Work With Me
Just Different: Neuro Affirming Education is led by my enthusiasm to destigmatise differences and support people to play to their strengths. I’m excited to step outside of my therapy room and share my knowledge to a variety of audiences.
To inquire about how I can support your school or organisation, please contact me via email so we can chat further.
Consultancy for Schools
As our awareness and understanding about individual differences and neurotypes grows, we are becoming better equipped to recognise the children with support needs in the school system. These needs can impact many aspects of school, like their learning, engagement, behaviour, feelings of safety, relationships, and overall wellbeing.
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At times, the number of students with support needs might feel overwhelming for even the most astute and experienced Educators and Leadership Staff. If we consider that some of the adults in the Education system may also be neurodivergent, we can begin to imagine how tricky it might feel to provide inclusive, neuro affirming education for everyone.
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My consultancy can help your school to broaden your understanding and learn practical, actionable strategies. The good news is, neuro affirming education typically supports positive outcomes for all students (and staff), not just those with specific support needs.
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I provide customised consultancy so you can learn more about:
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Different neurotypes, and neurodivergent experiences like Autism; ADHD; Anxiety; Depression; Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia
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Implementing practical accommodations to support positive wellbeing and learning outcomes.
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Supportive communication - understanding communication differences and preferences; adjusting communication styles; effective communication between parents/caregivers and teachers
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Building emotional regulation strategies - understanding the link between our brains and nervous systems, the importance of co-regulation
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Understanding and managing 'school refusal' - school won't vs school can't
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Understanding and managing 'challenging behaviours' - looking beyond behaviour to understand the child's needs
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Understanding and managing ''drive for autonomy'
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Developing self-advocacy skills in students
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Building self confidence
Talks for Health Professionals
Until recent years, information and training about neurodivergence was scarce. What was provided centred on a 'pathology paradigm' where individual differences were viewed as disordered &/or diseased. The frameworks we were taught to use often lacked inclusivity, and individuals across gender, race, disability and lifespan have been unfairly judged and disadvantaged. The pathology paradigm has had a negative impact on person-centred care, and the shift to the neurodiversity paradigm (or social model of disability) aims to dismantle that.
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No doubt you were drawn to your work because of an innate drive to help and support people, but it can be hard so see our own blind-spots. I'm passionate about helping health professionals to update and expand their knowledge.
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I provide tailored education and Professional Development so you can learn more about: ​
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Different neurotypes, including a range of neurodivergent experiences. How some aspects of neurodivergence may be difficult to recognise or understand using the diagnostic tools traditionally favoured by the medical model e.g., DSM-5.
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How a more detailed and nuanced understanding of neurodivergence can support more timely, accurate and holistic appraisals of an individual's treatment/support needs - adding value to the process of diagnosis, developing treatment plans and identifying referral pathways.
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Common differential diagnoses for neurodivergent presentations - the pros and cons of considering alternatives.
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Common co-occurring conditions experienced by neurodivergent people - the benefit of a holistic understanding for positive outcomes and person-centred care.
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Broadening your understanding of treatment options, supports, accommodations, and referral pathways for providing neuro affirming, person-centred care.
Consultancy for Workplaces
Neurodivergent people are awesome and can be a truly invaluable asset to any workplace, especially when given the opportunity to work to their strengths and interests.
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On the flip side, failure to accommodate for neurodivergence in the workplace may have a negative impact on individuals' wellbeing, work performance, and the culture of the organisation. Inclusivity is an Employer's legal obligation. I can support you to determine what inclusivity in your workplace can look like.
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My consultancy services provide expert advice and practical solutions, to organisations seeking to provide neuro affirming work environments.
I provide customised consultancy so you can learn more about:
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Simple, effective, actionable supports & accommodations. These support psychological safety in the workplace and promote postive wellbeing, performance, and staff retention.
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Effective ways to communicate at work with individual neurotypes in mind, including ways to minimise or resolve conflict.
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Ways to support positive and consistent performance/outcomes.
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Ways to support positve and consistent engagement at work - mitigate risk of staff burnout, support staff who are struggling, encourage positive attendance, and support appropriate use of Leave entitlements.
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Ways to identify areas of strengths and interests in employees, to support an individual's ability to work to their strengths.
Talks for Parents and Teachers
Raising neurodivergent kids can be super rewarding and super challenging! Many adults today can relate to having grown up without any language or understanding of neurodivergence. There were often very ‘black and white’ ideas about how to do things, and most of us were funnelled into a ‘one-size-fits-all’ template for life. We know that times have changed now and although most people can accept that there’s a world of differences among individuals, we often still don’t know what to look for or how to respond to difference. Because of this, it can be hard to make sense of our own child/student's struggles or behaviour, and baffling as to why what works for 'most' kids doesn't work for others.
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I'm passionate about supporting parents and teachers to gain a deeper understanding of their kids, and responding from a strengths-based, neuro affirming perspective. Kids who feel happy, safe and confident can conquer the world! And parents and teachers who feel confident managing tricky moments are also likely to feel happier and less burnt out. Knowledge is power, and learning more is a win-win for everyone!
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I provide customised Professional Development and Parent/Caregiver Information Sessions so you can learn more about:
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Neurodivergent experiences including Autism; ADHD; Anxiety; Depression; Dyslexia; Dyspraxia; Dysgraphia; Dyscalculia
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Understanding and responding to big feelings - understanding the link between our brain and nervous system, the importance of co-regulation
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Communication strategies for navigating relationships in the school system e.g., between parents and kids; parents and teachers; teachers and students.
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Understanding and managing 'school refusal' - school won't vs school can't
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Understanding and managing 'challenging' &/or impulsive behaviours - looking beyond behaviour to understand the child's needs
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Understanding and managing ‘strong-willed’ children and drive for autonomy
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Advocacy and self-advocacy skills
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Supporting self confidence
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Managing friendships
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Managing sibling dynamics