Meet the Founder, Mel

Hi, I’m Mel.

I’m a special education teacher and leader, a parent, and a neurodivergent ally — but more than that, I’m someone who deeply understands how overwhelming, confusing, and isolating this journey can feel.

I bring together lived experience, professional expertise, and years of working within complex systems to support neurodivergent children, teens, adults, and families. I understand the school landscape. I understand the language of funding and plans. And I understand the emotional weight families carry when things aren’t working.

I founded NeuroNavigation because I saw too many people misunderstood, blamed, or left without practical, compassionate support.

I wanted to create something different — a space where neurodivergent people are respected, where behaviour is understood in context, and where families are supported without judgement.

My work is relational, strengths-based, and grounded in nervous system safety. I focus on understanding the “why” before jumping to strategies. I help people make sense of their profiles, reduce overwhelm, navigate systems with confidence, and build supports that genuinely fit their real lives — not just what works on paper.

I’m especially passionate about:

  • Helping families create calmer, more connected homes

  • Supporting teens and adults to understand their identity

  • Assisting late-diagnosed adults to rebuild confidence and belonging

  • Guiding parents through advocacy and complex school systems

  • Bridging research and practice in ways that are practical and human

I understand this journey personally and professionally. At the heart of my work is this belief:


When people feel understood, safe, and supported, they shine.

I welcome and affirm families of every structure and background — including single-parent families, blended families, kinship carers, adoptive families, LGBTQIA+ families, culturally diverse families, and those who don’t fit traditional definitions of “family.”

I strive to create a space where every person feels safe, respected, and understood — where identity, culture, and lived experience are honoured, not overlooked.

How I feel about…

  • I am guided by the Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS) approach to understand and support behaviour. Rather than seeing challenging behaviour as “bad”, I view it as a form of communication, a lagging skill, a signal that something isn’t working for the person or that they are experiencing stress, overwhelm, or unmet needs.

    The CPS model focuses on identifying unsolved problems that trigger these behaviours and working collaboratively with the individual (and their family) to find practical, mutually agreed-upon solutions. This approach is strengths-based, empathetic, and skill-building, helping individuals develop coping strategies, emotional regulation, and problem-solving skills in everyday life.

    In practice, this means:

    • Listening to understand what’s behind the behaviour, rather than just reacting to it.

    • Identifying the skills or supports the person needs to succeed.

    • Working together with the individual to create solutions that reduce stress and increase participation, confidence, and independence.

    Ultimately, my goal is to support families and individuals to navigate challenges without conflict, shame, or power struggles, and to help everyone feel heard, understood, and empowered.

  • With years of experience as a special education teacher and educator, I’ve seen firsthand that school isn’t one-size-fits-all. Every learner is different, and not every child or adult thrives in a traditional classroom. That’s why I’m passionate about exploring flexible, neurodiversity-affirming ways to access education, advocate for equity and adjustments, whether through mainstream schools, alternative learning models, or home-based approaches.

    I work with learners of all ages, supporting them to build confidence, independence, and practical skills while respecting their unique strengths, needs, and learning styles. My approach is collaborative, inclusive, strengths and solutions-focused, helping families and learners navigate challenges, reduce overwhelm, and discover pathways that work for them.

    I believe everyone deserves to learn, grow, and participate in ways that feel meaningful, and I love helping families find the strategies, environments, and support that allow their learner to thrive.

Learn how I work