Professionals

Belonging is dynamic. Human beings exist inside overlapping identities that shift based on setting and circumstances. Our neurological wiring, gender identity, family history, economic status, and religious identity impact the way we interact with our environment. Most of us consciously think that people who are struggling deserve accommodations.  Most of us consciously believe that honesty is the best policy.  From a distance, we think there can exist a symbiotic relationship between those with needs and those with capacity to help meet them.  But what is consciously established can conflict with unconscious beliefs that impact our sense of safety. We may worry that our belonging depends on hiding parts of ourselves. Our fears may not be unfounded.  

What happens when accommodations are only available after someone proves they’re failing? Is it possible to be someone whose ability and capacity shift depending on context?  I am a high masking AuDHD adult with other identities that I disclose at different places, at different times, based on where it feels safe. In some contexts, this is a social skill that is useful and appropriate. But at work and school, high achievers may mask needs even if it means significant support is lacking. Why? Because even in 2026, success and self-sufficiency remain hardwired together in a lot of our baseline culture. Consciously or not, we may think needing support provides evidence that we are not up to the job. We want to be considered “capable,” and we are caught in a false sense that there is a binary between those who are able and those who need accommodations. In truth, there is no such clear binary.

I have navigated the transition from hiding my neurodivergence from even myself to becoming an advocate in this field. It is time for a nuanced understanding of belonging and neurodiversity that acknowledges the complexity and dynamic reality of intersectionality. We are all so many things at once. Assuming intersectionality as a baseline truth empowers us to meet each other with greater accuracy, sincerity, and compassion.

Some topics I can bring to you or your group:

Neurodiversity as a paradigm — What it means and why it matters to all of us

High-Masking Autism in adults — Updated understandings

ADHD: It’s layered, there are major strengths, and it needs a rebrand

Spiky profiles v Factory-style output (We are not machines)

Sensory processing at work — atmosphere, food, and how to connect

Communication styles, assumptions, and missed signals

Belonging & Intersectionality

I'm always working on more so if you have an idea, just ask.