Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Lifelong Nerd, and Founder of Quirkiatry.
As a gay, autistic, and ADHD-brained human, I have a deep love for all things geeky, like gaming, anime, and comics. I didn’t grow up knowing I was neurodivergent. I was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia in my late 30s and later recognized myself as autistic. Coming out as autistic felt like a whole new experience after my teenage coming-out as gay, leading to various phases of “masking” in my life. I’ve spent years learning to unmask, embrace my brain, and celebrate the quirky parts of me. And yes, I think I’ve got a pretty good sense of humor, even if my husband won’t always admit it!
Since kindergarten, I’ve been passionate about improving mental health for myself and those around me. Growing up with a likely autistic and borderline personality disorder mother as well as a dad with unmanaged ADHD, I spent my life navigating neurodivergent challenges. When I felt disillusioned with academics, my husband encouraged me to pursue a career in mental health. Despite burnout and having a PhD, I enrolled in night classes for nursing school prerequisites. This journey taught me the power of persistence, shaping my belief that I can evolve into someone capable of things I can’t envision today.
Having been a patient in various mental health modalities and personally navigating my own journey with medications like Vyvanse, Adderall, and Wellbutrin, I can genuinely relate to my clients’ experiences and understand where they’re coming from on a deeper level. My specialization in Neurodivergence has allowed me to focus on my niche, causing me to gain vast insight into effective treatments and an understanding of divergent-specific needs. Working extensively within this community every day enhances my ability to share relevant experiences and successes, offering profound hope and encouragement to those facing similar challenges at every stage of their journey.
