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LIVING WHILE NEURODIVERGENT

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Hey y'all I am Julie, a resilient individual "living while neurodivergent," diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and PTSD. Over the past decade, I actively pursued mental health treatment at various levels of care. 

“Why not propose that just as biodiversity is essential to ecosystem stability, so neurodiversity may be essential for cultural stability?”

― Judy Singer, NeuroDiversity: The Birth of an Idea

Recent Articles

Northwestern Medicine •

Understanding Neurodiversity

When someone mentions "diversity," differences in gender, race or religion may come to mind. But diversity also includes differences in brain functioning. Neurodiversity is a term that describes the cognitive differences between how people think, learn and behave.

There is no single, correct way for a brain to function. Neurodiversity honors each person's unique perspectives and experiences without judgment.

Neurodiversity is an umbrella term that includes two categories in which most people...
Center for Disabilities Studies •

The mother of neurodiversity: how Judy Singer changed the world - Center for Disabilities Studies

Singer is credited with coining the term “neurodiversity” in an undergraduate paper 30 years ago. In this interview, she discusses how her life shaped its inception, and her life since its acceptance.

Singer is credited with coining the term “neurodiversity” in an undergraduate paper 30 years ago. In this interview, she discusses how her life shaped its inception, and her life since its acceptance.
Cleveland Clinic •

Neurodivergent: What It Is, Symptoms & Types

The term “neurodivergent” describes people whose brain differences affect how their brain works. That means they have different strengths and challenges from people whose brains don’t have those differences. The possible differences include medical disorders, learning disabilities and other conditions. The possible strengths include better memory, being able to mentally picture three-dimensional (3D) objects easily, the ability to solve complex mathematical calculations in their head, and many m...
Stanford Neurodiversity Project •

Stanford Neurodiversity Project

The implementation of AI systems for services such as healthcare, housing, employment, and mobility is increasing in prevalence in society. However, these systems have the potential to discriminate against persons with disabilities if not designed well. This panel, consisting of Sachin Pavithran, Lydia X.Z Brown, and Karen Nakamura will discuss the ways in which AI can dehumanize persons with disabilities and what can be done about it from the perspective of US policy, community activism, and di...

What do “neurodiverse” and “neurodivergent” mean? | DO-IT

Terms such as “neurodiverse” and “neurodivergent” were introduced in the 1990s by autistic sociologist Judy Singer as an alternative to deficit-based language, such as “disorder.” Singer highlighted notable strengths of many individuals in the autistic population that include abilities to focus, recognize patterns, and remember factual information. A “neurodivergent” person refers to a person on the autism spectrum or, more generally, to someone whose brain processes information in a way that is...
Child Mind Institute •

What Is Neurodiversity? - Child Mind Institute

Neurodiversity is a term that seems to be everywhere these days. And increasingly, kids and young adults are using it to describe themselves. But what does it mean to be neurodiverse, and where does the term come from? “Neurodiversity” is the concept that there is natural variation in how people’s brains work, with no single “correct” way, and that a wide range of perceptions and responses to the world should be accepted and encouraged, including those of children with ADHD, autism, and learning...
NNLM •

Neurodiversity

People who identify themselves as neurodivergent typically have one or more of the conditions or disorders listed below. However, since there aren’t any medical criteria or definitions of what it means to be neurodivergent, other conditions also can fall under this term as well. People with these conditions may also choose not to identify themselves as neurodivergent. When in doubt, ask, because words matter.MedlinePlus is a service of the National Library of Medicine, the largest biomedical lib...

Demystifying Neurodiversity: It's Time to Embrace the Different Ways We Think

How often have you heard someone remark, “He's a little ADD" or “She's being super OCD" or “She's definitely on the spectrum"?
Diagnostic terms like “autistic," “ADD" (attention-deficit disorder), “ADHD" (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and “OCD" (obsessive compulsive disorder) have become commonly used descriptors for a host of quirks and unusual personality traits. And while many of us have only a crude understanding of what these terms mean, we often have no problem applying them wi...
Harvard Health •

What is neurodiversity? - Harvard Health

Neurodiversity describes the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many different ways; there is no one "right" way of thinking, learning, and behaving, and differences are not viewed as deficits.
The word neurodiversity refers to the diversity of all people, but it is often used in the context of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as well as other neurological or developmental conditions such as ADHD or learning disabilities. The neurodiversity movement eme...

My Services

Group Workshops and Circles (Customizations possible)

Speaking Engagements

1:1 Coaching
(non-clinical, trauma informed and deeply human)

About Me

I’m someone who lives with bipolar disorder and uses my lived experience to support others navigating mental health, neurodivergence, and burnout. I’ve built strong coping tools, found the right treatment plan, and lead with empathy and structure. Whether one-on-one or in workshops, I help people feel seen, heard, supported, and empowered to work with their brains—not against them.

How I work

I bring structure, empathy, and lived experience to every space I lead. Whether I’m coaching one-on-one or facilitating a workshop, I focus on creating safe, practical environments where people can think clearly, take action, and navigate complexity with confidence. I lead with curiosity and respect, helping others move forward with clarity—without pressure to have it all figured out.