“Understanding and embracing your own neurodiversity to harness the strengths within and live an extraordinary life” - an interactive 5-workshop series specifically for Neurodiverse Adults & Teens

For neurodivergent people aged 13+
Held Fridays: August 8, 15, 22, 29 & September 5 | 3:30 – 5:30 PM

Celebrate your neurodivergence, deepen your self-understanding, and connect with a community that sees and values you. Each session invites reflection, identity building, and practical strategies for self-advocacy on five different key life areas. Join a presenter with lived experience of neurodiversity.

Neuro-affirming, inclusive environment: Seating arrangements will be flexible, sensory regulation tools and roaming welcomed, and no pressure to stay stationary.

Attendance at all five session is encouraged but not required.

Cost $5 per session

Your Presenter, Katie Baylis, is a neuro-affirming Developmental Educator, Behavioural Consultant and Therapist specialising in Autism, Neurodiversity, and Anxiety. Katie has a Masters of Disability Policy and Practise, Bachelor of BBSc (Psychology), as well as specific additional training in Augmentative and alternate Communication (AAC), Functional Capacity Assessments, NDIS policy and legislation, Education Policy and Legislation, Sensory Profile assessments, and Child development assessments and measures.

Katie has been working with, and advocating for, infants, children and adults diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder/ ADHD/ Pervasive Demand Avoidant profiles for over 20 years in the Adelaide metropolitan area, and has a vast knowledge of the learning profile and needs of neurodiverse individuals, as well as the availability of educational options for individuals with disabilities legislation in the NDIS space. As well as working directly with neurodiverse individuals and their families, Katie has been passionately conducting training workshops for families, educators, support workers and other Allied Health in schools and the community for several years.

August 8: What is the NDIS & How Can It Support Me?
Learn how the NDIS can support your goals and identity, how to access it, and how to advocate for services that affirm your needs.

• Understand your rights and entitlements within the NDIS, and how to communicate effectively

• Breaking down NDIS plans: Core, Capacity Building, and Capital supports

• Understanding therapy funding, social support categories, and STA

• Learn how to write goals and gather evidence and justification of challenges

• understand the role of therapists and support workers, and how to best co design a plan to support your needs

• gain self advocacy skills to best prepare and communicate effectively for plan meetings

August 15: Learning, Education & Work as a Neurodivergent Person
Unpack your strengths and challenges in education or employment settings and find strategies that work for your brain.

• Reflect upon your learning style and needs

• Explore supports available in school, TAFE, university or work, and how to access them

• Build routines that suit your energy and attention

• Strategies for succeeding in education: structure, routines, and self-advocacy

• Navigating workplace challenges: disclosure, accommodations, and employer communication

• Case studies: Stories of neurodiverse individuals thriving in education and work

• Tools and technologies that can assist in learning and employment

August 22: Managing Sensory Overload & Building Self-Regulation
Discover your sensory profile and build a toolkit of supports to help you feel safe, calm and in control, and reduce the frequency of overwhelm.

• Understand your sensory profile across the seven senses to explore your combination of sensory hypersensitivities and hyposensitivities, and degree of sensory avoidance.

• Discover what environmental accommodations and changes can help you feel calm and in control, upon understanding your triggers

• Make a plan for public spaces and social events, by being proactiv,e not reactive

• Build a regulation toolkit that works for you, by learning about sensory tools and assistive technology

August 29: Friendship, Relationships & Social Life
Explore what connection means to you, and how to create social interactions that are respectful, joyful and on your terms. Explore the concept of Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) and how to reduce self-sabotage through perceptions driven by fear, and increase self-confidence.

• Explore what relationships mean to you, and how you best enjoy connecting with others

• Talk about boundaries, connection and consent, and self-advocating

• Learn scripts and tools for conversations and downtime

• strategies for dealing with the phenomena of Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD)

• Recognising social exhaustion and learning to pace interactions

• How to identify safe, healthy friendships

• Strategies for navigating misunderstandings in social situations

September 5: Self-Understanding, Identity & Advocacy
Learn about neurodivergent identity, how to advocate for your needs, and how to unmask safely in affirming environments. Explore different profiles of neurodiversity, including Autism, Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), ADHD, and specific learning disabilities such as Dysgraphia, dyslexia and dyscalculia, and how to work with your particular neurology to thrive in the community.

• Reflect on how your identity has developed, and discover strengths and challenges within your particular profile

• PDA: Navigating the need for autonomy and reducing internal stress

• ADHD: Practical tools for executive function challenges

• Giftedness: How intensity, perfectionism, and emotional depth impact life

• Recognising and managing burnout and overwhelm

• Finding and creating neurodivergent-friendly spaces

• Build confidence to unmask safely and reverse learned maladaptive strategies

• Learn about language, labels, and

• develop strategies for self-advocacy, and speak up for your needs in daily life