Since I can remember I have been driven by my intrinsic passion for health education, advocacy and equity. I began my career as a Registered Nurse working across a variety of settings which included hospitals, private practice, commercial/corporate roles as well as co-founding a healthcare advocacy business dedicated to promoting patient outcomes following adverse events.

However, becoming a mum made me realise how little I knew, not just about parenting but more about myself. I realised that parenting (and life in general) was more about our own learning and development than our children’s. The more I learned about my own needs and neuro-developmental profile, the more equipped I was to understand and meet my children’s needs.

This realisation in conjunction with our collective neurodivergence diagnoses, sparked a newfound passion for authentic inclusive learning. I completed a Masters of Autism at the University of Wollongong and became a registered Developmental Educator.

I have a particular interest in neurodiversity affirming behaviour and non-verbal communication support. I primarily focus on perceptions, presumptions and beliefs which can negatively influence our ability to assess and respond to non-verbal communication cues (actions / behaviours). My approach embeds elements of social-emotional learning and evidence-based psychological theories to promote more effective communication and prevent, minimise or de-escalate unsafe behaviours. Communication is always bi-directional, so approaches always focus on assessment and supporting the needs of all communication partners.

I am passionate about promoting self-advocacy and self-efficacy skills as these organically promote our self-confidence, self-perception and intrinsic drive to continue learning.

And most importantly I am passionate about sharing my mistakes. Mistakes are incredibly important for health and development. Therefore, mistakes can be reframed into a positive experience. And the more strengths and positives we perceive, the happier and healthier we become.