MY NEURODIVERSE STORY

• Welcome to The Happy Square Peg!

My name is Susan Wunderley. I have been a Special Education teacher for over 20 years. I recently needed to resign because of Post COVID symptoms and mental health issues. For the past few years, I have wanted to start a website and give my unique insight into my educational experiences. I struggled throughout my entire school experience not knowing what the issue was. While studying to be a Special Educator at Penn State University, we learned about ADHD, and a light bulb went on. It was an AH HA moment when I laughed and said, "That sounds exactly like me."At 40, I finally got tested and diagnosed with ADHD (Big Surprise). In my last year of teaching, I was also diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder and anxiety. More recently, I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Not knowing or learning about my ADHD mind earlier in my life has caused a lot of mental health issues that I have been struggling even more with since COVID and adding Brain Fog to the mix as well as health issues because of COVID.

Not only because of my difficulties with ADHD but seeing my students severely struggle each day to cope with demands that sometimes seemed impossible has prompted me to want to research and find ways to promote a positive change for those of us with ADHD as well as other neurodiverse brains. We are often considered square pegs trying to fit in round holes. I believe there are many ways that we can create a different environment in schools and work and change the lens on how society views neurodiverse people for us to be more productive and improve how we also see ourselves.

Not only because of my own difficulties with ADHD but seeing my students severely struggle each day to cope with demands that sometimes seemed impossible has prompted me to want to research and find ways to promote a positive change for those of us with ADHD as well as other neurodiverse brains. We are often said to be square pegs trying to fit in round holes. I believe there are many ways that we can create a different environment in schools, work and change the lens on how society views neurodiverse people in order for us to be more productive and improve how we also see ourselves.

views neurodiverse people for us to be more productive and improve how we also see ourselves.
I will focus on helping Adults learn skills to be happier with their Neurodiverse brains on this site. I have been out of work for two years, struggling with my Neurodiverse Mind. I have been trying to learn all the strategies I can to help my own ADHD Mind, as well as how I can share that with others to have a happier life. I am still a work in progress and have a long way to go. If you are an adult struggling with a Neurodiverse Mind, I am in it with you. I plan to post blogs on the strategies I've learned regularly, the difficulties we face, and other trending topics related to Executive Functioning Skills. This site, as I said, will focus primarily on Adult struggles. I plan to start another website in the Fall to concentrate on children with Neurodiverse Minds and how schools and parents can help. This site's information will help you be a happier square peg. We deserve the help we need to be happy and more productive adults.