Neurodiversity Consulting and Training.
I help organizations adapt to neurodiversity in their hiring practices and workplace environments. Together we identify the barriers that hiring and workplace structures create, then make practical changes to hiring, management, communication, and day-to-day practices. I train managers and teams in neurodiversity, and offer coaching for neurodivergent employees. Embracing neurodiversity tends to improve outcomes for employees and employers alike.
Who I work with
Organizations of any size and type. The key prerequisite is an interest in improving your organization by embracing and accommodating neurodiversity.
What we work on
Just as I work with individuals the way they work best, I want to work with you the way that works best for your organization. I prefer education over brute force. Sometimes disruptive change is needed and good, but our starting place is small, incremental changes that add up.
Hiring process design
Your hiring process may be filtering out strong candidates before you ever meet them. I'll help you redesign job descriptions, interview processes, and evaluation criteria to focus on what matters for the role.
Managing, communicating, and collaborating
Different minds communicate, collaborate, and take direction in different ways, and misunderstandings often come from mismatched styles, not bad intent. I help managers and teams communicate and collaborate effectively across neurotypes.
Workplace accommodation strategies
Create environments that accommodate neurodiversity, where neurodivergent employees can thrive, but without being singled out. I'll help you develop approaches that fit your organization and that last.
Manager and team training
Equip your managers and teams with the understanding and tools they need to work effectively across neurotypes. Training uses real workplace scenarios and focuses on changes people can make.
Policy review and development
Your policies may be creating barriers you don't see. I'll review existing policies and help you develop new ones that support neurodivergent success while avoiding bureaucratic burden.
Building neuroinclusive cultures
Culture change takes more than a training session. I'll partner with you to shift the assumptions, practices, and norms that determine whether everyone can belong and contribute.
Coaching for individual employees
One-to-one coaching for neurodivergent employees, short- or long-term, from early career to senior leaders, tailored to how their brains work.
Training topics include planning and organization (also called executive function), neurodiversity in hiring, and communicating and collaborating across neurotypes. All of it can be customized to your needs.
My experience
I've spent years inside organizations of all sizes, managing people, building and mentoring teams, and designing and rolling out internal workplace policies. I know that change is hard to carry out in practice. My SHRM-CP certification adds an HR perspective on managing change and the issues that come with it.
The business case
Neurodivergence is a natural variation in human nervous systems, and as many as 20% of people may be neurodivergent. Most workplaces were designed by and for the neurotypical majority, so neurodivergent people often face unnecessary barriers there. When organizations don't accommodate every neurotype, they risk lost opportunities, lower productivity, and unhappy employees. Often small changes to hiring practices and workplace environments go a long way toward removing those barriers and building a workforce and culture where everyone can do their best.
Neurodivergent people often bring exceptional abilities, but traditional hiring practices can filter them out, and conventional workplaces can keep them from contributing their best. The result may be lost talent, employees who leave when the right support could have kept them, and productivity that never materializes. The answer is systems and cultures that work for different kinds of brains, not charity or token accommodations.
Philosophy
I work in a neurodiversity paradigm. That means recognizing neurodivergence as a natural part of human diversity. Challenges arise for neurodivergent people navigating a world that is not only designed for the neuromajority, but that often pathologizes neurodivergence as disordered and deficient.
My aim is not to “fix” neurodivergence or to train neurodivergent people to behave more neurotypically.
In my consulting work my aim is not to “fix” neurodivergence or to train neurodivergent people to behave more neurotypically. That approach ultimately leads to unhappiness and burnout. Instead, we'll work within the neurodiversity paradigm, adapting workplaces to a diverse range of neurotypes. Neurodiversity includes everyone, and workplaces that make room for different kinds of minds tend to work better for all of them.
How we work together
Getting started
I don't charge for a brief initial consultation. We start with a conversation about your current challenges and what success would look like, and we define success measures together at the start of the engagement.
Scope
Engagements are customized to your organization's needs, size, and goals. We might work on a specific project, like redesigning your hiring process, or build an ongoing partnership as you adapt your workplace to neurodiversity.
Format
Consulting is primarily virtual. On-site engagements, such as for training, are an option.
Frequently asked questions
What types of neurodivergence do you work with?
My work covers neurodiversity broadly, but the neurodivergent profiles I address most often are ADHD, autism, and AuDHD, though other profiles are welcome.
Do employees need a formal diagnosis?
From my perspective, no. Your internal policy is something we can discuss.
Do you offer virtual or in-person services?
Consulting services are primarily conducted virtually, which allows for flexibility and accessibility regardless of location. However, on-site engagements, such as for training, are an option.
What size organizations do you work with?
Organizations of all sizes, from startups to large enterprises. The specific services and approach are tailored to your organization's size, structure, and needs.
Do you provide ongoing support or just one-time projects?
Both. Some organizations engage me for specific projects (like redesigning a hiring process or conducting training). Others prefer ongoing partnership as they work toward cultural change. I also offer short- or long-term coaching for individual neurodivergent employees. We'll discuss what makes sense for your goals.
If we pay for an employee's coaching, what do you share with us?
Coaching conversations are confidential. I won't share what an employee tells me without their permission, apart from exceptions required by law or needed to protect someone's health or safety. We can agree at the start what, if anything, you'll receive, such as attendance or a summary of themes the employee chooses to share. The employee will be informed of everything that's shared with you.
What are your fees?
Currently, the initial consultation is free. After that, fees are generally project-based, and a flat fee for a defined project is usually better value than hourly billing. Hourly work is possible where it fits, starting at $350 an hour for corporate clients. Non-profits, government agencies, and smaller organizations may receive a discount.
How do you measure success in consulting engagements?
Measuring success is important, but how we do it depends on the project. This is something we'll discuss early in the process.
Can you help us comply with ADA requirements?
While I can provide guidance on creating neuroinclusive practices and workplaces, I'm not providing legal advice about ADA compliance. For legal questions, you should consult with your employment counsel.
Start with a conversation.
A free consultation to discuss your organization's situation and whether we're a fit.