Dr. Kristen Williamson is a licensed professional counselor, neurodivergent advocate, and proud ringleader of a “neurospicy” family. Her life is a mix of late-night epiphanies, juggling mental health myths, and a daily dose of laughter as she navigates autism, ADHD, and parenting kids who keep her on her toes (and sometimes hiding snacks). Here’s the deal: growing up, she always felt like she was dancing to her beat, but nobody gave me the playlist. It wasn’t until adulthood that she realized she was neurodivergent, and suddenly, her quirks and challenges made sense. That “ah-ha” moment didn’t just change her life—it gave her a mission to help others embrace their differences and thrive. Now, she blends humor, personal stories, and practical advice to tackle big topics like: 1) Why neurodivergent brains are the secret weapon every workplace needs. 2) How to turn “chaotic energy” into a leadership superpower. And, 3) Why mental health isn’t all doom and gloom (yes, we can laugh about it sometimes!). When she’s not counseling clients or speaking on neurodiversity and DEIB, you’ll find her debating the merits of pineapple on pizza, struggling to perfect her meme game, or plotting her next adventure with her husband and kids. She keeps it real, relatable, and a little ridiculous—because who says growth can’t be fun? Her style is conversational and insightful, empowering, and sprinkled with humor. Together, we can make brains, belonging, and breakthroughs the most entertaining part of your home, workplace, and/or show! You can learn more about Dr. Kristen Williamson at https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkristenwilliamson/ and https://www.instagram.com/empowermindsolutionsllc/.

Janet Sherlund chronicles her life as an adopted child. Being adopted made her feel as though she was living a “borrowed life,” undermined her sense of trust and personal value, and impacted every decision she made. It also led to a lifelong quest to find her biological mother, with the hope of finally feeling a tether to this world, a sense of belonging, and ultimately, herself. Adoption is often painted as a happy, inspirational act - a baby finds a family and lives happily ever after. But the truth is that adopted children experience displacement and rupture from their mothers, which can affect them for lifetimes and can result in depression, behavioral issues, anger, anxiety, PTSD, higher suicide rates, and more. Adoption is a trauma and a lifelong journey that is often overlooked and not honestly talked about. She raised her family and served on nonprofit boards in education, health, and the cultural arts before writing her memoir Abandoned at Birth. Her single most significant life event was being given up for adoption at birth. Her memoir fulfills a lifelong dream of becoming a published author, as well as raising awareness about loss and grief in adoption, and why it takes more than love to survive that trauma. A graduate of Colgate University, Janet lives on Nantucket Island off the Massachusetts coast with Rick, her husband of 45 years. You can learn more about Janet at https://www.abandonedatbirthbook.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/janetsherlundofficial/.

Dr. Kristen Williamson is a licensed professional counselor, neurodivergent advocate, and proud ringleader of a “neurospicy” family. Her life is a mix of late-night epiphanies, juggling mental health myths, and a daily dose of laughter as she navigates autism, ADHD, and parenting kids who keep her on her toes (and sometimes hiding snacks). Here’s the deal: growing up, she always felt like she was dancing to her beat, but nobody gave me the playlist. It wasn’t until adulthood that she realized she was neurodivergent, and suddenly, her quirks and challenges made sense. That “ah-ha” moment didn’t just change her life—it gave her a mission to help others embrace their differences and thrive. Now, she blends humor, personal stories, and practical advice to tackle big topics like: 1) Why neurodivergent brains are the secret weapon every workplace needs. 2) How to turn “chaotic energy” into a leadership superpower. And, 3) Why mental health isn’t all doom and gloom (yes, we can laugh about it sometimes!). When she’s not counseling clients or speaking on neurodiversity and DEIB, you’ll find her debating the merits of pineapple on pizza, struggling to perfect her meme game, or plotting her next adventure with her husband and kids. She keeps it real, relatable, and a little ridiculous—because who says growth can’t be fun? Her style is conversational and insightful, empowering, and sprinkled with humor. Together, we can make brains, belonging, and breakthroughs the most entertaining part of your home, workplace, and/or show! You can learn more about Dr. Kristen Williamson at https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkristenwilliamson/ and https://www.instagram.com/empowermindsolutionsllc/.