My Story
Always an outsider
As a little kid, people laughed at me a lot. I loved sugar and couldn’t get enough of it. I thought I was bad, or wrong, because of who I was. My shame started at a young age. I felt uncomfortable in my body which was larger. I was forgetful and “scatterbrained” and messy. I lost things constantly.
Felt like a failure in school
I got through school - just - but felt so inadequate. I was highly attuned to people’s feelings but my reports would say things like ‘disorganised’, ‘failure to hand in assignments’, ‘talks too much and distracts others’. The shame grew. I couldn’t focus, couldn’t meet deadlines, couldn’t do what everyone else seemed to be able to do - focus. I left everything till the last minute, then….. panic stations.
Masked to succeed
I made it though a uni degree. I used to stay up all night writing essays the night before they were due and have no sleep. I crammed. I started to party too, to fit in and numb the shame. Everyone thought I was fine. I got bored easily so would start a job, stay for a few years, then move somewhere else, often, to another country. I never felt satisfied.
Risk taking but surviving
I was taking risks as a young adult. I lived in Indonesia for many years. I changed jobs constantly, and lived dangerously. I was a high school teacher for many years, then retrained as a a primary teacher. I still couldn’t settle. I was constantly seeking fulfilment and excitement. I am surprised I made it through.
Settled but never satisfied
I relocated to Newcastle, Australia, where I had grown up. I got married and had two boys. I longed to be settled and feel connected and to do something meaningful. I ran workshops for teachers, but still felt a desperate need to do something that called my soul, that I truly belonged doing and I longed for belonging in my community. I kept searching, retraining, changing jobs and feeling empty and awkward.
adhd is my gift
I was finally diagnosed with ADHD. This coincided with completing my Masters in Special and Inclusive Education after landing a job in a school for students with high support needs. I felt exhilarated. I felt at home. I felt I had found my purpose, with my neurokin. I took a deep dive in to learning as much as I could about ADHD and neurodivergence. I work with teenagers who struggle to conform and adults who have spent their lives feeling out of place. My passion now is to share everything I learned along my way, so that nobody has to waste their lives feeling they don’t fit in.
lighting the path ahead
With a foundation in academic studies, professional expertise and lived experience, my coaching focuses on removing barriers, addressing stigma, and promoting neuro-affirming practices across families, schools, and workplaces.
