 |
EvoLibri Consulting provides direct and referred services
to provide end-to-end care, as well as a safe community experience for neurodiverse individuals.
|
Q: What does Neurodiversity mean, and why do we use this term?
A: The term neurodiversity, as it applies specifically to ASD, attention deficit, learning difference, and pervasive mood disturbances, was posted on Wikipedia by two Asperger individuals as a more neutral term than 'disability'or 'disabled' -- indeed, to be neurodiverse simply means 'a diverse brain', without any negative connotation. I choose this term  because as the mother to an Aspie, I know that along with some weaknesses, there are enormous strengths in neurodiverse individuals. First as a mother, and then as a counselor, my belief has always been to play to an individual's assets. There is no need to change neurodiverse individuals -- only to help them build the skills they need to flourish in the neurotypical world, which is what EvoLibri endeavors to do. | |
About EvoLibri's Principal
Jan Johnston-Tyler, MA
Principal & Program Manager
Psychological, Career, Transitional Assessment &Counseling
 Jan Johnston-Tyler earned her Master of Arts degree in Counseling from Santa Clara University, with an emphasis on Career Development 26 years after completing her Bachelors of Arts in English Literature with Distinction from UC Berkeley. Ms. Johnston-Tyler is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA), American Counseling Association (ACA), the California Counseling Association (CCA), and the California Career Development Association (CCDA). She is published both in books and in professional journals, and frequently speaks about hidden disabilities and neurodiversity in educational and non-profit settings. With the recent passage of AB 788 through California Legislature, Jan is happy to announce that she will be one of the first California Counselors to become licensed, after finishing her supervised hours.
A refugee from high-tech management with an annual IT, Operations, and Personnel budget of over $22M, Jan has extensive experience in employee development and enterprise project management, and holds several awards from her innovative work in technical and ePublishing, including numerous awards from STC. Jan is also a laureate for the prestigious Smithsonian Award of Innovation.
With her extensive corporate experience, Jan brings energy, creativity, and vision to her work as the Principal of EvoLibri, which she founded in 2007. As a counselor, Ms. Johnston-Tyler brings practical and empathic solutions to all of her clients. Finally, as the mother of an Asperger Syndrome son, she knows first hand what interventions can do for neurodiverse populations, and how exceptional these people are. In her free time, Jan loves to travel, camp, ski, cook, write, garden, and spend down time with her teenaged son and primary school-aged daughter, and their Corgi and tabby cat.
About EvoLibri's Consultants
Starting in Fall 2009, EvoLibri has brought on Consultants to provide recreation, tutoring, and specialized academic programs. We also maintain a large network of multidisciplinary professionals in the area, and refer our clients to these professionals, depending on need. These professionals include psychiatrists, psycho-educational assessors, psychologists, therapists, occupational and physical therapists, and other service providers.
Heather Allami, MFT Graduate Student
Recreational Director
Heather Allami co-leads Club Neuro events, and runs Club X, our adult group, and brings energy and enthusiasm to all she does. Heather received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of California in Santa Cruz. Since graduating in 2005, she moved to Hawaii and began working with individuals on the Autism spectrum. Moved by the diversity and depth of each ASD individual she was inspired to pursue a career in the field. Her 4 years of experience exposed her to the many facets of ASD, particularly in the Asperger domain and to the families involved. Heather moved back to California in 2007 and began a Master’s program at Santa Clara University in Counseling Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy. She chooses to couple her Counseling Psychology degree with a Special Education emphasis, specifically in Autism. She hopes to gain the education and experience necessary to take a multidisciplinary, holistic approach to bridging ASD to the rest of the world. In her spare time, Heather enjoys; cooking, reading, running, swimming, surfing, playing soccer, riding her bike, and being present with nature.
Anne Hedges, MA
Learning Specialist
 Anne Hedges comes to us to help our clients who need additional help with their academic pursuits, and to teach writing classes. Anne is a longtime Bay Area writing teacher, academic tutor and freelance editor with degrees in journalism and humanities, and a certificate in teaching composition. She has worked with students from middle-school to college, taught writing classes, supervised computer labs, and designed specialized curriculum. She especially enjoys the challenge of working one-on-one with students, helping them overcome barriers and grow to enjoy learning and writing. At present she teaches at St. Mary's and Columbia Colleges, sees clients in-person and online, and maintains the blog, "The Teacher's Voice," at http://ateach-theteachersvoice.blogspot.com/.
Shani Kleinhaus, PhD
Service Advocate
 Shani Kleinhaus, PhD, earned her doctorate in Ecology from UC Davis and worked aws an environmental consultant in government, private, and non-profits for many years. A parent to a child who shines on the spectrum, she started advocating and devloping social programs to enrich her daughter's academic and social opportunities. While living in the East Bay, she initiated a popular teen Tai-Chi group and led a nature expiernce group for youth with Asperger's Syndrome, NLD, and HFA. She served on the Advisory Committee to Mount Diablo School District's Adult Education program where she has been an active participant in the creation of a community-based life skills and functional academics transition program (TOPS) for young adults. Currently, Shani is helping Palo Alto School District improve their post-secondary transition services for high school students. Shani has developed deep understanding of the process and methodologies needed to successfully apply for government services (Regional Center, SSR, DoR) and started applying her resourceful solutions to help other parents qualify and receive resources.
Judy Pearce
Employment Attorney, ADA Specialist
 Judy is an employment lawyer who has practiced disability discrimination law in the Silicon Valley for over 20 years. Judy also trains managers about how legal protections should be afforded to people with disabilities. She has handled accommodation issues involving epilepsy, cancer, brain damage, chronic fatigue syndrome, urinary dysfunction, learning disabilities, social and behavioral problems, heart surgery, anxiety, stroke, chemical dependency, anger and rage, and related areas of gender reassignment and pregnancy. She represents employers and employees alike. This brings a special understanding of the needs of all of the parties when she is resolving workplace issues
In 2006 Judy founded a high school in San Mateo specializing in students with ADHD and Asperger's syndrome. For over two decades Judy has represented students and their parents in IEP related litigation. Judy graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1977. She worked herself through school as a police officer. She received her law degree in 1981 from the University of Minnesota where she was managing editor of the Minnesota Law Review. Judy has twin 17-year-olds that she is crazy about.
. |
