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MARY KLOVANCE
Consulting, Public Speaking, Workshop Creation & Facilitation
She/Her
MA, BEd, BA
Registered Clinical Counsellor
ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP)
ADHD-Certified Educator (ADHD-CE)
Board member of the Institute of Neurodiversity Canada
Mary is the owner and clinical director of The Neurodiversity Family Centre and has lived experience as a person with ADHD, is the daughter of an Autistic parent and is a parent to a neurodiverse child.
Mary knows that what some label as "challenging behavior" is actually just a natural coping strategy used for those doing the best they can to manage during distress. Drawing on her experience and education, she employs the Collaborative & Proactive Solutions Model (CPS Model) to engage with clients, aiming to uncover unmet needs, lagging skills, and unsolved problems. Mary's primary objective is to understand and validate each client's experiences, learn what their personal goals are and guide them in identifying strategies and solutions which utilize their unique strengths and abilities. Her approach is not only client-centered but also seeks to address the underlying issues contributing to perceived challenges, such as those brought on by societal expectations and demands.
Mary has worked for over 13 years as a school counsellor and for over five years with youth-at-risk for Victoria's Youth Empowerment Society at the teen drop in centre, youth Detox and youth shelter. Recently Mary was asked to join the Institute of Neurodiversity as a board member to represent Education for the new Canadian chapter and is on the Greater Victoria School District Accessibility Advisory Group. She is also a local public speaker on the topic of parenting neurodivergent youth and was featured in "Calming the ADHD Family: ADHD brain hacks for a calm, confident, connected family", Matters of the Mind Public Presentation on Parenting Youth with ADHD for the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors, a guest on Therapy Talks Podcast.
Mary's goal is to educate youth and the adults who care for them about Neurodiversity Affirming practices and sharing her lived experience as a Neurodivergent person. She uses a strength-based approach in her practice to highlight the gifts of every individual while helping them achieve their definition of success.
CONSULTING
Individual:$225 (Including GST) per hour
Group: $300 (Including GST) per hour
Mary can provide consulting services on the following topics:
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Working with youth who struggle with addiction issues
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Working with & supporting youth who struggle with aspects of their ADH
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Providing Neurodiversity Affirming Care within your business, agency or the services you provide
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Working with and supporting neurodivergent students
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Working with and supporting neurodivergent adults
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Supporting Counsellors who work with neurodivergent folk
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Support Plan creation for complex youth within support settings
SPECIALIZED WORKSHOPS
Prices based on project scope
Mary can both create and facilitate specialized workshops and professional development opportunities for staff on the following topics:
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ADH
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Neurodiversity Affirming Care
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Neurodivergence
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Teaching Neurodiverse Youth
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Parenting youth with substance use challenges
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Supporting ND youth within a care setting (ECE, Group Home, Social work, etc.)
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Parenting struggling youth with unsafe behaviours
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Please contact for additional ideas
PREVIOUS PROJECTS
Online Public Speaking Event
Interview discussing how parents can support their child with ADHD.
Online Public Presentation
An online workshop created for the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors and a guest focusing on parenting youth with ADHD.
Radio Interview
An interview or CBC Radio regarding Neurodiversity and Neurodivergence.
Podcast Interview
In this episode:
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Why the relationship with your child is the most important part of the whole process of labeling and diagnosing a neurodivergence.
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Understanding the “Oppositional defiant disorder” (need for control and autonomy)
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Mary’s favorite modalities to help understand and soothe what’s going on with your child
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Advice on where you can find the best research tools for better understanding neurodivergence in children and adults
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How our dopamine levels have a big impact on the way we see the world
UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA LAW DEPARTMENT EVENT
Public Speaking Event for Staff & Students
Overview of Neurodiversity and Neurodiversity Affirming Education. Providing information about different types of Neurodiversities, how to differentiate teaching to support each type and open discussion about student's experiences.
BC Foster Parents
Interactive Workshop for BC Foster Parents
Overview of Neurodiversity and Neurodiversity Affirming caregiving strategies.
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Trauma Informed Caregiving
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Caregiver Self-Care Plans
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Co-Regulation Strategies
BECOMING A SUPER CO-REGULATOR & CREATING NEURODIVERSITY AFFIRMING SUPPORT PLANS
Early Childhood Educator Professional Development Workshop
Outline:
1. Introduction to myself and course
2. Introduction to neurodiversity & Neurodiversity Affirming Care
3. Becoming Super Co-Regulators: Information on how to co-regulate (works with ALL children!) in order to encourage self-regulation
4. Small Group Activity: Provide an outline of a potential Student Support Plan, Provide an example of a child currently in the program (Case Study), using what we've learned above and the support plan create a support plan for that child.
5. Group share: Groups share the plans and each add notes/ideas/etc.
6. Review as an entire group and come up with a specific support plan for each child
7. Co-Create an outline for a Student Support plan for the centre to be used for all incoming youth in the future
The Gift of Neurodiversity: For parents of newly Diagnosed children and teens
Created for The Foundry & Family Smart Caregiver Sessions
Topic: The gift of Neurodiversity: A strengths-based, neurodiversity affirming introduction for parents of newly diagnosed children & youth
This Neurodiversity Affirming Workshop is a unique and invaluable resource for parents of children and youth who have recently received a neurodivergence diagnosis. This workshop is designed to empower parents with knowledge, understanding, and practical tools to embrace neurodiversity and create a supportive and nurturing environment for their children.
Key Workshop Details:
(1) Neurodiversity Affirming
(2) Strengths-Based Parenting
(3) Parental Self-Care
(4) Managing Expectations
(5) Parenting Tips and Strategies
Full-Day Staff Training on Neurodiversity Affirming Care & Supporting Teens with Drug use Challenges
Created for Victoria Youth Empowerment Society
Topic: A Trauma-Informed, Strengths-Based approach to working with Neurodivergent teens who are experiencing challenges with drug use
This workshop, rooted in a neurodiversity-affirming framework, explores the unique strengths and attributes of adolescents who are neurodivergent, encompassing individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), and those identified as gifted.
The primary objective of the workshop is to equip neurotypical caregivers with practices centered around acceptance, emphasizing the adaptation of environments, removal of demands and the provision of autonomy for neurodivergent adolescents in care.
The strategies highlighted are designed to effectively identify and meet the needs of each individual youth, fostering an environment where they feel heard, accepted, and cared for because of, not despite, their uniqueness.
Understanding Neurodiversity through an affirming lense
Created for Clarington office of CAO
Topic: Understanding the Basics of Neurodiversity and supporting Neurodivergent folk within the workplace
This workshop, rooted in a neurodiversity-affirming framework, explores the unique strengths and attributes neurodivergent folk.
The primary objective of the workshop is to equip Clarington staff with a basic neurodiversity affirming understanding of different neurodivergence and how it shows up within the workplace as well as specialized supports for ND folk.
Neurodiversity Affirming Social Work
Created for THRIVE Victoria
Topic: A Trauma-Informed, Strengths-Based approach to working with Neurodivergent youth, families and individuals.
This workshop, rooted in a neurodiversity-affirming framework, explores the unique strengths and attributes neurodivergent folk, encompassing individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), and those identified as gifted.
The primary objective of the workshop is to equip Thrive staff with the knowledge about and skills to work with and effectively support Neurodivergent folks.
Creating Neurodiversity Affirming IEPs
BC School Counsellors Association Conference October 2024
1.5 hour workshop focusing on understanding what neurodiversity affirming means and looks like in the world and in the classroom and how to create NeuroAffirming IEPs including:
- ND Affirming Language
- ND Affirming Goals
- ND Affirming Strategies
BC School Counselling Text Book Chapter
Chapter 8
Advocacy from the Lens of a School Counsellor
Author of Chapter 8 Section: Advocating for Neurodivergent, Gender Diverse and students with disabilities within the School Setting
Interview article focusing on what Neurodiversity Affirming Care looks like in counselling, how to support neurodivergent clients, what to look for when looking for a specialist, and more.
CTV YOUR MORNING
Interview
Interview on Toronto's CTV Your Morning show about Neurodiversity in the Education system.
Anonymous
"GREAT workshop. Easy to follow, and super do-able ways to grow a confident, self-assured kid."
Crystal, BC
"[She] had such a good vibe and it was really easy to be real as a participant! [Her] approach to sharing and discussing our kiddos with ADHD was very encouraging and empathetic!"
Anonymous
"Mary was fantastic to listen to, very entertaining!"