How a Renowned Psychologist Is Creating Safe Spaces for Neurodivergent Minds
Dr. Matt Zakreski is the co-founder of the Neurodiversity Collective and author of Neurodiversity Playbook. He is a passionate advocate for those who are neurodivergent, creating spaces where there is acceptance and celebration for different minds. Neurodivergence refers to natural variations in the human brain, affecting how people experience the world. This includes conditions like dyslexia, ADHD, autism, and dyspraxia.
When Dr. Matt joined Rometh and I for an interview, I expected to hear the perspective of a clinical psychologist. What I didn't expect was to feel deeply seen.
The Weight of Personal Connection
The night before our conversation, I barely slept. My mind kept spinning with questions: Had I done enough research? Did I fully understand how Dr. Matt connected to peacebuilding? Would I be able to ask the right questions, or worse, would I miss something important?
It wasn't just nerves, it was also personal. Being neurodivergent myself, this interview felt like more than just a conversation. It felt like a mirror, a chance to see a reflection of parts of myself that I have had trouble embracing, or even fully by my culture.
Creating Safety Through Humor and Understanding
Dr. Matt arrived with the kind of presence that instantly makes you feel at ease. He was open, funny, and kind. One of the first questions Rometh asked him was simple:
"What brings you a sense of peace and grounding in your life right now?"
"Yeah, it's like the found money rule," Dr. Matt said, grinning. "You guys are Canadian, so if you had a toonie in your pocket, right—you had it the whole time, but if you find it again, now it feels like free money. Suddenly, you're like, 'I've got $200!'"
We all laughed. But underneath the joke was something profound. Dr. Matt was pointing out how joy and peace can be found in the simplest moments, often already within us. But we miss them because we're conditioned to look for value outside ourselves, to think peace is something earned or distant.
Dr. Matt also talked about how he uses humor in his practice. As someone who naturally leans into comedy, he sees it not as a distraction but as a bridge. It helps people feel safe. It disarms the fear or shame that often surrounds difference. And when people feel safe, they open up. They heal. They belong. He also emphasized that we all need community, and places where we are supported finding spaces where we can be the best version of ourselves.
Breaking the Isolation of Neurodivergence
Being neurodivergent can be an isolating experience, especially when the world doesn't understand or accept your wiring. In many cultures, including my own, anything that deviates from the norm, such as mental health or neurodiversity, is often dismissed as an excuse, and not accepted. We're taught to "push through" and to "try harder" to hide the parts of ourselves that don't fit the mold.
Dr. Matt is working to rewrite that narrative. He's not just creating awareness, but he is creating safe spaces, equipping people with tools, language, and community so people can show up as their full selves, and the best version of themselves. He's creating these spaces one conversation at a time.
A Moment of Personal Transformation
As I sat in that virtual room, listening to him speak, something shifted in me. I didn't just feel informed, I felt seen and validated. For the first time in a long time, I wasn't too much or not enough, I was just me. And that was okay.
Dr. Matt reminded me that neurodivergence isn't a deficit, it's a different way of being. And in that difference, there's strength, creativity, empathy, and even leadership. He carries the rare gift of serving others not just with knowledge, but with deep compassion.
He is living proof that when you embrace who you are, you give others permission to do the same. For someone like me, who grew up thinking I had to hide or explain away the parts of me that felt "too different," being valued, and humanized meant everything.
Embracing Your Authentic Self
I'll leave you with these powerful words from Dr. Matt:
"All that energy you're spending on trying to pretend you're somebody or not is really fundamentally energy wasted. Because you're just burning all this energy to keep your head above water when you can actually just put your freaking feet down. An important caveat to this is that you need a place, a community that's gonna support that work because it is hard to go at it alone."
We are all valued, loved, and seen, despite the challenges and "differences" we may carry. In the language of neurodiversity, we can find not just belonging, but celebration.
