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Prior to coaching with Autism Personal Coach, Bernard taught college writing. Bernard is also an editor, who uses the skills they’ve acquired helping people meet their writing goals to helping those on the spectrum meet their various life goals. Bernard holds a Ph.D. in creative writing and literature; their primary interests are literature and writing, as well as film, cats, and the video game Rocket League. Because Bernard is autistic with multiple neurodivergences, including ADHD and dyscalculia, they are also deeply interested in neurodiversity. They believe that despite the struggles neurodivergents face while navigating a neurotypical society, neurodivergence is a set of evolutionary advantages, gifts, and that once challenges are faced and worked through, neurodivergents can learn to fully utilize their neurodivergence as advantages, using their atypical traits to achieve their goals. You can learn more about Bernard’s work at: bernardgrant.com

I earned my Master’s in Counseling from Kent State University which has led me to teach disabled people for 15 years. Now as a coach I help autistic people to become better able to manage details, especially when they overwhelmed. I also act as a neutral third party, and helps keep the families I support working together in a positive mindset. If you love Cleveland sports than I could be a great fit for you as a coach as I am an avid sports fan who loves my Browns, Indians and Cavs.

Clients have told me that my calm, pleasant personality makes it easy to get to know me and helps to decrease their stress levels. Working together, we’ll explore your interests, talents, and connections, while enriching your relationships with family, friends, and community. When I am not working, I love family time, hiking, camping, fishing, and simply enjoying the peace and beauty of the outdoors. I also enjoy taking on remodeling projects for the feeling of setting a goal and then working through ups and downs to achieve the end result. I aim to continuously learn new things and explore new opportunities in order to better myself so that I can better help others.

My passion is empowering clients, and I specialize in customizing programs to help them reach their desired goals. Some of the things we can work on include learning to support your own sensory needs, improving time management and prioritization skills, developing self-advocacy skills, and getting a job that works for you. During my free time I enjoy singing, going on hikes, reading books, cooking, kickboxing, canoeing, journaling, exploring thrift stores with my friends, camping,, and watching science fiction or anime shows with my husband. The top three things I find most comforting are: playing with animals, listening to the rain, and drinking a hot cup of coffee in the morning.

What led me to Autism Personal Coach was my own journey in discovering myself. Why do my experiences make me feel the way they do, and what that means for my place in the world. On that journey I discovered my blackness, my queerness, my neurodivergence, my disabilities, the pride in who I am, the pain in what I lost, and the road to the intersections of them all that are hidden from us every single day. The people and parts of myself who I was told to abandon so that I could reach where I was supposed to be. My goals are to help you on this journey so that you don’t have to hide parts of yourself to reach where you want to be. That your feelings, your body, your existence, your special interests are valid. For me I love cartoons. I love Adventure Time and crying over Marceline and Ice King. I stim by listening to music really loud in my headphones snapping my finger near my ear while I rock. I do my best thinking while I walk through the house, and if I have to sit still I may fall into despair. I love the color pink and
listening to music with synthesizers because it feels amazing for my synesthesia. I have two children who are also neurodivergent and we have similar but also different stims and we clash but we also work together so we don’t hurt each other and our differences don’t make us any less neurodivergent. So if you’d like, Come along with me…

Joy is the factor that drives me through life, and I very much believe in its powers to heal, sustain, and unite people under the banner of community. As a coach, I believe in helping people embrace their joys in life—through special interests, hobbies, experiences, and loved ones. I very much enjoy being a jack-of-all-trades and knowing a little about a lot of subjects. Some of my hobbies are fiction writing, playing and developing video games, drawing, sewing, bookmaking, playing harmonica, animals, science, philosophy, science fiction and fantasy media. I grew up doing horseback riding and krav maga as well. I joined Autism Personal Coach after 7 years of leadership positions in autism and disability advocacy. As a self-advocate and coach, my focuses include the social model of disability, the intersection of autism and other identities, and taking a trauma-informed approach with clients.

My experience and listening skills allow me to coach in a way that guides conversations toward solutions and uncovers new outcomes for past problems. I have the positive outlook that there’s a solution to every problem, and that all goals are obtainable–no matter the obstacles! I love challenging myself to achieve my personal goals in fitness, organization, and time management. I love being outside, cooking, and enjoying all the events Cleveland has to offer with my family and two dogs!

As a coach, I guide others toward creating and achieving unique personal goals in life, work, and identity exploration. Approaching life with a curious and collaborative mindset, I meet people where they are and start conversations from a place of common ground. I work with clients with varied backgrounds, including those apart of other marginalized groups. Diagnosed autistic and ADHD well into adulthood, I have considerable experience working with clients diagnosed as adults and those that are suffering from burnout due to high levels of masking. I use my Master's in Industrial and Organizational Psychology to help me bridge the gap between clients and their employers, especially regarding navigating ADA accommodations.

My priority, as a coach, is to help my clients feel heard, seen, and valued while we work together to achieve their goals. I use my experience, both as an autistic person and a creative professional, to encourage each client’s unique needs and perspectives to direct each session. For me, creating an alliance with my client is paramount; similar to making any piece of art, it takes time, an open mind, and the willingness to trust our individual processes. I love encouraging discovery, self-awareness, and brainstorming solutions with my clients.
After my ASD diagnosis, when I was 37 years old, I began actively seeking ways to build community and learn how to be myself more openly. Ultimately, that is what led me to Autism Personal Coach. Outside of coaching, I have over 20 years of love for tarot, symbolism, spirituality, and specialty coffee. Some of my special interests are psychology/mental health, music, theater, highbrow sci-fi movies, quantum physics, space, and rescue animals (I volunteer at my local humane society whenever possible).

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with everyday tasks. That’s why I enjoy helping clients to create a plan that will help them be more successful in achieving these goals. We work together to schedule tasks according to their optimal work time, break them into smaller more manageable pieces, and clearly communicate expectations to all those involved. I try to apply these same strategies to my own life. When I’m not working or spending time with my family, I enjoy reading and running. I am very passionate about both of these hobbies as they allow me to relax in different ways!