Why neurodiversity, why Brainspark?

I am a clinician who knows firsthand what it means to be neurodivergent. Who has personally experienced how the current mental healthcare system struggles to recognize and support clients with ADHD and/or autism. Who wants to help make a difference.

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Brainspark began as a passion project. I want to do more than bump up against the edges of colleagues’ knowledge and comfort; I want to help them move beyond them. Alongside my full-time job, I make space in my free time to develop tools that introduce others to what truly helps in the context of neurodiversity.

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What do I do for work? How does this strengthen my knowledge and experience?

At OLO-Rotonde, I work primarily with adolescents and young adults. I continue to delve into complex multidisciplinary diagnostics, developing case formulations and personalized treatment plans, applying a trauma-sensitive approach, working with autistic clients, and leading intervision sessions as part of team-based care.

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In addition, I work as a consultant and am involved in several projects related to neurodiversity. Where possible, I help build community, contribute to research, create translations for cross-category work, and curate information that is both interesting and accurate.

I also enjoy giving lectures on ADHD and/or autism, am part of the organizing committee of the National Autism Congress (NAC) in the Netherlands in 2026, and engage with educators about the quality of various trainings offered on neurodiversity in Flanders.

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In early December 2025, I officially began my PhD at KU Leuven with the working title:

“Tangled Roots: Attachment and Trauma in the Context of ADHD and Autism.”
This will be supervised by Promotors Prof. Saskia van der Oord (ADHD specialist) and Prof. Ilse Noens (autism specialist). I will first conduct a literature review on the topic, after which I hope to engage in dialogue with as many people as possible about these themes; mapping how they experience these issues and exploring whether common trauma pathways, for example, can be identified.