About
Kia ora, I'm Alta š
I started Neuroinclusive in 2023. We work with people in Åtautahi Christchurch, Te Tai o Poutini West Coast, and remotely across Aotearoa. Most of our support is for individuals who are autistic or have ADHD, as well as the whÄnau, professionals, organisations, workplaces, and systems they interact with. While there is no strict age criterion, we focus on supporting youth and adults.
Grounded in a commitment to equity and inclusion, our services are delivered by people with a wide range of skills, experiences, and perspectives. If Iām not the right person to support you directly, there may be someone else available who is. My own background combines professional expertise with lived experience as an autistic person with ADHD and as a parent to an autistic child with complex needs.
I'm on a mission to improve understanding, access, and inclusion for autistic people.
Alongside the impacts of being autistic, it is common toĀ experience mental distress or have a diagnosed mental health condition. I can support people in the context of their autistic experience with these co-occurring conditions if the mental health impacts remain mild to moderate and do not require care from a registered health professional.
I remain actively engaged in the disabled, autistic, and mental health and addictions communities. I have a deep understanding of many of the challenges faced by individuals and whÄnau with various elements of these as part of their life experience.
While some autistic people collect things, that thing for me is not so much of an object as it is information. I have an insatiable desire for professional development, so I am always adding new tools to myĀ keteĀ that are relevant to my experiences and those of the people I support and engage with.
Lived Experience
After decades of navigating a world that often felt mismatched with how I process, communicate, and experience life, I finally found an answer: I am autistic, and I also have ADHD. Receiving these diagnoses later in life brought clarity and relief after years of misdiagnosis, masking, persistent effort to adapt, and ongoing self-doubt.
Since then, understanding autism, ADHD, and other neurodivergent experiences has become both a passion and a purpose. I have spent years engaging with research, community knowledge, and lived-experience narratives, alongside further study and professional development in mental health support, disability sector leadership, and social work.
Life Experience
My journey has been strongly shaped by lived experience as an autistic person with ADHD, alongside decades of mental distress and a later, extended recovery from PTSD and OCD. Navigating life through these experiences has given me a deep understanding of the barriers people like me face, as well as what becomes possible when support is timely, respectful, and well matched.
Originally from the United States, I have lived and worked across different regions and cultures, including many years in Indonesia. I now live in Aotearoa, which I call home.
Today, I live in Åtautahi Christchurch with my son, who is in primary school. Outside of work, I enjoy exploring big ideas to see whether they are worth bringing into the world, listening to audiobooks, spending time in nature, building with Lego, and playing Animal Crossing on the Nintendo Switch.
My Professional Qualifications and Expertise
Before founding Neuroinclusive, I built experience across social work, disability, mental health, education, and business. The consistent thread across this work has been supporting people to navigate systems that often do not work well for them, and contributing to changes that make those systems more accessible and effective. In Aotearoa, I have worked alongside a wide range of individuals, whÄnau, and organisations across the mental health and disability sectors.
I hold a Bachelor of Arts and aMaster of Science in Education from overseas, and a Master of Applied Social Work from Massey University. I have also studied the Graduate Diploma in Disability Sector Leadership through Open Polytechnic and obtained a NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Mental Health and Addiction Support).
My practice brings together lived experience as an autistic person with ADHD and professional training in social work and education. I provide neurodiversity-affirming, person-directed support that focuses on practical strategies, clarity, and sustainable outcomes. My work is guided by the Enabling Good Lives (EGL) Principles, with a strong emphasis on cultural safety, inclusion, and real-world application.
As a Registered Social Worker, I participate in regular professional supervision and ongoing professional development to support ethical practice, accountability, and reflective learning.