Speaking & Facilitation
Neuroaffirming Speaking, Training & Facilitation
Hello! I’m Caitlin (she/they) — a proud Neurodivergent Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW), therapist, supervisor, educator, and PhD researcher based in Brisbane.
I am the founder of Cathartic Collaborations, a practice dedicated to relational, neurodivergent-led support, learning, and systems change.
I support workplaces, universities, schools, mental health services, and community organisations to move beyond neurodiversity awareness into practical, relational, and systemic change.
My work sits at the intersection of lived experience, clinical practice, and research, bringing together story, ethics, and practical insight to support more inclusive and neuroaffirming spaces.
I live and work within the intersections of Autism, ADHD, giftedness, and queerness — identities that deeply shape how I understand wellbeing, systems, and the process of becoming more fully ourselves.
My work is deeply informed by my own lived experience of late diagnosis, burnout, unmasking, and rebuilding, alongside my clinical practice and doctoral research exploring neurodivergent affirming approaches to autistic mental health care.
Whether I am presenting at a conference, facilitating a team training or sharing my story publicly, my goal is to create spaces that are reflective, inclusive, and regenerative — where people can explore complexity, challenge assumptions, and reconnect with what matters most.
For more information about my qualifications, training, and experience, check out my LinkedIn.
Currently available for:
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Presentations for organisations or events
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Professional development and workplace training
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Keynotes, workshops and panels at conferences
I may be a good fit if you are looking for:
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A neurodivergent speaker with lived, clinical, research, and systems insight
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Professional development that moves beyond basic awareness
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Workplace training that is reflective and practical
Photo credit: Branding by Britt
Speaking & Storytelling
Neuroaffirming Speaker for Conferences and Events
I speak from the heart of lived experience and therapeutic practice - weaving together story, research, ethics, and systems thinking. I speak about unmasking, burnout, navigating systems that were never designed with neurodivergent people in mind, and reconnecting with one’s authentic self in a world that often demands conformity. I speak not only as a clinician, but as someone who has walked the path I support others on — navigating complex identities, systemic barriers, and the transformative process of becoming more fully ourselves.
Through story, reflection, and practical insight, my presentations invite audiences to think differently about neurodivergence, mental health, professional culture, and collective responsibility. My aim is not only to raise awareness, but to support deeper understanding, relational change, and more inclusive environments where neurodivergent people are not simply accommodated, but understood with dignity.
Example Presentations:
Neurodivergent Student Experiences and the Hidden Labour of University Success
A presentation exploring the invisible labour neurodivergent students perform in higher education, including masking, self-monitoring, sensory load, executive functioning demands, and institutional mismatch. This session invites more accessible, collaborative, and sustainable approaches to student belonging and success.
PDA & Wellbeing: Supporting Autonomy in Children & Families
A neuroaffirming presentation exploring autonomy, safety, and wellbeing for PDA children and families, with a focus on moving beyond compliance toward curiosity, low-demand support, nervous system awareness, and relational care.
Neuroaffirming Student Presentations
I offer student-facing presentations for universities and schools for wellbeing events and neurodiversity initiatives. These presentations are designed to support understanding, dignity, belonging, and more compassionate conversations about different ways of learning, sensing, communicating, and connecting.
Example presentations:
Belonging as You Are: Neurodivergence & Self-Trust in University and Beyond
A reflective presentation for university students exploring unmasking, self-trust, neurodivergent belonging, and navigating education, work, and life beyond study. This session draws on research and lived experience to gently explore neuronormativity, ableism, masking, invisible labour, sensory needs, executive functioning differences, rejection sensitivity, and self-advocacy.
What I Would Say to My Younger AuDHDer Self
A lived-experience presentation for students, framed around what I wish I had understood about my AuDHD brain during my school years. This session offers a stigma-reducing introduction to neurodivergence, masking, brain differences, autistic and ADHD strengths, identity, and inclusive peer culture.
Different Brains, Shared Classrooms: Understanding Neurodiversity
A presentation for student cohorts exploring neurodiversity, communication differences, sensory experiences, learning needs, friendship and belonging. This session helps students understand different brain types and learn practical ways to be supportive classmates and friends to neurodivergent peers.
Workshops & Professional Development
Facilitating Change through Inclusive, Participatory Learning
Alongside speaking engagements, I deliver training and professional development workshops designed to translate neuroaffirming theory and research into practical, actionable strategies. As both a practitioner and researcher, I am committed to challenging deficit-based narratives and supporting more ethical, relational, and neurodivergent-affirming approaches within mental health and professional spaces.
My workshops are reflective, relational, and participatory, centring neurodivergent voices while supporting organisations and practitioners to move beyond awareness toward meaningful change. Sessions are designed to create insight while equipping participants with tools they can apply within their workplaces and professional practice.
Rather than offering one-size-fits-all strategies, my facilitation supports participants to understand patterns, context, nervous system needs, communication differences, power, access, and the systems that shape whether neurodivergent people can participate safely and sustainably.
For Workplaces & Organisations
I offer workplace and organisational training for teams wanting to build more neuroaffirming, accessible, and psychologically safer work environments.
These sessions can support staff, leaders, and teams to better understand Autistic and ADHD experiences, communication differences, sensory and cognitive accessibility, burnout risk, feedback practices, and the everyday systems that shape inclusion.
Example Workshops:
Neuroinclusive Workplaces: Practical Strategies for Burnout Prevention, Communication & Belonging
A practical workshop for teams and leaders wanting to build more neuroinclusive workplaces. This session explores how everyday workplace systems, including communication, feedback, workload and sensory environments, can affect neurodivergent staff wellbeing and participation. Participants leave with practical strategies to reduce burnout risk, improve communication across neurotypes, and create more accessible, psychologically safer workplace cultures.
Neuroaffirming Supervision: Tools and strategies for supervising Autistic and ADHD professionals
A professional development workshop offering practical tools and reflective strategies for supervising autistic and ADHD professionals. This session explores identity, burnout, masking, communication differences, capacity, boundaries, workplace systems, and sustainable neuroaffirming practice.
When Lived Experience Speaks: Ethical and Embodied Self-Disclosure of Neurodivergence in Therapy
A professional development workshop exploring how neurodivergent therapists can approach lived experience disclosure with clarity, consent, embodiment, and ethical care. This session supports clinicians to reflect on timing, purpose, boundaries, power, relational safety, and the difference between connection and over-disclosure.
Past Speaking Highlights
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Co-host of Divergent Dialogues podcast
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The Neuro Nurture Conference 2026
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Neurodivergent Minds Conference 2025 Presentation
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Thriving Autistically 2025 Neurokindred
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Neurodiversity Affirming Therapy Conference 2025 Panel Discussion
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Yellow Ladybugs Conference 2025 Panel Discussion
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ABC News
Past Training Highlights
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Delivered national professional development training for the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)
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Neuro Nuggets - Kaboose
Felix - 2026 QUT Guild Disability Officer
“I chose to hire Caitlin for the QUT Guild’s Neurodiversity Celebration Week event because her work embodies all of the positive change we need around supporting and affirming neurodiverse students. Caitlin stood apart from other candidates as someone with strong social-justice oriented values, as well as a welcoming and kind approach to presentation delivery. She was a true joy to work with, and we received lots of positive feedback from attendees around how they benefited from the presentation. I would absolutely recommend Caitlin as a speaker, as I don’t believe you will find anyone better suited to speak about neurodiversity."
Lauren - Clinic Director
"Caitlin presented a workshop for our team of mental health clinicians on neurodivergent affirming supervision and it was fantastic! The team found Caitlin really engaging and very well researched in the area. Caitlin is an expert in neurodivergent affirming practice and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her."
St Peters Lutheran College
"Caitlin delivered a thoughtful and engaging presentation to our Junior High students on “What would I tell my younger AuDHDer self.” She clearly explained the concept of neurodiversity, shared meaningful insights from her lived experience, and thoughtfully explored both the challenges and strengths of being AuDHD. Caitlin encouraged curiosity, acceptance, and empathy, leaving students with a deeper understanding and appreciation of individual differences."