As parents it’s easy to focus our energy on the complicated and challenging aspects of raising a neurodivergent child. We focus on problems rather than strengths. We often prioritize our kids above our own well-being, leading to overwhelm and burnout. But it doesn’t have to be that way. What if we sought acceptance, self-compassion, community, and support as an antidote to all that is hard about raising our unique kids? What would it be like to have more ease and joy in our work as parents?
As a certified Neurodiversity Family Coach, I use a client-led approach to help parents get much-needed support in making positive change in their lives. I believe all of my clients are creative, resourceful, and whole. My role as a coach is to guide clients to set goals and make the changes they want in their lives. I provide a space for each client to envision the change they want. By listening actively, evoking awareness about a given situation or goal, and asking powerful questions, I help each client to create this change.
Nice to meet you!
I’m Clio. I'm a life coach and musician, and I'm passionate about supporting parents with neurodivergent children. As a parent of a neurodivergent child myself, I understand how challenging it can be to navigate a diagnosis and learn to parent with compassion and understanding.
I love when my different hats overlap- my experience parenting my autistic son led me to start my coaching practice so that I can support parents going through similar experiences. I’m thrilled to help neurodivergent kids learn to play the violin or viola and love being creative about how to adapt to each child’s unique strengths and challenges!
I found the early part of my journey as a parent of a ND child to be one of the hardest parts, mostly because of all that I felt I needed to learn and do. I often wished for a “silver bullet,” miracle therapy, or one crucial piece of knowledge that would help my child struggle less. Over time, I grew to realize that this wasn’t about finding a solution (because my child didn’t have a problem per se, just a different way of experiencing the world) but about learning how to parent my unique child. And it turns out parenting means a lot of things! It means being a loving mom and also my child’s advocate, teacher, case manager, and more.
My experience parenting and raising my own neurodivergent son has been one of the most transformative experiences of my life. As I’ve sought to synthesize all of my various passions it’s become clear that being an autism advocate, working to change how we think about teaching ND children, and supporting other parents going through a similar journey raising their children are driving passions for me. To that end, I have a coaching practice working with parents 1:1 as well as in group settings. I am certified as a Neurodivergent Family Coach, and also have completed training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and SUNY Purchase as a health and wellness coach.
With coaching, I’m not offering a quick fix (which, let’s be honest, doesn’t exist), but hopefully something more meaningful and lasting. I’m guiding parents in their own unique experiences and providing a framework for approaching parenting that involves knowing and embracing your unique child, getting the right resources, trusting your own instincts, and being willing to experiment and make changes to help your whole family can thrive.
Want to know more? Check out my substack, which is full of resources for parents. You can also reach out to schedule a free 30 min consult to see if working with me is a good fit.
What does a coach do?
A coach guides clients towards envisioning and realizing their own desires and goals. I love to work with clients on topics like parenting, self-care, and health and wellness. I use 1:1 coaching sessions to discuss goals and priorities, provide accountability, and support the client in making lasting change. Coaches focus on the present and future and act as a guide while clients do the actual work of making changes in their lives.