Advancing Neurodiverse Education and Chronic Pain Advocacy

From Personal Struggles to Advocacy

After growing up with ADHD, Jen dedicated her career towards helping children in schools with neurodiverse needs. This included systemic programmatic changes within school environments for kinesthetic learners to have the permission to move as well as access to calming spaces to reduce sensory overload.

Core Founding Team Member – Lucid Lane

When Jen lost her brother to an iatrogenic illness caused by Opioids and Benzodiazepines in 2018, she shifted her focus on advocacy with informed consent for prescribing and safe tapering protocols as one of the founding team members of Lucid Lane. Over the course of five years, Jen led a team of 50 clinicians, providing therapeutic services to over 6,000 members for Chronic Pain Intervention, Transitional Pain Services, and Tapering Management.

Building Bridges at neuroTree

In 2023, Jen was recruited by neuroTree to help design and build the Chronic Pain program called neuroVive as well as neuroHealth. Jen’s experience working in the school systems provided insight into the needs of individuals with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder as they age, including assessing for possible underlying health challenges that may be manifesting behaviorally, impacting their quality of life and emotional well-being.

Jen deeply understands the need for addressing underlying health vulnerabilities such as genetic mutations and microbiome health after she had a neurotoxic reaction to an antibiotic called Cetin Axetal at age 40. Strong and healthy her entire life, running marathons, surfing, and playing tennis, she never expected anything like that to happen, but learning she had a genetic mutation called MTHFR causing low B12 and B9 levels, making her nervous system vulnerable to the neurotoxic effect of this strong antibiotic, left her almost unable to walk for a year. By addressing her genetic mutation and microbiome health that was affected by the antibiotic, she has been able to heal and re-strengthen her nervous system and rebuild her physical strength to be able to continue to do all of the things she loves.

Jen’s faith once again helped her understand that sometimes God puts us through things to be able to help others.