Everything we offer is built around one simple goal - Helping people understand and support neurodivergent ways of being.
About us
Welcome to ND & Me, a neurodiversity affirming advocacy, education and support service based in Gippsland, Australia.
I’m Cherie Draper, an autistic-ADHD individual, parent, partner, educator, and advocate. I come to this work wearing a few hats - I'm Mum to four Autistic-ADHD (AuDHD) children aged adult to primary years; I hold a Masters in Autism; I'm a certified ADHD Coach; and trained in CPTSD support. My background is in business and community development, but what shapes my work most is 45+ years of lived experience!
I’m here because I know how different the world can feel when you don't fit in, and the relief that comes with greater understanding and guidance of neurodivergence.
Our Services
Whether working with families, educators, or workplaces, my approach is collaborative and grounded in real life. Blending lived experience, qualifications, and and a realistic approach, together we look at what’s working, what’s hard, and what's in the way, then design changes that make everyday life more comfortable, connected, and sustainable.
Families and Children
Evidence meets experience - practical sessions for people who support neurodivergent lives. Parents, carers, extended family members who want to deepen their understanding of Autism, ADHD, and related experiences in a neuro-affirming, practical way.
Centered around your experiences, we explore strengths, challenges, and sensory patterns to build strategies that actually work in your daily life, not just on paper.
Late Diagnosed and Undiagnosed Adults
For Autistic and ADHD adults wanting a safe, collaborative space to unpack challenges, reflect, and plan next steps.
Ideal for people diagnosed or questioning who are looking for clarity, perspective, and someone who 'gets it.'
Educators, Carers and Supports
Educators, early childhood professionals, support workers and carers who want to move beyond awareness and into practical, neuroaffirming inclusion. We look at sensory factors, communication styles, systems, strategies and environmental design so that inclusion isn’t just a policy, its a practical, useable, system.
Employers and Industry
Leaders, teams, and organisations who want to create genuinely inclusive workplaces and businesses, where neurodivergent employees, customers, and clients feel safe, supported, and able to contribute their best.
This service is ideal for businesses ready to move from awareness to action, to build cultures, systems, and spaces that work for everyone.
Public Speaking and Advocacy
Conferences, events, community organisations, and workplaces wanting to explore neurodiversity through lived experience and evidence-informed insight.
Ideal for groups ready to move beyond surface awareness into meaningful understanding and action.
Testimonials
Book an appointment today
Our online booking system enables you to choose from a range of services with just a few clicks.
Contact Us
Frequently Asked Questions
Neurodiversity is a term that covers ALL people. It's simply a term recognising that everyone's brain thinks, acts, has skills and has difficulties in ways unique to them. Everybody is included in neurodiversity, as it is quite literally brain diversity.
Neurodivergence recognises that some brains differ from the majority. It's an umbrella term that covers all 'not typical' thinking and brain function from Autism and ADHD, to OCD, depression, schizophrenia, PTSD, and many more.
Neurotypical recognises the majority of thinking and brain function. It's not 'normal' functioning, or functioning that all people should be aiming for, as everyone differs from skills and barriers, but rather simply represents the majority. Importantly, neurotypical is not the goal when supporting neurodivergent people.
Instead, neurodiversity is about supporting everyone to live a full and fulfilling life by understanding and recognising themselves, and those around them - What's known as neuro-affirming inclusion, practice and environment.
No. Question answered, lets move on.
Really though, what feels like a massive growth in diagnoses is actually a combination of greater understanding, greater exposure on social media and in community, and a widening of the diagnostic criteria - because we better understand both autism and ADHD than we did before.
What we're learning is that both (and many other conditions) are grossly underdiagnosed. Access and affordability seriously limits many people from seeking a diagnosis. Add to that fear of other's opinions, shame of past difficulties, or negative medical experiences and you have quite the recipe for miss-or-missed-diagnosis.
This is why the neurodivergent community fiercely support the validity of self-diagnosis. If you feel you fit the profile of neurodivergent and feel most comfortable with other neurodivergent people, then you can comfortably and confidently call yourself Autistic, ADHD, or other neurodivergences.
Absolutely! Sessions are designed to be the most comfortable you can be, when talking to someone isn't something you enjoy doing. Most clients prefer to meet online, I simply encourage you to be somewhere where you can talk freely and can hear our conversation. Dress comfy, bring along fidgets, and do whatever you need to do to support yourself. I'll likely have a fidget in my hands too!
Perfect, it doesn't work for me either - I spend the whole time thinking of what the therapist wants from me, out logic myself, and end up masking the whole session!
I'm not a therapist, yes you'll be talking about you, but we'll be focusing more on extending your knowledge of your autism/ADHD profile, learning where you fit in the world of neurodivergence, and finding systems and tools that work for you. We're 80% practical solutions, 20% couch-time.
Biography
