Frequently Asked Questions
How much do your services cost?
My rates vary depend on individual client needs. For example, support services that require my time and effort consistently throughout the week will be charged at a different rate than educational consultations, which are usually a one and done situation. It's also important to me that my services are within reach for low-income families and individuals. Please reach out to me through the contact form so that we can discuss cost if you are interested but are concerned about cost.
What is the age limit for your clients?
I will work with any individual age 13 and over. My number 1 goal is to help neurodivergent individuals understand their neurobiology so that they can discover their strengths and passions, follow them, and learn to advocate for themselves as they navigate through major life transitions and events in a neurotypical world.
Are you essentially a life coach for neurodivergent people?
No. The word coach is loaded with implications of a dominance hierarchy where I (the coach) contain all the knowledge, expertise, and authority, which makes the client a subordinate. Their only job is to receive my knowledge, expertise, and authority and employ it in their daily life. I have serious issues with this framework as do most neurodivergent people. Social hierarchies can be confusing for some and outright triggering for other neurodivergent people. My firm belief is that experts on any given topic will always have more to learn, even from non-experts, and that the learning process should look a lot more egalitarian and collaborative than top-down in its framework. My nature is to learn and work cooperatively and collaboratively while reciprocally sharing about life experiences and knowledge gained along the way. This kind of egalitarian partnership rooted in genuine human connection is far more preferable to me than superficial expert/client relationships where the hierarchy divides us before we can even get started.
What kind of support services do you offer?
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My services vary according to the individual needs of the client. Some examples are:
1. Body doubling for task/project initiation and management.
2. Homeschool and educational support - collaborating with parents to find a method that works for their situation whether they are unschooling, using open and go curricula, or attending public school.
3. Life transitions and events - job seeking and applications, college or trade school admissions, etc.
4. Self education and advocacy - helping individuals, romantic couples, and neurotypical caregivers understand neurodivergent brains, utilize neurodivergent strengths and passions to function successfully in society, and advocate for support needs when necessary.
5. Discuss the process for receiving a formal diagnosis and how it could help you as well as how disclosure as an adult might not be helpful.
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The above examples are not exhaustive, so please don't be afraid to inquire about something just because it's not listed here.
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What is self diagnosis and how does it differ from a professional diagnosis?
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Unfortunately, access to diagnostic services in the United Sates is fraught with problems. Cost, a bias for the pathologized deficit model around neurodivergence, and uninformed practitioners missing and/or misdiagnosing people makes getting a professional diagnosis unattainable for most. As a result, many who suspect that they are different in some way and who also lack the means to obtain a professional evaluation are educating themselves on neurodivergent conditions while also reflecting on their life experience and family medical history. Armed with information and life experience they are forgoing the onerous barriers to evaluation services and diagnosing themselves, which is entirely legitimate and supported by neurodivergent communities.
Do you work with neurodivergent couples?
Yes. Whether you are neurodivergent, your partner is, or perhaps you both are, differing communication styles rooted in neurodivergence can lead to misunderstanding and unnecessary conflict. I provide unbiased, judgement free support for you and your partner to dive into one another's neurodivergent experience to uncover communication and relational strategies that are affirming for both individuals.
What are your credentials?
I have a Bachelors degree in Anthropology and a Masters degree in Library and Information Science. I worked 16 years in academia at a Research 1 university. At the height of my career, my research was published in peer-reviewed scholarly journals, I successfully implemented user-centered and accessible services for university library faculty and students, and eventually, upon discovering my own neurodivergence, I began advocating on behalf of neurodiverse library employees. My most recent collaborative research study, "Autistic Librarians in the Academic Library Hiring Process,"which examines the challenges autistic individuals face during the job recruitment process was just accepted for publication in the journal, College and Research Libraries. Though, I am no longer working in academia, I continue to take professional development courses and independently study issues around neurodiversity. Lastly, given my anthropology and information science background, I have expertise in information and media literacy, open educational resources, quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, and the implications of being neurodivergent in an American cultural context.
How are your services delivered?
All of my services are offered virtually. Prior to all sessions I will email you a link to access the virtual platform at our agreed upon time and day. The length of each session will vary depending on client needs; however, the first consultation session will be 30 minutes. The initial session will be a meet and greet where I will discuss your needs, go over paperwork outlining my service agreement, determine if I'm a good fit to support you, and enact a plan for future services. If you prefer written communication, I am open to that as well. In this instance, expect all of the above to be done in writing through email and a shared folder where I can post resources as needed.
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