergents and neurotypicals, and cultivating self-advocacy. If you or someone you love is autistic, has ADHD, or suspects that they are neurodivergent, I would love to talk with you!
Life is full of twists and turns, and I've got a (coffee-stained and crumpled because ADHD) map and a few tricks up my sleeve. I would be honored to be your guide on this part of your journey.
I am a licensed speech language pathologist in Oregon and California. I hold my Certificate of Clinical Competence through the American Speech and Hearing Association.
I specialize in working with autistic and ADHDer adolescents and adults in the areas of self advocacy, social pragmatics and communication, and executive function. I love thinking and talking about neurodivergence, and the ways in which we can make our world a more inclusive and accommodating place. I would love to talk with you about how I can support you in living life the way you want.
Now accepting clients.
As a human with ADHD and an educator of students with ADHD, I bring lived and clinical experience to my work with ADHD humans and their families. We are all alike...and all different in the ways we experience emotional dysregulation, executive dysfunction, inattention, hyperactivity, and hyperfocus. I love working with people to problem solve ways to accommodate and advocate for our needs, to find acceptance and pride in our neurotype, and to develop tools to support increased emotional regulation and executive function. I'm also deeply passionate about list making. Let's do this together.
All brains are different, all brains are beautiful, and all brains deserve respect and support.
Humans are an interdependent, social species. We NEED each other to survive.
Why, then, is it so hard to live with other people, even when you love them more than anything in the world?
Neurodivergent families are full of love, creativity, and joy. They are also made up of brains which need different things at different times. This can make co-existing into a stressful, discordant slog which steals the joy out of sharing space with the ones you love.
Here's what I believe:
Information and understanding, plus a healthy respect for everyone's communication and sensory needs, equals a more harmonious existence.
I can't get someone's need to verbally stim to go away.
I can't erase someone's tendency towards direct communication.
But I can promote understanding and awareness of what is just a neurological difference, not a targeted attack on sanity.
And with that understanding comes acceptance.
And that is the key to finding your way back to enjoying the people you love.
After working in public education for eight years, I have an in-depth knowledge of the special education process. I am well versed (as a professional and as a parent) in the special education evaluation process, writing and approving Individualized Education Plans (IEP's), and translating the often opaque language of the special education process. Relationships are the key to successful IEP's and special education planning. I come to this work having cultivated relationships with many education and therapeutic professionals, and I truly believe that the most capable people don't know everything, but they know how and where to look for information. If you have a question I can't answer, I know just who to ask on your behalf.
For most people, a diagnosis comes with a long, difficult-to-understand report, and a sympathetic smile. If you're fortunate, there is an included list of resources in the back of the report.
That is not how I roll. (Check out the blog post on responding to a diagnosis).
I have been through this process (on both sides of the table) many times. I am here to tell you that this is good news, that information is power, and that there are answers to your questions.
I am your 'diagnosis doula,' and I am here to guide you through this process. Welcome to the community! Let me show you around.