Neurodiversity Affirming Coaching Family Coaching Academic Coaching Expressive Arts Expansion Brainspotting

A warm hello to my neurodivergent community, to individuals and families seeking educational or communication support, and to anyone who has found this space and is interested in growth!

My name is Michelle Desmond. I’m proudly a multiply neurodivergent practitioner who believes strongly in creating strength based support. I offer a variety of types of coaching for individuals and families centered on communication, learning, growth, educational advocacy, imagination, expansion, and empowerment.

This work explores how people can learn, think, relate, communicate, imagine, and build their lives with more clarity, expression, and possibility.

Another core focus of my work is neurodivergent empowerment. I value the neurodiversity paradigm and view neurodivergence as a natural and meaningful part of human experience. I reject deficit based frameworks. I work collaboratively, honoring each person’s communication style, creativity, and ways of relating to the world.

Experience and training

With 15 years of experience working in educational, arts based, and coaching based settings—I have learned so much from the individuals and families I have had the honor of working with!

I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, and a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Expressive Arts. I am currently a Doctoral Candidate in Marriage and Family Therapy with an emphasis in Organizational Systems.

With the principles of disability justice and the values of healing-centered engagement as guiding lights! This work is informed by liberation psychology, and I’m committed to centering anti-oppressive and anti-racist values as part of an ongoing commitment to learning, equity, dignity, and relational care.

I’m trained in Brainspotting (Levels 1, 2, and 3) and Brainspotting with Kids (https://www.brainspotting-kids.com). For those who are interested in integrating this focused mindfulness tool in a collaborative and exploratory way. This can be done alongside expressive arts, metaphor, storytelling, and narrative based practices that support reflection and meaning making.

If you would like to book a complimentary 20 minute info session, feel free to email me at: emeraldfamilycoaching@gmail.com

Thank you for your interest in my work!

Important Note: This work is coaching bases, exploring topics such as personal growth, family communication, educational advocacy, creativity, and empowerment. This work does not provide clinical diagnosis, psychotherapy, or mental health treatment.

~Offerings ~

Neorodivity Affirming Coaching

Support grounded in the neurodiversity paradigm that centers each person’s lived experience, strengths, and support needs. The goal is focus on each persons well being, and internal experience rather than focusing only on the externall. We can work together to explore your goals in how you learn, communicate, and move through the world, and build approaches that feel respectful, sustainable, and aligned with who you are.

Family Coaching

A collaborative space for families looking to strengthen connection, communication, and understanding. We work together to make sense of patterns at home, with the goal of developing ways of relating to one another that feel more supportive, grounded, and expansive for everyone involved. Family members of all ages are listened to and valued in all sessions.

Academic Coaching

Individualized support for learning and school-based goals for anyone from preschool to graduate school. This work focuses on practical and organizational strategies that are tailored to how each person learns best, and exploring what support is needed and what possibility each student has! This includes building confidence to advocate for yourself and learning ways to request the accommodations you need to thrive.

If you or your child needs accommodations at school, university, or in work environments, I can also support you in naming support needs and requesting a 504 plan, and/or exploring what accommodation options exist.

Expressive Arts

Creative, open ended processes that use art making and expression to explore thoughts, emotions, and experiences. These processes can support insight, growth, and self understanding and family understanding in ways that go beyond words.

Expansion Brainspotting

A gentle, focused mindfulness approach that uses eye position and attention to support awareness of emotions and internal experience. It invites individuals to notice what is happening within their inner experience in a supported, present-centered way, opening space for deeper awareness, insight, and creative expansion. This process can create space for emotional clarity and meaningful shifts in how experiences are understood and related to. With mindful attention to inner experience paired with intentional expansive thinking, it may also open new possibilities for imagination, creativity, and personal growth.

(You can learn more about Brainspotting here: https://brainspotting.com/about-brainspotting/)

All sessions are held virtually via Zoom. All sessions are held with confidentiality, empathy and care.

Note: The Brainspotting I offer is held within a coaching relationship focused on reflection and awareness. This work is intended for greater clarity, and expansive thinking and is not treatment of clinical diagnosis.

Financial Investment

I believe support should be accessible, while also honoring the time, energy, knowledge, creativity, and care that this work requires. I value autonomy, honest communication, and trust-building. With this in mind, I invite coaching participants to choose their own payment tier with honesty and integrity.

Sliding Scale

Full Price Rate — $188 per session
This rate reflects the full value of sessions. If you are someone with financial stability, disposable income, or access to significant resources, you’re invited to choose this tier.

Mid Range Reduced Sliding Scale — $138 per session
This tier may feel right if you are financially stable but still thoughtful and intentional about your spending and budgeting.

Reduced Rate Sliding Scale — $88 per session
This rate is intended to support accessibility. You might choose this tier if paying more would create financial stress, or if you are navigating limited financial resources.

(All ending in 8 as a nod to infinity.)

Scholarship Spots

I hold a number of scholarship spots at the rate of $11.11. If you are experiencing financial instability, please feel welcome to reach out to ask if a scholarship spot is currently available.

Thank you for your care and integrity in choosing a tier that aligns with your current situation!

I look forward to the possibility of working together.