Lizzie Carolan’s Virtual Office

As a neurodivergent individual, I understand that society does not always recognize and support all ways of thinking and being. My goal is to provide a safe space where families, children, teens, and adults can seek out communication-related services. I follow trauma-informed practice that emphasizes connection and relational safety during sessions. Additionally, I believe in the social model of disability and neurodiversity, which means I view differences in development and communication as natural human diversity. I believe that everyone has unique ways of thinking, communicating, and interacting with others. I also believe that learning is best (and most fun!) when it incorporates one’s strengths, interests, and priorities.

My clinical practice is informed by my formal studies and by following self-advocates’ work in the field of intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD) and neurodiversity. I completed a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology with a minor in Audiology and a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics with a minor in French Studies at McGill University. I have also had the privilege of learning from Autistic young adults when completing my master’s thesis on Autistic social communication profiles and by learning from children and adults with I/DD in various clinical settings. I am a member of the Therapist Neurodiversity Collective, whose goal is to promote neurodiversity-affirming practices in SLP. I am also on the committee at SPACE, an organization whose mission is to create a more inclusive and accessible world for individuals who stutter.

I look forward to working together with you and your loved one with Down syndrome to use communication to build meaningful connections throughout the lifespan.

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