Building the Beauty in Neurodiversity

When people hear terms like Autism and ADHD, often the first thing they think of are the ways that neurodiverse people don't meet cultural expectations. This is unfortunate because the truth is that neurodiversity is a tremendous gift, with a negotiable price tag. When we can learn to work with ourselves, neurodiverse people give the world it's best and brightest. Show me any great talent in history and I’ll show you someone who was neurodiverse.  It isn't typical people who change the world!​

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What is neurodivergence? It means that the individual’s brain is specialized instead of being generalized. The majority of the brain's resources get channeled into the specialty leaving little left for the rest of everything.  It is like having only a Ferrari for a family of four.  People with neurodivergence often feel confused because they frequently know they have special abilities but struggle with life tasks that everyone else seems to take for granted. Some neurodiverse people don't realize their areas of ability because those things come so naturally to them that it is hard to comprehend that other's find those things difficult.

Since the commonality in neurodiversity is that the brain is specialized, people with neurodivergence can look extremely different.  The pediatric neurosurgeon, the high school basketball star and the professional musician are all neurodivergent and may look nothing alike.  Likewise, people with Autism, ADHD, OCD, dyslexia and similar diagnoses all fit under the broad umbrella term of "neurodivergence". 

The vast majority of my clients do not come to me knowing they are neurodivergent. If you are like them, you may be considering therapy because you feel like everyone but you got some sort of handbook for living. Especially in the areas of personal topics, you may also find translating your thoughts and feelings into words to be daunting, if not impossible.  You may find that you become easily overwhelmed by sensory experiences such as bathing, touch or loud music.  Conversely, you may find you crave sensory stimulation and like keeping the volume of your life on 10. Relationships are frequently an area of difficulty and concern for neurodivergent people. Misunderstandings, going both directions, can create a lot of preventable grief for both the neurodivergent person and their loved ones.

I have worked with neurodivergent clients since 2016 and have long standing relationships with many of them. From this amazing group of teachers, I have had the privilege of of learning from the inside about the diverse experiences of neurodivergence in a neurotypical world. I’ve also gathered and cultivated strategies for navigating the neurodivergent life. I would be delighted to apply my decades worth of experience in helping you acquire the skills and self-compassion necessary to create your own “handbook” for living.  I love helping neurodivergent people find comfortable ways to fulfill their potential!