Neurodiversity: Understanding How We Think, Show Up, and Navigate the World
Event Details
Neurodiversity is the idea that differences in how people think, process information, communicate, and experience the world are natural variations of the human brain, not deficits to be fixed. It includes conditions such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and others, while recognizing that every brain has its own wiring, strengths, and challenges.
This session explores how neurodiversity intersects with identity and the ways we move through different environments each day. Many of us shift how we show up depending on context, at work, with family, among friends, or within our cultural communities. These shifts are often influenced not only by expectations, but also by how our brains process information, manage emotions, and respond to pressure.
In culturally nuanced spaces, especially within Asian communities where performance, discipline, and conformity are often emphasized, neurodivergent traits may be misunderstood, masked, or internalized. This can shape how we see ourselves and how we navigate communication, relationships, and leadership.
In this panel session, we will explore:
• What neurodiversity means through a culturally grounded, real-life lens
• The different “versions” of ourselves we bring into work, family, and social settings
• Masking, adaptation, and the hidden effort behind fitting in
• How cultural expectations influence self-perception, stress, and burnout
• Reframing differences into strengths and building greater self-awareness
This is not about labels or diagnosis. It is about understanding how we think, how we adapt, and how we can show up more fully and authentically across the many spaces we navigate every day.
Co-hosted with,
RSM InspirAsian is RSM Canada’s employee network group dedicated to supporting, celebrating, and advancing professionals of Pan-Asian heritage within the firm. Through cultural awareness, mentorship, community engagement, and leadership development, InspirAsian fosters an inclusive environment where diverse voices are empowered and recognized. The group plays a key role in driving meaningful dialogue and connections both within RSM and across the broader community.
Asian Adoptees of Canada (AAC) is a national registered non-profit dedicated to connecting, supporting and empowering Canada’s Asian adoptee community. Founded, AAC creates welcoming spaces for connection, cultural learning, resource sharing and meaningful conversations around adoption and identity. Through events, networking, education and community partnerships, AAC fosters a stronger and more connected Asian adoptee community across Canada.
Introducing special guest panelists...
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Noah is a Registered Social Worker and psychotherapist whose work is informed by both professional expertise and lived experience, including receiving an ADHD diagnosis later in adulthood and her identity as a queer Chinese immigrant. She specializes in supporting clients navigating ADHD, depression, anxiety, and complex trauma (C-PTSD) through identity-affirming, trauma-informed care that is sensitive to cultural context. Noah believes that while trauma can shape patterns in our lives, it does not have to define them. Her approach helps clients deepen their self-understanding, recognize their strengths, and build lives that reflect who they are, particularly qualities and abilities that can often be overlooked in a neurotypical world. In her practice, Noah draws from a range of evidence-based approaches, including Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT). She thoughtfully adapts her approach to each client’s individual needs and pace, with an emphasis on supporting the whole person. Learn more at; www.blueskylearning.ca |
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Jacqueline Chan (MA, MPS, RP) (she/her) is a Registered Psychotherapist in private practice in Toronto, specializing in somatic, culturally attuned care for first- and second-generation Asian, 2SLGBTQ+, and BIPOC individuals. Prior to her practice, Point Zero Psychotherapy, Jacqueline worked in clinical research at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and taught in their Mindfulness Project. Grounded in a Master of Psycho-spiritual Studies from the University of Toronto and a lifelong qi gong practice as an instructor at Pureland Qi gong International, she integrates somatic experiencing to help clients move beyond burnout into alignment. Learn more at; www.PointZeroPsychotherapy.com |
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"Culture isn't a bonus in therapy. It's essential." Angie grew up as a first-generation daughter of South Asian immigrants in small-town Ontario, navigating two cultures, academic pressure, and the question of where she belonged. That experience still drives her work. After an Honours BA at the University of Waterloo and an MSW at the University of Toronto, Angie spent 20 years as a frontline social worker in community mental health, including 12 years at CAMH. She then founded the Social Work role and Student Wellness Program at Havergal College. For over 25 years, she has dedicated her career to children, youth, students, and families. Today, Angie is a trauma therapist and the founder of Shanti Psychotherapy, a community-rooted practice offering culturally relevant therapy in 15 languages across Ontario, Alberta, and BC. She mentors and coaches new therapists to build careers they love without losing their values. A sought-after media voice on youth mental health, Angie also trains schools, organizations, and teams in culturally relevant therapy, trauma-informed care, compassion, and diversity, equity and inclusion. Community is at the heart of everything she does, and she believes no one should have to leave their language, culture, or how their brain works, at the door to heal. Learn more at; https://www.shantipsychotherapy.ca
Thursday, October 29, 2026;
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When
Location
- RSM Canada, 66 Wellington St. West, 32nd Floor, Toronto ON M5K 1E6
