Unlocking Potential: Highlights from Christine Carey’s Neurodiversity Talk

by Brian Frain, GCC Board Member

On Tuesday, April 15th, the Germantown Community Coalition wasn’t thinking about the tax man. Instead, we welcomed community members to the American Legion to hear a fantastic presentation on neurodiversity! We were lucky to have Christine Carey, a speech pathologist and mom to three neurodivergent children, debunk some myths and provide some education on neurodivergence.

After a brief description of the differences between neurodivergent and neurotypical people, Christine asked the group to identify characteristics of the room that could be problematic. True to form, our members did a great job pointing out a handful of things such as lighting, windows, and flooring that could be difficult for a neurodivergent person. While we were proud of our efforts, Christine pointed out more than 10 other things in the room that we didn’t catch. That was an eye opener for everyone! She then shared some simple things that can be done before a meeting or event to ensure that neurodivergent people feel welcomed. These were great strategies that GCC will include in the future!

We pivoted to discussion about barriers to inclusion for neurodivergent people and how we can help remove some of them, whether at a large event or in a one-to-one conversation. Christine also laid out a variety of neurodivergent conversation and connection styles that may initially seem offensive or rude to a neurotypical person. The concept of “info dumping” was of particular interest to the audience, as everyone seemed to know at least one person who can speak forever on a topic like movies, music, or even cargo ships! The discussion about neurodivergent traits certainly led more than one person to wonder aloud if a friend, spouse, or child had more than a couple of neurodivergent traits.

Christine wrapped up her presentation with the concept of “penguin pebbling,” a phrase that refers to a sign of affection that penguins do with each other. As a community, we should all try and figure out which pebbles we can share with our neurodivergent friends, family, and neighbors to show that we care and that we value their inclusion. To learn more about this topic and Christine's speech and language therapy practice, visit her website here.

We were then treated to some bonus content - Maria Luther from Autumn Hill Academy gave us an introduction to an exciting new public charter school opening in Pewaukee this fall. The school’s mission is to create a “supportive, inclusive environment where students are empowered to live authentically and achieve their full potential.” Autumn Hill's emphasis on belonging and inclusion aligns with both GCC's mission and the evening's larger theme of acceptance, understanding, and respect. There are tours and open houses scheduled throughout the spring. Click here to learn more about Autumn Hill.

In all, this was a wonderful evening learning more about the neurodivergent community and how we can better welcome them with inclusive environments and interactions. We had a great turnout and look forward to bringing more events like this to Germantown!