I don’t often have occasion to say this, but I’m thankful for the internet.
The Collective started as an idea. When it was a big dream, I could describe what I hoped it would feel like and who I hoped it would help. Now we’re getting into the specifics: What projects do we build? What services make sense? How do we explain any of this to someone who has never met us?
That part is a little challenging, not gonna lie.
Recently, I came across several people and organizations doing work that made me stop and say, “Yes. That’s the kind of thing I’ve been trying to describe.” Then I found the words neurodivergent consultant.
Now why didn’t I think of that?
Seeing those words helped me recognize a shape for some of what we want to do. I’ve been looking at how consultants explain their work with organizations, how they organize their websites, and how they turn a broad mission into services someone can actually understand. Neurodivergent Consulting talks about workplace inclusion and accessible spaces. Neurodivergent Consultant shows how one person presents support for individuals, families, schools, and organizations. I’m learning from both the work they describe and the way they describe it.
My browsing also led me to a wider world of support. Some people offer coaching or educational guidance. Others provide therapy or clinical services, which are their own areas of practice. Resources such as the Neurodivergent Practitioners directory and Neurodivergent Insights have given me more to explore. I’ve also been looking at NeuroDiverse Consulting, the Portland Neurodivergent Clinic, and Health Allies Counseling.
I haven’t reached out to these businesses yet, though I intend to. I’m sharing them because I admire what I’m seeing and because they helped me find language for an idea that was still taking shape. Their services aren’t a list of things the Collective offers. They’re examples that help me ask better questions about what we can do, who we can serve, and where our own strengths fit.
It’s a relief to discover that I don’t have to invent every word from scratch. Sometimes someone else has already found a clear way to name the thing you’re reaching for. You can learn from that, give them credit, and keep building your own version.
So, yes, I’m thankful for the internet today. But don’t tell Google. Let’s face it, they have a big enough ego as it is.