Consultation
Turn complexity into something clear and workable
Neuroaffirming consultation for practitioners, researchers, teams and organisations developing an idea, improving accessibility, navigating change or working through a complex question without an obvious path forward.
Bring a question, idea, resource, project or system. Together, we can clarify what matters, explore what might be missing and develop a practical way forward.
Consultation is available as Focussed Consultation for a specific question or piece of work, or Project Consultation for more extensive work, development or organisational change.
From emerging question to grounded direction
The process adapts to the project, not the other way around. We may move between these stages and refine the direction as new understanding emerges.
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Bring what is taking shape: A project, resource, service, research question, practice challenge, digital experience, accessibility issue or period of change. It can be unfinished, tangled or difficult to articulate.
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Understand the real question: We locate what matters beneath the immediate problem, including the people affected, competing needs, constraints, assumptions and wider systems.
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Connect patterns and possibilities: I bring together lived experience, research, practice knowledge and systemic thinking to make the complexity intelligible without oversimplifying it, revealing patterns and possibilities that may not have been visible before.
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Give the way forward form: We translate what has become clear into a decision, direction, framework, approach or practical next step that fits the actual context. Where the work involves creating or revising something, the scope and output are agreed separately, then reviewed and refined as the work develops.
You do not need to arrive with a perfectly formed brief. Consultation can begin with a question, a tension, an emerging possibility or something that is not working as intended.
Questions you might bring...
Developing an emerging idea
“I can see the connections, but how do I give this a coherent form?”
We might clarify the central idea, identify its structure and develop a direction for a framework, resource or project.
Working through a practice or service question
“How could we approach this in a more neurodivergent-affirming way?”
We might examine the assumptions and tensions involved, consider different perspectives and identify practical options.
Research and knowledge-making
“How can we strengthen the accessibility, participation or practical value of this research?”
We might explore the conceptual direction, participant experience, interpretation or translation of findings into accessible practice and resources.
Reviewing a resource or communication
“Does this document, training material or form reflect our intentions and meet people’s needs?”
We might consider its language, assumptions, structure, accessibility and usefulness, and identify priorities for revision.
Technology and digital accessibility
“How can our digital tools, website or content better support neurodivergent ways of thinking, communicating and participating?”
We might identify points of friction, clarify user needs and develop practical recommendations for a more accessible digital experience.
Improving a process or experience
“Where are our ways of working creating barriers or asking people to do unnecessary work?”
We might identify barriers, reconsider communication or processes and develop a manageable sequence for change.
Choosing a direction through change
“This project or approach no longer fits. What should we retain, rethink or develop?”
We might clarify values, priorities, constraints and decision criteria to identify a grounded way forward.
The outcome depends on what you bring
Consultation is not a predetermined program. It produces the form the work genuinely needs. This might include:
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Written feedback or recommendations
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Revised or developed content/resources
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A framework, model or approach
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An implementation or action plan
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An accessibility or experience review
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A service, process or practice improvement
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Research or knowledge translation outputs
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A clearer direction or defined next steps
Different contexts, one way of working
The consultation process remains consistent while the question, people involved and form of the outcome change.
Accessibility and technology
Digital journeys, tools, websites, communication, participation, usability and barriers across the whole experience.
Research and knowledge-making
Ideas, methods, participation, interpretation, knowledge translation and accessible research practice.
Resources and communication
Documents, training materials, forms, content and tools that need greater clarity, accessibility or coherence.
Practice, services and systems
Complex questions involving people, relationships, processes, structures and ways of working.
When accessibility is the question
We look beyond isolated features or compliance to understand the relationship between people, technology, information and the systems surrounding their participation.
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Begin with people and purpose
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Find where friction occurs
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Develop meaningful changes
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Identify what to test and refine
Choose how to work together
Focussed Consultation
An online session for working through one substantive question, decision or area of uncertainty.
Focussed Consultation includes:
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Preparation, including review of the intake form and related materials so we can identify the focus and relevant context
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One 50-minute consultation
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Space to clarify, explore options and identify grounded next steps
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A brief next-steps email outlining key insights, agreed actions and relevant existing resources
You may provide brief related materials before the session. Substantial reading, research, document review or resource development is not included.
Project Consultation
Separately scoped work for questions or projects requiring preparation, review, research, development or a defined output.
Project Consultation may include:
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Initial scoping of the project
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Review of relevant materials
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One or more collaborative meetings
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Research or conceptual development
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Written recommendations or annotated feedback
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A revised document, framework, resource or project plan
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Agreed revisions or follow-up
The scope, deliverables, timing, fees and number of revisions are confirmed in writing before work begins.
Laetitia Andrac, Co-founder and CEO, Understanding Zoe
"Caitlin was my first choice when Understanding Zoe needed an affirming social work lens as part of our clinical advisory group. She tested Pip, our pocket coach, on her own profession and explored its responses until she identified something we hadn't seen: our knowledge leaned towards psychology and occupational therapy, and social work barely featured.
How she framed the fix changed our approach. It wasn't about promoting social work. It was about balance, giving families the similarities and the differences so they can make an informed choice.
Her review came back within a day, precise and grounded in both her practice and her research, and she pointed us to social work-specific resources.
Our content is more accurate, and fairer, because Caitlin helped us recognise what was missing and find a clearer way forward for us and our users."
Seeing the whole context
The Ripple Framework offers flexible lenses for understanding the wider context surrounding a question, project or period of change. Rather than treating the immediate issue in isolation, it draws attention to:
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Identity, values, roles and direction
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Capacity, access, embodied needs and sustainability
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Relationships, reciprocity, boundaries and belonging
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Environments, structures, practices and systems
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Strengths, meaning, purpose, contribution and possibilities for what comes next
These are interconnected lenses rather than boxes to complete. Different lenses may become more or less relevant depending on the project. Together, they help us understand what is shaping the situation, clarify what needs attention and develop a more grounded and workable way forward.
Enquire about project consultation
Consultation FAQ
Do I need to know exactly what I need before engaging in focussed consultation?
No. You can bring an emerging question, unfinished idea or area of uncertainty. Part of the focussed consultation process is identifying what the real question may be and what would be useful moving forward.
Which consultation option should I choose?
Choose Focussed Consultation when you want to think through one question, decision or area of uncertainty during a single session. Choose Project Consultation when the work requires substantial review, research, development, written recommendations or a defined deliverable.
Can I send something for you to review before a Focussed Consultation?
You can provide information in the intake form and materials that help establish the context. If the material requires substantial reading or detailed feedback, it will need to be scoped as project consultation.
Can organisations book consultation?
Yes. If someone from an organisation would like Focussed Consultation to explore a specific question or issue, that can be a great fit. If the work is more extensive, involves multiple team members or relates to a broader organisational initiative, Project Consultation may be a better option.