MY SERVICES

Consultation, Supervision, Training, and Speaking on Neurodiversity and Autism

Humans are neurodiverse. Our society needs to adapt to that reality faster, and create safer spaces for neurodivergent people.

As a therapist – or physician, or other professional – you have no doubt had clients who were or might be neurodivergent. Autism, ADHD, AuDHD (both combined), or just presenting in ways that seemed confusing.

Perhaps you have some training in neurodiversity-affirming care, but if you’re like most people in healthcare, your experience and comfort level in working with neurodiversity is limited.

What do you do?

Do you refer out to an autism or ADHD specialist? Good luck – there aren’t very many of us, and we’re all perpetually full, with long wait lists.

Do you sign up for an expensive and lengthy continuing education course? If you’re like most of us, you already have a wish list of CE courses that you can’t afford or make time for, all of them higher priority for your core practice than becoming an autism specialist.

Do you read a few articles online­, get on YouTube, or call a colleague with a neurodivergent child, and just do your best to use a few random tips to wing it? Your ethical code, like mine, probably says something about practicing within the scope of your training and expertise.Every family is unique – you deserve support that reflects that.

What if you could get expert help?

What if you could arrange a consultation with an actual specialist in neurodiversity-affirming care – and better yet, one who is autistic, 2E (Twice-Exceptional), and a PDAer himself? One who combines years of specialized work and training in neurodiversity with decades of lived, personal experience?

What if, instead of referring out, you could have one-on-one consultation with an expert in the field… and not only keep your client/patient but deliver higher quality, more effective care? And, along the way, become more comfortable and confident in working with neurodiverse clients – an increasingly prominent community whose needs are vastly underserved?

Practice owners, physicians and healthcare administrators, school districts, and employers in general - what if you could design a neurodiversity-affirming environment?

What if, thinking more broadly, you could help your whole practice or organization do better at serving neurodiverse populations? And make your workplace a more welcoming, supportive, sustainable environment for neurodiverse people?

Neurodivergent and neurodiversity-affirming clinical supervision for therapists

If you are a pre-licensure therapist, and are looking for a clinical supervisor to help you on your path toward that precious LCSW or LPC, and are either neurodivergent yourself or want to learn neurodiversity-affirming approaches… it’s hard to find someone who can guide you along the path with firm ethics, clinical experience, and a nurturing, supportive approach. I’m here to help. (Oregon only, for now.)

Public speaking, trainings, podcasts, and conferences

If you are looking for a speaker, trainer, panel participant, or podcast guest with expertise on autism, ADHD, PDA, neurodivergence, neurodiversity-affirming approaches, or other areas within my area of expertise, please feel free to reach out. I’ve appeared on several podcasts, have provided trainings to groups ranging from 3 to 1500 people both online and in person, and have presented to C-Suite executives of Fortune 500 companies.

I have also created customized trainings and presentations for many organizations, and am happy to discuss this with you.

My most recent client for trainings said I was the most highly rated presenter (based on participant surveys) in the history of their organization.

I seek to make this world a better, kinder, more welcoming place for all beings. I see myself as being in continual service to that purpose. If there is a way I can answer that call, I will.

I can help with:

  • Consultation

    If you are a therapist, physician, or other healthcare professional with a neurodivergent client/patient, consultation can be an alternative to referring out (to resources that don’t really exist). You keep your client/patient, can improve your care quality and effectiveness, and become more confident and competent at working with an important and underserved population.

  • Clinical Supervision

    I’m qualified to supervise new therapists working toward licensure (LCSW or LPC) in Oregon. I’m especially excited about helping neurodivergent therapists and/or those seeking to learn neurodiversity-affirming therapy. We’re in short supply. I hope to help address that shortage.

  • Training in Neurodiversity Issues

    I can provide training and ongoing consultation to workplaces of any kind who are seeking to be more welcoming, effective, and understanding toward neurodivergent customers, employees, and stakeholders.

  • Public Speaking

    I’ve spoken to audiences as large as 1500 individuals, and am comfortable using a mixture of neuroscience, anecdote, humor, self-disclosure, and clinical experience to explain complex subjects in understandable and impactful ways.

  • School District Support

    School districts often have students and families with complex problems involving neurodiversity and/or trauma. These sometimes can create legal, regulatory, and staff issues. I can provide an outside, non-litigative, confidential perspective to help reduce the likelihood of costly and complicated problems - and potentially improve outcomes.

  • Medical Group/Hospital Training

    Any healthcare organization inevitably has neurodivergent clients - often they (we) need a disproportionate amount of care and are especially difficult to treat. Why? And how do you help this population? Chances are even the doctors and administrators have minimal training in autism or ADHD. The staff?

    I can help.

MY QUALIFICATIONS

I combine professional and lived experience in a unique package

Areas of expertise

·      Autism and Aspergers

·      ADHD

·      PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance / Pervasive Drive for Autonomy)

·      2E (Twice-Exceptional, i.e., both “gifted” and neurodivergent)

·      Neurodiversity affirming care

·      Complex, childhood, and family trauma

·      Neuropsychology of neurodiversity and trauma

·      Stress and burnout (and recovery)

·      Mental health issues in schools

·      Trauma informed care

·      Adverse Childhood Experiences

·      Parent/caregiver education

·      Issues affecting teachers/educators, healthcare professionals, and caregivers – including toxic stress and burnout

·      Integration of various therapeutic modalities, including Brainspotting, Trauma-Focused CBT, Attachment Regulation and Competency, psilocybin-assisted therapy, sensory-driven and polyvagal approaches, Emotionally Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems, family systems, humanistic and existential, and others

Why hire me?

  • Proven: Consistent track record of excellence as a therapist – most recent client survey rated overall satisfaction at 8.6 out of 10

  • Accredited: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (licensed in or authorized to practice in 5 states). Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist (CASDCS), Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP), Certified Family Trauma Professional (CFTP)

  • Experienced: 9+ years working with autism, ADHD, PDA, complex trauma, and interpersonal violence, as well as other mental health issues

  • Mentor: Clinical Supervisor (Oregon only) – social workers and professional counselors. Have been a highly regarded manager, trainer, and supervisor in various professional settings for more than 30 years

  • Lived Experience: Diagnosed autistic in 2024 at age 56, self-identify as an internalizing PDAer and Twice-Exceptional (2E)

  • Familiar with schools and healthcare systems: 6 years’ experience as a school-based mental health therapist. Former management consultant and project leader for leading insurance and healthcare companies. Many family members and friends in various areas of the healthcare world. Former Board President of a community mental health agency.

  • Compelling: Trainer and presenter with experience in groups ranging from 2 to 1500 – including C-Suite officers of Fortune 500 companies.

  • Highly reviewed: My most recent client for training and presentation work called me the “most highly reviewed trainer we’ve ever had.”

  • Qualified: Graduated cum laude from Harvard University (B.A., Literature, 1991), with 2 master’s degrees – MFA in Writing (Fiction) from Pacific University, and MSW from Simmons University.

  • Easy to work with: Compassionate, kind, non-judgmental, articulate, and able to explain complex concepts in understandable language with humor, connection, and clarity.

  • Approachable: Clients most recently rated me 9.4 out of 10 on responsiveness to their needs, and 9.1 on accessibility.

Costs

  • Base rate: $85 per 20 minutes for case consultation and coaching (note to therapists and healthcare professionals: your time might be billable to the client/patient as an interprofessional consultation or environmental intervention, depending on client’s insurance, defraying the cost)

  • Clinical supervision for pre-licensed therapists in Oregon: $175/hour

  • Trainings, speaking engagements, group education: negotiable based on size of group, nature of the material, and other factors